The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Lewis, July 5, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Lewis, July 5, 1806

July 5th 1806. Set out at 6 A.M.- steered N. 75 E. 61/2 M. passed a stout C. N Side at 21/2 M. another just above saw an old indian encampment of 11 lodges of bark and leather on S. side at 31/2 M. killed a deer.

N. 25 E. 12 m. passing a small creek at one m. on S side on which there is a handsom and extensive Valley and plain for 10 or 12 ms. also another creek 12 yd. wide at 1/2 a mile further on N. sides and another 8 yds. wide on N. side at 5 ms further one & 1/2 m. short of the extremity of this course arrive at a high prarie on N. side from one to three miles in width extending up the river. halted and dined in the mouth of a little drane on the left of the plain where there was a considerable quantity of quawmash. saw a gang of antelopes here of which we killed one the does at this season herd with each other and have their young. the bucks are alone there are many wild horses on Clarkes river about the place we passed it we saw some of them at a distance. there are said to be many of them about the head of the yellowstone river.

East 6 m. to the entrance of Werner's Creek 35 yds. wide through a high extensive prairie on N. side. hills low and timbered with the long leafed pine, larch, and some fir. the road passes at some distance to the left of the river and this couses is with the river.

N. 22 W. 4 miles to a high insulated knob just above the entrance of a Creek 8 yards wide which discharges itself into Werners Creek.

N. 75 E. 21/2 M. to the river passing through an extensive and handsom plain on Werner's Creek, crossing that creek at 1 m. and leaving a high prarie hill to the right seperating the plain from the river. saw two swan in this beautiful Creek.

East 3 m. to the entrance of a large creek 20 yds. wide Called

31 m. Seamans Creek passing a creek at 1 m. 8 yds. wide. this course with the river, the road passing through an extensive high prarie rendered very uneven by a vast number of little hillucks and sinkholes at the heads of these two creeks high broken mountains stand at the distance of 10 m. forming a kind of Cove generally of open untimbered country.- we encamped on the lower side of the last creek just above it's entrance. here a war party had encamped about 2 months since and conceald their fires.-