A cloudy morning. Set out very early. The river
wide, and shallow; the bottom narrow, and the river crowded with sand
bars. Passed the island on which we lay, at one mile. Passed three
islands-one on the L.S., and two on the S.S. Opposite the island on the
L.S., I saw a village of barking squirrels [prairie dogs], 970 yards
long and 800 yards wide, situated on a gentle slope of a hill. Those
animals are numerous. I killed four, with a view to have their skins
stuffed.
Here, the man who left us with the horses, 22 [16]
days ago, George Shannon-he started 26th August, and has been ahead ever
since-joined us, nearly starved to death. He had been twelve days
without anything to eat but grapes and one rabbit, which he killed by
shooting a piece of hard stick in place of a ball. This man, supposing
the boat to be ahead, pushed on as long as he could. When he became weak
and feeble, determined to lay by and wait for a trading boat, which is
expected, keeping one horse for the last recourse. Thus a man had like
to have starved to death in a land of plenty for the want of bullets or
something to kill his meat.
We camped on the L.S., above the mouth of a run. A
hard rain all the afternoon, and most of the night, with hard wind from
the N.W. I walked on shore the fore part of this day, over some broken
country, which continues about three miles back, and then is level and
rich-all plains. I saw several foxes, and killed an elk and 2 deer, and
squirrels. The men with me killed an elk, 2 deer, and a pelican. Captain
Clark, 11 September 1804
This morning set out at an early hour and came to
at 1/2 after 7 A.M. on the larboard shore 11/4 mile above the mouth of a
small creek which we named Corvus, in consequence of having killed a
beautiful bird of that genus near it. We concluded to lay by at this
place the balance of this day and the next, in order to dry our baggage,
which was wet by the heavy showers of rain which had fallen within the
last three days, and also to lighten the boat by transferring a part of
her lading to the red pirogue, which we now determined to take on with
us to our winter residence, wherever that might be. While some of the
men were employed in the necessary labor, others were dressing skins,
washing and mending their clothes, &c.
Captain Clark and myself killed each a buck
immediately on landing, near our encampment. The deer were very gentle
and in great numbers in this bottom, which had more timber on it than
any part of the river we had seen for many days past, consisting of
cottonwood, elm, some different ash, and a considerable quantity of a
small species of white oak, which was loaded with acorns of
an excellent flavor, having very little of the bitter roughness of the
nuts of most species of oak.
The leaf of this oak is small, pale green, and
deeply indented. It seldom rises higher than thirty feet, is much
branched; the bark is rough and thick, and of a light color. The cup
which contains the acorn is fringed on its edges, and embraces the nut
about one-half. The acorns were now falling, and we concluded that the
number of deer which we saw here had been induced thither by the acorns,
of which they are remarkably fond. Almost every species of wild game is
fond of the acorn-the buffalo, elk, deer, bear, turkeys, ducks, pigeons,
and even the wolves feed on them. [The only
oak documented by the expedition was the
Oregon White Oak,
Quercus garryana which grows to 90 feet, though very slowly.]
We sent three hunters out who soon added eight deer
and two buffalo to our stock of provisions. The buffalo were so poor
that we took only the tongues, skins, and marrow bones. The skins were
particularly acceptable as we were in want of a covering for the large
pirogue to secure the baggage.
Captain Lewis, 16 September 1804
Having for many days past confined myself to the
boat, I determined to devote this day to amusing myself on shore with my
gun, and view the interior of the country lying between the river and
the Corvus Creek. Accordingly, before sunrise, I set out with six of my
best hunters, two of whom I dispatched to the lower side of Corvus
Creek, two with orders to hunt the bottoms and woodland on the river,
while I retained two others to accompany me in the intermediate country.
One quarter of a mile in rear of our camp, which
was situated in a fine open grove of cottonwood, passed a grove of plum
trees, loaded with fruit and now ripe. Observed but little difference
between this fruit and that of a similar kind common to the Atlantic
states. The trees are smaller and more thickly set. This forest of plum
trees garnish a plain about 20 feet more elevated than that on which we
were encamped. [Possibly
Indian Plum,
Oemlaria cerasiformis. This plant apparently not documented or
collected by expedition, at least no record remains.]
