University of Virginia Library

Saturday 17th. May 1806

rained moderately all the last night and this morning untill,
we are wet. The little river on which we are encamped rise
sepriseingly fast. at 9 A.M. Sergt. Pryor and Collins returned
with the flesh and skin of a Black bear on Sgt. Pryors horse,
Coilins's horse haveing run off from him yesterday. they informed
us that they had each killed a Bear neither of which were
fat. the one which they left in the woods was of the white species
and very large we did not think it necessary in the cours of
this day to send for the flesh of the bear left in the woods. the
rains of the last night unfortunately wet the Crenomuter in
the fob of Capt. L. breaches, which has never before been wet
since we set out on this expedition. her works were cautiously
wiped and made dry by Capt. L. and I think she will receve
no injury from this misfortune &c. we arranged the hunters
and horses to each hunter and directed them to turn out in
the morning early and continue out untill they killed something.
others arranged so as to take care of the hunters horses
in their absence. rained moderately all day. at the same time
snowed on the mountains which is in to the S. E. of us. no
Indians visit us to day which is a singular circumstance as we
have not been one day without Indians since we left the long
narrows of the Columbia. the fiew worm days which we have
had has melted the snows in the mountains and the river has
rose considerably. that icy barier which seperates me from
my friends and Country, from all which makes life estimable,
is yet white with the snow which is maney feet deep. I frequently

consult the nativs on the subject of passing this
tremendious barier which now present themselves to our view
for [a] great extent. they all appear to agree as to the time
those mountains may be passed which is about the middle
of June. Sergt. Pryor informs me that the snow on the
high plains from the river was shoe deep this morning when
he came down. it is somewhat estonishing that the grass and
a variety of Plants sustain no injurey from the snow or frost;
maney of those plants are in blume and appear to be of tender
susceptable texture. At the distance of 18 miles from the
river and on the Eastern border of the high Plain the Rocky
Mountain commences and presents us with Winter here we
have Summer, Spring and winter in the short space of twenty
or thirty miles.