nothing killed today and our fresh meat is out. when we have a plenty of fresh meat I find it impossible to make the men take any care of it, or use it with the least frugallity. tho' I expect that necessity will shortly teach them this art. ... we have a lame crew just now, two with tumers or bad boils on various parts of them, one with a bad stone bruise, one with his arm accedently dislocated but fortunately well replaced, and a fifth has streigned his back by sliping and falling backwards on the funwall of the canoe.

July 31, 1805
John Ordway

Capt. Lewis Stayed out all last night.   a fine morning.   we Set off at Sunrise and proceeded on as usal.   the current Swift.   about 8 oClock A.M. we came up with Capt. Lewis where he Camped all last night.    proceeded on    passed the mouth of a creek on the Lard. Side [Willow Creek.], the water of which is of a redish coulour, and is damed up in many places by the beaver, and runs through a beautiful prarie and bottom of Small timber.    the beaver verry pleanty along these bottoms.   the River filled with Islands.   passed a large plain or prarie on L.S. covered with fine grass Tanzey flax and thissels, wild onion or garlick &.C.   considerable of cotton timber along the River Bottoms, but no timber back in the country.   the hills begin to make near the River on each Sides.   we dined under a handsom shady grove of cotton timber under the hills of the Mountains [Tobacco Root Mountains.] to our left which has heaps of Snow on the top & sides of it.   Capt. Clark Saw a Mountain Sheep thro. glass on a hill towards the mo.    the Game is now gitting Scarse.  we are now with out fresh meat which is verry uncommon to us, for we have generally had double as much as we could eat.    the day very warm    we proceeded on    passed clifts of rocks and high wales &.C.  Some pine and ceeder timber along the hill Sides.  Some of the hills nearly a Solid rock.   we Came 17 3/4 miles and Camped on a Small Island on the Lard. Side.  our hunter on shore wounded a White bear, but did not kill it dead.

July 31, 1805
Patrick Gass

We set out early, and had a fine cool morning with dew.  Last night Capt. Lewis went on ahead, and the canoes being unable to get on to him, he was obliged to encamp out alone in this howling wilderness.  We passed a small creek [Willow Creek, the expeditions Philosophy River.] this morning on the south side, which empties into the river, through 2 or 3 mouths, on account of its being much dammed up by the beaver, which are very plenty.  At breakfast time we came up to Capt. Lewis; and having made 17 miles and three quarters, encamped on an island. [Near the mouth of Antelope Creek downstream from the entrance of Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, and approximately two miles above where U.S. Highway 287 crosses the Jefferson. Gass fails to mention he injured his back by falling on the gunwale of a canoe; See Lewis's entry of this day.]

July 31, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

Capt. Lewis layed out alone all last night.   a fine morning.   we Set off at Sun rise and proceeded on as usal.   the current rapid.    passed the Mouth of a Creek on the Lard Side [Willow Creek, the expeditions Philosophy River.], which was damed up by the beaver in Sundry places.   the bottoms low on each Side and covered with Small cotton timber & young willow &c.   about 8 oClock A.m. we came to Capt. Lewis where he Camped last night.   we took breakfast and proceeded on   passed a plain on the L.S.   the hills begin to make near the River on each Side.    passed a verry large island which is Smoth bottom prarie & but a little timber on it large open plain on L. Side on which grows abundance of flax wild Tanzy thissels &c.   the above mentioned handsome Creek runs through this prarie on Smoth bottom without timber.   only a little cotton timber on the River    we dined about 1 oC. under a delightful Grove of cotton timber on L. Side under the mountain which has large heaps of Snow on it.   we now enter the hills on each Side and keeps along under the mountains.  Capt. Clark Saw a mountain Sheep with the Spy glass on a round hill towards the mountain.  the Game is now gitting Scarser.   we are now without fresh meat which is verry uncommon to us.   the day verry warm.  we proceeded on   passed clifts of rocks and high wales along the Shores.  Some pine Scatering along the hills.   we Came 17 3/4 miles this day and Camped on a Small Island on the Lard Side.   our hunter on Shore wounded a white bear.

July 31, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

About 10 o'Clock last night, the hunters that were out came to our Camp, and had left Captain Lewis, who staid out, all night, We had a fine morning and set out at sunrise; and proceeded on our voyage; we found the current of the River running strong against us, we passed the Mouth of a large creek which lay on the South side of the River [erasure], which was damed up in many places by the Beaver, We passed also by low bottomed land, lying on both sides of the River, which was cover'd with small Cotton wood timber, Willows, &ca--.  About 8 o'Clock A.M. we arrived at the place where Captain Lewis was & had encamped last night.  We halted at this place and breakfasted.  We then proceeded on, and passed a plain lying o the South side of the River.  The hills near to this plain begin to make in near the river, on both sides of it.  We also passed a very large Island, which lay low, and mostly Priari land, and but little Timber, on it; On the South side of the River opposite to this Island is a large open plain, having a handsome Creek, running through it.-- [Either Willow Creek or Antelope Creek.]  On this plaine we found growing, abundance of Wild flax, Tanzey, thistles & wild flowers, and had grass growing luxuriently on it, There was some timber likewise at this place which grew near the River.  We dined at that place under a delightful grove of cotton timber, which lies a small distance from a Mountain; which had large heaps of Snow lying on it.--  We proceeded on about One Mile when we passed hills, lying on both sides of the River, which keeps along under the mountains, Captain Clark saw a Mountain Sheep (or Ibex) with his spy Glass, on a round hill towards the Mountains; We found the Game getting very scarce, & we are now without fresh meat, which was very uncommon with us.  This day proved very warm; We continued on our way, and passed Clifts of Rocks, and high Walls of Stone lying along the Shores on both sides of the River.--  We saw growing along the hills sides on each side of the River some scattering pine trees.  We encamped in the Evening on a small Island, lying on the South side of the River, having came this day 17 3/4 Miles.  Our hunters that were on Shore wounded a White or Brown bear, but it made its escape.