University of Virginia Library

Chapter XXIX

IN THE BITTER ROOT MOUNTAINS

XXIX. Lewis's Journal, June 7–July 2, 1806
Clark's Journal, June 7–July 2

[Lewis:]

Saturday June 7th. 1806

THE two young Cheifs who visited [us] last evening returned
to their village on Cammeâp C. with some others
of the natives. Sergt. Gass, McNeal, Whitehouse and
Goodrich accompanyed them with a view to procure some pack
or lash ropes in exchange for parts of an old sain [seine], fish
giggs, peices of old iron, old files and some bullets. they were
also directed to procure some bags for the purpose of containing
our roots & bread. in the eveing they all returned
except Whitehouse and Goodrich who remained all night.
they procured a few strings but no bags. Hohâstillpilp passed
the river to day and brought over a horse which he gave
Frazier one of our party who had previously made him a
present of a pair of Canadian shoes or shoe-packs. Drewyer
set out on a hunting excurtion up Collins's Creek this evening.
we wished to leave the deer in the neighbourhood of the
quawmash plains undisturbed untill the 10th. when we intend
removing thither to lay in some meat for our voyage over the
Mountains. our party are much engaged in preparing their
saddles arranging their loads provisions &c. for our departure.
There is a species of cherry which grows in this neighbourhood
in sitations like the Choke cherry or near the little rivulets and
water cou[r]ses. it seldom grows in clumps or from the same
cluster of roots as the choke cherry dose. the stem is simple
branching reather diffuse stem the cortex is of a redish dark
brown and reather smooth. the leaf is of the ordinary texture
and colour of those of most cherries, it is petiolate, a long

oval 1-1/4 inches in length and 1/2 inch in width, obtuse, margin
so finely serrate that it is scarcely perseptable & smooth.
the peduncle is common 1 inch in length, branch[ed], proceeding
from the extremities as well as the sides of the
branches, celindric gradually tapering; the secondary peduncles
are about 1/2 inch in length scattered tho' proceeding more
from the extremity of the common peduncle and are each
furnished with a small bracted. the parts of fructification are
much like those discribed of the choke cherry except that the
petals are reather longer as is the calix reather deeper. the
cherry appears to be half grown, the stone is begining to be
hard and is in shape somewhat like that of the plumb; it
appears that when ripe it would be as large as the Kentish
cherry, which indeed the growth of the bush somewhat resembles;
it rises about 6 or 8 feet high

[Clark:]

Saturday 7th. June 1806.[1]

The two young cheafs and other Indians who accompanied
them crossed the river and returned to their Village this morning
after brackfast; Sha[r]bono Sergt. Gass Mc:Neal, Whitehouse
& Goodrich accompanied them for the purpose of
purchaseing or exchangeing old peces of sane, fish gig, peces
of iron, bullets, and old files and Such articles as they could
raise for ropes and Strings for to lash their loads, and bags to
cary their roots in Sergt. Gass, Sha[r]bono & Mc.Neal returned
at 2 P.M. haveing precured a String each only. Whitehouse
and Goodrich continued at the Village all night. Hohastillpilp
crossed the river to day and brought over a horse and gave it
to Frazier one of our party who had made him a present
previously of a par of canidian Shoes. one of our men informed
me one of the young Chiefs who had given us two
horses already was in Serch of one which he intended to
give to me. George Drewyer Set out on a hunting excurtion
up Collins's Creek alone. our party are all much engaged in
preparing Sadles and packing up their stores of Provisions &c.

The Flat Head river is about 150 yards wide at this place and
discharges a vast body of water; notwithstanding it's high
State the water remains nearly transparent, and it's temperature
appears to be quit[e] as cold as that of our best Springs. we
met with a butifull little bird in this neighbourhood about the
Size and Somewhat the shape of the large Sparrow. it measures
7 inches from the extremity of the beak to that of the tail, the
latter Occupying 2 1/2 inches. the beak is reather more than
half an inch in length, and is formed much like the Virginia
Nightingal; [red bd..] it is thick and large for a bird of it's
size, wide at the base, both chaps convex, and pointed, the
upper exceeds the under chap a little is Somewhat cirved and
of a brown colour; the lower chap of a Greenish yellow. the
eye full reather large and of a black colour both puple and
iris. the plumage is remarkably delicate; that of the neck
and head is of a fine orrange yellow and red. the latter predomonates
on the top of the head and around the base of the
beak from whence it gradually diminishes towards the lower
part of the Neck, the orring[e] yellow prevails most, the red
has the Appearance of haveing been laid over a ground of
yellow. the breast, the Sides, rump and some long feathers
which lie between the legs [and] extend underneath the tail is
of a fine orrange yellow, the tail, back and wings are black,
except a Small Strip of yellow on the outer part of the Middle
joint of the wing, 1/4 of an inch wide and an inch in length. the
tail is composed of 12 feathers of which those in the center are
reather Shortest, and the plumage of all the feathers of the tail
is longest on that Side of the quill next to the center of the tail.
the legs and feet are black, nails long and Sharp; it has four
toes on each foot, of which three are forward and one behind;
that behind is as long as the two outer of the three toes in front.

