camp below, the men who left us
in the morning were busy in preparing their load for to-morrow, which
were impeded by the rain, hail, and the hard wind from the northwest.

Friday 28. The party all occupied in making the boat; they obtained a
sufficient quantity of willow bark to line her, and over these were
placed the elk skins, and when they failed we were obliged to use the
buffaloe hide. The white bear have now become exceedingly troublesome;
they constantly infest our camp during the night, and though they have
not attacked us, as our dog who patroles all night gives us notice of
their approach, yet we are obliged to sleep with our arms by our sides
for fear of accident, and we cannot send one man alone to any distance,
particularly if he has to pass through brushwood. We saw two of them
to-day on the large island opposite to us, but as we are all so much
occupied now, we mean to reserve ourselves for some leisure moment, and
then make a party to drive them from the islands. The river has risen
nine inches since our arrival here.

At Portage creek captain Clarke completed the cache, in which we
deposited whatever we could spare from our baggage; some ammunition,
provisions, books, the specimens of plants and minerals, and a draught
of the river from its entrance to fort Mandan. After closing it he broke
up the encampment, and took on all the remaining baggage to the high
plain, about three miles. Portage creek has risen considerably in
consequence of the rain, and the water had become of a deep crimson
colour, and ill tasted; on overtaking the canoe he found that there was
more baggage than could be carried on the two carriages, and therefore
left some of the heavy articles which could not be injured, and
proceeded on to Willowrun where he encamped for the night. Here they
made a supper on two buffaloe which they killed on the way; but passed
the night in the rain, with a high wind from the southwest. In the
morning,

Saturday 29, finding it impossible to reach the end of the portage with
their present load, in consequence of the state of the road after the
rain, he sent back nearly all his party to bring on the articles which
had been left yesterday. Having lost some notes and remarks which he had
made on first ascending the river, he determined to go up to the
Whitebear islands along its banks, in order to supply the deficiency. He
there left one man to guard the baggage, and went on to the falls
accompanied