Journals

June 26th,  Tuesday 1804- Clark we Set out early, the river falling a little, the wind from the S. W. Passed the mouth of a Small river on the L. side above the upper point of a Small Island, Called Blue water river, this river heads in Praries back with the Mine River  about 30 yards wide. we Killed a large rattle Snake, Sunning himself on the bank. Passed a sand bar, where our tow rope broke twice, & with great exertions we rowed around it and Came & Camped in the Point above the Kansas River.  I observed a great number or Parrot queets this evening, our party killed several 7 deer today.

June 27th, Wednesday - Clark  a fair warm morning, the river rose a little last night. we determin to delay at this Place three or four days to make observations & recruit the party   Several men out Hunting, unloaded one Perogue, and turned her up to Dry with a view of repairing her after Completeing a Strong redoubt or breast  work  frome one river to the other, of logs and Bushes Six feet high, The Countrey about the mouth of this river is verry fine on each Side as well as the North of the Missouries  the bottom, in the Point is low, & overgrown for 250 yards.   it rises a little above the high water mark and Continus up that hight of good quallity back to the hills (blank) (mile a) A high Clift, on the upper Side of the Kansis 1/2 a mile up

    below the Kanses the hills is about 1 1/2 miles from the point on the North side of the Missouries  the Hill or high lands is several miles back, we compared the instrmts Took equal altitudes and Meridian altituade of the Suns L L to day Lattitude 38 (degrees) 31' 13 " Longitude (blank)  Measured The width of the Kansas River by an angle and made it 230 yds 1/4 wide, it is wider above the mouth  the Missouries at this place is about 500 yards wide, The course from the Point down the middle of the Missourie is S.32 (degrees) E,& turns to the North.up Do is N 21 (degrees) W.& do  do--Do.  up the right side of the Kansas is S. 54 (degrees) E, & the river turns to the left, Several deer Killed today.
 

28 Thursday   took equal altitudes &c. &c. &c. & varaitian of the Compass  repaired the Perogue  Cleaned out the Boat  Suned our Powder wollen articles   examined every thing   8 to 10 huntrs. out to day in different directions in examineing our private Store of Provisions we found Several articles Spoiled from wet or dampness they had received, a verry warm Day, the wind from the South. The river Missourie has raised yesterday last night and today about 2 foot.  this evening it is on a Stand, Capt. Lewis weighed the water of the Two rivers   The Missouris 78 (lbs) The Kansais 72 (lbs) (The weight is) . . . This River receives its name from a nation which dwells at this time on its banks & 2 villages one about 20 Leagues and the other about 40 Leagues up, those Indians are not very noumerous at this time, reduced by war with their neighbors, &c.  they formerly liveid on the South banks of the Missouries 24 Leagues above the river in an open & beautiful plain  and were verry noumerous at this time the french first Settled the Illinois, I am told they are a fierce & warlike people, being badly Supplied with firearms, become easily conquered  by the Aiauway & Saukees who are better furnished with those materials of war, This nation is now on the plains hunting the Buffalow (They consist of about 300 men)  our hunters Killed Several Deer and Saw Buffalow, men impd Dressing Skins & makeing themselves comfortable, The high lands Coms to the river Kanses on the upper side at about a mile, full in view, and a butifull place for a fort, good landing place, 1 the waters of the Kansas is verry disagreeably tasted to me.

1 Looking back toward the bluffs on which Kansas City Missouri is built.  Lewis and Clark climbed this hill on the journey back and again remarked on it being ideal for a fort.  See marker at Case Park .

29th June, 1804

Ordered

    a Court martial will be Set this day at 11oClock, to Consist of five members, for the trial of John Collins and Hugh Hall, Confined on Charges exhibited against them by Sergeant Floyd, agreeable to the articles of War.

                                                                        Detail for the Court

Sergt Nat. Pryor  presd.
2 John Colter  - mbs
3 John Newmon  - mbs
4 Pat. Glass -  mbs
1 J. B. Thompson  - mbs
John Potts  to act as Judge advocate.-
    The Court Convened agreeable to order and proceeded to the trial of the Prisoners Viz John Collins Charged "with getting as drunk on his post this morning out of whiskey put under his Charge as Sentinal and for Suffering Hugh hall to draw whiskey out of the Said Barrel intended for the party"
    To this Charge the prisoner plead not guilty.
    The Court after mature deliveration on the evidence abduced &c. are of opinion that the prisoner is Guilty of the Charge exhibited against him, and do therefore sentence him to receive one hundred lashes on his Bear back.
    Hugh hall was brought with "takeing whiskey out of a Keg this morning which whiskey was Stored on the Bank (and under the Charge of the guard) Contrary to all order, rule or regulation:
    To this Charge the prisoner "Pleades Guilty."
    The Court find this prisoner  guilty and Sentence him to receive fifty lashes on his bear Back.
    The Commanding Officers approve of the Sentence of the Court and orders that the Punishment take place at half past three this evening, at which time the party will Parrade for inspection -
 

