University of Virginia Library

Sunday 6th. July 1806

Some frost this morning the last night was so cold that I
could not sleep. we collected our horses which were much
scattered which detained us untill 9 A.M. at which time we
set out and proceeded up the creek on which we camped 3
Miles and left the road which we came on last fall to our
right and assended a ridge with a gentle slope to the dividing
mountain[5] which Seperates the waters from (of) the Middle fork
of Clarks river from those [blank space in MS.] (of Wisdom)
and Lewis's river and passed over prosueing the rout of the
Oatlashshute band which we met last fall to the head of
(Glade Cr:) a branch of Wisdom R and down the said branch
crossing it frequently[6] on each Side of this [are] handsom
glades in which I observe great quantities of quawmash just
beginning to blume, on each side of those glades the timber is
small and a great propotion of it Killed by the fires. I observe
the appearance of old buffalow roads and some heads on
this part of the mountain. (proving that formerly Buffs. roved
there & also that this is the best route, for the Buffs. and the

Indians always have the best route & here both were joined)
The Snow appears to [be] lying in considerable masses on the
mountain from which we decended on the 4th. of Sept. last. I
observe great numbers of the whistleing squirel which burrows
their holes scattered on each side of the glades through
which we passed. Shields killed a hare of the large Mountain
Species. the after part of the day we passed on the hill Side
N of the Creek for 6 Ms. (down glade Cr) and entered an extensive
open Leavel plain in which the Indian trail scattered in
such a manner that we could not pursue it. the Indian woman
wife to Shabono informed me that she had been in this plain
frequently and knew it well that the creek which we decended
was a branch of Wisdom river and when we assended the higher
part of the plain we would discover a gap in the mountains in
our direction to the canoes, and when we arived at that gap
we would see a high point of a mountain covered with snow
in our direction to the canoes. we proceeded on 1 mile and
Crossd. a large Creek from the right which heads in a snow
Mountain and Fish Creek over which there was a road thro' a
gap.[7] we assended a small rise and beheld an open beutifull
Leavel Vally or plain of about 20 (15) Miles wide and near
60 (30) long extending N & S. in every direction around
which I could see high points of Mountains covered with snow.
I discovered one at a distance very high covered with snow
which bore S. 80°. E. The Squar pointed to the gap through
which she said we must pass which was S. 56°. E she said we
would pass the river before we reached the gap. we had not
proceeded more than 2 Miles in the last Creek before a violent
storm of wind arose accompand. with hard rain from the S W.
imediately from off the Snow Mountains this rain was cold
and lasted 1 1/2 hours. I discovd. the rain wind as it approached
and halted and formd. a solid column to protect ourselves from
the Violency of the gust. after it was over I proceeded on
aboat 5 Miles to some small dry timber on a small Creek and
encampd. made large fires and dryed our selves.[8] here I observed
some fresh Indian Signs where they had been gathering
quawmash. (This is the great plain where Shoshonees gather
quawmash & cows &c. our woman had done so. many beaver)

Courses and distance &c.

               

	Miles.
on the course which we had decended the branch of Clark's river to the first Flat heads or Oat-lash-shoot band the 4th. of Septr. 1805	3. 1/2
Thence up a jintle slope of the dividing mountain which seperates the waters of the [blank space in MS.] from those of Lewis's & Clark's rivers leaving the old rout on which we came out to the right on a course nearly S.E.	3.
Thence N. 80°. E. through a leavel piney country on the top of the mountain to a glade at the head of a branch which runs towards the Missouri	2. 1/2
Thence S. 50°. E. down the branch Crossing it frequently & through small glades on either side of the branch the glades at some places 1/2 a mile wide with several small streams falling in on either side up which there is small glades to the narrows N.E.	7.
Thence N. 68d. E. keeping down the North side of the Creek on the side of the hill, the bottoms of the creek small open and much fallen timber to an extensive bottom S. Side	4.
Thence S. 56°. E. through an open Leavle plain passing a large Creek from the right at one mile to a quawmash flatt through which a small creek runs scattered through the bottom, and encamped	6.
	Miles   26