Observed equal altitudes of the Sun with Sextent, June the 6th. 1806.

         

	h	m	[s]		h	m	s
A M.	1.	55.	4.5	P M.	10.	17.	48		Altitude
	".	56.	30.		".	19.	12	°	′	″
	".	57.	57		".	20.	40	64.	42.	30
					h.	m	s

Chronometer too slow on M. T. [blank space in MS.]

[Lewis:]

Sunday June 8th. 1806

Drewyer returned this morning from the chase without having
killed anything, his ho[r]se left him last night, he pursued
him but did not overtake him untill he had nearly reached our
camp. The sick Cheif is fast on the recovery, he can bear his
weight on his legs, and has acquired a considerable portion of
strength. the child is nearly well; Bratton has so far recovered
that we cannot well consider him an invalid any longer,
he has had a tedious illness which he boar with much fortitude
and firmness. The Cutnose visited us today with ten or
twelve warriors; two of the latter were Y-e-let-pos [Willetpos]
a band of the Chopunnish nation residing on the South side
of Lewis's river whom we have not previously seen. the band
with which we have been most conversent call themselves pel-late-pal-ler.[2]
one of the yeletpos exchanged his horse for an
indifferent one of ours and received a tomahawk to boot; this
tomahawk was one for which Capt. C. had given another in exchange
with the Clah-clel-lâh Chief at the rapids of the Columbia,
we also exchanged two other of our indifferent horses
with unsound backs for much better horses in fine order without
any consideration but the horse itself, several foot races
were run this evening between the indians and our men. the
indians are very active; one of them proved as fleet as Drewyer
and R. Fields, our swiftest runners. when the racing was over
the men divided themselves into two parties and played prison
base, by way of exercise which we wish the men to take previously
to entering the mountain; in short those who are not
hunters have had so little to do that they are geting reather
lazy and slouthfull. after dark we had the violin played and
danced for the amusement of ourselves and the indians. one

of the indians informed us that we could not pass the mountains
untill the full of the next moon or about the first of July,
that if we attempted it sooner our horses would be at least three
days travel without food on the top of the mountain; this information
is disagreeable inasmuch as it causes some doubt as
to the time at which it will be most proper for us to set out.
however as we have no time to loose we will wrisk the chanches
and set out as early as the indians generally think it practicable
or the middle of this month.

[Clark:]

Sunday June 8th.. 1806

Drewyer returned this morning from the chase without killing
any thing. his horse left him last night and he prosued
him near our camp before he cought him. The Sick
Chief is much mended, he can bear his weight on his legs
and recovers strength. the Child has nearly recovered. The
Cut nose and ten or 12 came over today to visit us, two of
those were of the tribes from the plains of Lewis's river
whome we had not before seen; one of those men brought
a horse [for] which I gave a tomahawk which I had exchanged
for with the chief of the Clahclahlah's Nation below the Great
rapids of Columbia, and [a] broken-down horse which was
not able to cross the mountains, we also exchanged 2 of our
indifferent horses for sound back horses, in the evening several
foot races were run by the men of our party and the Indians;
after which our party devided and played at prisoners base
untill night, after dark the fiddle was played and the party
amused themselves in danceing. one of those Indians informed
us that we could not cross the mountains untill the full of the
next moon; or about the 1st. of July. if we attempted it Sooner
our horses would be three days without eating, on the top of
the Mountns. this information is disagreeable to us, in as
much as it admits of some doubt, as to the time most proper
for us to Set out. at all events we Shall Set out at or about
the time which the indians Seem to be generally agreed would
be the most proper. about the middle of this month.

