Lewis: July 28, 1806

July 28th 1806 Monday. The morning proved fair, I slept sound but
fortunately awoke as day appeared, I awaked the men and directed the
horses to be saddled, I was so soar from my ride yesterday that I could
scarcely stand, and the men complained of being in a similar situation
however I encourged them by telling them that our own lives as well as
those of our friends and fellow travellers depended on our exertions at
this moment; they were allert soon prepared the horses and we again
resumed our march; the men proposed to pass the missouri at the grog
spring where rose river approaches it so nearly and pass down on the S. W.
side, to this I objected as it would delay us almost all day to reach the
point by this circuetous rout and would give the enemy time to surprise
and cut off the party at the point if they had arrived there, I told them
that we owed much to the safety of our friends and that we must wrisk our
lives on this occasion, that I should proceed immediately to the point and
if the party had not arrived that I would raft the missouri a small
distance above, hide our baggage and march on foot up the river through
the timber untill I met the canoes or joined them at the falls; I now told
them that it was my determination that if we were attacked in the plains
on our way to the point that the bridles of the horses should be tied
together and we would stand and defend them, or sell our lives as dear as
we could. we had proceeded about 12 miles on an East course when we found
ourselves near the missouri; we heared a report which we took to be that
of a gun but were not certain; still continuing down the N. E. bank of the
missouri about 8 miles further, being then within five miles of the grog
spring we heared the report of several rifles very distinctly on the river
to our right, we quickly repared to this joyfull sound and on arriving at
the bank of the river had the unspeakable satisfaction to see our canoes
coming down. we hurried down from the bluff on which we were and joined
them striped our horses and gave them a final discharge imbrarking without
loss of time with our baggage. I now learned that they had brought all
things safe having sustaned no loss nor met with any accident of
importance. Wiser had cut his leg badly with a knife and was unable in
consequence to work. we decended the river opposite to our principal cash
which we proceeded to open after reconnoitering the adjacent country. we
found that the cash had caved in and most of the articles burried therin
were injured; I sustained the loss of two very large bear skins which I
much regret; most of the fur and baggage belonging to the men were
injured. the gunpowder corn flour poark and salt had sustained but little
injury the parched meal was spoiled or nearly so. having no time to air
these things which they much wanted we droped down to the point to take in
the several articles which had been buried at that place in several small
cashes; these we found in good order, and recovered every article except 3
traps belonging to Drewyer which could not be found. here as good fortune
would have it Sergt. Gass and Willard who brought the horses from the
falls joined us at 1 P.M. I had ordered them to bring down the horses to
this place in order to assist them in collecting meat which I had directed
them to kill and dry here for our voyage, presuming that they would have
arrived with the perogue and canoes at this place several days before my
return. having now nothing to detain us we passed over immediately to the
island in the entrance of Maria’s river to launch the red perogue, but
found her so much decayed that it was impossible with the means we had to
repare her and therefore mearly took the nails and other ironwork’s about
her which might be of service to us and left her. we now reimbarked on
board the white peroge and five small canoes and decended the river about
15 ms. and encamped on the S. W. side near a few cottonwood trees, one of
them being of the narrow leafed speceis and was the first of that kind
which we had remarked on our passage up the river. we encamped late but
having little meat I sent out a couple of hunters who soon returned with a
sufficient quantity of the flesh of a fat cow. there are immence
quantities of buffaloe and Elk about the junction of the Missouri and
Maria’s rivers.during the time we halted at the er.crance of
Maria’s river we experienced a very heavy shower of rain and hail attended
with violent thunder and lightning.