30th June, Set out verry early this Morng  Saw a verry large wolf on the sand bar this morning walking near a gange of Turkeys at 10 miles above the Kansis  passed the mouth of a Small River Call the Petite Platte or the little Shole river 2. . . Killed 2 Deer Bucks Swinging (swimming) the river. . . Deer to be Seen in every direction and their tracks ar as plenty as Hogs about a farm, our hunts. Killed 9 Deer today  the land  below the last river is good, that above, between the two rivers which is near together is Slaik'y and bad on the N. Side, the other Side is good land, Landed on the  L. S. below an Isd called Dimond Island 3

2 Platte River in Missouri.
3 Northeast Wyandotte County near present day Wolcott.
 

July 1st , last night one of the Sentinals Chang'd (challenged) either a man or a Beast, which run off all prepared for action, Set out early passed the Diamond Isd.  pass a small Creek on L .S. as this creek is without a name we will call it Biscuit Creek 4  Brackfast on the upper point of a Sand Beech, The River still falling a little  a verry warm Day.  I took some medison last night which has worked me very much  party all in helth except Boils - ... Turkeys are plenty on the Shore  G. Dwyer informs me that he Saw PueCanns (pecan) trees on S. S. yesterday.  great quantities of raspburies an Grapes... pass a run on the L. S. a Butifull extensive Prarie, two Islands just above called (Isle des Parques) or Gield Islands, 5 those islands are, one of our French hands tels me that the French intended to Settle here once & bought their cows and put them on those Islands, Mr. Mackey Says the first village of the Kanseis was a little above the island & made use of as fields, no trace of anything of that Kind remains to be Seen on the Isds.  fine Land on L. Side , Hills near the river all day.  Camped on the lower pot. of the 1st Isd.6

4 Opposite Leavenworth.
5  Island Creek near the Wyandotte Leavenworth line.
6  Opposite Fort Leavenworth.

July the 2nd 1804 Set out verry early this morning  passed on the Left of the Isles des parques  High butifull Situation - on the L S. . . . passed a verry bad Sand bar on the L. S. the 20 oars and Poals could with much dificuelty Stem the Current . . . Deer sign has become So Common it is hardly necessary to mention them, we Camped after dark on the S. S. opposite the  1st old Village of the Kanzas 7which was Situated in a Valley between two points of high land on the river back of their village commenced an extensive Prairie (the French) a large Island in front which appears to have made on that Side and thrown into the Current of the river against the place the Village formerly stood, and washes away the bank part.  the French formerly had a fort at this place, 8 to protect the trade of this nation, the Situation appears to be a verry elligable one for a Town, the valley rich & extensive, with a Small Brook Meanding through it and one part of the bank affording yet a good landing for boats  . . . We mad a mast of Cottonwood, (yesterday) in the course of the evening and night it turned a butifull red colour.

7 Near Weston, MO.
8 Fort de Cavagnial.

July 3rd 1804  Set out verry early this morning and proceeded on under a gentle breeze from the South  passed two islands  one a small Willow Island on the L. S.   The other a large island Called Cow I. 9 . . . I saw a White horse on the L. S. in view of upper point of the Island. . . We halted today about a mile above the Island and found a horse, which had been lost by the Indians, verry fat and jentle, sent him on to join the others which was ahead on the L. S.   at this place the french had a trading house, for to trade with the Kanzes on a high bottom on the L. S. near the hills which is Prairie  proceeded on around a large Sand bar on the L. S. & Camped10 on the L. S.  a butifull stream passes back of the trading house, before mentioned.

