June 10, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
The day being fair and fine we dryed all our baggage and merchandize. Shields
renewed the main Spring of my air gun we have been much indebted to the
ingenuity of this man on many occasions; without having served any regular apprenticeship
to any trade, he makes his own tools principally and works extreemly well in either wood
or metal, and in this way has been extreenely servicable to us, as well as being a good
hunter and an excellent waterman. in order to guard against accedents we thout
it well to conceal some ammunicion here and accordingly buryed a tin cannester of 4 lbs.
of powder and an adequate quantity of lead near our tent; a cannester of 6 lbs. lead and
an ax in a thicket up the S. Fork three hundred yards distant from the point.
we concluded that we still could spare more amunition for this deposit
Capt. Clark was therefore to make a further deposit in the morning, in
addition to one Keg of 20 lbs. and an adequate proportion of lead which had been laid by
to be buryed in the large Cash. we now scelected the articles to be deposited
in this cash which consisted of 2 best falling axes, one auger, a set of plains, some
files, blacksmiths bellowses and hammers Stake tongs &c. 1 Keg of flour, 2
Kegs of parched meal, 2 Kegs of Pork, 1 Keg of salt, some chissels, a copper's Howel, some
tin cups, 2 Musquets, 3 brown bear skins, beaver skins, horns of the bighorned anamal, a
part of the men's robes clothing and all their superfluous baggage of every discription,
and beaver traps.-- we drew up the red perogue into the middle of a small
Island at the entrance of Maria's river, and secured and made her fast to the trees to
prevent the high floods from carrying her off put my brand on several trees
standing near her [The branding iron bore the legend "U.S. Capt. M.
Lewis." It is now in the possession of the Oregon Historical Society. It was found in
either 1892, 1893 or 1894 by Lineaus Winans of Hood River, Oregon, near the present town
of The Dalles. See October 5 and 29,
1805.], and covered her with brush to shelter her from the effects of the
sun. At 3 P.M. we had a hard wind from the S. W. which continued about an hour
attended with thunder and rain. as soon as the shower had passed over we drew
out our canoes, corked, repared and loaded them. I still feel my self somewhat
unwell with the disentary, but determined to set out in the morning up the South fork or
Missouri leaving Capt. Clark to compleat the deposit and follow me by water with the
party; accordingly gave orders to Drewyer, Joseph Fields, Gibson and Goodrich to hold
themselves in readiness to accompany me in the morning. Sah-cah-gah, we a, our
Indian woman is very sick this evening; Capt. C. blead her. the night was cloudy
with some rain.--
Observed meridian Altitude of Sun's L.L. with Octant by the Back observation 54o
32'
Latitude deduced from this observation 47o 22' 52.8"
Mean Latitude of the Entrance of Maria's river as deduced from three observations of
Sun Altd. 47o 25' 17.2" North.
I saw a small bird today which I do not recollect ever having seen before. [The
first description of the White-Rumped Shrike, Lanius ludovicianus, the western
form of the Loggerhead Shrike. The birds Lewis uses for comparison are the Eastern
Bluebird, Sialia sialis and the Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis.]
it is about the size of the blue thrush or catbird, and it's contour not
unlike that bird. the beak is convex, moderately curved, black, smoth, and
large in proportion to its' size. the legs were black, it had four toes of the
same colour on eah foot, and the nails appeared long and somewhat in form like the tallons
of the haulk, the eye black and proportionably large. a bluish brown colour
occupyed the head, neck, and back, the belly was white; the tail was reather long in
proportion and appeared to be composed of feathers of equal length of which a part of
those in the center were white the others black. the wings were long and were
also varigated with white and black. on each side of the head from the beak
back to the neck a small black stripe extended imbrasing the eye. it appeared
to be very busy in catching insects which I presume is it's usual food; I found the nest
of this little bird, the female whicfh differed but little in size or plumage from the
male was seting on four eggs of a pale blue colour with small black freckles or dots.--
the bee martin or Kingbird [Probably the Western Kingbird, Tyrannus
verticalis; See the weather remarks for May 25, 1805.]
