Part 56 (1/2)
[Clark, May 7, 1805]
May 7th Tuesday, 1805 A fine morning river rose 11/2 Inches last night, the drift wood beginning to run the water Something Clearer than usial, the wind became verry hard, and at 11 oClock one Canoe by bad Stearing filled with water, which detained us about 3 hours, had a Meridian alt.i.tude, the Laid. from which is 4736' 11” 6/10 The Countrey on the North Side of the Missouri is one of the handsomest plains we have yet Seen on the river the plain rises from the river bottom gradually. The Hills on the South Side is high & uneavin. no appearance of Coal or burnt hills, that of Salts Still appear; vegitation appears to be Slow, I walked on the bank to day and Shot 2 beaver, in the evening Killed two Buffalow in tolerable order which we Saved and Camped on the Lard Side. 8 beaver, 3 buffalow & an Elk killed to day
[Lewis, May 8, 1805]
Wednesday May 8th 1805.
Set out at an early hour under a gentle brieze from the East. a black cloud which suddonly sprung up at S. E. soon over shaddowed the horizon; at 8 A.M. it gave us a slight sprinke of rain, the wind became much stronger but not so much so as to detain us. we nooned it just above the entrance of a large river which disimbogues on the Lard.
side; I took the advantage of this leasure moment and examined the river about 3 miles; I found it generally 150 yards wide, and in some places 200. it is deep, gentle in it's courant and affords a large boddy of water; it's banks which are formed of a dark rich loam and blue clay are abbrupt and about 12 feet high. it's bed is princ.i.p.ally mud. I have no doubt but it is navigable for boats perogues and canoes, for the latter probably a great distance. the bottoms of this stream ar wide, level, fertile and possess a considerable proportion of timber, princ.i.p.ally Cottonwood. from the quant.i.ty of water furnised by this river it must water a large extent of country; perhaps this river also might furnish a practicable and advantageous communication with the Saskas.h.i.+wan river; it is sufficiently large to justify a belief that it might reach to that river if it's direction be such. the water of this river possesses a peculiar whiteness, being about the colour of a cup of tea with the admixture of a tablespoonful) of milk. from the colour of it's water we called it Milk river. (we think it possible that this may be the river called by the Minitares the river which scoalds at all others or ____) Capt Clark who walked this morning on the Lard. sh.o.r.e ascended a very high point opposite to the mouth of this river; he informed me that he had a perfect view of this river and the country through which it pa.s.sed for a great distance (probably 50 or 60 Miles,) that the country was level and beautifull on both sides of the river, with large herds of Buffaloe distributed throughout that the river from it's mouth boar N. W. for 12 or 15 Miles when it forked, the one taking a direction nearly North, and the other to the West of N. West. from the appearance of the vallies and the timber on each of these streams Capt. C. supposed that they were about the same size. great appearance of beaver on this river, and I have no doubt but what they continue abundant, there being plenty of cottonwood and willow, the timber on which they subsist. The country on the Lard. side of the river is generally high broken hills, with much broken, grey black and brown grannite scattered on the surface of the earth in a confused manner.
The wild Licquorice is found on the sides of these hills, in great abundance. at a little distance from the river there is no timber to be seen on either side; the bottom lands are not more than one fifth covered with timber; the timber as below is confined to the borders of the river. in future it will be understood that there is no timber of any discription on the upland unless particularly mentioned; and also that one fifth of the bottom lands being covered with timber is considered a large proportion. The white apple is found in great abundance in this neighbourhood; it is confined to the highlands princ.i.p.ally. The whiteapple, so called by the French Engages, is a plant which rises to the hight of 6 or 9 Inchs. rarely exceeding a foot; it puts forth from one to four and sometimes more stalks from the same root, but is most generally found with one only, which is branched but not defusely, is cylindric and villose; the leafstalks, cylindric, villose and very long compared with the hight of the plant, tho gradually diminish in length as they ascend, and are irregular in point of position; the leaf, digitate, from three to five in number, oval 1 Inch long, absolutely entire and cottony; the whole plant of a pale green, except the under disk of the leaf which is of a white colour from the cottony substance with which it is covered. the radix a tuberous bulb; generally ova formed, sometimes longer and more rarely partially divided or brancing; always attended with one or more radicles at it's lower extremity which sink from 4 to 6 inches deep.
