The Journals of Lewis & Clark: August 6, 1806
August 6, 1806
Wednesday August 6th 1806. A little after dark last evening a violent storm arrose to the N. E. and shortly after came on attended with violent Thunder lightning and some hail; the rain fell in a mere torrant and the wind blew so violently that it was with difficulty I could have the small canoes unloaded before they filled with water; they sustained no injury. our situation was open and exposed to the storm. in attending to the canoes I got wet to the skin and having no shelter on land I betook myself to the orning of the perogue which I had, formed of Elkskin, here I obtained a few hours of broken rest; the wind and rain continued almost all night and the air became very cold. we set out early this morning and decended the river about 10 miles below Porcupine river when the wind became so violent that I laid by untill 4 P.M. the wind then abaiting in some measure we again resumed our voyage, and decended the river about 5 miles below our encampment of the 1st of May 1805 where we halted for the night on the S. W. side of the river. after halting we killed three fat cows and a buck. we had previously killed today 4 deer a buck Elk and a fat cow. in short game is so abundant and gentle that we kill it when we please. the Feildses went on ahead this evening and we did not overtake them. we saw several bear in the course of the day.
Friday 6th August 1806
I rose very wet. about 11 P M last night the wind become very hard for a fiew minits Suckceeded by Sharp lightning and hard Claps of Thunder and rained for about 2 hours very hard after which it continued Cloudy the balance of the night. as we were about Setting out a female Big horn animal came on the bluff imediately above us and looked down. I derected Labeech to Shoot it which he did, after Skinning this animal we Set out and proceeded on to a Sand bar on the S W. Side below the enterance of White earth river where I landed and had the meat Skins and bedding all put out to dry. wind hard from the N W. I halted on the N W. Side of this river in the bend above the white earth river, where I saw where the Indians had been digging a root which they eate and use in Seup, not more than 7 or 8 days past. This morning a very large Bear of white Specis, discovered us floating in the water and takeing us, as I prosume to be Buffalow imediately plunged into the river and prosued us. I directed the men to be Still. this animal Came within about 40 yards of us, and tacked about. we all fired into him without killing him, and the wind So high that we could not pursue him, by which means he made his escape to the Shore badly wounded. I have observed buffalow floating down which I suppose must have been drounded in Crossing above. more or less of those animals drown or mire in passing this river. I observed Several floating buffalow on the R. Rochejhone imediately below where large gangues had Crossed. The wind blew hard all the after part of the day. I derected the men to dress their Skins except one which I took with me and walkd. through the bottom to the foot of the hills I killed five deer and the man with me killed 2. four others were killed in the Course of the day by the party only 2 of those deer were fat owing as I suppose to the Musquetors which are So noumerous and troublesom to them that they Cannot feed except under the torments of millions of those Musquetors.
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