[Lewis:]
Saturday June 21st. 1806
We collected our horses early set out on our return to the
flatts. we all felt some mortification in being thus compelled
to retrace our steps through this tedious and difficult part of
our rout, obstructed with brush and innumerable logs of fallen
timber which renders the traveling distressing and even dangerous
to our horses. one of Thompson's horses is either choked
this morning or has the distemper very badly I fear he is to be
of no further service to us. an excellent horse of Cruzatte's
snagged himself so badly in the groin in jumping over a parsel
of fallen timber that he will evidently be of no further service
to us. at the pass of Collin's Creek we met two Indians who
were on their way over the mountain; they had brought with
them the three horses and the mule that had left us and returned
to the quawmash grounds. these indians returned with
us about 1/2 a mile down the creek where we halted to dine
and graize our horses at the same place I had halted and remained
all night with the party on the [blank space in MS.]
of Septembr. last. as well as we could understand the indians
they informed us that they had seen Drewyer and Shannon
and that they would not return untill the expiration of two
days; the cause why Drewyer and Shannon had not returned
with these men we are at a loss to account for. we pressed
these indians to remain with us and to conduct us over the
mountain on the return of Drewyer and Shannon. they consented
to remain two nights for us and accordingly deposited
their store of roots and bread in the bushes at no great distance
and after dinner returned with us, as far as the little prarie
about 2 miles distant from the creek, here they halted with
their horses and informed us they would remain untill we overtook
them or at least two nights. they had four supenumery
horses with them. we sent on four hunters a head to the
quawmash flatts to take an evenings hunt; they so far succeeded
as to kill one deer. we left Reubin and J. Feilds at
the Creek where we dined together with Serg
t. Gass in order to
hunt about that place untill our return. at seven in the evening
we found ourselves once more at our old encampment
where we shall anxiously await the return of Drewyer and
Shannon.
