Sunday June 1st. 1806
Late last evening Shabono & Lapage returned haveing made
a broken voyage. they assended the river on this side nearly
opposit to the Village eight miles above us, here their led horse
who had on him their stock of merchindize fell into the river
from the side of a steep clift and swam over, they saw an indian
on the opposit side whome they provaled on to drive their
horse back again to them; in swiming the horse lost a dressed
Elk skin of Lapages and several small articles, and their paint
was distroyed by the water. here they remained and dryed their
articles the evening of the 30h. ulto: the indians at the village
learned their errand and not haveing a canoe, made an attempt
yesterday morning made an attempt to pass the river to them
on a raft with a parcel of roots and bread in order to trade
with them; the indian raft struck a rock upset and lost their
cargo; the river haveing swallowed both merchindize & roots,
our traders returned with empty bags. This morning Geo:
Drewyer accompanied by Hohâstillpilp set out in serch of two
tomahawks of ours which we have understood were in the possession
of certain indians resideing at a distance in the plains
on the South Side of Flat Head river; one is a pipe tomahawk
which Cap L. left at our camp on Musquetor Creek and the
other was stolen from me whilst we lay at the forks of this and
Chopunnish rivers last fall. Colter and Willard set out this
morning on a hunting excurtion towards the quawmash grounds
beyond Colins creek. we begin to feel some anxiety with
respect to Sergt. Ordway and party who were sent to Lewis's
river for salmon; we have receved no intellegence of them
since they set out. we desired Drewyer to make some enquiry
after the Twisted hair; the old man has not been as good as
his word with respect to encamping near us, and we fear we
shall be at a loss to procure guides to conduct us by the different
routs we wish to pursue from Travillers rest to the waters
of the Missouri.