[Lewis:]

Monday June 9th. 1806

This morning we had all our horses brought up and indeavoured
to exchange five or six with the Indians in consequence
of their having unsound backs but succeeded in
exchanging one only. Hohâstillpilp with several of the natives
who visited us yesterday took leave of us and set out
for the plains near Lewis's river where the nation are about to
assemble themselves. The broken arm made us a short visit
this morning and took leave of us, being about to set out with
his village today in order to join the nation at their rehdezvouz
on Lewis's R. The Cutnose or Neeshneeparkkeeook borrowed
a horse and rode down the Kooskooske River a few miles this
morning in quest of some young eagles which he intends raising
for the benefit of their feathers; he returned soon after with a
pair of young Eagles of the grey kind; they were nearly grown
and prety well feathered, in the evening the young Chief who
gave both Capt. C. and myself a horse some time since, came
to our camp with a party of young men and remained all night.
this evening one of our party obtained a very good horse for
an indifferent one by giving the indian an old leather shirt in
addition, we eat the last of our meat yesterday evening and
have lived on roots today, our party seem much elated with
the idea of moving on towards their friends and country, they
all seem allirt in their movements today; they have every
thing in readiness for a move, and notwithstanding the want
of provision have been amusing themselves very merrily today
in runing footraces pitching quites [quoits], prison basse &c.
the river has been falling for several days and is now lower by
near six feet than it has been; this we view as a strong evidence
that the great body of snow has left the mountains,
though I do not conceive that we are as yet loosing any time
as the roads is in many parts extreemly steep rocky and must
be dangerous if wet and slippry; a few days will dry the roads
and will also improve the grass.

[Clark:]

Monday June 9h. 1806.

We had all of our horses brought up and attempted to exchange
our sore back and most indifferent horses with the

indians for sound back horses, we exchanged one only. Hohas[t]illpilp
took his leave of us and Set our for the Plains of
Lewises river, with several of the nativs who Visited us yesterday.
The broken arm came over and continued a fiew minits
with us this morning, and also took his leave of us & set out
with his Village for the plains of Lewis's river. The Cut nose
borrowed a horse and rode down the flathead river a fiew miles
to take some young Eagles, which he intends to raise for their
feathers. in the evening one of the young Chiefs who had
given both Capt. Lewis and myself a horse came to our camp
accompanied by 10 of his people and continued with us all
night. one of our men exchanged a very indifferent horse for
a very good one. our party exolted with the idea of once
more proceeding on towards their friends and country are
elert in all their movements and amuse themselves by pitching
quates, Prisoners bast running races &c. The flat head
river is still falling fast and [is] nearly as low as it was at
the time we arrived at this place. this fall of water is what
the nativs have informed us was a proper token for us. when
this river fell the Snows would be sufficiently melted for us to
cross the Mountains. the greater length of time we delayed
after the time, the higher the grass would grow on th[e]
Mountains.

[Lewis:]

Tuesday June 10th. 1806

This morning we arrose early and had our horses collected
except one of Cruzatt's and one of Whitehouse's, which were
not to be found; after a surch of some hours Cruzatt's horse
was obtained and the indians promised to find the other and
bring it to us at the quawmash flatts where we purpose encamping
a few days. at 11 A. M. we set out with the party each
man being well mounted and a light load on a second horse,
beside which we have several supenemary horses in case of
accedent or the want of provision, we therefore feel ourselves
perfectly equiped for the mountains. we ascended the river
hills which are very high and about three miles in extent our
course being N. 22°. E. thence N. 15. W. 2 m to Collin's creek.

