Sunday 13th.. July 1806
Set out early this morning and preceded on very well to the
enterance of Madicines river at our old Encampment of the 27th.
July last at 12 [o'clock] where I found Sergt. Pryor and party
with the horses, they had arived at this place one hour before
us. his party had killed 6 deer & a white bear. I had all the
horses driven across Madicine & gallitines rivers and halted to
dine and let the horses feed imediately below the enterance of
Gallitine. had all the baggage of the land party taken out of
the canoes and after dinner the 6 canoes and the party of 10
men under the direction of Sergt. Ordway set out. previous
to their departur[e] I gave instructions how they were to
proceed &c. I also wrote to Capt Lewis by Sergt. Ordway.
My party now Consists of the following persons Viz: Sergeant
N. Pryor, Jo. Shields, G. Shannon William Bratton, Labiech,
Windsor, H. Hall, Gibson, Interpreter Shabono his wife &
child and my man york; with 49 horses and a colt. the
horses feet are very sore and Several of them can scercely
proceed on. at 5. P. M. I set out from the head of Missouri
at the 3 forks, and proceeded on nearly East 4 miles and Encamped
on the bank of Gallitines River which is a butifull
navigable Stream.[16]
Saw a large Gange of Elk in the plains
and Deer in the river bottoms. I also observe beaver and
Several otter in galletines river as I passed along. Gibson
killed an otter the fur of which was much longer and whiter
than any which I had seen. Willard killed 2 deer this morning.
all the meat I had put into the canoes except a sufficiency
for supper. The country in the forks between Gallitins &
Madisens rivers is a butifull leavel plain covered with low
grass. on the lower or N E. Side of Gallitins river the
country rises gradually to the foot of a mountain which runs
nearly parrelal. those plains are indefferant or the Soil of
which is not very rich they are Stoney & contain several
stratas of white rock. the current of the river is rapid and
near the mouth contains several islands, it is navigable for
canoes. I saw several Antelope common Deer, wolves, beaver,
otter, Eagles, hawks, crows, wild gees both old and young,
does &c. &c. I observe Several leading roads which appear
to pass to a gap of the mountain in a E. N E. direction about
18 or 20 miles distant. The indian woman who has been of
great service to me as a pilot through this country recommends
a gap in the mountain more south which I shall cross.
[17]
