[Clark, July 23, 1804]
Camp 10 Ms. above the river Plate Monday July the 23rd - a
fair morning- Sent out a party of 5 men to look to timber
for Ores two other parties to hunt at 11 oClock Sent, G.
Drewyer & Peter Crusett 1/2 Indn. to the Otteaus Village
about 18 ms. West of our Camp, to invite the Chiefs &
principal men of that nation to come & talk with us &. &.,
also the panic if they Should meet with any of that nation
(also on the S. Side of the Plate 30 ms. higher up) (at this
Season of the year all the Indians in this quater are in the
Plains hunting the Buffalow from Some Signs Seen by our
hunter and the Praries being on fire in the derection of the
Village induce a belief that the Nation have returned to get
green Corn) raised a flag Staff put out Some provisions
which got wet in the french Perogue to Sun & Dry- I
commenced Coppying my map of the river to Send to the Presdt.
of U S. by the Return of a pty of Soldiers, from Illinois
five Deer Killed- one man a bad riseing on his left breast.
Wind from the N. W.
[Clark, July 23, 1804]
Camp White Catfish 10 Miles above the Platt River Monday the
23rd of July 1804 - A fair morning Set a party to look for
timber for Ores, two parties to hunt. at 11 oClock Sent off
George Drewyer & Peter Crousett with Some tobacco to invite
the Otteaus if at their town and Panies if they Saw them to
Come and talk with us at our Camp &c. &c. (at this Season
the Indians on this river are in the Praries Hunting the
Buffalow but from Some Signs of hunters near this place &
the Plains being on fire near their towns induce a belief
that they this nation have returned to get Some Green Corn
or rosting Ears) raised a flag Staff Sund & Dryed our
provisions &c. I commence Coppying a map of the river below
to Send to the P. ____ U S five Deer Killed to day one man
with a turner on his breast, Prepared our Camp the men put
their arms in order
Wind hard this afternoon from the N. W.
Equal altitudes taken at the White Catfish Camp, 10 miles
above the river Platt-
[Clark, July 24, 1804]
White Catfish Camp 24th of July Tuesday. - a fair morning
the wind rose with the Sun & blows hard from the S. thos
Southerley Breezes are dry Cool & refreshing. the Northerley
Breezes which is more frequent is much Cooler, and moist, I
continue my Drawing. Cap Lewis also ingaged prepareing Som
paper to Send back, one of the men cought a white Catfish,
the eyes Small, & Tale resembling that of a Dolfin.
[Clark, July 24, 1804]
White Catfish Camp 10 Ms. above Platt 24th, of July 1804 -
Tuesday a fair day the wind blows hard from the South, the
Breezes which are verry frequent on this part of the
Missouri is cool and refreshing. Several hunters out to day;
but as the game of all Kinds are Scarce only two Deer were
brought in- I am much engaged drawing off a map, Capt. Lewis
also much engaged in prepareing Papers to Send back by a
pirogue- Which we intended to Send back from the river
Plate- observations at this place makes the Lattitude 41° 3'
19" North
This evening Guthrege Cought a white Catfish, its eyes Small
& tale much like that of a Dolfin
[Clark, July 25, 1804]
White Catfish Camp 25th of July Wednesday. - Several hunters
Sent out. at 2 oClock the Two men Sent to the Otteaz Village
returned and informed that no Indians were at the Town they
Saw Some fresh Sign near that place which they persued, but
Could not find them, they having taken precausions to
Conceal the rout which they went out from the Villagethe
Inds. of the Missouries being at war with one & the other or
other Indians, move in large bodies and Sometimes the whole
nation Continue to Camp together on their hunting pls. Those
men inform that they passed thro a open Plain all the way to
the Town a feiw Trees excepted on the watercourses- they
Cross the papillion or the Butterfly Creek within a feiw
miles of Camp and near the Village a handsm. river of 100
yards Wide Called the Corne de chearf or the Elkhorn, which
mouths below the Town in the Plate N. Side. Wind from the S.
