Answer:
In the June 6 entry, Lewis was describing a situation in which he and his companions had taken dinner and embarked on rafts with their plunder and elk skins. However, they soon realized that the rafts were too small and slender for the task, and that navigating on them was hazardous. As a result, they were in danger of losing some of their baggage, including one of their guns. In light of these events, Lewis made the decision to abandon the rafts and return to land. He regretted having to leave behind the elk skins, which he had hoped to use in constructing a leather boat, but he felt that this was the only safe course of action given the situation.