Lewis: June 9, 1805

Sunday June 9th 1805. We determined to deposite at this place the large
red perogue all the heavy baggage which we could possibly do without and
some provision, salt, tools powder and Lead &c with a view to lighten
our vessels and at the same time to strengthen their crews by means of the
seven hands who have been heretofore employd. in navigating the red
perogue; accordingly we set some hands to diging a hole or cellar for the
reception of our stores. these holes in the ground or deposits are called
by the engages cashes; on enquiry I found that Cruzatte was well
acquainted this business and therefore left the management of it intirely
to him. today we examined our maps, and compared the information derived
as well from them as from the Indians and fully settled in our minds the
propryety of addopting the South fork for the Missouri, as that which it
would be most expedient for us to take. The information of Mr. Fidler
incorrect as it is strongly argued the necessity of taking the South fork,
for if he has been along the Eastern side of the rocky mountains as far as
even Latd. 47°, which I think fully as far south as he ever was in that
direction, and saw only small rivulets making down from those mountains
the presumption is very strong that those little streams do not penetrate
the rocky Mountains to such distance as would afford rational grownds for
a conjecture that they had their sources near any navigable branch of the
Columbia, and if he has seen those rivulets as far south as 47° they are
most probably the waters of some Nothern branch of the Missouri or South
fork probably the river called by the Indians Medicine River; we therefore
cannot hope by going Northwardly of this place being already in Latititude
47° 24″ to find a stream between this place and the Saskashawan which dose
penetrate the Rocky mountains, and which agreeably to the information of
the Indians with rispect to the Missouri, dose possess a navigable curent
some distance in those mountains. The Indian information also argued
strongly in favour of the South fork. they informed us that the water of
the Missouri was nearly transparent at the great falls, this is the case
with the water of the South fork; that the falls lay a little to the South
of sunset from them; this is also brobable as we are only a few minutes
North of Fort Mandan and the South fork bears considerably South from
hence to the Mountains; that the falls are below the rocky mountains and
near the Nothern termineation of one range of those mountains. a range of
mountains which apear behind the S. Mountains and which appear to
terminate S. W. from this place and on this side of the unbroken chain of
the Rocky Mountains gives us hope that this part of their information is
also correct, and there is sufficient distance between this and the
mountains for many and I fear for us much too many falls. another
impression on my mind is that if the Indians had passed any stream as
large as the South fork on their way to the Missouri that they would not
have omitted mentioning it; and the South fork from it’s size and
complexion of it’s waters must enter the Ry. Mountains and in my opinion
penetrates them to a great distance, or els whence such an immence body of
water as it discharges; it cannot procede from the dry plains to the N. W.
of the Yellow Stone river on the East side of the Rocky Mountains for
those numerous large dry channels which we witnessed on that side as we
ascended the Missouri forbid such a conjecture; and that it should take
it’s sourses to the N. W. under those mountains the travels of Mr. Fidler
fobid us to beleive. Those ideas as they occurred to me I indevoured to
impress on the minds of the party all of whom except Capt. C. being still
firm in the beleif that the N. Fork was the Missouri and that which we
ought to take; they said very cheerfully that they were ready to follow us
any wher we thought proper to direct but that they still thought that the
other was the river and that they were affraid that the South fork would
soon termineate in the mountains and leave us at a great distance from the
Columbia. Cruzatte who had been an old Missouri navigator and who from his
integrity knowledge and skill as a waterman had acquired the confidence of
every individual of the party declared it as his opinion that the N. fork
was the true genuine Missouri and could be no other. finding them so
determined in this beleif, and wishing that if we were in an error to be
able to detect it and rectify it as soon as possible it was agreed between
Capt. C. and myself that one of us should set out with a small party by
land up the South fork and continue our rout up it untill we found the
falls or reached the snowy Mountains by which means we should be enabled
to determine this question prety accurately. this expedition I prefered
undertaking as Capt. C best waterman &c. and determined to set out the
day after tomorrow; I wished to make some further observations at this
place, and as we had determined to leave our blacksmith’s bellows and
tools here it was necessary to repare some of our arms, and particularly
my Airgun the main spring of which was broken, before we left this place.
these and some other preperations will necessarily detain us two perhaps
three days. I felt myself very unwell this morning and took a portion of
salts from which I feel much releif this evening. The cash being completed
I walked to it and examined it’s construction. it is in a high plain about
40 yards distant from a steep bluff of the South branch on it’s nothern
side; the situation a dry one which is always necessary. a place being
fixed on for a cash, a circle abut 20 inches in diameter is first
discribed, the terf or sod of this circle is carefully removed, being
taken out as entire as possible in order that it may be replaced in the
same situation when the chash is filled and secured. this circular hole is
then sunk perpendicularly to the debth of one foot, if the ground be not
firm somewhat deeper. they then begin to work it out wider as they proceed
downwards untill they get it about six or seven feet deep giving it nearly
the shape of the kettle or lower part of a large still. it’s bottom is
also somewhat sunk in the center. the dementions of the cash is in
proportion to the quantity of articles intended to be deposited. as the
earth is dug it is handed up in a vessel and carefully laid on a skin or
cloth and then carryed to some place where it can be thrown in such manner
as to conseal it usually into some runing stream wher it is washed away
and leaves no traces which might lead to the discovery of the cash. before
the goods are deposited they must be well dryed; a parsel of small dry
sticks are then collected and with them a floor is maid of three or four
inches thick which is then covered with some dry hay or a raw hide well
dryed; on this the articles are deposited, taking care to keep them from
touching the walls by putting other dry sticks between as you stoe away
the merchandize, when nearly full the goods are covered with a skin and
earth thrown in and well ramed untill with the addition of the turf furst
removed the whole is on a level with the serface of the ground. in this
manner dryed skins or merchandize will keep perfectly sound for several
years. the traders of the Missouri, particularly those engaged in the
trade with the Siouxs are obliged to have frequent recourse to this method
in order to avoyd being robed. most of the men are busily engaged dressing
skins for cloathing. In the evening Cruzatte gave us some music on the
violin and the men passed the evening in dancing singing &c and were
extreemly cheerfull.-