This plain extends back about a mile to the foot of
the hills one mile distant, and to which it is gradually ascending. This
plain extends with the same breadth from the creek below to the distance
of nearly three miles above, parallel with the river, and it is entirely
occupied by the burrows of the barking squirrel heretofore described.
This animal appears here in infinite numbers. And the shortness and
verdure of grass gave the plain the appearance, throughout its whole
extent, of beautiful bowling green in fine order. Its aspect is S.E. A
great number of wolves of the small kind, hawks and some polecats were
to be seen. I presume that those animals feed on this squirrel. Found
the country in every direction, for about three miles, intersected with
deep ravines and steep irregular hills 100 to 200 feet high. At the tops
of these hills, the country breaks off as usual into a fine level plain
extending as far as the eye can reach. From this plain I had an
extensive view of the river below, and the irregular hills which border
the opposite sides of the river and creek.
The surrounding country had been burnt about a
month before, and young grass had now sprung up to a height of 4 inches,
presenting the live green of the spring; to the west a high range of
hills stretch across the country from N. to S., and appeared distant
about 20 miles. They are not very extensive, as I could plainly observe
their rise and termination. No rock appeared on them, and the sides were
covered with verdure similar to that of the plains. This scenery,
already rich, pleasing, and beautiful, was still further heightened by
immense herds of buffalo, deer, elk, and antelopes, which we saw in
every direction, feeding on the hills and plains. I do not think I
exaggerate when I estimate the number of buffalo which could be
comprehended at one view to amount to 3,000. My object was, if possible,
to kill a female antelope, having already procured a male. I pursued my
route on this plain to the west, flanked by my two hunters, until eight
in the morning, when I made the signal for them to come to me, which
they did shortly after.
We rested ourselves about half an hour, and regaled
ourselves on half a biscuit each, and some jerks of elk, which we had
taken the precaution to put in our pouches in the morning before we set
out, and drank of the water of a small pool, which had collected on the
plain from the rains which had fallen some days before. We had now,
after various windings in pursuit of several herds of antelope which we
had seen on our way, made the distance of about eight miles from our
camp.
We found the antelope extremely shy and watchful,
insomuch that we had been unable to get a shot at them. When at rest
they generally select the most elevated point in the neighborhood, and
as they are watchful and extremely quick of sight, and their sense of
smelling very acute, it is almost impossible to approach them within
gunshot. In short, they will frequently discover, and flee from, you at
the distance of three miles.
I had this day an opportunity of witnessing the
agility and the superior fleetness of this animal which was to me really
astonishing. I had pursued and twice surprised a small herd of seven. In
the first instance they did not discover me distinctly, and therefore
did not run at full speed, though they took care before they rested to
gain an elevated point where it was impossible to approach them under
cover, except in one direction, and that happened to be in the direction
from which the wind blew toward them. Bad as the chance to approach them
was, I made the best of my way toward them, frequently peeping over the
ridge with which I took care to conceal myself from their view. The
male, of which there was but one, frequently encircled the summit of the
hill on which the females stood in a group, as if to look out for the
approach of danger. I got within about 200 paces of them when they
smelled me and fled. I gained the top of the eminence on which they
stood as soon as possible, from whence I had an extensive view of the
country. The antelopes, which had disappeared in a steep ravine, now
appeared at the distance of about three miles on the side of a ridge
which passed obliquely across me, and extended about four miles.
So soon had these antelopes gained the distance at
which they had again appeared to my view, I doubted at first that they
were the same that I had just surprised, but my doubts soon vanished
when I beheld the rapidity of their flight along the ridge before me. It
appeared rather the rapid flight of birds than the motion of quadrupeds.
I think I can safely venture the assertion that the speed of this animal
is equal, if not superior, to that of the finest blooded courser.
Captain Lewis, 17 September 1804
