Tuesday July 15th. 1806.
Dispatched McNeal early this morning to the lower part of
portage in order to learn whether the Cash and white perogue
remained untouched or in what state they were. the men
employed in drying the meat, dressing deerskins and preparing
for the reception of the canoes. at 1.P.M. Drewyer returned
without the horses and reported that after a diligent surch of
2 days he had discovered where the horses had passed Dearborn's
river at which place there were 15 lodges that had been
abandoned about the time our horses were taken; he pursued
the tracks of a number of horses from these lodges to the
road which we had traveled over the mountains which they
struck about 3 ms. South of our encampment of the 7th. inst. and
had pursued this road Westwardly; I have no doubt but they
are a party of the Tushapahs who have been on a buffaloe
hunt. Drewyer informed that there camp was in a small
bottom on the river of about 5 acres inclosed by the steep and
rocky and lofty clifts of the river and that so closely had they
kept themselves and horses within this little spot that there
was not a track to be seen of them within a quarter of a mile
of that place. every spire of grass was eaten up by their horses
near their camp which had the appearance of their having
remained here some time. his horse being much fatiegued
with the ride he had given him and finding that the indians
had at least 2 days the start of him thought it best to return.
his safe return has releived me from great anxiety. I had
already settled it in my mind that a white-bear had killed him
and should have set out tomorrow in surch of him, and if I
could not find him to continue my rout to Maria's river. I
knew that if he met with a bear in the plains even he would
attack him. and that if any accedent should happen to seperate
him from his horse in that situation the chances in favour
of his being killed would be as 9 to 10. I felt so perfectly
satisfyed that he had returned in safety that I thought but little
of the horses although they were seven of the best I had. this
loss great as it is, is not intirely irreparable, or at least dose not
defeat my design of exploring Maria's river. I have yet 10
horses remaining, two of the best and two of the worst of which
I leave to assist the party in taking the canoes and baggage
over the portage and take the remaining 6 with me; these are
but indifferent horses most of them but I hope they may answer
our purposes. I shall leave three of my intended party, (viz)
Gass, Frazier and Werner, and take the two Feildses and
Drewyer. by having two spare horses we can releive those we
ride. having made this arrangement I gave orders for an early
departure in the morning, indeed I should have set out instantly
but M
cNeal road one of the horses which I intend to take and
has not yet returned. a little before dark M
cNeal returned
with his musquet broken off at the breach, and informed me
that on his arrival at willow run [
on the portage] he had approached
a white bear within ten feet without discover[ing]
him the bear being in the thick brush, the horse took the
allarm and turning short threw him immediately under the
bear; this animal raised himself on his hinder feet for battle,
and gave him time to recover from his fall which he did in an
instant and with his clubbed musquet he struck the bear over
the head and cut him with the guard of the gun and broke off
the breech, the bear stunned with the stroke fell to the
ground and began to scratch his head with his feet; this gave
M
cNeal time to climb a willow tree which was near at hand
and thus fortunately made his escape. the bear waited at the
foot of the tree untill late in the evening before he left him,
when M
cNeal ventured down and caught his horse which had
by this time strayed off to the distance of 2 M
s. and returned
to camp. these bear are a most tremenduous animal; it seems
that the hand of providence has been most wonderfully in our
favor with rispect to them, or some of us would long since have
fallen a sacrifice to their farosity. there seems to be a sertain
fatality attatched to the neighbourhood of these falls, for there
is always a chapter of accedents prepared for us during our
residence at them. the musquetoes continue to infest us in
such manner that we can scarcely exist; for my own part I
am confined by them to my bier at least 3/4
ths of my time. my
dog even howls with the torture he experiences from them,
they are almost insupportable, they are so numerous that we
frequently get them in our thr[o]ats as we breath.
