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April 19, 1805 (Remained camped in Williams County, North Dakota)

 " the wind blew so hard from the NW that we were fearfull of ventering our canoes in the river ... lay by all day in a good harber. observed considerable quantiies of dwarf Juniper on the hill sides.  the party killed one Elk and a beaver today.  The breaver of this part of the Missouri are larger, fatter, more abundant and better clad with fur than those of any other part of the country that I have seen."


April 20, 1805

" we set out at 7 oClock proceeded on, Soon after we set out a bank fell in near one of the Canoes which like to have filled her with water, the wind became hard and waves so rough that we proceeded with our little canoes with much risque, our situation was such after setting out that we were obliged to pass round the 1st point or lay exposed to the blustering winds & waves ... came to a butifull Glade on the S.S about 1 mile below Capt Lewis who had walked thro the point, left his Coat & a Deer on the bank which we took on board.   - short distance below our camp stood a small scaffold of about 7 feet high … underneath a disceased body and articles of belongings. It is customary with the Assinniboins, Mandans, Minetares who scaffold their dead to sacrefice the favorite horses and doggs of their disceased relations, with a view of their being servicable to them in the land of sperits."

April 21, 1805

"Set out an early hour this morning.  Capt Clark walked on shore; the wind tho' head was not violent.  the country through which we passed is very simelar in every rispect to that through which we have passed for several days. -   We saw immence herds of buffaloe Elk deer & antelopes.  we reached the place of incampment after dark, which was on the Lard. side a little above White earth river*."

White earth river* - Not to be confused with the present day White Earth River, which they passed on April 16 without naming it.  The present stream is Little Muddy River or Creek, in Williams County, North Dakota.  The camp was in McKenzie County, nearly present Williston, North Dakota  

April 22, 1805

 " walking on shore this evening I met with a buffaloe calf which attached itself to me and continued to follow close at my heels untill I embarked and left. It appeared allarmed at my dog which was probably the cause of it’s so readily attaching itself to me."

April 23, 1805

" the winds of this countrey which blow with some violence almost every day, has become a Serious obstruction in our progession onward."

April 24, 1805

"Soar eyes is a common complaint among the party. I believe it origenates from the immence quantities of sand which is driven by the wind from the sandbars of the river is such clouds that you are unable to discover the opposite bank of the river." Captain Lewis

April 25, 1805

Setting out early, the Corps becomes detained because of the wind. Lewis searches for the Yellowstone River, " from the reports of the hunters who were out yesterday, and believing that we were at no very great distance from the Yellow stone River; I determined in order as mush as possible to avoid detention, to proceed by land with a few men."  Lewis

April 26, 1805

 Lewis investigates the confluence of the Yellowstone & Missouri Rivers while Clark, a days march behind Lewis, leds the group to rejoin  Lewis, " in the evening I walked down and joined the party at their encampment; found them all in good health, and much pleased at having arrived at this long wished for spot, we ordered a dram to be issued to each person; this soon produced the fiddle, and they spent the evening with much hilarity, singing & dancing, and seemed as perfectly to forget their past toils, as they appeared regardless of those to come."

April 27, 1805

 Lewis describes an area that would become Fort Union Trading Post in 1829, " on the point of the high plain at the lower extremity of this lake I think would be the most eligible site for an establishment."

April 28, 1805

Hoisting the sails up the Corps took advantage of the windy weather, "employed our sails to advantage. We saw great quantities of game today; consiting of the common and mule deer, Elk, Buffaloe, and Antelopes; also four brown bear."

April 29, 1805

Lewis encounters a pair of bears: " we fell in with two brown or yellow bear; both of which we wounded; one of them made his escape, the other after firing on him pursued me seventy or eighty yards. The Indians may well fear this anamal equipped as they generally are with their bows and arrows…"