Lewis: May 7, 1805

Tuesday May 7th 1805. A fine morning, set out at an early hour; the drift
wood begins to come down in consequence of the river’s rising; the water
is somewhat clearer than usual, a circumstance I did not expect on it’s
rise. at 11 A.M. the wind became so hard that we were compelled to ly by
for several hours, one of the small canoes by the bad management of the
steersman filled with water and had very nearly sunk; we unloaded her and
dryed the baggage; at one we proceed on the wind having in some measure
abated. the country we passed today on the North side of the river is one
of the most beautifull plains we have yet seen, it rises gradually from
the river bottom to the hight of 50 or 60 feet, then becoming level as a
bowling green. extends back as far as the eye can reach; on the S. side
the river hills are more broken and much higher tho some little destance
back the country becomes level and fertile. no appearance of birnt hills
coal or pumicestone, that of salts still continue. vegitation appears to
have advanced very little since the 28th Ulto.we continue to see a
great number of bald Eagles, I presume they must feed on the carcases of
dead anamals, for I see no fishing hawks to supply them with their
favorite food. the water of the river is so terbid that no bird wich feeds
exclusively on fish can subsist on it; from it’s mouth to this place I
have neither seen the blue crested fisher nor a fishing hawk. this day we
killed 3 Buffaloe 1 Elk & 8 beaver; two of the Buffaloe killed by Capt
Clark near our encampment of this evening wer in good order dressed them
and saved the meat, the Elk I killed this morning, thought it fat, but on
examineation found it so lean that we took the tongue marrowbones and Skin
only.