E. 2 Deer & a Turkey Killed to Day Several Grous Seen in the
Prarie
[Clark, July 25, 1804]
White Catfish Camp 25th of July Wednesday - a fair morning
Several hunters out today at 2 oClock Drewyer & Peter
returned from the Otteaus Village; and informs that no
Indians were at their towns, They Saw Some fresh Signs of a
Small party but Could not find them. in their rout to the
Towns (Which is about 18 miles West) they passed thro a open
Prarie Crossed papillion or Butterfly Creek and a Small
butifull river which run into the Platt a little below the
Town Called Corne de charf or Elk Horn river this river is
about 100 yards wide with Clear water & a gravely Channel.-
wind from the S. E two Deer Killed to day 1 Turkey Several
Grous Seen to day.
[Clark, July 26, 1804]
Whit Catfish Camp 26th of July Thursday. - the wind blew
Verry hard all Day from the South with Clouds of Sand which
incomoded me verry much in my tent, and as I could not Draw
in the Boat was obliged Combat with the Misqutr. under a
Shade in the woods-. I opened the Breast of a man the
discharge gave him ease &c. 5 beaver Caught near Camp-only 1
Deer Killed to day. The Countrey back from Camp on the S. S.
is a bottom of about 5 ms. wide one half the Distn. timber,
the other high bottom Prarie, the opsd. Side a high Hill
about 170 foot rock foundatio. Timbered back & below. a
Prarie
[Clark, July 26, 1804]
Catfish which is White Camp 26th of July Thursday 1804 - the
wind blustering and hard from the South all day which blowed
the Clouds of Sand in Such a manner that I could not
complete my pan in the tent, the Boat roled in Such a manner
that I could do nothing in that, I was Compessed to go to
the woods and Combat with the Musqutors, I opened the Turner
of a man on the left breast, which discharged half a point.
five Beever Cought near this Camp the flesh of which we made
use of-This evening we found verry pleasent- only one Deer
Killed to day. The Countrey back from Camp on the S. S. is a
bottom of about five mile wide, one half the distance wood &
the ball. plain high & Dry. the opposed Side a high Hill
about 170 foot rock foundation, Covd. with timber, back &
below is a Plain.
[Lewis, July 27, 1804]
white Catfish Camp July 27th Friday, - Charged the Boat and
Perogue after a Small Shower of rain, Completed our ores &
poles, Crossed over the two horses, with a View of their
going on the S W. Side of the Missouri and Set out at Half
past 1 oClock proceeded on Verry well under a gentle Breeze.
passed a high Island of high wood land on the L. Side just
above Camp, this Island is formed by a pond Supplied by a
great number of Springs from this hill, this Pond has 2 out
lets, & when the river is high the water passes thro the
pond, passed a Sand Island in the 2nd bend to the right.
Camped in a bend to the L. S. in Some wood, I took R. Fields
& walked on Shore & Killed a Deer, and did not get to the
Boat untile after night a butifull Breeze from the N W. this
evening which would have been verry agreeable, had the
Misquiters been tolerably Pacifick, but thy were rageing all
night, Some about the Sise of house flais
[Clark, July 27, 1804]
White Catfish Camp 10 ms above Platt 27th of July Friday, -
a Small Shower of rain this morning, at 10 oClock Commence
Loading the Boat & perogue; had all the Ores Completely
fixed; Swam over the two remaining horses to the L. S. with
the view of the Hunters going on that Side, after Getting
everry thing Complete, we Set Sale under a gentle breeze
from the South and proceeded on, passed a Island (formd by a
Pond fed by Springs) on the L. S. of high Land Covered with
timber, in the 2nd bend to the right a large Sand Island in
the river a high Prarie on the S. S.-. as we were Setting
out to day one man Killed a Buck & another Cut his Knee
verry bad Camped in a Bend to the L. Side in a Coops of
Trees, a verry agreeable Breeze from the N W. this evening.
I Killed a Deer in the Prarie and found the Misquitors So
thick & troublesom that it was disagreeable and painfull to
Continue a moment Still.
I took one man R. Fields and walked on Shore with a View of
examoning Som mounds on the L. S. of the river- those mounds
I found to be of Deffirent hight Shape & Size, Some Composed
of Sand Some earth & Sand, the highest next to the river all
of which covered about 200 acres of land, in a circular form
on the Side from the river a low bottom & Small Pond. The
Otteaus formerly lived here I did not get to the boat untile
after night.
[Clark, July 28, 1804]
July 28th Satturday - Set out this morning early, the wind
blou from the N. W. by N. a Dark Smokey Morning, Some rain
at 1 me. passed a Bluff on the S. S. it being the first high
land approachig the river above the Nodaway, a Island and
Creek S. S. just abov this creek I call Indian Knob G.