the bulb covered with a rough black, tough, thin rind which easily seperates from the bulb which is a fine white substance, somewhat porus, spungy and moist, and reather tough before it is dressed; the center of the bulb is penitrated with a small tough string or ligament, which pa.s.sing from the bottom of the stem terminates in the extremity of the radicle, which last is also covered by a prolongation of the rind which invellopes the bulb. The bulb is usually found at the debth of 4 inches and frequently much deeper. This root forms a considerable article of food with the Indians of the Missouri, who for this purpose prepare them in several ways. they are esteemed good at all seasons of the year, but are best from the middle of July to the latter end of Autumn when they are sought and gathered by the provident part of the natives for their winter store. when collected they are striped of their rhind and strung on small throngs or chords and exposed to the sun or placed in the smoke of their fires to dry; when well dryed they will keep for several years, provided they are not permitted to become moist or damp; in this situation they usually pound them between two stones placed on a piece of parchment, untill they reduce it to a fine powder thus prepared they thicken their soope with it; sometimes they also boil these dryed roots with their meat without breaking them; when green they are generally boiled with their meat, sometimes mas.h.i.+ng them or otherwise as they think proper. they also prepare an agreeable dish with them by boiling and mas.h.i.+ng them and adding the marrow grease of the buffaloe and some buries, until the whole be of the consistency of a haisty pudding. they also eat this root roasted and frequently make hearty meals of it raw without sustaining any inconvenience or injury therefrom. The White or brown bear feed very much on this root, which their tallons a.s.sist them to procure very readily. the white apple appears to me to be a tastless insippid food of itself tho I have no doubt but it is a very healthy and moderately nutricious food. I have no doubt but our epicures would admire this root very much, it would serve them in their ragouts and gravies in stead of the truffles morella.
We saw a great number buffaloe, Elk, common and Black taled deer, goats beaver and wolves. Capt C. killed a beaver and a wolf, the party killed 3 beaver and a deer. We can send out at any time and obtain whatever species of meat the country affords in as large quant.i.ty as we wish. we saw where an Indian had recently grained, or taken the hair off of a goatskin; we do not wish to see those gentlemen just now as we presume they would most probably be the a.s.sinniboins and might be troublesome to us. Capt C. could not be certain but thought he saw the smoke and some Indian lodges at a considrable distance up Milk river.
[Clark, May 8, 1805]
May the 8th Wednesday 1805 a verry black Cloud to the S W. we Set out under a gentle breeze from the N. E. about 8 oClock began to rain, but not Sufficient to wet, we pa.s.sed the mouth of a large river on the Starboard Side 150 yards wide and appears to be navagable. the Countrey thro which it pa.s.ses as far as Could be seen from the top of a verry high hill on which I was, a butifull leavil plain this river forks about N W from its mouth 12 or 15 miles one fork runs from the North & the other to the West of N W.
the water of this river will justify a belief that it has its Sourse at a considerable distance, and waters a great extent of Countrey--we are willing to believe that this is the River the Minitarres Call the river which Scolds at all others
the Countrey on the Lard. Side is high & broken with much Stone Scattered on the hills, In walking on Sh.o.r.e with the Interpreter & his wife, the Squar Geathered on the Sides of the hills wild Lickerish, & the white apple as called by the angegies and gave me to eat, the Indians of the Missouri make great use of the white apple dressed in different ways--Saw great numbers of Buffalow, Elk, antelope & Deer, also black tale deer beaver & wolves, I killed a beaver which I found on the bank, & a wolf. The party killed 3 Beaver 1 Deer I saw where an Indian had taken the hair off a goat Skin a fiew days past--Camped early on the Lard. Side. The river we pa.s.sed today we call Milk river from the peculiar whiteness of it's water, which precisely resembles tea with a considerable mixture of milk.
[Lewis, May 9, 1805]
Thursday May 9th 1805.
Set out at an early hour; the wind being favourable we used our sails and proceeded very well; the country in appearance is much as yester, with this difference that the land appears more fertile particularly of the Lard. hills which are not so stoney and less broken; the timber has also in some measure declined in quant.i.ty. today we pa.s.sed the bed of the most extraordinary river that I ever beheld. it is as wide as the Missouri is at this place or 1/2 a mile wide and not containing a single drop of runing water; some small standing pools being all the water that could be per-ceived. it falls in on the Lard. side. I walked up this river about three miles and ascended an eminence from which I could perceive it many miles; it's course about South for 10 or 12 miles, when it viered around to the E of S. E. as far as I could see.
