[Clark, September 18, 1806]
Thursday 18th of September 1806 we rose early Capt McClellin wrote a letter and we took our leave, and proceeded on pa.s.sed the Grand river at 7 A M. a Short distance below we came up with our hunters, they had killed nothing. at 10 oClock we Came too and gathered pottows to eate we have nothing but a fiew Buisquit to eate and are partly compelled to eate poppows which we find in great quant.i.ties on the Sh.o.r.es, the weather we found excessively hot as usial. the lands fine particularly the bottoms. a charming Oake bottom on the S E Side of the Missouri above the 2 Charletons rivers we find the Current of this part of the Missouri much more jentle than it was as we a.s.sended, the water is now low and where it is much confin"d it is rapid. we saw very little appearance of deer, Saw one bear at a distance and 3 turkeys only to day. our party entirely out of provisions Subsisting on poppaws. we divide the buiskit which amounted to nearly one buisket per man, this in addition to the poppaws is to last is down to the Settlement"s which is 150 miles the party appear perfectly contented and tell us that they can live very well on the pappaws. we made 52 miles to day only. one of our party J. Potts complains very much of one of his eyes which is burnt by the Sun from exposeing his face without a cover from the Sun. Shannon also complains of his face & eyes &c. Encamped on an Island nearly opposit to the enterance of Mine river.
[Clark, September 19, 1806]
Friday 19th of Sept. 1806 Set out this morning a little after day & proceeded on very well the men ply their oares & we decended with great velocity, only Came too once for the purpose of gathering pappows, our anxiety as also the wish of the party to proceed on as expeditiously as possible to the Illinois enduce us to continue on without halting to hunt. we Calculate on ariveing at the first Settlements on tomorrow evening which is 140 miles, and objecet of our party is to divide the distance into two days, this day to the Osarge River, and tomorrow to the Charriton a Small french Village--we arived at the Enterance of Osage River at dark and encamped on the Spot we had encamped on the 1st & 2d of June 1804 haveing Came 72 miles. a very singular disorder is takeing place amongst our party that of the Sore eyes. three of the party have their eyes inflamed and Sweled in Such a manner as to render them extreamly painfull, particularly when exposed to the light, the eye ball is much inflaimed and the lid appears burnt with the Sun, the cause of this complaint of the eye I can"t account for. from it"s Sudden appearance I am willing to believe it may be owing to the reflection of the Sun on the water
[Clark, September 20, 1806]
Sat.u.r.day 20th Septr. 1806 as three of the party was unabled to row from the State of their eyes we found it necessary to leave one of our Crafts and divide the men into the other Canoes, we left the two Canoes lashed together which I had made high up the River Rochejhone, those Canoes we Set a drift and a little after day light we Set out and proceeded on very well. The Osage river very low and discharges but a Small quant.i.ty of water at this time for so large a river. at meridian we pa.s.sed the enterance of the Gasconnade river below which we met a perogue with 5 french men bound to the Osarge Gd. village. the party being extreemly anxious to get down ply their ores very well, we Saw Some cows on the bank which was a joyfull Sight to the party and Caused a Shout to be raised for joy at ____ P M we Came in Sight of the little french Village called Charriton the men raised a Shout and Sprung upon their ores and we soon landed opposit to the Village. our party requested to be permited to fire off their Guns which was alowed & they discharged 3 rounds with a harty Cheer, which was returned from five tradeing boats which lay opposit the village. we landed and were very politely received by two young Scotch men from Canada one in the employ of Mr. Aird a Mr. ____ and the other Mr. Reed, two other boats the property of Mr. Lacomb & Mr. ____ all of those boats were bound to the Osage and Ottoes. those two young Scotch gentlemen furnished us with Beef flower and Some pork for our men, and gave us a very agreeable supper. as it was like to rain we accepted of a bed in one of their tents. we purchased of a Citizen two gallons of Whiskey for our party for which we were obliged to give Eight dollars in Cash, an imposition on the part of the Citizen. every person, both French and americans Seem to express great pleasure at our return, and acknowledged them selves much astonished in Seeing us return. they informed us that we were Supposed to have been lost long Since, and were entirely given out by every person &c.
