Lewis: July 24, 1805

Wednesday July 24th 1805. Set out at sunrise; the current very strong;
passed a remarkable bluff of a crimson coloured earth on Stard. intermixed
with Stratas of black and brick red slate. the valley through which the
river passed today is much as that of yesterday nor is there any
difference in the appearance of the mountains, they still continue high
and seem to rise in some places like an amphatheater one rang above
another as they receede from the river untill the most distant and lofty
have their tops clad with snow. the adjacent mountains commonly rise so
high as to conceal the more distant and lofty mountains from our view. I
fear every day that we shall meet with some considerable falls or
obstruction in the river notwithstanding the information of the Indian
woman to the contrary who assures us that the river continues much as we
see it. I can scarcely form an idea of a river runing to great extent
through such a rough mountainous country without having it’s stream
intercepted by some difficult and gangerous rappids or falls. we daily
pass a great number of small rappids or riffles which decend one to or 3
feet in 150 yards but they are rarely incommoded with fixed or standing
rocks and altho strong rappid water are nevertheless quite practicable
& by no means dangerous. we saw many beaver and some otter today; the
former dam up the small channels of the river between the islands and
compell the river in these parts to make other channels; which as soon as
it has effected that which was stoped by the beaver becomes dry and is
filled up with mud sand gravel and drift wood. the beaver is then
compelled to seek another spot for his habitation wher he again erects his
dam. thus the river in many places among the clusters of islands is
constantly changing the direction of such sluices as the beaver are
capable of stoping or of 20 yds. in width. this anamal in that way I
beleive to be very instrumental in adding to the number of islands with
which we find the river crouded. we killed one deer today and found a goat
or Antelope which had been left by Capt. Clark. we saw a large bear but
could not get a shoot at him. we also saw a great number of Crams &
Antelopes, some gees and a few red-headed ducks the small bird of the
plains and curloos still abundant. we observed a great number of snakes
about the water of a brown uniform colour, some black, and others speckled
on the abdomen and striped with black and brownish yellow on the back and
sides. the first of these is the largest being about 4 feet long, the
second is of that kind mentioned yesterday, and the last is much like the
garter snake of our country and about it’s size. none of these species are
poisonous I examined their teeth and fund them innosent. they all appear
to be fond of the water, to which they fly for shelter immediately on
being pursued.we saw much sign of Elk but met with none of them.
from the appearance of bones and excrement of old date the buffaloe
sometimes straggle into this valley; but there is no fresh sighn of them
and I begin think that our harrvest of white puddings is at an end, at
least untill our return to the buffaloe country. our trio of pests still
invade and obstruct us on all occasions, these are the Musquetoes eye
knats and prickley pears, equal to any three curses that ever poor Egypt
laiboured under, except the Mahometant yoke. the men complain of being
much fortiegued, their labour is excessively great. I occasionly encourage
them by assisting in the labour of navigating the canoes, and have learned
to push a tolerable good pole in their fraize. This morning Capt. Clark
set out early and pursued the Indian road whih took him up a creek some
miles abot 10 A.M. he discovered a horse about six miles distant on his
left, he changed his rout towards the horse, on approaching him he found
the horse in fine order but so wild he could not get within less than
several hundred paces of him. he still saw much indian sign but none of
recent date. from this horse he directed his course obliquely to the river
where on his arrival he killed a deer and dined. in this wide valley where
he met with the horse he passed five handsome streams, one of which only
had timber another some willows and much stoped by the beaver. after
dinner he continued his rout along the river upwards and encamped having
traveled about 30 mes.