July 27, 1806
Meriwether Lewis
This morning at day light the indians got up and crouded around the fire, J. Fields who
was on post had carelessly laid his gun down behi[n]d him near where his
brother was sleeping, one of the indians the fellow to whom I had given the medal last
evening sliped behind him and took his gun and that of his brothers unperceived by him, at
the same instant two others advanced and seized the guns of Drewyer and myself. J. Fields
se[e]ing this turned about to look for his gun and saw the fellow just
runing off with her and his brother's he called to his brother who instantly jumped up and
pursued the indian with him whom they overtook at the distance of 50 or 60 paces from the
camp s[e]ized their guns and rested them from him and R. Fields as he
seized his gun stabed the indian to the heart with his knife the fellow ran
about 15 steps and fell dead; [This man's name is variously given as
He-that-looks-at-the-calf and Sidehill Calf.] of this I did not know untill
afterwards, having recovered their guns they ran back instantly to the camp; Drewyer who
was awake saw the indian take hold of his gun and instantly jumped up and s[e]ized
her and rested her from him but the indian still retained his pouch, his jumping up and
crying damn you let go my gun awakened me I jumped up and asked what was the
matter which I quickly learned when I saw drewyer in a scuffle with the indian for his gun
I reached to seize my gun but found her gone, I then drew a pistol from my
holster and terning myself about saw the indian making off with my gun I ran
at him with my pistol and bid him lay down my gun <at the distance> which he was in
the act of doing when the Fieldses returned and drew up their guns to shoot him which I
forbid as he did not appear to be about to make any resistance or commit any offensive
act, he droped the gun and walked slowly off, I picked her up instantly, Drewyer having
about this time recovered his gun and pouch asked me if he might not kill the fellow which
I also forbid as the indian did not appear to wish to kill us, as soon as they found us
all in possession of our arms they ran and indeavored to drive off all the horses I now
hollowed to the men and told them to fire on them if they attempted to drive off our
horses, they accordingly pursued the main party who were dr[i]ving the
horses up the river and I pursued the man who had taken my gun who with another was
driving off a part of the horses which were to the left of the camp, I pursued them so
closely that they could not take twelve of their own horses but continued to drive one of
mine with some others; at the distance of three hundred paces they entered one of those
steep nitches in the bluff with the horses before them being nearly out of breath I
could pursue no further, I called to them as I had done several times before that I would
shoot them if they did not give me my horse and raised my gun, one of them jumped behind a
rock and spoke to the other who turned arround and stoped at the distance of 30 steps from
me and I shot him through the belly, [There is some conflict as to whether this
man died of his wounds.] he fell to his knees and on his wright elbow from which
position he partly raised himself up and fired at me, and turning himself about crawled in
behind a rock which was a few feet from him. he overshot me, being bearheaded I felt the
wind of his bullet very distinctly. [It is generally believed the Piegan carried a
North West trade musket, much less accurate than Lewis's rifle.] not having my
shotpouch I could not reload my peice and as there were two of them behind good shelters
from me I did not think it prudent to rush on them with my pistol which had I discharged I
had not the means of reloading untill I reached camp; I therefore returned leasurely
towards camp, on my way I met with Drewyer who having heared the report of the guns had
returned in surch of me and left the Fieldes to pursue the indians, I desired him to
haisten to the camp with me and assist in catching as many of the indian horses as were
necessary and to call to the Fieldes if he could make them hear to come back that we still
had a sufficient number of horses, this he did but they were too far to hear him. we
reached the camp and began to catch the horses and saddle them and put on the packs.
the reason I had not my pouch with me was that I had not time to return about 50
yards to camp after geting my gun before I was obliged to pursue the indians or suffer
them to collect and drive off all the horses. we had caught and saddled the horses
and began to arrange the packs when the Fieldses returned with four of our horses; we left
one of our horses and took four of the best of those of the indian's; while the men were
preparing the horses I put four sheilds and two bows and quivers of arrows which had been
left on the fire, with sundry other articles; they left all their baggage at our mercy.
