[Clark, July 19, 1804]
July 19th Thursday 1804 Set out early pass between 2 Islands one in mid. & the other L. S. opsd. wher Prarie aproaches the river S. S. This place is called the Bakers oven or in french Four le Tour tere passd. Some highlands 41/2 ms. above the Isds. on the L. S. forming a Clift to the river of yellow earth, on the top a Prarie, passd. many a bad Sand bar in this distance, & the river wide & Shallow, above this Clift 2 Small butiffull runs Come from the Plains & fall into the river, a Deer lick on the first, above those two Creeks, I found in my walk on Shore Some ore in a bank which had Sliped in to the river 3/4 me. above the Creeks, I took a cerequite around & found that those two runs mentioned contained a good proposion of wood Surrounded by a plain, with grass about 18 Inchs. high, (Capt Lewis walked on Shore after Dinner) in the first bind to the right above those Runs passed a Small Island opsd. is a Sand bar I call this Island Butter Island, as at this place we mad use of the last of our butter, as we approach this Great River Platt the Sand bars are much more noumerous than they were, and the quick & roleing Sands much more danjerous, where the Praries aproach the river it is verry wide, the banks of those Plains being much easier to undermine and fall than the wood land passed (4) a willow Island Situated near the middle of the river, a Sand bar on the S. S. and a Deep bend to the L S. camped on the right Side of the Willow Island-W. Bratten hunting on the L. S Swam to the Island. Hunters Drewyer killed 2 Deer, Saw great numbers of young gees. The river Still falling a little Sand bars thick always in view.
[Clark, July 19, 1804]
July 19th, Thursday 1804 Set out early passed between two Small Islands, one in the middle of the river, the other Close on the L S. opposit a prarie S. S. Called (1) by the french Four le tourtre, The Bakers oven Islands, passed (2) Some high Clift 41/2 miles above the Islands on the L. S. of yellow earth passed Several Sand bars that were wide and at one place verry Shallow (two Small butifull runs falls into the river near each other at this Clift, a Deer Lick 200 yards up the Lowest of those runs) Those runs head at no great distance in the plains and pass thro of timber to the river. In my walk on Shore I found Some ore in the bank above those runs which I take to be Iron ore (3) at this place the Side of the hill has Sliped about half way into the river for 3/4 of a Mile forming a Clift from the top of the hill above. In the first bend to the right passed a Small Island a Sand bar opposit,—worthey of remark as we approach this great River Plate the Sand bars much more numerous and the quick or moveing Sands much worst than they were below at the places where Praries approach the river it is verry wide those places being much easier to wash & under Mine than the wood Land's. (4) passed a Willow Isd. Situated near the Middle of the river and a large Sand makeing out from the S. S. a Deep bend to the L S. we Camped at the head of this Island on the Starboard Side of it, Hunters Killed Two Deer. Saw great numbers of young Gees River falling a little.
[Clark, July 20, 1804]
July 20th Friday 1804, a fog this morning and verry Cool George Drewyer Sick proceed on over a Sand bar, Bratten Swam the river to get his gun & Clothes left last night psd a large willow Isd. on the L. S. (1) passed the mouth of l'Eau que pleure the English of which is the water which Cry's this Creek is about 20 yards wide falls into the river above a Gift of brown Clay L. S. opposit a willow Island, at this Creek I went on Shore took R Fields with me and went up this Creek Several miles & crossed thro the plains to the river above with the view of finding Elk, we walked all day through those praries without Seeing any, I killed an emence large yellow Wolf-The Countrey throu which we walked after leaveing the Creek was good land covered with Grass interspersed with Groves & Scattering timber near and about the heads of Branches one of them without Suckcess, Camped above the bar on the L. S. a verry agreeable Breeze all night Serjt. Pryor & Jo. Fields brought in two Deer river Still falling. a large Spring 3/4 me. below camp