thence due North 5 m. to the Eastern border of the quawmash
flatts where we encamped near the place we first met with the
Chopunnish last fall[3] the pass of Collins's Creek was deep
and extreemly difficult tho' we passed without sustaining further
injury than weting some of our roots and bread. the country
through which we passed is extreemly fertile and generally free
of stone, is well timbered with several speceis of fir, long leafed
pine and larch. the undergrowth is chooke cherry near the
water courses, black alder, a large speceis of redroot now in
blume, a growth which resembles the pappaw in it's leaf and
which bears a burry with five valves of a deep perple colour,
two speceis of shoemate sevenbark, perple haw, service berry,
goosburry,[4] wild rose honeysuckle which bears a white berry,
and a speceis of dwarf pine which grows about ten or twelve
feet high. bears a globular formed cone with small scales, the
leaves are about the length and much the appearance of the
common pitch pine having it's leaves in fassicles of two; in
other rispects they would at a little distance be taken for the
young plants of the long leafed pine.[5] there are two speceis
of the wild rose both quinqui petallous and of a damask red but
the one is as large as the common red rose of our gardens. I
observed the apples of this speceis last fall to be more than
triple the size of those of the ordinary wild rose; the stem of
this rose is the same with the other tho' the leaf is somewhat
larger.[6] after we encamped this evening we sent out our
hunters; Collins killed a doe on which we suped much to our
satisfaction. we had scarcely reached Collins's Creek before
we were over taken by a party of Indians who informed us that
they were going to the quawmash fiatts to hunt; their object
I beleive is the expectation of b[e]ing fed by us in which however
kind as they have been we must disappoint them at this
moment as it is necessary that we should use all frugallaty as
well as employ every exertion to provide meat for our journey.
they have encamped with us. we find a great number of
burrowing squirels about our camp of which we killed several;
I eat of them and found them quite as tender and well flavored
as our grey squirel. saw many sand hill crains and some ducks
in the slashey glades about this place.

[Clark:]

Tuesday June 10th. 1806.

rose early this morning and had all the horses collected
except one of Whitehouses horses which could not be found,
an Indian promised to find the horse and bring him on to us
at the quawmash fields at which place we intend to delay a
fiew days for the laying in some meat by which time we calculate
that the Snows will have melted more off the mountains
and the grass raised to a sufficient hight for our horses to live.
we packed up and Set out at 11 A M we set out with the
party each man being well mounted and a light load on a 2d
horse, besides which we have several supernumary horses in
case of accident or the want of provisions, we therefore feel
ourselves perfectly equiped for the Mountains. we assended
the hills which are very high and about three miles in extent
our course being N.22d. E, thence N.15°.W 2 Ms: to Collins
Creek. Thence North 5 Miles to the Eastern boarders of the
Quawmash flatts where we encamped near the place I first met
with the Chopunnish Nation last fall. the pass of Collins
Creek was deep and extreemly difficult tho' we passed without
sustaining further injury than wetting some of our roots and
bread. The Country through which we passed is extreemly
fertile and generally free from Stone, is well timbered with
several Species of fir, long leafed pine and Larch. the undergrowth
is choke cherry near the watercourses, black alder, a
large species of red root now in blume, a Growth which resembles
the poppaw in it's leaf, and which bears a berry with
five valves of a deep purple colour, two species of shoemate,
seven bark, perple haw, service berry, Goose berry, wildrose,

honey suckle which bears a white berry, and a Species of dwart
pine which grows about 10 or 12 feet high, bears a globarlar
formed cone with small scales, the leaf is about the length and
much the appearance of the pitch pine haveing it's leaves in
fassicles of two; in other respects they would at a little distance
be taken for the young plants of the long leafed pine. There
are two Species of the wild rose both quinque petallous and of
a damask red, but the one is as large as the common red rose
of our guardens. I observed the apples of these Species last
fall to be more than triple the size of those of the ordinary
wild rose; the stem of this rose is the same with the other tho'
the leaf is somewhat larger. after we encamped this evening
we Sent out our hunters; Collins killed a doe on which we
Suped much to our satisfaction, we had not reached the top
of the river hills before we were overtaken by a party of 8
Indians who informed me that they were gowing to the quawmash
flatts to hunt; their object I belive is the expectation of
being fed by us in which however kind as they have been we
must disappoint them at this moment as it is necessary that we
should use all frugallaty as well as employ every exertion to
provide meat for our journey. they have encamped with us.
we find a great number of burrowing squirels about our camp
of which we killed several; I eate of them and found them
quit[e] as tender and well flavd. as our grey squirrel. Saw many
sand hill crains and some ducks in the Slashey Glades about
this place.

[Lewis:]

Wednesday June 11th. 1806.