they had but 2 guns and one of them they left the others were armed with bows
and arrows and eyedaggs. [A type of dagger or stabbing knife with a hole or eye in
the handle for inserting a loop; See April 15, 1806.] the gun we took with
us. I also retook the flagg but left the medal about the neck of the dead man that
they might be informed who we were. we took some of their buffaloe meat and set out
ascending the bluffs by the same rout we had decended last evening leaving the ballance of
nine of their horses which we did not want. the Feildses told me that three of the
indians whom they pursued swam the river one of them on my horse. and that two
others ascended the hill and escaped from them with a part of their horses, two I had
pursued into the nitch only lay dead near the camp and the eighth we could not account for
but suppose that he ran off early in the contest. having ascended the hill we took
our course through a beatiful level plain a little to the s of East. my design was
to hasten to the entrance of Maria's river as quick as possible in the hope of meeting
with the canoes and party at that place having no doubt but that they would pursue us with
a large party and as there was a band near the broken mountians or probably betwen them
and the mouth of that river we might expect them to receive inteligence from us and arrive
at that place nearly as soon as we could, no time was therefore to be lost and we pushed
our horses as hard as they would bear. at 8 miles we passed a large branch 40 yds
wide which I called battle river. [Birch Creek, a tributary of Two Medicine
River.] at 3 P.M. we arrived at rose river about 5 miles above where
we had passed it as we went out, having traveled by my estimate compared with our former
distances and cou[r]ses about 63 ms. [Moving southeasterly from
the site of the confrontation,Lewis's party passed near Conrad, MT and reached the Teton
(Rose) River.] here we halted an hour and a half took some refreshment and
suffered our horses to graize; the day proved warm but the late rains had supplyed the
little reservors in the plains with water and had put them in fine order for traveling,
our whole rout so far was as level as a bowling green with but little stone and few pricly
pears. after dinner we pursued the bottoms of rose river but finding inconvenient
to pass the river so often we again ascended the hills on the S.W. side and took the open
plains; by dark we had traveled about 17 miles further, we now halted to rest ourselves
and horses about 2 hours, we killed a buffaloe cow and took a small quantity of the
meat. after refreshing ourselves we again set out by moonlight and traveled
leasurely, heavy thunderclouds lowered arround us on every quarter but that from which the
moon gave us light. we continued to pass immence herds of buffaloe all night as we had
done in the latter part of the day. we traveled untill 2 OCk in the morning having come by
my estimate after dark about 20 ms. we now turned out our horses and laid ourselves down
to rest in the plain very much fatiegued as may be readily conceived. my indian horse
carried me very well in short much better than my own would have done and leaves me with
but little reason to complain of the robery.
July 27, 1806
William Clark
from the Bighorn |
|
N. 45o E |
6 |
miles to a Brook in a Std. Bend. high Sand
[land?] Passed a Island on which there is wood at 2 miles and one near the Stard. at
6 ms. |
N. 45o W. |
3 |
miles to Lard Bend passed a point of a
high Clift on the Stard Side at 2 miles passed 2 Islands |
N. 25o E |
1 1/2 |
miles to a high point on Stard. |
N. 60o E |
4 1/2 |
miles to the lower part of a bluff on the Stard.
Side passed a large Creek on the Lard Side behind a large [island?] creek 40 yds
wide |
N. 20o E |
4 |
miles to the <lower> upper pt. of an
Island near the Stard Side. passd. 3 islands low bottoms on each Side
rivr wide and Current jentle. passed Little wolf river 60 yds. wid Scercely
any water in on the Lard. at 1 mile. |
N. 15o E. |
5 |
miles to a black bluff in the Lard Bend
passed the enterance of a river 50 yds wide but little water at 3 miles on the Lard.
Side. passed an Island close to the Stard Shore and <one> a bar below the
river std. |
N. 66o E |
4 |
miles to Bluff in Lad bend a Low bottom on
Stard. and a bluff about 60 feet high on the Lard. psd. 2 brooks Lard. no water |
East |
3 |
miles to a point of the Lard. Bluff. a low
bottom on Stard. |
N. 65o E. |
5 |
miles to the had of an Island in the middle of
the river passed 2 islands and 3 bars |
East |
5 |
miles to the lower part of a wood on the Stard
Side passed 1 large & 4 Small Islands. Extensive bottom both Sides |
N. 45 E |
2 |
miles to a [w?] tree in the Lard bend |
S 15 E. |
2 |
miles to the enteranc of a Small river 60 yds
wide little water on Std. opsd. an Isd. on Std. |
N. 60o E |
3 1/2 |
miles to the a woon [wood] in the Lard Bend
passed 2 small Isds. |
S. 80o E |
1 1/2 |
miles to the Island on the Std. Side |
North |
1/2 |
miles to the Lard. main Shore |
S. 18o E. |
1/2 |
