Following are excerpts from the Journals of Lewis and Clark. On this day in 1806 - [Clark] Friday 18th July 1806 As we were about Setting out this morning two Buffalow Bulls came near our Camp Several of the men Shot at one of them. their being near the river plunged in and Swam across to the opposit Side and there died. Shabono was thrown from his horse to day in pursute of a Buffaloe, the hose unfortunately Steping into a Braroe [8] hole fell and threw him over his head. he is a good deel brused on his hip Sholder & face. after brackfast I proceeded on as usial, passd. over points of ridges So as to cut off bends of the [NB: river] crossed a Small Muddy brook [9] on which I found great quantities of the Purple, yellow & black currents [10] ripe. they were of an excellent flavour. I think the purple Superior to any I have ever tasted. The river here is about 200 yards wide rapid as usial and the water gliding over corse gravel and round Stones of various sizes of an excellent grite for whetestones. the bottoms of the river are narrow. the hills are not exceeding 200 feet in hight the sides of them are generally rocky and composed of rocks of the same texture of a dark Colour of Grit well Calculated for grindstones &c. The high bottoms is composed of gravel and Stone like those in the Chanel of the river, with a mixture of earth of a dark brown colour [11] The Country back from the river on each Side is generally open wavering plains. Some pine is to be Seen in every direction in those plains on the Sides of hills &c. at 11 A. M. I observed a Smoke rise to the S. S. E in the plains towards the termonation of the rocky mountains in that direction (which is Covered with Snow) this Smoke must be raisd. by the Crow Indians in that direction as a Signal for us, or other bands. I think it most probable that they have discovered our trail and takeing us to be Shoshone &c. in Serch of them the Crow Indians [WC: now at peace with them] to trade as is their Custom, have made this Smoke to Shew where they are—or otherwise takeing up to be their Enemy made this Signal for other bands to be on their guard. I halted in a bottom of fine grass to let the horses graze. Shields killed a fat Buck on which we all Dined. after dinner and a delay of 3 hours to allow the horses time to feed, we Set out at 4 P. M. I set out and proceeded down the river through a butifull bottom, passing a Indian fort on the head of a Small island near the Lard Shore and Encamped on a Small Island Seperated from the Lard Shore by a very narrow Chanel. [12] Shields killed a Buffalow this evening which Caused me to halt sooner than Common to Save Some of the flesh which was So rank and Strong that we took but very little. Gibson in attempting to mount his horse after Shooting a deer this evening fell and on a Snag and sent it nearly [NB: two] inches into the Muskeler part of his thy. he informs me this Snag was about 1 inch in diamuter burnt at the end. this is a very bad wound and pains him exceedingly. I dressed the wound. 8. A badger, Taxidea taxus; Clarks term is from the French blaireau; see July 30, 1804. 9. After passing Monument Butte, he reached White Beaver Creek, in Stillwater County. Atlas maps 104, 115. 10. The purple and yellow currants are genetic variants of golden currant. The black currant is probably the wild black currant, Ribes americanum Mill. See April 30, 1805, for a discussion of regional currants. 11. The high bottoms are Yellowstone River terraces of sand, gravel and cobbles. The dark soil is either organic-rich material or is derived from weathering of the dark-colored Tertiary-Cretaceous Livingstone Formation. 12. In Stillwater County, some three miles west of Columbus and the mouth of the Stillwater River (Clarks Rose bud R). A mile or so below the camp is the mouth of Huntley Creek, which does not appear on Atlas maps 108 or 115. The Indian fort appears on Atlas maps 107 and 115 a little above a dry brook which is apparently present Berry Creek.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 12:00:01 +0000
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