The Journals of Lewis & Clark: July 29, 1806

July 28, 1806

July 30, 1806

July 29, 1806

Tuesday July 29th 1806. Shortly after dark last evening a violent storm came on from N. W. attended with rain hail Thunder and lightning which continued the greater part of the night. no having the means of making a shelter I lay in the water all night. the rain continued with but little intermission all day. I intend halting as soon as the weather proves fair in order to dry our baggage which much wants it. I placed the two Fieldses and Colter and Collins in the two smallest canoes with orderes to hunt, and kill meat for the party and obtain as many Elkskins as are necessary to cover our canoes and furnish us with shelters from the rain. we set out early and the currant being strong we proceeded with great rapidity. at 11 A.M. we passed that very interesting part of the Missouri where the natural walls appear, particularly discribed in my outward bound journey. we continued our rout untill late in the evening and encamped on the N. E. side of the river at the same place we had encamped on the 29th of May 1805. on our way today we killed 9 bighorns of which I preserved the skins and skeletons of 2 females and one male; the flesh of this aninmal is extreemly delicate tender and well flavored, they are now in fine order. their flesh both in colour and flavor much resembles mutton though it is not so strong as our mutton. the eye is large and prominant, the puple of a pale sea green and iris of a light yellowish brown colour. these animals abound in this quarter keeping themselves principally confined to the steep clifts and bluffs of the river. we saw immence hirds of buffaloe in the high plains today on either hand of the river. saw but few Elk. the brown Curloo has left the plains I presume it has raised it's young and retired to some other climate and country. as I have been very particular in my discription of the country as I ascended this river I presume it is unnecesssesary here to add any-thing further on that subject. the river is now nearly as high as it has been this season and is so thick with mud and sand that it is with difficulty I can drink it. every little rivulet now discharges a torrant of water bringing down immece boddies of mud sand and filth from the plains and broken bluffs.-

Tuesday 29th July 1806

a Slight rain last night with hard thunder and Sharp lightening accompanied with a violent N. E. wind. I Set out early this morning wind So hard a head that w made but little way. in the fore part of the day, I saw great numbers of Buffalow on the banks. the country on either Side is like that of yesterday. passed three large dry Brooks on the Stard. Side and four on the Lard Side. great quantities of Coal in all the hills I passed this day. late in the evening I arived at the enterance of a River which I take to be the Lazeka or Tongue River it discharges itself on the Stard. Side and is 150 yards wide of water the banks are much wider. I intended to encamp on an eligable Spot imediately below this river, but finding that its water So muddy and worm as to render it very disagreeable to drink, I crossed the rochejhone and encamped on an island close to the Lard. Shore. The water of this river is nearly milk worm very muddy and of a lightish brown Colour. the Current rapid and the Chanel Contains great numbers of Snags. near its enterance there is great quantities of wood Such as is common in the low bottoms of the Rochejhone and Missouri. tho I believe that the Country back thro which this river passes is an open one where the water is exposed to the Sun which heats it in its passage. it is Shallow and throws out great quantities of mud and Some cors gravel. below this river and on the Stard Side at a fiew Miles from the Rochejhone the hills are high and ruged Containing Coal in great quantities. Beaver is very plenty on this part of the Rochejhone. The river widens I think it may be generally Calculated at from 500" yards to half a mile in width more Sand and gravelly Bars than above. cought 3 cat fish. they wer Small and fat. also a Soft Shell turtle.