miles to the island on the Std. Side. |
N. 30 E. |
1 |
mile to the enteranc of a large Brook in the
Lard. Bend abov a low Clift. |
S. 45o E |
1 |
mile to the lower point of the Isld. low
bluff on the Lard Side |
S. 76oo E |
4 <7?> |
miles to a point of wood on the Stard. Side
passed an island. low white Clifts on the Lard Side |
S. 82o E. |
5 <6?> |
miles to a the Lower point of an Island near
Std. Passed one near the Lard. Shore at 3 ms. and the upper pt. of an Isld. on Lard. side |
N. 62o E |
2 1/2 |
miles to a point on th Stard Side opposit a Lard
Bluff passed the Isd. Ld. |
S W. |
2 |
miles to the enteranc of a Brook 20 yds wide in
a Stard. Bend an Island near Lard. high lands border the Lard Shore |
N 80 E. |
2 1/2 |
miles to a Stard. point opposit a remakable
conocal moun on the top of which a rock resembles a house with Chimnys. |
S. 75 E |
3 1/2 |
miles to the point of an Island. passed
the upper point of one on each Side at 2 1/2 miles. passed a brook 20 yds wide on
the Stard Side |
N. 65o E |
1/2 |
a mile to a point of the Lard <Island>
Side opsd. lower point of the Stard. Island. |
N. E. |
3 1/2 |
miles to the lower point of one island Close to
the Lard Shore passed 2 islands |
S. 60o E |
1 |
mile to the upper part of a large Island |
N. |
2 |
miles to a point of the Island on the right
passed a chanel at 1/4 ms |
July 27, 1806
William Clark
I marked my name with red paint on a Cotton tree near my Camp, and Set out at an early
hour and proceeded on very well the river is much wider from 4 to 600 yards
much divided by Islands and Sand bars, passed a large dry Creek [NB: call Elk
creek] [Alkali Creek.] at 15 miles and halted at the enterance of River 50
yards wide on the Lard Side I call R. Labeech ["Little wolf or
Winsors Creek" on one of Clark's maps, "Winsors dry Creek on another, present
Muggins Creek.] killed 4 Buffalow and Saved as much of their flesh as we could
Carry took brackfast. The Buffalow and Elk is estonishingly noumerous on the banks of the
river on each Side, particularly the Elk which lay on almost every point in large gang and
are So jintle that we frequently pass within 20 or 30 paces of them without their being
the least alarmd. the buffalow are Generally at a greater distance from the river,
and keep a continueing bellowing in every direction, much more beaver Sign than above the
bighorn. I Saw Several of those animals on the bank to day. the antilopes are
Scerce as also the bighorns and the deer by no means So plenty as they were
near the Rocky mountains. when we pass the Big horn I take my leave of the View of
the tremendious chain of Rocky Mountains white with Snow in View of
which I have been Since the 1st of May last.
about Sunset I shot a very large fat buck elk from the Canoe near which I encamped [Approximately
two miles above the mouth of Big Porcupine Creek ("Little Wolf River" on Clark's
map) and about eight miles west of Forsyth, MT.; the course of the Yellowstone has
evidently shifted since 1806, as the campsite is some distance north of the present
river.], and was near being bit by a rattle Snake. Shields killed a Deer
& a antilope to day for the Skins which the party is in want of for Clothes.
this river below the big horn river resembles the Missouri in almost every perticular
<its> except that it's islands are more noumerous & Current more rapid, it's
banks are generally low and falling in the bottoms on the Stard. Side low and
exteneive and Covered with timber near the river such as Cotton wood willow of the
different Species rose bushes and Grapevines [River-bank Grape, Vitis riparia.]
together with the red berry or Buffalow Gees [Buffaloberry; See Lewis's entries
for July 17 and 19, 1806.] bushes & a species of shoemake with dark brown [Aromatic
Sumac or Skunkbush, also known as Squawbush, Rhus aromatica.]
back of those bottoms the Country rises pradually to about 100 feet and has Some
pine. back is leavel plains. on the Lard Side the river runs under the clifts
and Bluffs of high which is from 70 to 150 feet in hight and near the river is Some
Scattering low pine back the plains become leavel and extencive. the
Clifts are Composed of a light gritty Stone whic is not very hard. and the yound
stone [NB: <large gravel> round stones] which is mixed
with the Sand and formes bars is much Smaller than they appeared from above the bighorn,
and may here be termed Gravel. the Colour of the water is a yellowish white and less
muddy than the Missouri below the mouth of this river.
|
Course Distance &
Remarks July 27th 1806. |
|
|
from the Big Horn |
M |
|
N. 45o E. |
to a Brook in a Stard. Bend. passed an
Island at 2 miles and one near the Stard Side at 6 miles |
6 |
N. 45o W. |
to a Lard Bend passing the point of a high clift
on the Stard. at 2 miles. passed 2 island |
3 |
N. 25o E. |
to a high point on the Stard. Side |
1 1/2 |
N. 60o E. |
to the lower part of a Bluff on the Stard. Side,
passed a large Elk Creek on the Lard. Side, back of an Isld. |
4 1/2 |
N. 20o E. |
to the upper point of an island near the Sard.
