Clark: November 13, 1805

November 13th Wednesday 1805 Some intervales of fair weather last night,
rain and wind Continue this morning, as we are in a Cove & the
Mountains verry high & Pine Spruce verry high & thick Cannot
deturmine the procise course of the winds. I walked to the top of the
first part of the mountain with much fatigue as the distance was about 3
miles thro intolerable thickets of Small Pine, arrow wood a groth much
resembling arrow wood with briers, growing to 10 & 15 feet high
interlocking with each other & Furn, aded to this difficulty the hill
was So Steep that I was obliged to drawing my Self up in many places by
the bowers, the Countrey Continues thick and hilley as far back a I could
See. Some Elk Sign, rained all day moderately. I am wet &c. &c.
The Hail which fell 2 night past is yet to be Seen on the mountain on
which I was to day. I Saw a Small red Berry which grows on a Stem of about
6 or 8 Inches from the Ground, in bunches and in great quantity on the
Mountains, the taste insiped. I saw a number of verry large Spruce Pine
one of which I measured 14 feet around and verry tall. My principal
objects in assdg. this mountain was to view the river below, the weather
being So Cloudey & thick that I could not See any distance down,
discovered the wind high from the N. W. and waves high at a Short distance
below our Encampment, (Squar displeased with me for not sin &c &c.
Wap-lo a excellent root which is rosted and tastes like a potato I Cut my
hand despatched 3 men in a Indian canoe (which is calculated to ride high
Swells) down to examine if they can find the Bay at the mouth & good
barbers below for us to proceed in Safty. The fides at every Hud come in
with great Swells & Breake against the rocks & Drift trees with
great furythe rain Continue all the evening nothing to eate but
Pounded fish which we have as a reserve See Store, and what Pore fish we
can kill up the branch on which we are encamped our canoe and the three
men did not return this eveningif we were to have cold weather to
accompany the rain which we have had for this 6 or 8 days passed we must
eneviatilbly Suffer verry much as Clothes are Scerce with us.

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November 13th Wednesday 1805 Some intervales of fair weather last night,
rain continue this morning. I walked up the Brook & assended the first
Spur of the mountain with much fatigue, the distance about 3 miles,
through an intolerable thickets of Small pine, a groth much resembling
arrow wood on the Stem of which there is thorns; this groth about 12 or 15
feet high inter lockd into each other and Scattered over the high fern
& fallen timber, added to this the hills were So Steep that I was
compelled to draw my Self up by the assistance of those bushesThe
Timber on those hills are of the pine Species large and tall maney of them
more than 200 feet high & from 8 to 10 feet through at the Stump those
hills & as far back as I could See, I Saw Some Elk Sign, on the Spur
of the mountain tho not fresh. I killed a Salmon trout on my return. The
Hail which fell 2 nights past is yet to be Seen on the mountains; I Saw in
my ramble to day a red berry resembling Solomons Seal berry which the
nativs call Sol-me and use it to eate. my principal object in assending
this mountain was to view the countrey below, the rain continuing and
weather proved So Cloudy that I could not See any distance on my return we
dispatched 3 men Colter, Willard and Shannon in the Indian canoe to get
around the point if possible and examine the river, and the Bay below for
a god barber for our Canoes to lie in Safty &c. The tide at every
floot tide Came with great swells brakeing against the rocks & Drift
trees with great fury The rain Continue all day. nothing to eate but
pounded fish which we Keep as a reserve and use in Situations of this
kind.