Lewis wrote: “We saw a great number of buffaloe, elk, common and blacktailed deer, goats, beaver and wolves.” Camped on south side (of old river bed) about 7.5 river miles below Fort Peck Dam. Site is now in Valley County.

Passed Big Dry on the south side. Lewis wrote: “today we passed the bed of the most extraordinary river that I ever beheld. It is as wide as the Missouri is at this place or 1ž2 a mile wide and not containing a single drop of runing water” They traveled 24 1ž2 miles (9 1ž2 past the Big Dry) and camped on the north side near what is now Duck Creek.

Set out at sunrise but only traveled 4 1ž2 miles when a violent storm came up and they had to seek shelter on the south side. A dog wandered into their shelter, and they watched for Indians but saw none. Group is bothered with boils and sore eyes.

Woke to frost. River very crooked, banks caving in and strong winds. Bratton was chased by bear he had shot. Hunters went back and killed the bear. It took two men to carry the hide. They rendered the bear’s oil — about eight gallons. Traveled 17 miles and camped on the south shore, close to where “The Pines” is today.

Lewis describes choke-cherries in “blume.” Strong winds. Traveled 18 1ž2 miles and camped early on the south side.

Did not start until afternoon because of strong winds. “…courant weather stronger than usual and the water continues to become reather clearer, from both which I anticipate a change of country shortly,” wrote Lewis. They started saving skins to make a leather boat to use above the falls. Traveled seven miles and camped on the south side about one or two miles above the former entrance of today’s Crooked Creek.

Two events happened toward evening. Six men went after a bear. Two had to jump off a 20-foot cliff into the water to get away from him. He jumped in after them, but someone on shore fired and hit the bear in his brain. While butchering him, the men found that eight shots had passed through his body. Also the pirogue almost tipped over, losing some papers and medications. Sacajawea saved most of it. The hunters came in after dark. Lewis wrote: “We thought it a proper occasion to console ourselves and cheer the sperits of our men and accordingly took a drink of grog and gave each man a gill of sperits.” Traveled 16 1ž2 miles and camped on the north side where they had the accident, a few miles above present Snow Creek.

Camped all day and tried to dry papers.

Didn’t get started until about 4 p.m. Fired on a panther. Traveled seven miles and camped, probably on the south side.

Passed Seven Blackfeet Creek just below camp. Clark saw some coal, a recently deserted Indian camp, and almost stepped on a rattlesnake. Traveled 20 1ž2 miles. Camped on the south bank. Were awakened during the night by a fire, probably started from their campfire. Just got moved when a burning tree fell where they had been

Traveled 21 miles and camped two miles up stream from the present Devil’s Creek.

Heavy fog, late start, Lewis’s dog was bitten by a beaver. From a hill Clark saw the

Musselshell River and the Little Rockies. Traveled 20 1ž2 miles. Camped near or at site which was later Long Point and now under the waters of Fort Peck Lake.

Arrived at the Musselshell River about 11 a.m. and stopped for the day to make the necessary observations. It was 110 yards wide and entered the Missouri 2,270 miles from its mouth. At this point the Missouri was 222 yards wide.

They traveled 20 miles and camped on the north side.

Stormed all night and morning. Did not get started until 10 a.m. Traveled 16 1ž2 miles, killed a bear and rendered lard. Camped on the north side just below the present Kannuck Creek.

“Set out early this morning, the frost was severe last night, the ice appeared along the edge of the water, water also freized on the oars…Just above the entrance of Teapot Creek on the stard. There is a large assemblage of the burrows of the Burrowing Squirrel [prairie dog]. The wild rose which is now in blume are vary abundant.” Traveled 27 miles. Camped on the north side, a little below the mouth of Rock (North Mountain) Creek in Phillips County.