Side passed 3 islands. a low bottom on each Side passed a river 50 yds
wide on the Lard Side which contains but little water nearly dry
Windsors Rivr |
4 |
N. 15o E. |
to a black Bluff in the Lard. Bend. passed
an Island close to the Stard. Shore, and a gravelly bar below |
5 |
N. 66o E. |
to a bluff in the Lard. Bend. a low bottom
of wood on the Stard. Side passing a Clift of 60 feet in hight on the Lard. and 2
dry Broks on the same side. |
4 |
East |
to a point of the Lard Bluff. bottom low
on Stard. |
3 |
N. 65o E. |
to the head of an island in the iddle of the
river. passed 2 islands and 3 bars |
5 |
East |
to the lower point of a wood on the Stard. Side
passed 1 large and 4 Small islands. an extenive bottoms on both Sides |
5 |
N. 45o E. |
to a Tree in the Larboard Bend |
2 |
N. 15o E. |
to the enterance of a large Creek 60 yards wide
on the Stard Side Containing but little water Labeichs R [Sarpy Creek,
meeting the Yellowstone west of Sanders, MT. clearly marked on Clark's maps. In his
journal Clark labeled the name Muggins Creek ("Little Wolf or Winsors Creek")
and Biddle crossed the name out. Thwaites did not note the crossing out, which caused
confusion in identifying "Labiechs R."] |
2 |
N. 60o E. |
to a wood in the lard Bend. passed 2 Small
islands |
3 1/2 |
S. 80o E. |
to the island on the Stard. Side |
1 1/2 |
North |
to the Lard. main Shore |
1/2 |
S. 18o E. |
to the Lard. Side of the island |
1/2 |
N. 30o E. |
to the enterance of a large brook in the Lard
bend above low clift white Creek [Starved to Death Creek enters
Yellowstone east of Sanders.] |
1 |
S 45o E |
to the lower point of the island. Low bluff on
Lard. |
1 |
S. 76o E. |
to a point of wood on the Stard. Side, passed an
island. low white Clifts on the Lard Side. |
4 |
S. 82o E. |
to the lower point of an island near the Stard.
Side. passed one near the Lard. at 3 miles |
5 |
N. 62o E. |
to a point on the Stard side opposit to a low
bluff passed the Lard Island |
2 1/2 |
S. 45o W. |
to the enterance of a brook 20 yds wide [Hay
Creek.] in the Stard. Bend an Island near the Lard. high lands border
the Larboard Shore |
2 |
N. 80o E. |
to a Stard. point opposit a Conic Mound on the
top of which is a rock resembling a house & Chimney. ["Chimney
Bluffs" on Clark's maps, opposite Reservation Creek.] |
2 1/2 |
S. 75o E. |
to the point of an island passed the
upper pt. of one on each Side at 2 1/2 miles. passed a brook on Sd Side 20 yds wide.
[Reservation Creek, the second twenty-yard brook in succession on Clark's map.] |
3 1/2 |
N. 65o E. |
to a point of the Lard Side opsd. a low bottom |
1/2 |
N. 45o E. |
to the lower point of an Island. passed 2
islands |
3 1/2 |
S. 60o E |
to the upper part of a large island |
1 1/2 |
North |
to a point of the Island and Camped on the
island |
2 |
|
Miles |
80 1/2 |
July 27, 1806
John Ordway
a clear morning. Sergt. Gass and Willard Set out with the 4 horses crossed
the river to the N. Side to take them down to the Mouth of Morriah to back [pack]
the meat while we lay their, as we expect to arive their before Capt. Lewis & party.
we halled out the white perogue out of the bushes and repaired hir.
about 12 we loaded and Set out with the white perogue and the 5 canoes.
procd. on down the rapid water fast. Camped on S. Side at large gange of
Buffaloe the hunters killed in a fiew minutes 5 buffaloe Some of which was
fat, and one deer.And R. Frazer killed one buffaloe with his Musquet &C.
July 27, 1806
Patrick Gass
In a fine clear pleasant morning, myself and one of the men crossed the river with the
horses [Willard], in order to go by land to the mouth of Maria's river:
the rest of the party here are to go by water. We proceeded on through the plains about
twenty miles, and in our way saw a great many buffaloe. We then struck Tansy or Rose river
[Teton River], which we kept down about ten miles and encamped. The land
along this river is handsomely covered with Cotton wood timber and there is an abundance
of game of different kinds. In our way we killed a buffaloe and a goat [probably
an antelope]. The wolves in packs occasionally hunt these goats, which are too
swift to run down and taken by a single wolf. The wolves having fixed upon their intended
prey and taken their stations, a part of the pack commence the chace [sic], and running it
in a circle, are at certain intervals relieved by others. In this manner they are able to
run a goat down. At the falls where the wolves are plenty, I had an opportunity of seeing
one of these hunts.
|