All our hunters were out this morning by daylight; Labuish
and Gibson only proved successfull, the former killed a black
bear of the brown speceis and a very large buck, the latter also
killed a fine fat buck. five of the Indians also turned out and
hunted untill noon, when they returned without having killed
anything; at three P. M. the[y] left us on their return to
the[i]r villages. previous to their departure one of our men
exchanged an indifferent horse with one of them for a very
good one. in the evening our hunters resumed the chase; as

game has become scarce and shye near our camp they were
directed to hunt at a greater distance and therefore set out
prepared to remain all night and make a mornings hunt in
grounds not recently frequented. Whitehouse returned this
morning to our camp on the Kooskooske in surch of his horse.
As I have had frequent occasion to mention the plant which
the Chopunnish call quawmash[7] I shall here give a more particular
description of that plant and the mode of preparing it
for food as practiced by the Chopunnish and others in the
vicinity of the Rocky Mountains with whom it forms much
the greatest portion of their subsistence. we have never met
with this plant but in or adjacent to a piny or fir timbered
country, and there always in the open grounds and glades; in
the Columbian vally and near the coast it is to be found in
small quantities and inferior in size to that found in this neighbourhood
and in the high rich flatts and vallees within the
rocky mountains, it delights in a black rich moist soil, and
even grows most luxuriantly where the land remains from 6 to
nine inches under water untill the seed are nearly perfect which
in this neighbourhood or on these flats is about the last of this
month. neare the river where I had an opportunity of observing
it the seed were begining to ripen on the 9th. inst. and the
soil was nearly dry. it seems devoted to it's particular soil and
situation, and you will seldom find it more than a few feet from
the inundated soil tho' within it's limits it grows very closely
in short almost as much so as the bulbs will permit; the radix
is a tunicated bulb, much the consistence shape and appearance
of the onion, glutanous or somewhat slymy when chewed and
almost tasteless and without smell in it's unprepared state; it
is white except the thin or outer tunicated scales which are few
black and not succulent; this bulb is from the size of a nutmeg
to that of a hens egg and most commonly of an intermediate
size or about as large as an onion of one years growth from the
seed. the radicles are numerous, reather large, white, flexable,
succulent and diverging. the foliage consists of from one to
four seldom five radicale, linear sessile and revolute pointed
leaves; they are from 12 to 18 inches in length and from 1 to
3/4 of an inch in widest part which is near the middle; the uper
disk is somewhat groved of a pale green and marked it's whole
length with a number of small longitudinal channels; the under
disk is a deep glossy green and smooth. the leaves sheath the
peduncle and each other as high as the surface of the earth or
about 2 inches; they are more succulent than the grasses and
less so than most of the lillies hyesinths &c. the peduncle is
soletary, proceeds from the root, is columner, smooth leafless
and rises to the hight of 2 or 2-1/2 feet. it supports from 10
to forty flowers which are each supported by seperate footstalk
of 1/2 an inch in length scattered without order on the upper
portion of the peduncle. the calix is a partial involucre or
involucret situated at the base of the footstalk of each flower
on the peduncle; it is long thin and begins to decline as soon
as the corolla expands. the corolla consists of six long oval,
obtusly pointed skye blue or water coloured petals, each about
1 inch in length; the corolla is regular as to the form and size
of the petals but irregular as to their position, five of them are
placed near ech other pointing upward while one stands horizontally
or pointing downwards, they are inserted with a short
claw on the extremity of the footstalk at the base of the germ;
the corolla is of course inferior; it is also shriveling, and continues
untill the seeds are perfect. The stamens are perfect,
six in number; the filaments each elivate an anther, near their
base are flat on the inside and rounded on the outer terminate
in a subulate point, are bowed or bent upwards, inserted on the
inner side and on the base of the claws of the petals, below the
germ, are equal both with rispect to themselves and the corolla,
smooth & membraneous. the Anther is oblong, obtusely
pointed, 2 horned or forked at one end and furrowed longitudinally
with four channels, the upper and lower of which
seem almost to divide it into two loabs, incumbent patent,
membranous, very short, naked, two valved and fertile with
pollen, which last is of a yellow colour. the anther in a few
hours after the corolla unfoalds, bursts, discharges it's pollen
and becomes very minute and shrivled; the above discription
of the anther is therefore to be understood of it at the moment
of it's first appearance, the pistillum is only one, of which,
the germ is triangular reather swolen on the sides, smooth
superior, sessile, pedicelled, short in proportion to the corolla
tho' wide or bulky; the style is very long or longer than the
stamens, simple, cilindrical, bowed or bent upwards, placed on
the top of the germ, membranous shrivels and falls off when
the pericarp has obtained its full size. the stigma is three cleft
very minute, & pubescent. the pericarp is a capsule, triangular,
oblong, obtuse, and trilocular with three longitudinal valves.
the seed so far as I could-judge are numerous not very minute
and globelar. soon after the seeds are mature the peduncle
and foliage of this plant perishes, the grownd becomes dry or
nearly so and the root encreases in size and shortly becomes
fit for use; this happens about the middle of July when the
natives begin to collect it for use which they continue untill
the leaves of the plant attain some size in the spring of the
year. when they have collected a considerable quantity of
these roots or 20 [or] 30 bushels which they readily do by
means of [a] stick sharpened at one end, they dig away the
surface of the earth forming a circular concavity of 2-1/2 feet in
the center and 10 feet in diameter; they next collect a parsel
of split dry wood with which they cover this bason in the
groun[d] perhaps a foot thick, they next collect a large parsel
of stones of about 4 or 6 lbs. weight which are placed on the
dry wood; fire is then set to the wood which birning heats the
stones; when the fire has subsided and the stones are sufficiently
heated which are nearly a red heat, they are adjusted in
such manner in the whole as to form as level a surface as
pi[o]ssible, a small quantity of earth is sprinkled over the
stones and a layer of grass about an inch thick is put over the
stones; the roots, which have been previously devested of
the black or outer coat and radicles which rub off easily with the
fingers, are now laid on in a conical pile, are then covered with
a layer of grass about 2 or 3 inches thick; water is now thrown
on the summit of the pile and passes through the roots and to
the hot stones at bottom; some water is allso poared arround
the edges of the hole and also finds its way to the hot stones;
as soon as they discover from the quantity of steem which
issues that the water has found its way generally to the hot
stones, they cover the roots and grass over with earth to the
debth of four inches and then build a fire of dry wood all over
the connical mound which they continue to renew through the
course of the night or for ten or 12 hours after which it is
suffered to cool two or three hours when the earth and grass
are removed and the roots thus sweated and cooked with steam
are taken out, and most commonly exposed to the sun on
scaffoalds untill they become dry, when they are black and of
a sweet agreeable flavor. these roots are fit for use when first
taken from the pitt, are soft of a sweetish tast and much the
consistency of a roasted onion; but if they are suffered to
remain in bulk 24 hour after being cooked they spoil. if the
design is to make bread or cakes of these roots they undergo
a second process of baking being previously pounded after the
fi[r]st baking between two stones untill they are reduced to
the consistency of dough and then rolled in grass in cakes of
eight or ten lbs. are returned to the sweat intermixed with fresh
roots in order that the steam may get freely to these loaves of
bread. when taken out the second time the women make up
this dough into cakes of various shapes and sizes usually from
1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick and expose it on sticks to dry in the
sun, or place it over the smoke of their fires. the bread this
[thus] prepared if kept free from moisture will keep sound for
a great length of time. this bread or the dried roots are frequently
eaten alone by the natives without further preparation,
and when they have them in abundance they form an ingredient
in almost every dish they prepare. this root is pallateable but
disagrees with me in every shape I have ever used it.

