Day-by-Day / September 2, 1806

September 2, 1806

Stopping to hunt

James River, SD Delayed by wind, Clark pulls the canoes to shore near the James River, and buffalo hunting consumes most of the day. Clark notes a new trade house had been built since they passed this area in 1804.

The Buffalo Plains (cropped)

Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952)

A small herd grazing on the prairie

Photo © 2001 Northwestern University Library, Edward S. Curtis’s ‘The North American Indian’: the Photographic Images.

Buffalo Hunting

the wind was hard a head & continued to increas which obliged us to lay by nearly all day. as our Store of meat, I took with me 8 men and prosued a Small gang of Cows in the plains 3 miles and killed two which was in very good order, had them butchered and each man took a load as much as he Could Carry and returned to the Canoes
—William Clark

Related: The American Buffalo | Harvesting the Hunt

New Trade House

I observed the remains of a house which had been built since we passed up, this most probably was McClellins tradeing house with the Yanktons in the Winter of 1804 & 5.
—William Clark

Related: The Fur Trade

Prairie Chickens and Turkeys

I saw 4 prarie fowls [grouse] Common to the Illinois, those are the highest up which have been Seen . . . . two turkys killed to day of which the Indians very much admired being the first which they ever Saw.
—William Clark

The Indians are Sheheke (Big White) and his family and interpreter René Jusseaume‘s family. See also Sheheke’s Delegation.

Windy Camp

he wind Still high and water rough we did not Set out untill near Sun Set we proceded to a Sand bar a Short distance below the place we had Come too on account of the wind and Encamped on a Sand bar, the woods being the harbor of the Musquetors and the party without the means of Screaning themselves from those tormenting insects.
—William Clark

Related: Mosquitoes | Mosquito Netting

 

Weather Diary

State of the weather at Sun rise Course of the wind at Sun rise State of the weather at 4 oClock Course of wind at 4 P. M
fair S E fair S E

Hard wind all day. Saw the prarie fowl common in the Illinois plains. Saw Linn and Slipery elm
—William Clark[1]To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out.

Related: Birds of the Expedition | Trees | Weather Observations

 

Notes

Notes
↑1 To assist the reader of this web page, the date column is not presented and some abbreviations have been spelled out.

Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.

This site is provided as a public service by the
Logo: Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).