Lewis: July 3, 1806

Thursday July 3rd 1806. All arrangements being now compleated for carrying
into effect the several scheemes we had planed for execution on our
return, we saddled our horses and set out I took leave of my worthy friend
and companion Capt. Clark and the party that accompanyed him. I could not
avoid feeling much concern on this occasion although I hoped this
seperation was only momentary. I proceeded down Clark’s river seven miles
with my party of nine men and five indians. here the Indians recommended
our passing the river which was rapid and 150 yds. wide. 2 miles above
this place I passed the entrance of the East branch of Clark’s River which
discharges itself by two channels; the water of this river is more terbid
than the main stream and is from 90 to 120 yds. wide. as we had no other
means of passing the river we busied ourselves collecting dry timber for
the purpose of constructing rafts; timber being scarce we found
considerable difficulty in procuring as much as made three small rafts. we
arrived at 11 A.M. and had our rafts completed by 3 P.M. when we dined and
began to take over our baggage which we effected in the course of 3 hours
the rafts being obliged to return several times. the Indians swam over
their horses and drew over their baggage in little basons of deer skins
which they constructed in a very few minutes for that purpose. we drove
our horses in after them and they followed to the opposite shore. I
remained myself with two men who could scarcely swim untill the last; by
this time the raft by passing so frequently had fallen a considerable
distance down the river to a rapid and difficult part of it crouded with
several small Islands and willow bars which were now overflown; with these
men I set out on the raft and was soon hurried down with the current a
mile and a half before we made shore, on our approach to the shore the
raft sunk and I was drawn off the raft by a bush and swam on shore the two
men remained on the raft and fortunately effected a landing at some little
distance below. I wet the chronometer by this accedent which I had placed
in my fob as I conceived for greater security. I now joined the party and
we proceeded with the indians about 3 Ms. to a small Creek and encamped at
sunset. I sent out the hunters who soon returned with three very fine deer
of which I gave the indians half These people now informed me that the
road which they shewed me at no great distance from our Camp would lead us
up the East branch of Clark’s river and a river they called Cokahlarishkit
or the river of the road to buffaloe and thence to medicine river and the
falls of the Missouri where we wished to go. they alledged that as the
road was a well beaten track we could not now miss our way and as they
were affraid of meeting with their enimies the Minnetares they could not
think of continuing with us any longer, that they wished now to proceed
down Clark’s river in surch of their friends the Shalees. they informed us
that not far from the dividing ridge between the waters of this and the
Missouri rivers the roads forked they recommended the left hand as the
best rout but said they would both lead us to the falls of the Missouri. I
directed the hunters to turn out early in the morning and indeavour to
kill some more meat for these people whom I was unwilling to leave without
giving them a good supply of provision after their having been so obliging
as to conduct us through those tremendious mountains. the musquetoes were
so excessively troublesome this evening that we were obliged to kindle
large fires for our horses these insects tortured them in such manner
untill they placed themselves in the smoke of the fires that I realy
thought they would become frantic. about an hour after dark the air become
so coald that the musquetoes disappeared.

We saw the fresh track of a horse this evening in the road near our camp
which the indians supposed to be a Shale spye. we killed a prarie hen with
the short and pointed tail she had a number of young which could just fly.