Drewyer Came with a Deer &informs he heard fireing to the S.
W. I walked on Shore on the S. S. found some good Prarie out
from the S. pt. The High Lands approach the river 1st bend
to left The party on Shore brought in a Missouri Indian who
resides with the Otteauz, this Indian & 2 others were
Hunting in the Prarie their Camp is about 4 miles off. This
Indian informs that his nation is in the Plains hunting the
Buffalow, the party with which he is encamped is about 20
familey Hunting the Elk, we landed on S. S. below an Island
[Clark, July 28, 1804]
July the 28th, Satturday 1804 - Set out this morning early,
the wind from the N W. by N. a Dark Smokey morning Some rain
passed at 1 me. a Bluff on the S. S. the first high land
above the Nodaway aproaching the river on that Side a Island
and Creek 15 yds. wide on the S. S. above this Bluff, as
this Creek has no name call it Indian Knob Creek our party
on Shore Came to the river and informs that they heard
fireing to the S W. below this High Land on the S. S. the
Aiawuay Indians formerly lived, The flank came in & informed
they heard two Guns to the S. W. the highland approaches in
the 1st bend to the left, we camped on the S. S. below the
point of an Island, G Drewyer brought in a Missourie Indian
which he met with hunting in the Prarie This Indian is one
of the fiew remaining of that nation, & lives with the
Otteauz, his Camp about 4 miles from the river, he informs
that the great gangue of the nation were hunting the
Buffalow in the Plains. hs party was Small Consisting only
of about 20 Lodges, ____ miles furthr a nother Camp where
there was a french man, who lived in the nation, This Indian
appeard spritely, and appeared to make use of the Same
pronouncation of the Osarge, Calling a Chief Inca July 29th
SundayWe Sent one frenchman le Liberty & the Indian to the
Camp to envite the party to meet us at the next bend of High
Land on the L. S. a Dark morning wind from the W. N. W.
rained all last night Set out at 5 oClock &, proceeded on
passed the Island, opposit this Island on the S. S. the
Creek called Indian Knob Creek which mouths Several miles on
a Direct line below, is within 20 feet of the Missouri &
about 5 feet higher
Cought three large Cat fish to day verry fat one of them
nearly white those Cat are So plenty that they may be Cought
in any part of this river but fiew fish of any other Kind.
(4) at the commencement of this course passed much fallen
timber apparently the ravages of a dreadful haricane which
had passed obliquely across the river from N. W. to S. E.
about twelve months since. many trees were broken off near
the ground the trunks of which were sound and four feet in
diameter.
Willard lost his gun in Bowyers R. R. Fields Dive & brought
it up All the Wood Land on this part of the Missouries
Appear to be Confined to the Points & Islands.
Boyers River is provably 25 yds. Wide, Willard near loseing
his Gun in this river, two men Sick & Sevral with Boils, a
Cold Day Wind from the N W. Som rain the fore part of the
Day.
[Clark, July 29, 1804]
July 29th Sunday 1804 - Sent a french man la Liberty with
the Indian to Otteaze Camp to invite the Indians to meet us
on the river above- a Dark rainey morning wind from the W.
N. W.- rained all the last night- Set out at 5 oClock
opposit the (1) Island, the bend to the right or S. S. is
within 20 feet of Indian Knob Creek, the water of this Creek
is 5 feet higher than that of the River. passed the Isld. we
Stoped to Dine under Some high Trees near the high land on
the L. S. in a fiew minits Cought three verry large Catfish
(3) one nearly white, Those fish are in great plenty on the
Sides of the river and verry fat, a quart of Oile Came out
of the Surpolous fat of one of these fish (4) above this
high land & on the S. S. passed much falling timber
apparently the ravages of a Dreadfull harican which had
passed obliquely across the river from N. W. to S E about
twelve months Since, many trees were broken off near the
ground the trunks of which were Sound and four feet in
Diameter, (2) about 3/4 of a Me. above the Island on the S.
S. a Creek corns in Called Boyers R. this Creek is 25 yards
wide, one man in attempting to Cross this Creek on a log let
his gun fall in, R. Fields Dived & brought it up proceeded
on to a Point on the S. S. and Camped.
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The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806