Friday 2 15^. This morning was also fine, but 
there was a high wind. The remainder of the meat 
w^as brought in, and one of the men kilied 2 deer. 
Saturday 22nd. All hands, except two and the in- 
terpreter and his wife, set out through the prairie 
with one canoe on a waggon loaded heavy with bag- 
gage. We went on slowly as our axietrees were 
'Weak ; and about 12 o'clock one of them broke ; 
when we had to halt and put in a new one. This 
accident happened at a draught where there was 
some willow, and we put in aa axjetree of that ; 
.which 1 believe is the best this country affords for 
the purpose. It was lat€ in the ''evening before we 
got to the intended place of embarkation on the 
river. 
Sunday 2ord, The morning was cloudy. When 
I awoke this morning I found a material difference 
between the river and country here and belov>' the 
falls. Here the river isHvide and the current gentle. 
There are three small islands at this place and some 
timber oh the banks, but not much, and what is there 
is cotton-v/ood and willow. The banks pfre very low, 
and the country rising in plains a considerable dis« 
tance on both sides of the river ; and far off moun- 
tains covered v/ith snow on both sides and ahead. 
Two of the men and mysfelf remained with Captain \ 
Lewis here to assist him in putting together his iron 
boat, the rest went back for another load. The iroa 
boat-frame is to be covered with skins and requires 
a quantity of thin shaved strips of wood for lining, 
in the forenoon we put the frame together, which is' 
36 feet long, 4-| wide, and 2 feet 2 inches deep. In 
the afternoon Capt. Lewis and one of the men went 
down to Medicine river, v/hich is about two miles 
distant ; , t0 see whether the three men sent there to 
h\ml had procured any elk skins- In the evening* 
ihty found one of the hunters^ and encair>.peil %yit.b 
Mm. all night. 
