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January
25, 1804
A Vision of Frost
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Clark woke to a frost-bound landscape that evoked a somewhat
lyrical description.
Wednesday 25th Jany a verry Clear mo[o]n Shiney night a fair
morning, last night was a verry Cold one (I was Sick all night[)]
The branch[es] of Trees and the Small groth ar gilded with
Ice from the frost of last night which affords one of the
most magnificent appearances in nature, the river began to
Smoke [with mist] at 8 oClock and the Thermometer Stood at
2° below 0, at 9 oClock qt 0, at 10 oClock at 5° abov
0, at 11 oClock 12° abv 0, at 12 oClock 16d abov 0, at
1 oClock 16° abov 0, at 2 oClock 19° abv 0, at 3 oClock
16 abov 0, wind from W N W— Sick— 2 Deer Killed
to day &c.
Sources: Osgood 24, 205; Moulton 2:165.
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January 26, 1804
Clark Still Unwell; the Physic Begins to Work
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With Clark still sick the men continued with routine daily
tasks.
Thursday 26th Jany 1804 a Cloudy warm Day I am verry unwell
all day, Gibson Killed two Deer, R. field one, the men Kill
Racoons Rabits &c. in great quantity, verry little Ice
running to day the fessic I took yesterday work to day. The
men make a Sled to haul wood one man Stay out to night (Winser)
I direct a Slay to be built to haul things from the Countrey
&c.
Sources: Osgood 24, 205; Moulton 2:165.
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January
27, 1804
Clark Still Unwell
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On another routine day, Clark is still not recovered from
his sickness.
Friday 27th Jany: 1804. a Cloudy morning Some Snow, this morning
I am verry unwell, to day at 1 oClock 28 abov 0, (I send off
Howrd express to day to Cap Lewis at Koho: [Cahokia] with
a Letter (I am some better,) Winer who was out Last night
returned he Killed a Deer & Turkey— Gibson Killed
1 Deer to day, Collons [Collins] one near Camp
Sources: Osgood 24, 206; Moulton 2:166.
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January
28, 1804
Many Visitors to Camp
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The camp was visited by a group of French settlers from
Portage des Sioux, and other local inhabitants. On the same
day a letter was sent from a senior official of Louisiana,
perhaps the Governor, instructing the regional commander
to hand over his post to an American agent, and to allow
the Expedition free passage on the Missouri.
Field Notes
Saty 28th Jany 1804 a Cloudy morning verry cold wind from
the N W Some floating Ice in the River at 9 oClock 5°
above 0, Snows at 10 oClock 8° abov 0, at 11 oClock
10° abov 0, Sun Shines, 3 french men from Pararie De
Soue called at 12 oClock 12° abov 0, at 1 oClock 14°
abov 0, Mr Bagley came with Potatos fowls &—I trade
him Mr Cummins Came with Meel [meal] & Brandy from Contractor
at 2 oClock 18° abov 0, Mr Ant[on]y Coxe called to Day
to inquire after his horses, at 10 oClock 8° above 0,
at 3 oClock 20° above 0,— 4 oClock 18° abov
0, Some womin came to day at 6 oClock 14° above 0, Porter
[beer] all frosed & several bottles broke, I Deliver
out 12 flints and some Can[i]st[e]r Pow[d]er to hunders.
Letter
If upon the receipt of this Your Excellency finds himself
commanding that post, without someone having presented himself,
who would take charge in behalf of the United States, which
took possession of this capital and province the 20th of
December last: you will not put any obstacle to impede Capt.
Merry Weather Lewis’ entrance in the Missouri whenever
he wishes; nevertheless Your Excellency did right in taking
the dispositions of which your official letter no. 213 treats;
since you had no orders from your government.
Your Excellency should try to conform at the capital to
the terms which have been prescribed to you by our order,
which you should have received in duplicate, as soon as
you will deliver your posts to the official or agent of
the United States, who will present himself to that purpose.
God keep Your Excellency many years.
New Orleans, January 28, 1804
Señor Don Carlos de Lassus
Sources: Osgood, 25, 206; Moulton 2:166, Jackson, Letters,
item 106.
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January 29, 1804
Temperatures and Astronomical Measurements
On a fine morning, Clark was able to take the sun’s
altitude as well as frequent temperature readings.
Sunday 29th Jany a butifull
morning the river rise a little no Ice The Thermometer at
9 oClock Stood at 16° above 0, at 11 oClock 22° abov
0, at 12 oClock 24° abov 0, Took the alltiude of Suns
Lowr Limb. 66°—50’—30”—E[rror
of] E[nstrument] 5’— at 3 oClock 28° abov 0,
at 4 oClock 26° abov 0, at 5 oClock 23° abov 0,—Shields
Killed a Deer to day, Express returned from Koho [Cahokia]:
brought a letter from Capt Lewis, & 4 other from Kent[uck]y,
8 bottles of wine some Durant [cloth] & files
Sources: Osgood, 25, 206; Moulton 2:167. |
January
30, 1804
Many Hunters Sent Out, with Good Success
On another routine day, Clark sent out ten hunters, who
returned with a fine haul of venison.
Monday 30th Jany 1804 a cloudy
morning, Some Snow send out 10 hunters to day in three parties,
at 9 oClock The Thermotr stood at 22° abov 0, a little
wind from N. at 10 oClock 24° abov 0, cleared up and Sun
Shown stoped Snowing, but little Ice running this morng—at
11 oClock 25° abov 0, at 12 oClock 25° abov 0, Took
M[eridional] alt[itude] of Suns L[ower] L[imb] 67°—22’—52”—Er[ror]
of In[s]trument 6’—, at 1 oClock 25° abov 0,
at 2 oClock 26° abov 0, Reed Killed a Deer & wild
Cat, Cloudy, 3 men cross the river to day, at 3 oClock 28°
abov 0, at 4 oClock 27° abov 0, at 8 oClock 16° abv
0, about Sun Set Capt Lewis arrived accompanied by Mr J. Hay
& Mr Jo Hays of kohokia— The hunters killed 5 Deer
to day—
Sources: Osgood, 25, 206; Moulton 2:167. |
January 31, 1804
Another Beautiful Frosty Morning
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In two entries on separate sheets, Clark recorded another
fine ice spectacle, and took a very cold early morning temperature
reading before going up river with Lewis. He had now been
ill since the 10th January, and would not recover until
the 6th February.
Tuesday 31st Jany a fair
morning the Trees guilded with ice at 7 oClock the Thermometer
stood at 7 oClock 10° below 0,
Jany 31st at 9 oClock some Ice running this morning, my
head akes much, I went up the river with Cap Lewis &
Gentlem[en] at 12 oClock 24° abv 0, at 2 oClock 28°
abv 0, at 4 oClock 28° abv 0, Mr Whitesides & Chittele
[Catlett] crossed from the opposit Side of the Mississippi—at
9 oClock P M 15° abov 0, wind SW by W·took Lat[i]t[ude]s
Sources: Osgood, 25, 27, 206, 208; Moulton 2:168
From January 1804 onwards, the two leaders of the expedition
kept a weather log independently of their other journals.
In January 1804, Lewis began a weather diary in which Clark
wrote most of the entries while Lewis was in St. Louis.
Clark also kept a copy of these entries in another notebook.
The weather diaries, which closely parallel information
given in the regular journals, can be read in Moulton, where
they follow the journal entries for each month.
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