[Clark:]

Wednesday June 11th. 1806

All of our hunters were out by daylight this Morning.
Labeech and Shann[on] was the only suckcess[f]ull hunters,
Labeech killed a Black bear and a large buck, and Gibson
killed a very fat Buck. five of the Indians also turned out and
hunted untill near Meridn. without having killed any thing.
at 3 P.M. they all packed up and returned to their Village.

one of our men exchanged an indifferent horse for a verey
good one with those people before they left us. in the evening
all our hunters turned out in different directions with
a view to find some probable Spot of killing deer and were
directed to lay out all night and hunt in the morning early.
Whitehouse returned this morning to our camp on the Kooskooske
in Serch of his horse.

As I have had frequent occasion to mention the plant which
the Chopunnish and other nations of the Columbia call Quawmash
I shall here give a more particular discription of that
plant and the mode of prepareing it for food as practiced by the
Chopinnish and others in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains
with whome it forms much the greatest portion of their Subsistence.
we have never met with this plant but in or adjacent
to a piney or fir timbered country, and there always in the open
grounds and glades; in the Columbian Vally and near the coast
it is to be found in small quantities and inferior in size to that
found in this neighbourhood or on those high rich flatts and
vallies within the rocky Mountains. it delights in a black rich
moist soil, and even grows most luxuriently where the lands
remain from 6 to 9 inches under water untill the seed are nearly
perfect, which in this neighbourhood or on those flatts is about
the last of this month. near the river where I had an oppertanity
of observing it, the Seed were beginning to ripen on the
9th. inst. and the soil was nearly dry. it seems devoted to it's
particular soil and situation, and you will Seldom find [it] more
than a fiew feet from an inundated soil tho' within it's limits it
grows very closely. in short almost as much so as the bulbs
will permit. the radix is a tumicated bulb, much the consistence
shape and appearance of the Onion, glutinous or somewhat
slymey when chewed and almost tasteless and without smell in
it's unprepared state; it is white except the thin or outer tumicated
scales which are fiew black and not suculent; this bulb
is from the Size of a nutmeg to that of a hen egg and most
commonly of an intermediate size or about as large as a common
onion of one years growth from the seed. the radicles
are noumerous, reather large, white, flexeable, succulent and
deviding the foliage consists of from one to four seldom five

radicals, line[a]r sessile and revolute pointed leaves; they are
from 12 to 18 inches in length and from 1. to 3/4 of an inch in
widest part which is nearest the middle; the upper disk is
somewhat gro[o]ved of a pale green and marked it's whole
length with a number of small longitudinal channels; the under
disk is of a deep glossy green and smooth. the leaves sheath
the peduncle and each other as high as the surface of the earth
or about 2 inches; they are more succulent than the grasses
and less so than most of the lillies hyisinths &c. the peduncle
is soletary, proceeds from the root, is columner, smooth and
leafless and rises to the hight of 2 or 2 1/2 feet. it supports
from 10 to 40 flowers which are each surported by a Seperate
footstalk of 1/2 an inch in length scattered without order on the
upper portion of the peduncle. the calix is a partial involucre
or involucret situated at the base of the footstalk of each flower
on the peduncle; it is long thin and begins to decline as soon
as the corrolla expands. the corolla consists of five long oval
obtusely pointed Skye blue or water coloured petals, each about
1 inch in length; the corolla is regular as to the form and size
of the petals but irregular as to their position, five of them are
placed near each other pointing upwards while one stands horozontially,
or pointing downwards, they are inserted with a short
claw on the extremity of the footstalk at the base of the germ;
the corolla is of course inferior; it is also shriveling, and continues
untill the seed are perfect. The Stamens are perfect, six
in number; the falaments each elivate an anther, near their base
are flat on the in side and rounded on the outer, termonate in
a subulate point, and bowed or bent upwards inserted on the
inner side and on the base of the claws of the petals, below the
germ, are equal both with respect to themselves and the corolla,
smooth membranous. the Anther is oblong obtusely pointed,
2 horned or forked at one end and furrowed longitudinally
