Monday June 9th. 1806
This morning we had all our horses brought up and indeavoured
to exchange five or six with the Indians in consequence
of their having unsound backs but succeeded in
exchanging one only. Hohâstillpilp with several of the natives
who visited us yesterday took leave of us and set out
for the plains near Lewis's river where the nation are about to
assemble themselves. The broken arm made us a short visit
this morning and took leave of us, being about to set out with
his village today in order to join the nation at their rehdezvouz
on Lewis's R. The Cutnose or Neeshneeparkkeeook borrowed
a horse and rode down the Kooskooske River a few miles this
morning in quest of some young eagles which he intends raising
for the benefit of their feathers; he returned soon after with a
pair of young Eagles of the grey kind; they were nearly grown
and prety well feathered, in the evening the young Chief who
gave both Capt. C. and myself a horse some time since, came
to our camp with a party of young men and remained all night.
this evening one of our party obtained a very good horse for
an indifferent one by giving the indian an old leather shirt in
addition, we eat the last of our meat yesterday evening and
have lived on roots today, our party seem much elated with
the idea of moving on towards their friends and country, they
all seem allirt in their movements today; they have every
thing in readiness for a move, and notwithstanding the want
of provision have been amusing themselves very merrily today
in runing footraces pitching quites [quoits], prison basse &c.
the river has been falling for several days and is now lower by
near six feet than it has been; this we view as a strong evidence
that the great body of snow has left the mountains,
though I do not conceive that we are as yet loosing any time
as the roads is in many parts extreemly steep rocky and must
be dangerous if wet and slippry; a few days will dry the roads
and will also improve the grass.
