Friday August 1st. 1806.
The rain still continuing I set out early as usual and proceeded
on at a good rate. at 9. A. M. we saw a large brown
bear swiming from an island to the main shore we pursued him
and as he landed Drewyer and myself shot and killed him;
we took him on board the perogue and continued our rout,
at 11. A. M. we passed the entrance of Mussel shell river. at
1 in the evening we arrived at a bottom on S. W. side where
there were several spacious Indian lodges built of sticks and
an excellent landing. as the rain still continued with but little
intermission and appearances seemed unfavorable to it's becomeing
fair shortly, I determined to halt at this place at least
for this evening and indeavour to dry my skins of the bighorn
which had every appearance of spoiling, an event which I would
not should happen on any consideration as we have now passed
the country in which they are found and I therefore could not
supply the deficiency were I to loose these I have. I halted
at this place being about 15 m
s. below Missel shell river, had
fires built in the lodges and my skins exposed to dry. shortly
after we landed the rain ceased tho' it still continued cloudy all
the evening. a white bear came within 50 paces of our camp
before we perceived it; it stood erect on it's hinder feet and
looked at us with much apparent unconsern, we seized our
guns which are always by us and several of us fired at it and
killed it. it was a female in fine order, we fleesed it and extracted
several gallons of oil. this speceis of bear are nearly
as poor at this season of the year as the common black bear
nor are they ever as fat as the black bear is found in winter;
as they feed principally on flesh, like the wolf, they are most
fatt when they can procure a sufficiency of food without rispect
to the season of the year. the oil of this bear is much harder
than that of the black bear being nearly as much so as the
lard of a hog. the flesh is by no means as agreeable as that
of the black bear, or Yahkah or partycoloured bear of the West
side of the rocky mountains, on our way to-day we killed a
buck Elk in fine order the skins and a part of the flesh of
which we preserved. after encamping this evening the hunters
killed 4 deer and a beaver. The Elk are now in fine order
particularly the males. their horns have obtained their full
growth but have not yet shed the velvet or skin which covers
them. the does are found in large herds with their young and
a few young bucks with them. the old bucks yet herd together
in parties of two to 7 or 8.
