Sunday August 18th. 1805.
This morning while Capt Clark was busily engaged in preparing
for his rout, I exposed some articles to barter with the
Indians for horses as I wished a few at this moment to releive
the men who were going with Capt Clark from the labour of
carrying their baggage, and also one to keep here in order to
pack the meat to camp which the hunters might kill. I soon
obtained three very good horses. for which I gave an uniform
coat, a pair of legings, a few handkerchiefs, three knives and
some other small articles the whole of which did not cost more
than about 20$ in the U' States. the Indians seemed quite as
well pleased with their bargin as I was. the men also purchased
one for an old checked shirt a pair of old legings and a
knife. two of those I purchased Capt. C. took on with him.
at 10 A.M. Capt Clark departed with his detatchment and all
the Indians except 2 men and 2 women who remained with us.
Two of the inferior chiefs were a little displeased at not having
received a present equivolent to that given the first Chief. to
releive this difficulty Capt. Clark bestoed a couple of his old
coats on them and I promised that if they wer active in assisting
me over the mountains with horses that I would give them
an additional present; this seemed perfectly to satisfy them and
they all set out in a good humour. Capt. Clark encamped this
evening near the narrow pass between the hills on Jefferson's
river in the Shoshone Cove. his hunters killed one deer which
the party with the aid of the Indians readily consumed in the
course of the evening. after there departure this morning I
had all the stores and baggage of every discription opened and
aired. and began the operation of forming the packages in
proper parsels for the purpose of transporting them on horseback.
the rain in the evening compelled me to desist from
my operations. I had the raw hides put in the water in order
to cut them in throngs proper for lashing the packages and
forming the necessary geer for pack horses, a business which I
fortunately had not to learn on this occasion. Drewyer Killed
one deer this evening. a beaver was also caught by one of the
party. I had the net arranged and set this evening to catch
some trout which we could see in great abundance at the
bottom of the river. This day I completed my thirty first
year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now
existed about half the period which I am to remain in this
Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little,
very little, indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race,
or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I
viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence,
and now soarly feel the want of that information which those
hours would have given me had they been judiciously expended.
but since they are past and cannot be recalled, I dash from me
the gloomy thought, and resolved in future, to redouble my
exertions and at least indeavour to promote those two primary
objects of human existence, by giving them the aid of that
portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestoed on
me; or in future, to live
for mankind, as I have heretofore
lived
for myself.
