[Clark, August 1, 1806]
Sunday 1st of August 1806. We Set out early as usial the wind was high and ahead which caused the water to be a little rough and delayed us very much aded to this we had Showers of rain repeetedly all day at the intermition of only a fiew minits between them. My Situation a very disagreeable one. in an open Canoe wet and without a possibility of keeping my Self dry. the Country through which we passed is in every respect like that through which I passed yesterday. The brooks have all Some water in them from the rains which has fallen. this water is excessively muddy. Several of those brooks have Some trees on their borders as far as I can See up them. I observe Some low pine an cedar on the Sides of the rugid hills on the Stard. Side, and Some ash timber in the high bottoms. the river has more Sand bars today than usial, and more Soft mud. the current less rapid. at 2 P.M. I was obliged to land to let the Buffalow Cross over. not withstanding an island of half a mile in width over which this gangue of Buffalow had to pass and the Chanel of the river on each Side nearly 1/4 of a mile in width, this gangue of Buffalow was entirely across and as thick as they could Swim. the Chanel on the Side of the island the went into the river was crouded with those animals for 1/2 an hour. the other Side of the island for more than 3/4 of an hour. I took 4 of the men and killed 4 fat Cows for their fat and what portion of their flesh the Small Canoes Could Carry that which we had killed a few days ago being nearly Spoiled from the wet weather. encamped on an Island Close to the Lard Shore two gangues of Buffalow Crossed a little below us, as noumerous as the first.
[Clark, August 2, 1806]
Monday August 2nd 1806. Musquetors very troublesom this morning I Set out early river wide and very much divided by islands and Sand and Mud bars. the bottoms more extencive and contain more timber Such as Cotton wood ash willow &c. The Country on the N W. Side rises to a low plain and extends leavel for great extent. Some high rugid hills in the forepart of this day on the S E. Side on which I saw the big horns but could not get near them. Saw emence numbers of Elk Buffalow and wolves to day. the wolves do catch the elk. I saw 2 wolves in pursute of doe Elk which I beleive they Cought they very near her when She entered a Small wood in which I expect they cought her as She did not pass out of the small wood during my remaining in view of it which was 15 or 20 minits &c. passed the enterance of Several brooks on each Side, a Small river 30 yds wide with Steep banks on the Stard. Side, which I call Ibex River the river in this days decent is less rapid crouded with Islds and muddy bars and is generally about one mile in wedth. as the islands and bars frequently hide the enterance of Brooks &c. from me as I pass'd maney of them I have not noticed. about 8 A. M this morning a Bear of the large vicious Species being on a Sand bar raised himself up on his hind feet and looked at us as we passed down near the middle of the river. he plunged into the water and Swam towards us, either from a disposition to attack't or from the Cent of the meat which was in the Canoes. we Shot him with three balls and he returned to Shore badly wounded. in the evening I saw a very large Bear take the water above us. I ordered the boat to land on the opposit Side with a view to attack't him when he Came within Shot of the Shore. when the bear was in a fiew paces of the Shore I Shot it in the head. the men hauled her on Shore and proved to be an old Shee which was so old that her tuskes had worn Smooth, and Much the largest feemale bear I ever Saw. after taking off her Skin, I proceeded on and encampd a little above the enterance of Jo. Feilds Creek on Stard. Side in a high bottom Covered with low Ash and elm. the Musquetors excessively troublesom.
I have noticed a great preportion Buck Elks on this lower part of the river, and but very few above. those above which are emencely noumerous are feemales Generally. Shields killed a Deer this morning dureing the time we were at Brackfast. we were very near being detained by the Buffalow today which were Crossing the river we got through the line between 2 gangues.
[Clark, August 3, 1806]
Tueday August 3rd,1806. last night the Musquetors was so troublesom that no one of the party Slept half the night. for my part I did not Sleep one hour. those tormenting insects found their way into My beare and tormented me the whole night. they are not less noumerous or troublesom this morn-ing. at 2 miles passed the enterance of Jo. Field's Creek 35 yds wide imediately above a high bluff which is falling into the river very fast. on the Side of this bluff I saw Some of the Mountain Bighorn animals. I assended the hill below the Bluff. the Musquetors were So noumerous that I could not Shute with any Certainty and therefore Soon returned to the Canoes. I had not proceeded far before I saw a large gangue of ewes & yearlins & fawns or lambs of the bighorn, and at a distance alone I saw a ram. landed and Sent Labeech to kill the ram, which he did kill and brought him on board. this ram is not near as large as maney I have Seen. however he is Sufficiently large for a Sample I directed Bratten to Skin him with his head horns & feet to the Skin and Save all the bone. I have now the Skin & bone of a Ram a Ewe & a yearlin ram of those big Horn animals. at 8. A.M. I arived at the junction of the Rochejhone with the Missouri, and formed my Camp imediately in the point between the two river at which place the party had all encamped the 26th of April-1805. at landing I observed Several Elk feeding on the young willows in the point among which was a large Buck Elk which I shot & had his flesh dryed in the Sun for a Store down the river. had the Canoes unloaded and every article exposed to dry & Sun. Maney of our things were wet, and nearly all the Store of meat which had been killed above Spoiled. I ordered it to be thrown into the river. Several Skins are also Spoiled which is a loss, as they are our principal dependance for Clothes to last us to our homes &c.
The distance from the Rocky Mountains at which place I struck the River Rochejhone to its enterance into the Missouri 837 Miles 636 Miles of this distance I decended in 2 Small Canoes lashed together in which I had the following Persons. John Shields, George Gibson, William Bratten, W. Labeech, Toust. Shabono his wife & child & my man York. The Rochejhone or Yellow Stone river is large and navagable with but fiew obstructions quite into the rocky mountains. and probably near it's source. The Country through which it passes from those Mounts. to its junction is Generaly fertile rich open plains the upper portion of which is roleing and the high hills and hill Sides are partially covered with pine and Stoney. The middle portion or from the enterance of Clarks Fork as low as the Buffalow Shoals the high lands Contain Some Scattering pine on the Lard. Side. on the Stard. or S. E. Side is Some hills thickly Supplied with pine. The lower portion of the river but fiew pines are to be Seen the Country opens into extencive plains river widens and Contains more islands and bars; of corse gravel sand and Mud. The Current of this river may be estimated at 4 Miles and 1/2 pr. hour from the Rocky Mts. as low as Clarks Fork, at 31/2 Miles pr. hour from thence as low as the Bighorn, at 3—Miles pr. hour from thence as low as the Tongue river, at 23/4 Miles pr. hour from thence as low as Wolf rapid and at 21/2 miles pr. hour from thence to its enterance into the Missouri