with four channels, the upper and lower of which seem almost
to divide it into two loabs, incumbent, patent, membranous,
very short, necked, two valved and fertile with pollen, which
last is of a yellow colour. the Anther in a fiew hours after the
corolla unfoalds, bursts discharges it's pollen and becomes very
manute and chrivled; the above discription of the Anther is
therefore to be understood of it, at the moment of it's first
appearance. the pistillum is only one, of which the Germ is
triangular reather swolen on the sides, smooth, superior, sessile,
pedicelled, short in proportion to the corolla tho' wide or
bulky; the style is very long or longer than the stamens,
simple, cilindrical, bowed or bent upwards, placed on the top
of the germ, membranous shrivels and falls off when the
pericarp has obtained it's full size. the Stigma is three clefts
very manute and pubescent. the pericarp is a capsule, triangular,
oblong, obtuse, and trilocular with three longitudinal valves.
the seed so far as I could judge are noumerous not very manute
and globilar. Soon after the seed are mature the peduncle and
foliage of this plant perishes, the ground becoms dry or nearly
so and the root increases in size and shortly becoms fit for use;
this happens about the middle of July when the nativs begin
to collect it for use which they continue untill the leaves of the
plant obtain some size in the Spring of the year. when they
have collected a considerable quantity of these roots or 20 or
30 bushels which they readily do by means of Sticks Sharpened
at one end, they dig away the surface of the earth forming a cercular
concavity of 2 1/2 feet in the center and 10 feet in diameter;
they next collect a parcel of dry split wood with which they
cover this bason from the bottom perhaps a foot thick, they
next collect a parcel of Stones from 4 to 6lb. weight which are
placed on the dry wood; fire is then set to the wood which
burning heats the Stones; when the fire has subsided and the
Stones are sufficiently heated which are nearly a red heat, they
are adjusted in such manner in the hole as to form as leavel
a surface as possible, a small quantity of earth is sprinkled
over the Stones, and a layer of grass about an inch thick is
laid over the stone; the roots which have been previously
devested of the black or outer coat and radicles which rub off
easily with the fingers, are now laid on in a circular pile, are
then covered with a layer of grass about 2 or 3 inches thick;
water is then thrown on the Summit of the pile and passes
through the roots and to the hot Stones at bottom; Some
water is also pored around the edges of the hole, and also
find[s] it's way to the hot Stones. they cover the roots and
grass over with earth to the debth of four inches and then
build a fire of dry wood all over the connical mound which
they continue to renew through the course of the night or for
10 or 12 hours, after which it is suffered to cool, 2 or three
hours, when the earth and grass are removed. and the roots
thus Sweated are cooled with steam or taken out, and most
commonly exposed to the Sun on Scaffolds untill they become
dry. when they are black and of a sweet agreeable flavor. these
roots are fit for use when first taken from the pitt, are Soft of
a Sweetish taste and much the consistancy of a roasted onion;
but if they are Suffered to remain in bulk 24 hours after being
cooked they Spoil, if the design is to make bread or cakes of
those roots they undergo a second preperation of baking being
previously pounded after the first baking between two stones
untill they are reduced to the consistancy of dough and then
rolled in grass in cakes of 8 or 10 pounds, are returned to the
Sweat intermixed with fresh roots in order that the steam may
get freely to those loaves of bread. when taken out the Second
time the Indn. woman make up this dough into cakes of various
shapes and sizes, usually from 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick and
expose it on sticks to dry in the Sun, or place it over the smoke
of their fires. The bread thus prepared if kept free from moisture
will [keep] Sound for a great length of time. this bread
or the dryed roots are frequently eaten alone by the nativs
without further preperation, and when they have them in
abundance they form an ingrediant in almost every dish they
prepare. this root is palateable but disagrees with us in every
shape we have ever used it. the nativs are extreemly fond of
this root and present it [to] their visiters as a great treat. when
we first arrived at the Chopunnish last fall at this place our
men who were half Starved made so free a use of this root the
it made them all sick for several days after.