is common to this country tho' there are no bees in this country, nor have we met
with a honey bee [Honey Bee, Apis mellifera.] since we passed
the entrance of the <Osage> [NB: Kanzas] river.--
June 10, 1805
William Clark
a fine day dry all our articles arange our baggage burry Some Powder &
lead in the point, Some Lead a canister of Powder & an ax in a thicket in the point at
Some distance, buried on this day and in the large cache or whole we buried on the up land
near the S. fork 1 miles up S.S. we drew up our large Perogue into the middle
of a Small Island in the North fork and covered her with bushes after makeing her fast to
the trees, branded several trees to preven the Indians injureing her, at 3 oClock we
had hard wind from the S.W. thunder and rain for about an hour after which we
repaired & Corked the Canoes & loadded them-- Sah cah gah, we a our Indian
woman verry sick I blead her, we deturmined to assend the South fork, and one
of us, Capt. Lewis or My self to go by land as far as the Snow mountians S. 20o
W. and examine the river & Countrey Course & to be Certain of our assending the
proper river, Capt Lewis inclines to go by land on this expedition, according Selects 4
men George Drewyer, Gibson, Jo. Fields & S. Gutrich to accompany him & deturmine
to Set out in the Morning-- The after noon or night Cloudy Some rain, river riseing
a little.
June 10, 1805
John Ordway
a beautiful pleasant morning. Some men employed makeing a towing line for the
white perogue. we burryed a canister of powder & Some led &.C. in the
point. we halled out our largest perogue in the middle of an Island in the
North fork opposite the point, and made hir fast between Some trees, & branded Several
trees to prevent the Savages from disturbing hir the blacksmiths [Shields.]
fixed up their bellowes & repaired the air gun & Several other fire arms.
The Canoe Calked, the Baggage aranged & loaded the Crafts, about 4 oClock P.M. we had
a light Shower of rain which lasted about an hour. high wind. the
evening pleasant Capt. Lewis concludes to go on with a fiew men to the South
Mountain & See the course of the River &.C. Sah Cah gah our
Indian woman verry Sick & was bled.--
June 10, 1805
Patrick Gass
We hauled our large periogue on an island in the mouth of Maria's river, and covered it
over with brush. We then began to examine and assort our effects to see what would
be least wanted and most proper to leave; but about two it began to rain and blow so hard,
we were obliged to desist. The rain continued only an hour, and in the evening we
loaded the rest of the craft, and left the remainder of our stores and baggage to be
buried, consisting of corn, pork, flour, some powder and lead, and other articles
amounting to about one thousand pounds weight.
June 10, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
a beautiful pleasant morning. the party employed Some makeing a
towing line for the white perogue, others employed digging another hole So that we might
bury in different places what we left So that if the Savages Should find one perhaps they
would not find the other & we would have Some left Still. about 10 oClock
we halled up the red perogue on an Island, on the North Side of the N.fork which was
covered with Small cotton timber. we halled it among the thicke of trees &
ran the bow between two & pined hir on each Side & covered hir over with bushes,
& Secured hir as well as possable, branded Several trees with the U S. mark
& Capt. M. Lewis & Ltd. &c. [Lewis's branding iron.]
The black Smiths [Shields] fixed up the bellowses & made a main
Spring to Capt. [Lewis's] air Gun, as the one belonging to it got
broke. the articles which we Intend to bury all got ready. the
loading which came out of the red perogue divided out to the White perogue & Canoes
& loaded them. put a Canister of powder & led accordingly in the
ground near the point, between the two Rivers at our Camp. about 4 oClock P.M.
we had a light Shower of rain. the evening pleasant.
June 10, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
A Beautiful pleasant morning, our men are all employed in making of ropes, and digging
another hole, in Order to deposit what we leave behind in different places, so that in
case the Savages should find one of our places of deposit, the other might escape being
found.-- so that we might have something left, if we should ever return.--
About 10 o'Clock A.M. we hawled up one of our pettyaugers on an Island, lying on
the North side of the North fork of the River (called Maria's River,) which was cover'd
wit small Cotton wood Timber.-- We placed the pettyauger among the thickest of the
trees, and ran her bow between two of them, pinned her on each side, and covered her over
with bushes. The officers branded several of the trees with the mark of the United
States, Captain Lewis's name, the Latitude of the place &ca-- The Blacksmiths
fixed their Bellows, to repair the Arms, the rest of the party was busy in burying the
Goods, and securing them from Spoiling, which we intend to leave behind;-- the
loading which came out of the pettyauger which we had hid on the Island, was put on board
another Pettyauger & Canoe, We also buried a Cannister of powder & some lead, near
a point, between the two Rivers, the place that we are encamped on, The powder was in
leaden Cannisters prepared for that purpose.-- About 4 o'Clock P.M. we had a light
shower of Rain, & in the Evening it cleared up, & we had pleasant Weather.--
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