9   Near Atchison and Leavenworth County line.
10 In Atchison County, Kansas above Oak Mills.
 

July 4th Wednesday  ussered in the day by a discharge of one shot from our Bow piece, (swivel cannon)  proceeded on, passed the mouth of a Beyeue landing from a large lake on the S. S.   which has the appearance of being once the bed of the river & reaches Parrelel for several miles  came to on the L. S.   to refresh ourselves & Jos: Fields got bit by a Snake, which was quickly doctered with Bark by Cap Lewis.  Passed a creek 12 yards wide. . . , as this creek has no name, and this being . . . the 4th of July the day of the independance of the U. S. call it ( 4th of July 1804 Creek, Capt. Lewis walked on Shore above this creek and discovered a high moun at the top of which he had an extensive view, 3 paths Concentering at the moun  Saw a great number of Goslings to day which Were nearly grown, the before mentioned Lake is clear and Contain great quantities of fish an Gees and Goslings, The great quantity of those fowl in this lake induce me to Call it the Gosling Lake . . . We came to and camped on the lower edge of a plain where the 2d old Kanzas Village formerly Stood., above the mouth of a creek 20 yards wide  this creek we call Creek Independence14 . . . at this place the Kanzas Indians formerly lived.  this Town appears to have covd. a large Space, the nation must have been noumerous at the time they lived here, the Cause of their moveing to the Kanzas River, I have never heard, nor Can I learn; war with their neighbors must have reduced this nation and compelled them to retire to a Situation in plains better Calculated for their defence and one where they may make use of their horses with good effect, in pursueing their enemey, we closed the (day) by Discharge from our bow piece, an extra Gill of whiskey.

14 Probably Independence Creek in Atchison, KS

July 5th 1804  Set out verry early this morning,  Swam the horse across the river, proceeded on for two miles under the bank where the old  Kansas town formerly stood (say in 1724)   . . . We came to dinner at a Beever house, Cap Lewis's Dog Seaman went in and drove them out.  the highlands on the L. S. is open, a few trees Scattering  passed a small creek on the L. S.   in the 1st bend to the left I call Rose Creek yellow oaker (ocher) creek from the number of rose about and a bank of that Mineral just above  we camped on the L. S. under a high bank  on the banks of this river15   I observe great quants of Grapes, berries & roses  Deer is not So plenty in this three days past as they were below that.  Elk are plenty about those Prairies.  Some Buffalow Sign.

15 Northeast of Doniphan, KS.

1806

Sunday 14th of September 1806
Set out early and proceeded on very well.  this being the part of the Missouri the Kanzas nation resort to at this Season of the year.  for the purpose of robbing the perogues passing up to the other nations above, we have every reason to expect to meet with them, and agreeably to their Common Custom of examining every thing in the perogues and takeing what they want out of them, it is probable they may wish to take those liberties with us, which we are determined not to allow of and for the Smallest insult we Shall fire on them.  at 2 P. M. a little below the lower of the Kanzas village 16 we met three large boats . . . all from St. Louis, those young men received us with great friendship and pressed on us Some whiskey for our men, Bisquet, Pork and Onions, & part of their Stores, we continued near 2 hours with those boats, makeing every enquirey into the state of our friends and Country &C.  those men were much afraid of meeting with the Kanzas   we saw 37 deer on the banks and in the river to Day 5 of which we killed those deer were meager.  we proceeded on to an Island near the middle of the river below our encampment of the 1st of July 1804 and encamped 17haveing descended only 53 miles to day.  our party received a dram and Sung Songs untill 11 oClock at night in the greatest harmony.

16 Probably the village noted on July 2, 1804 in Northeast Leavenworth County, Kansas as they are near present Fort Leavenworth

 17 The camp on July 1, 1804 was on Leavenworth Island, opposite present Fort Leavenworth.

Monday 15th of September 1806
we  set out early with a Stiff Breeze a head  saw Several deer Swimming the river soon after we Set out.  at 11 A.M.  passed the entranceof the Kanzas river which was very low, about  a mile below where we landed andCaptain Lewis and my Self assended a hill 18which appeared to have a commanding Situation for a fort, the Shore is bold and rocky immediately at the foot of the Hill from the top you have a perfect Commanding Situation for a fort, the Shore is bold and rocky immediately at the foot of the hill, from the top of the hill you have a perfect command of the river, this hill fronts the Kanzas and has a view of the Missouri a Short distance above that River.  we landed one time only to let the men geather Pappaws or the Custard apple of which this county abounds, and the men are very fond of.  we discovered a Buck Elk on a Small island, and sent the 2 fields and Shannon (Seaman?) in pursuit of it  they Soon Came up with and killed the elk, he was large and in fine order and we had his flesh Secured and divided. . . we descended only 49 miles and encamped a Short distance above the Hay Cabin Creek 19  we are not tormented by the Musquetors in the lower portion of the river, as we were above the river plat.

18 Case Park in Kansas City Missouri
19 In Jackson ore Clay County