the valley of this river is wide and possesses but a scanty proportion of timber; the hills which border it are not very high nor is the country very broken; it is what may properly be designated a wavy or roling country intersperced with some handsom level plains. the bank are low and abbrupt, seldom more than 6 or eight feet above the level of the bed, yet show but little appearance of being overflown; they are of black or yellow clay or a rich sandy loam. the bed is entirely composed of a light brown sand the particles of which as well as that of the Missoury are remarkably fine. this river I presume must extend back as far as the black hills and probably is the channel through which a great extent of plain country discharge their superfluous waters in the spring season. it had the appearance of having recently discharged it's waters; and from the watermark, it did not appear that it had been more than 2 feet deep at it's greatest hight. This stream (if such it can properly be termed) we called Big dry river. about a mile below this river on the same side a large creek falls in also dry at present. The mineral salts and quarts appear in large quant.i.ties in this neighbourhood. the sand of the Missouri from it's mouth to this place has always possessed a mixture of granulated talk or I now think most probably that it is this quarts. Capt C. killed 2 bucks and 2 buffaloe, I also killed one buffaloe which proved to be the best meat, it was in tolerable order; we saved the best of the meat, and from the cow I killed we saved the necessary materials for making what our wrighthand cook Charbono calls the boudin blanc, and immediately set him about preparing them for supper; this white pudding we all esteem one of the greatest delacies of the forrest, it may not be amiss therefore to give it a place. About 6 feet of the lower extremity of the large gut of the Buffaloe is the first mosel that the cook makes love to, this he holds fast at one end with the right hand, while with the forefinger and thumb of the left he gently compresses it, and discharges what he says is not good to eat, but of which in the squel we get a moderate portion; the mustle lying underneath the shoulder blade next to the back, and fillets are next saught, these are needed up very fine with a good portion of kidney suit; to this composition is then added a just proportion of pepper and salt and a small quant.i.ty of flour; thus far advanced, our skilfull opporater C-o seizes his recepticle, which has never once touched the water, for that would intirely distroy the regular order of the whole procedure; you will not forget that the side you now see is that covered with a good coat of fat provided the anamal be in good order; the operator sceizes the recepticle I say, and tying it fast at one end turns it inwards and begins now with repeated evolutions of the hand and arm, and a brisk motion of the finger and thumb to put in what he says is bon pour manger; thus by stuffing and compressing he soon distends the recepticle to the utmost limmits of it's power of expansion, and in the course of it's longtudinal progress it drives from the other end of the recepticle a much larger portion of the ____ than was prevously discharged by the finger and thumb of the left hand in a former part of the operation; thus when the sides of the recepticle are skilfully exchanged the outer for the iner, and all is compleatly filled with something good to eat, it is tyed at the other end, but not any cut off, for that would make the pattern too scant; it is then baptised in the missouri with two dips and a flirt, and bobbed into the kettle; from whence after it be well boiled it is taken and fryed with bears oil untill it becomes brown, when it is ready to esswage the pangs of a keen appet.i.te or such as travelers in the wilderness are seldom at a loss for.
we saw a great quant.i.ty of game today particularly of Elk and Buffaloe, the latter are now so gentle that the men frequently throw sticks and stones at them in order to drive them out of the way. we also saw this evening emence quant.i.ties of timber cut by the beaver which appeared to have been done the preceeding year, in place particularly they had cut all the timber down for three acres in front and on nearly one back from the river and had removed a considerable proportion of it, the timber grew very thick and some of it was as large as a man's body. the river for several days has been as wide as it is generally near it's mouth, tho it is much shallower or I should begin to dispair of ever reaching it's source; it has been crouded today with many sandbars; the water also appears to become clearer, it has changed it's complexin very considerably. I begin to feel extreemly anxious to get in view of the rocky mountains.
I killed four plover this evening of a different species from any I have yet seen; it resembles the grey or whistling plover more than any other of this family of birds; it is about the size of the yellow legged or large grey plover common to the lower part of this river as well as most parts of the Atlantic States where they are sometimes called the Jack curloo; the eye is moderately large, are black with a narrow ring of dark yellowish brown; the head, neck, upper part of the body and coverts of the wings are of a dove coloured brown, which when the bird is at rest is the predominant colour; the brest and belley are of a brownish white; the tail is composed of 12 feathers of 3 Ins.
being of equal length, of these the two in the center are black, with traverse bars of yellowish brown; the others are a brownish white. the large feathers of the wings are white tiped with blacked. the beak is black, 21/2 inches in length, slightly tapering, streight of a cilindric form and blontly or roundly pointed; the chaps are of equal length, and nostrils narrow. longitudional and connected; the feet and legs are smoth and of a greenish brown; has three long toes and a short one on each foot, the long toes are unconnected with a web, and the short one is placed very high up the leg behind, insomuch that it dose not touch the ground when the bird stands erect. the notes of this bird are louder and more various than any other of this family that I have seen.
[Clark, May 9, 1805]
May 9th Thursday 1805 a fine Day wind from the East we proceeded on verry well the Countrey much the appearance which it had yesterday the bottom & high land rich black earth, Timber not so abondant as below, we pa.s.sed the mouth of a river (or the appearance of a river) on the Lard. Side the bend of which as far as we went up it or could See from a high hill is as large as that of the Missouri at this place which is near half a mile this river did not Contain one drop of running water, about a mile below this river a large Creeke joins the river L. S. which is also Dry- Those dry Streams which are also verry wide, I think is the Conveyance of the melted Snow, & heavy rains which is Probable fall in from the high mountanious Countrey which is Said to be between this river & the Yellow Stone river--I walked on Sh.o.r.e the fore part of this day, & observed Great quant.i.ties of the s.h.i.+ning Stone which we view as quarts, I killed 2 Bucks & a Buffalow, Capt Lewis also killed one which verry good meat, I saw emunerable herds of buffalow, & goats to day in every derection--The Missouri keeps its width which is nearly as wide as near its mouth, great number of Sand bars, the water not So muddy & Sand finer & in Smaller perpotion. Capt. Lewis killed 4 pleaver different from any I have ever before Seen, larger & have white breast & the underfeathers of the wings are white &c.
[Lewis, May 9, 1805]
May 9th 1805.