Clark: September 19, 1806

Friday 19th of Sept. 1806 Set out this morning a little after day &
proceeded on very well the men ply their oares & we decended with
great velocity, only Came too once for the purpose of gathering pappows,
our anxiety as also the wish of the party to proceed on as expeditiously
as possible to the Illinois enduce us to continue on without halting to
hunt. we Calculate on ariveing at the first Settlements on tomorrow
evening which is 140 miles, and objecet of our party is to divide the
distance into two days, this day to the Osarge River, and tomorrow to the
Charriton a Small french Villagewe arived at the Enterance of Osage
River at dark and encamped on the Spot we had encamped on the 1st & 2d
of June 1804 haveing Came 72 miles. a very singular disorder is takeing
place amongst our party that of the Sore eyes. three of the party have
their eyes inflamed and Sweled in Such a manner as to render them
extreamly painfull, particularly when exposed to the light, the eye ball
is much inflaimed and the lid appears burnt with the Sun, the cause of
this complaint of the eye I can’t account for. from it’s Sudden appearance
I am willing to believe it may be owing to the reflection of the Sun on
the water