Monday June 9h. 1806.
We had all of our horses brought up and attempted to exchange
our sore back and most indifferent horses with the
indians for sound back horses, we exchanged one only. Hohas[t]illpilp
took his leave of us and Set our for the Plains of
Lewises river, with several of the nativs who Visited us yesterday.
The broken arm came over and continued a fiew minits
with us this morning, and also took his leave of us & set out
with his Village for the plains of Lewis's river. The Cut nose
borrowed a horse and rode down the flathead river a fiew miles
to take some young Eagles, which he intends to raise for their
feathers. in the evening one of the young Chiefs who had
given both Cap
t. Lewis and myself a horse came to our camp
accompanied by 10 of his people and continued with us all
night. one of our men exchanged a very indifferent horse for
a very good one. our party exolted with the idea of once
more proceeding on towards their friends and country are
elert in all their movements and amuse themselves by pitching
quates, Prisoners bast running races &
c. The flat head
river is still falling fast and [is] nearly as low as it was at
the time we arrived at this place. this fall of water is what
the nativs have informed us was a proper token for us. when
this river fell the Snows would be sufficiently melted for us to
cross the Mountains. the greater length of time we delayed
after the time, the higher the grass would grow on th[e]
Mountains.