Those boats are from Canada in the batteaux form and wide in perpotion to their length. their length about 30 feet and the width 8 feet & pointed bow & Stern, flat bottom and rowing Six ores only the Skeneckeity form. those Bottoms are prepared for the navigation of this river, I beleive them to be the best Calculated for the navigation of this river of any which I have Seen. they are wide and flat not Subject to the dangers of the roleing Sands, which larger boats are on this river. the American inhabitants express great disgust for the govermt of this Teritory. from what I can lern it arises from a disapmt. of getting all the Spanish Grants Confirmed-. Came 68 ms. to day.
[Clark, September 21, 1806]
Sunday 21st Septr. 1806 rose early this morning Colected our men Several of them had axcepted of the invitation of the Citizens and visited their families. at half after 7 A. M we Set out. pa.s.sed 12 canoes of Kickapoos a.s.sending on a hunting expedition. Saw Several persons also Stock of different kind on the bank which reviv"d the party very much. at 3 P M we met two large boats a.s.sending. at 4 P M we arived in Sight of St. Charles, the party rejoiced at the Sight of this hospital village plyed thear ores with great dexterity and we Soon arived opposit the Town, this day being Sunday we observed a number of Gentlemen and ladies walking on the bank, we Saluted the Village by three rounds from our blunderbuts and the Small arms of the party, and landed near the lower part of the town. we were met by great numbers of the inhabitants, we found them excessively polite. we received invitations from Several of those Gentlemen a Mr. Proulx, Taboe, Decett, Tice Dejonah & Quarie and several who were pressing on us to go to their houses, we could only visit Mr. Proulx and Mr. Deucett in the course of the evening. Mr.
Querie under took to Supply our party with provisions &c. the inhabitants of this village appear much delighted at our return and seem to vie with each other in their politeness to us all. we Came only 48 miles today. the banks of the river thinly Settled &c.
[Clark, September 22, 1806]
Monday 22nd of Sept. 1806 This morning being very wet and the rain Still Continueing hard, and our party being all Sheltered in the houses of those hospitable people, we did not think proper to proceed on untill after the rain was over, and continued at the house of Mr. Proulx. I took this oppertunity of writeing to my friends in Kentucky &c. at 10 A M. it seased raining and we Colected our party and Set out and proceeded on down to the Contonemt. at Coldwater Creek about 3 miles up the Missouri on it"s Southern banks, at this place we found Colo. Hunt & a Lieut Peters & one Company of Artillerists we were kindly received by the Gentlemen of this place. Mrs. Wilkinson the Lady of the Govr. & Genl. we wer Sorry to find in delicate health.
we were honored with a Salute of ____ Guns and a harty welcom at this place there is a publick Store kept in which I am informed the U. S have 60000$ worth of indian Goods
[Clark, September 23, 1806]
Thursday 23rd of Septr. 1806 we rose early took the Chief to the publick store & furnished him with Some clothes &c. took an early breckfast with Colo. Hunt and Set out decended to the Mississippi and down that river to St. Louis at which place we arived about 12 oClock. we Suffered the party to fire off their pieces as a Salute to the Town. we were met by all the village and received a harty welcom from it"s inhabitants &. here I found my old acquaintance Majr. W. Christy who had Settled in this town in a public line as a Tavern Keeper. he furnished us with Store rooms for our baggage and we accepted of the invitation of Mr. Peter Choteau and took a room in his house we payed a friendly visit to Mr August Chotau and Some of our old friends this evening. as the post had departed from St. Louis Capt Lewis wrote a note to Mr. Hay in Kahoka to detain the post at that place untill 12 tomorrow which was reather later than his usial time of leaveing it
[Clark, September 24, 1806]
Wednesday 24th of September 1806 I sleped but little last night however we rose early and Commencd wrighting our letters Capt. Lewis wrote one to the presidend and I wrote Govr. Harrison & my friends in Kentucky and Sent of George Drewyer with those letters to Kohoka & delivered them to Mr. Hays &. we dined with Mr. Chotoux to day, and after dinner went to a Store and purchased Some Clothes, which we gave to a Tayler and derected to be made. Capt Lewis in opening his trunk found all his papers wet, and Some Seeds spoiled
[Clark, September 25, 1806]
Thursday 25th of Septr. 1806 had all of our Skins &c. Suned and Stored away in a Storeroom of Mr.
Caddy Choteau. payed Some visits of form, to the gentlemen of St.
Louis. in the evening a dinner & Ball
[Clark, September 26, 1806]
Friday 26th of September 1806 a fine morning we commenced wrighting &c.