[Clark, December 2, 1805]
December 2nd Monday 1805 Cloudy and Some little rain this morning I despatched 3 men to hunt and 2 and my Servent in a Canoe to a Creek above to try & Catch Some fish- I am verry unwell the drid fish which is my only diet does not agree with me and Several of the men Complain of a lax, and weakness—I expect Capt. Lewis will return to day with the hunters and let us know if Elk or deer Can be found Sufficent for us to winter on, If he does not come I Shall move from this place, to one of better prospects for game &c. Joseph Fields came home with the marrow bones of an Elk which he had killed 6 miles distant, I sent out 6 men in a canoe for the meat, the evening being late they did not return this night, which proved fair moon Shineing night—This is the first Elk we have killed on this Side the rockey mounts a great deal of Elk Sign in the neighbourhood
[Clark, December 2, 1805]
Monday 2nd December 1805 Cloudy with Some rain this morning I Send out three men to hunt & 2 & my man york in a Canoe up the Ke-ke-mar-que Creek in Serch of fish and fowl—I feel verry unwell, and have entirely lost my appetite for the Dried pounded fish which is in fact the cause of my disorder at present—The men are generally Complaining of a lax and gripeing—In the evening Joseph Field came in with the Marrow bones of a elk which he killed at 6 miles distant, this welcome news to us. I dispatched Six men in a empty Canoe with Jo. mediately for the elk which he Said was about 3 miles from the water this is the first Elk which has been killd. on this Side of the rockey mountains—Jo Fields givs me an account of a great deel of Elk Sign & Says he Saw 2 Gangs of those Animals in his rout, but it rained So hard that he could not Shoot them—The party up the Creek returned without any thing and informs me they could not See any fish in the Creek to kill and the fowls were too wild to be killed, this must
[Clark, December 3, 1805]
December 3rd Tuesday 1805 a fair windey morning wind from the East, the men Sent after an Elk yesterday returnd. with an Elk which revived the Sperits of my men verry much, I am unwell and cannot Eate, the flesh O! how disagreeable my Situation, a plenty of meat and incaple of eateing any—an Indian Canoe Came down with 8 Indians in it from the upper village, I gave a fish hook for a fiew Wap-e-to roots, which I eate in a little Elk Supe, The Indians proceeded on down. wind Confines to blow, and Serjt. Pryor & Gibson who went to hunt yesterday has not returnd. as yet I marked my name & the day of the month and year on a large Pine tree on this Peninsella & by land Capt William Clark December 3rd 1805. By Land. U States in 1804 & 1805"—The Squar Broke the two Shank bones of the Elk after the marrow was taken out, boiled them & extracted a Pint of Greese or tallow from them—Serjt. Pryor & Gibson returned after night and informed me they had been lost the greater part of the time they were out, and had killed 6 Elk which they left lying haveing taken out their interals. Some rain this afternoon