The Journals of Lewis & Clark: June 19, 1805

June 18, 1805

June 20, 1805

June 19, 1805

Wednesday June 19th 1805.

This morning I sent over several men for the meat which was killed yesterday, a few hours after they returned with it, the wolves had not discovered it. I also dispatched George Drewyer Reubin Fields and George Shannon on the North side of the Missouri with orders to proceed to the entrance of Medecine river and indeavour to kill some Elk in that neigh-bourhood. as there is more timber on that river than the Missouri I expect that the Elk are more plenty. The cash completed today. The wind blew violently the greater part of the day. the Indian woman was much better this morning she walked out and gathered a considerable quantity of the white apples of which she eat so heartily in their raw state, together with a considerable quantity of dryed fish without my knowledge that she complained very much and her fever again returned. I rebuked Sharbono severely for suffering her to indulge herself with such food he being privy to it and having been previously told what she must only eat. I now gave her broken dozes of diluted nitre untill it produced perspiration and at 10 P.M. 30 drops of laudnum which gave her a tolerable nights rest. I amused myself in fishing several hours today and caught a number of both species of the white fish, but no trout nor Cat. I employed the men in making up our baggage in proper packages for transportation; and waxed the stoppers of my powder canesters anew. had the frame of my Iron boat clensed of rust and well greased. in the evening the men mended their mockersons and preparedthemselves for the portage. After dark my dog barked very much and seemed extreemly uneasy which was unusual with him; I ordered the sergt. of the guard to reconniter with two men, thinking it possible that some Indians might be about to pay us a visit, or perhaps a white bear; he returned soon after & reported that he believed the dog had been baying a buffaloe bull which had attempted to swim the river just above our camp but had been beten down by the stream landed a little below our camp on the same side & run off.

June 19th Wednesday 1805

We went on the Island to hunt the White bear this morning but Could not find him, after plotting my Courses &c. I deturmined to dry the meat we killed and leave here, and proceed up the river as far as it bent to the S. E. and examine a Small Creek above our Camp, I Set out and found the Creek only Contained back water for 1 mile up, ascend near the Missouri 3 miles to the bend, from which place it turnd. Westerly, from this bend I with 2 men went forward towards the Camp of the party to examine the best ground for the portage, the little Creek has verry extencive bottoms which Spread out into a varriety of leavl rich bottoms quite to the mountains to the East, between those bottoms is hills low and Stoney on this declivity where it is Steep. I returned to Camp late and deturmined that the best nearest and most eassy rout would be from the lower part of the 3rd or white bear Island, the wind all this day blew violently hard from the S W. off the Snowey mountains, Cool, in my last rout I lost a part of my notes which could not be found as the wind must have blown them to a great distance. Summer duck Setting great numbers of buffalow all about our Camp