[Lewis:]
Thursday September 19th.. 1805.
Set out this morning a little after sun rise and continued our
rout about the same course of yesterday or S. 20. W. for 6
miles when the ridge terminated and we to our inexpressable
joy discovered a large tract of Prairie country lying to the S.
W. and widening as it appeared to extend to the W. through
that plain the Indian informed us that the Columbia river, (in
which we were in surch) run. this plain appeared to be about
60 Miles distant, but our guide assured us that we should
reach it's borders tomorrow the appearance of this country,
our only hope for subsistance greately revived the sperits of the
party already reduced and much weakened for the want of food.[46]
the country is thickly covered with a very heavy growth of pine
of which I have ennumerated 8 distinct species. after leaving
the ridge we asscended and decended several steep mountains in
the distance of 6 miles further when we struck a Creek about
15 yards wide, our course being S. 35. W. we continued our
rout 6 miles along the side of this creek upwards passing 2 of
it's branches which flowed in from the N. 1st.. at the place we
struck the creek and the other 3 miles further. the road was
excessively dangerous along this creek being a narrow rockey
path generally on the side of [a] steep precipice, from which
in many places if e[i]ther man or horse were precipitated they
would inevitably be dashed in pieces. Fraziers horse fell from
this road in the evening, and roled with his load near a hundred
yards into the Creek. we all expected that the horse was
killed but to our astonishment when the load was taken off
him he arose to his feet & appeared to be but little injured, in
20 minutes he proceeded with his load. this was the most
wonderfull escape I ever witnessed, the hill down which he
roled was almost perpendicular and broken by large irregular
and broken rocks. the course of this Creek upwards due W.
we encamped on the Star
d. side of it in a little raviene, having
traveled 18 miles over a very bad road. we took a small
quantity of portable soup, and retired to rest much fatiegued.
several of the men are unwell of the disentary. brakings out,
or irruptions of the Skin, have also been common with us for
some time.
