Lewis: July 31, 1805

Wednesday July 31st 1805. This morning I waited at my camp very
impatiently for the arrival of Capt. Clark and party; I observed by my
watch that it was 7 A.M. and they had not come in sight. I now became very
uneasy and determined to wait until 8 and if they did not arrive by that
time to proceed on up the river taking it as a fact that they had passed
my camp some miles last evening. just as I set out to pursue my plan I
discovered Charbono walking up shore some distance below me and waited
untill arrived I now learnt that the canoes were behind, they arrived
shortly after. their detention had been caused by the rapidity of the
water and the circuitous rout of the river. they halted and breakfasted
after which we all set out again and I continued my walk on the Stard.
shore the river now becomes more collected the islands tho numerous ar
generally small. the river continues rapid and is from 90 to 120 yd. wide
has a considerable quantity of timber in it’s bottoms. towards evening the
bottoms became much narrower and the timber much more scant. high hills
set in close on the Lard. and the plain high waivy or reather broken on
the Stard. and approach the river closely for a shot distance vally above
11/2 M wd. About one mile above Capt. Clark’s encampment of the last
evening the principall entrance of a considerable river discharges itself
into Jefferson’s river. this stream is a little upwards of 30 yd. wide
discharges a large quantity of very clear water it’s bed like that of
Jefferson’s river is pebble and gravel. it takes it’s rise in the snowclad
mountains between Jefferson’s and Madison’s Rivers to the S. W. and
discharges itself into the former by seven mouths it has some timber in
it’s bottoms and vas numbers of beaver and Otter. this stream we call
River Philosophy. the rock of the clifts this evening is a hard black
grannite like that of the clifts of most parts of the river below the
limestone clifts at the 3 forks of the Missouri this evening just before
we encamped Drewyer discovered a brown bear enter a small cops of bushes
on the Lard. side; we surrounded the place an surched the brush but he had
escaped in some manner unperceived but how we could not discover. nothing
killed today and our fresh meat is out. when we have a plenty of fresh
meat I find it impossible to make the men take any care of it, or use it
with the least frugallity. tho I expect that necessity will shortly teach
them this art. the mountiains on both sides of the river at no great
distance are very lofty. we have a lame crew just now, two with turners or
bad boils on various parts of them, one with a bad stone bruise, one with
his arm accedently dislocated but fortunately well replaced, and a fifth
has streigned his back by sliping and falling backwards on the gunwall of
the canoe. the latter is Sergt. Gass. it gives him great pain to work in
the canoe in his present situation, but he thinks he can walk with
convenience, I therefore scelected him as one of the party to accompany me
tomorrow, being determined to go in quest of the Snake Indians. I also
directed Drewyer and Charbono to hold themselves in readiness. Charbono
thinks that his ankle is sufficiently recovered to stand the march but I
entertain my doubts of the fact; he is very anxious to accompany me and I
therefore indulge him. There is some pine on the hills on both sides of
the river opposite to our encampment which is on the Lard. side upon a
small island just above a run. the bull rush & Cat-tail flag grow in
great abundance in the moist parts of the bottoms the dryer situations are
covered with fine grass, tanzy, thistles, onions and flax. the bottom land
fertile and of a black rich loam. the uplands poor sterile and of a light
yellow clay with a mixture of small smooth pebble and gravel, poducing
prickley pears, sedge and the bearded grass in great abundance; this grass
is now so dry that it would birn like tinder.we saw one bighorn
today a few antelopes and deer.-