The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, July 16, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, July 16, 1806

Wednesday 16th July 1806

I gave Labeech promission to proceed on early this morning a head and kill a fat Elk or Buffalow. our horses haveing rambled to a long distance down the river detained us much later than Common. we did not Set out untill 9 A M. we had not proceeded on far before I saw a buffalow & Sent Shannon to kill it this buffalow provd. to be a very fat Bull I had most of the flesh brought on an a part of the Skin to make mockersons for Some of our lame horses. proceeded on down the river without finding any trees Sufficently large for a Canoe about 10 miles and halted having passed over to an Island on which there was good food for our horses to let them graze & Dine. I have not Seen Labeech as yet. Saw a large gangue of about 200 Elk and nearly as many Antilope also two white or Grey Bear in the plains, one of them I Chased on horse back about 2 miles to the rugid part of the plain where I was compelled to give up the Chase two of the horses was So lame owing to their feet being worn quit Smooth and to the quick, the hind feet was much the worst I had Mockersons made of green Buffalow Skin and put on their feet which Seams to releve them very much in passing over the Stoney plains. after dinner I proceeded on Soon after I had set Out Labeech joined us with part of a fat Elk which he had killed. I passed over a Stoney point at which place the river runs Close to the high land on the N W. side crossed a small Creek and Encamped on the river a little below its Enterance. Saw emence heards of Elk feeding on the opposit side of the river. I saw a great number of young gees in the river. one of the men brought me a fish of a species I am unacquainted; it was 8 inches long formed like a trout. it's mouth was placed like that of the Sturgeon a red streak passed down each Side from the gills to the tail. The rocks which the high lands are faced with and which may also be seen in perpendicular Straters in the high plains, is a dark freestone. the greater part of this rock is of an excellent grit for Grindstones hard and sharp. observe the Silkgrass Sunflower & Wild indigo all in blume. but fiew other flowers are to be Seen in those plains. The river and Creek bottoms abound in Cotton wood trees, tho none of them Sufficiently large for Canoes. and the current of the Rochejhone is too rapid to depend on Skinn canoes. no other alternetive for me but to proceed on down untill I can find a tree Sufficently large &c. to make a Canoe.-