The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806   By: William Clark (1770-1838)

^M ^M ^M ^M The Journals of Lewis and Clark By Meriwether Lewis and and William Clark, 1804 1806

Note: These Journals are from May 14, 1804, the day the expedition left the Mississippi River, to September 26, 1806, a day or two after they arrived back in St. Louis. It includes all possible Journal entries of Lewis and Clark. Most of the "courses and distances" and "celestial observations" have been omitted. The notes and most of the corrections of past editors have been removed. There are a few OCR errors, but most of the misspellings are almost 200 years old. The dates with the names in the brackets are a little redundent. They are included to provide the correct date in a consistent format.

[Clark, May 14, 1804] May the 14th Monday Set out from Camp River a Dubois at 4 oClock P.M. and proceded up the Missouris under Sail to the first Island in the Missouri and Camped on the upper point opposit a Creek on the South Side below a ledge of limestone rock Called Colewater, made 41/2 miles, the Party Consisted of 2, Self one frenchman and 22 Men in the Boat of 20 ores, 1 Serjt. & 7 french in a large Perogue, a Corp and 6 Soldiers in a large Perogue. a Cloudy rainey day. wind from the N E. men in high Spirits

[Clark, May 14, 1804] Monday May 14th 1804 Rained the forepart of the day I determined to go as far as St. Charles a french Village 7 Leags. up the Missourie, and wait at that place untill Capt. Lewis Could finish the business in which he was obliged to attend to at St Louis and join me by Land from that place 24 miles; by this movement I calculated that if any alterations in the loading of the Vestles or other Changes necessary, that they might be made at St. Charles I Set out at 4 oClock P.M. in the presence of many of the Neighbouring inhabitents, and proceeded on under a jentle brease up the Missourie to the upper Point of the 1st Island 4 Miles and Camped on the Island which is Situated Close on the right (or Starboard) Side, and opposit the mouth of a Small Creek called Cold water, a heavy rain this after noon The Course of this day nearly West wind from N. E

[Lewis, May 15, 1804] Tuesday May 15th It rained during the greater part of last night and continued untill 7 OCk. A.M. after which the Prarty proceeded, passed two Islands and incamped on the Stard. shore at Mr. Fifer's landing opposite an Island, the evening was fair. some wild gees with their young brudes were seen today. the barge run foul three several times on logs, and in one instance it was with much difficulty they could get her off; happily no injury was sustained, tho the barge was several minutes in eminent danger; this was cased by her being too heavily laden in the stern. Persons accustomed to the navigation of the Missouri and the Mississippi also below the mouth of this river, uniformly take the precaution to load their vessels heavyest in the bow when they ascend the stream in order to avoid the danger incedent to runing foul of the concealed timber which lyes in great quantities in the beds of these rivers

[Clark, May 15, 1804] Tuesday 15 rained all last night and this morning untill 7 oClock, all our fire extinguished, Some Provisions on the top of the Perogus wet, I sent two men to the Countrey to hunt, & proceed on at 9 oClock, and proceeded on 9 miles and Camped at a Mr Pip. Landing just below a Coal Bank on the South Side the prarie Comes with 1/4 of a mile of the river on the N. Side I sent to the Setlements in the Pairie & purchased fowls &. one of the Perogue are not Sufficently maned to Keep up.