University of Virginia Library

Saturday 19th.. July 1806.

I rose early and dressed Gibsons wound. he slept but very
little last night and complains of great pain in his Kne and hip
as well as his thy. there being no timber on this part of the
Rochejhone sufficiently large for a Canoe and time is pracious
as it is our wish to get to the U States this Season, conclude
to take Gibson in a litter if he is not able to ride on down the
river untill I can find a tree Sufficiently large for my purpose.
I had the strongest and jentlest Horse Saddled and placed Skins
& blankets in such a manner that when he was put on the horse
he felt himself in as easy a position as when lying. this was a
fortunate circumstance as he could go much more at his ease
than in a litter. passed Rose bud river on S E, Side (So called
by Indians; i. e. Itch-Kep-pe (Rose) ar-ja (rivr) about 40 yds.
saw many rs. bds., a beautiful [stream].) I proceeded on about
9 miles, and halted to let the horses graze and let Gibson rest.
his leg become So numed. from remaining in one position, as to
render [it] extreemly painfull to him. I derected Shields to
keep through the thick timber and examine for a tree sufficiently
large & sound to make a canoe, and also hunt for some
Wild Ginger for a Poltice for Gibsons wound. he joined me
at dinner with 2 fat Bucks but found neither tree or Ginger.
he informed me that 2 white bear chased him on horseback,
each of which he Shot from his horse &c. Currents are ripe
and abundant, i, e, the Yellow, black & purple sp[e]cies. we
passed over two high points of Land from which I had a View
of the rocky Mounts. to the W. & S. S. E. all covered with
Snow. I also saw a low mountain in an Easterly direction.
the high lands is partially covered with pine and form purpendicular

clifts on either side. af[t]er dinner I proceeded on
the high lands become lower on either side and those of the
Stard. Side form Bluffs of a darkish yellow earth; the bottom
widens to Several Ms. on the Stard. Side. the timber which [is]
cotton wood principally scattered on the borders of the river is
larger than above. I have seen Some trees which would make
very small canoes. Gibsons thy became So painfull that he
could not set on the horse after rideing about 2 hours and a
half. I directed Sergt. Pryor and one man to continue with
him under the Shade of a tree for an hour and then proceed
on to the place I should encamp which would be in the first
good (timber for canoes) below. (It may be proper to observe
that the emence Sworms of Grass hoppers[32] have destroyed every
sprig of Grass for maney miles on this side of the river, and
appear to be progressing upwards. about 4 Miles below the
place I left Sergt. Pryor with Gibson found some large timber
near which the grass was tolerably good I Encamped[33] under
a thick grove of those trees which was not sufficiently large for
my purpose, tho' two of them would mak[e] small Canoes. I
took Shields and proceeded on through a large timbered bottom
imediately below in Serch of better trees for Canoes, found
several about the same size with those at my camp. at dark I
returned to Camp Sergt. Pryor had arived with gibson. after
my arival at this place the hunters killed seven Elk, four Deer,
and I wounded a Buffalow very badly near the Camp imediately
after I arived. in the forepart of the day the hunters killed
two deer an Antelope & Shot two Bear. Shabono informed
me that he Saw an Indian on the high lands on the opposit
side of the river, in the time I was absent in the woods. I saw
a Smoke in the same direction with that which I had seen
the 7th. inst. it appeared to be in the Mountains

Course Distance Computed & remarks July 19th..

               

			Ms. by water
N. 72°. E.	2	Ms. on the course to a bend on the Larbd. Side at the lower point of a low clift of rocks of 1/4 of a mile in extent. a large creek entering the bottom on the Stard Side nearly opposit which I call [blank space in MS.] [Inds.. call rose bud River] the river haveing made a bend to the Stard. Side to the high land above the Creek an extensive timbered bottom on the Stard Side	3
East	9	Ms. on the course to a high point in a Stard. Bend passed an old indian fort on an Island at 2 Miles, the river passing under some high lands on the Lard Side from 3 to 5 miles, and under high land from 6 Miles on the Stard. Side. the river haveing made two genl. bends to the Stard. side passed several [islands] of various sizes and forms river about 200 yds wide	19
North	1 1/2	Ms. to a Lard Bend passing an island. high clifts on the Starboard Side	1 1/2
N. 60°. E.	1 1/2	Ml. on a direct course to a point of a high clift in the Stard. Bend, river making a round bend to the Lard side & then to the clift above the point 1 M1	3
N. 50°. E.	1 1/2	Ms. on a direct course to a point of the high clift on the Stard. Side passing a Lard. Bend in which there is an island high clifts continue on the Stard. Side	3
East	3	Ms. on the course to a clump of large Cotton wood trees in a Lard Bend passing several Islands, river much divided and crooked. high Yellow Bluff on the Stard. side under which part of the river passes. The bottoms wide and extensive on the Lard. Side. Encamped	5 1/2
miles	18	by land    by water   miles—	35