[Lewis:]

Thursday June 12th. 1806

All our hunters except Gibson returned about noon; none
of them had killed anything except Sheilds who brought with
him two deer. in the evening they resumed their hunt and
remained out all night. an indian visited us this evening and

spent the night at our camp. Whitehouse returned with his
horse at 1 P. M. the days are now very warm and the Musquetors
our old companions have become very troublesome.
The Cutnose informed us on the 10th. before we left him that
two young men would overtake us with a view to accompany
me to the falls of the Missouri. nothing interesting occurred
in the course of this day. our camp is agreeably situated in a
point of timbered land on the eastern border of an extensive
level and beautifull prarie[8] which is intersected by several
small branches near the bank of one of which our camp is
placed. the quawmash is now in blume and from the colour
of its bloom at a short distance it resembles lakes of fine clear
water, so complete is this deseption that on first sight I could
have swoarn it was water.

[Clark:]

Thursday June 12th. 1806.

All our hunters except Gibson returned about noon; none
of them had killed any thing except Shields who brought with
him two deer. in the evening they resumed their hunt and
remained out all night. an Indian visited us this evening and
Spent the night at our camp. Whitehouse returned with his
horse at 1 P. M. the days are very worm and the Musquetors
our old companions have become very troublesome.

The Cutnose informed us on the 10th. before we left him that
two young Chiefs would overtake us with a view to accompany
us to the Falls of the Missouri and probably to the Seat of our
Governmt. nothing interesting occured in the course of this
day. our camp is agreeably situated in a point of timbered
land on the eastern borders of an extensive leavel and butifull
prarie which is intersected by several small branches near the
bank of one of which our camp is placed. the quawmash is
now in blume at a Short distance it resembles a lake of fine
clear water, so complete is this deseption that on first Sight I
could have sworn it was water.

[Lewis:]

Friday June 13th. 1806.

Reubin Feilds and Willard were ordered to proceed on our
road to a small prarie 8 miles distant on this side of Collins's
Creek and there hunt until our arrival;[9] they departed at 10
A. M. about noon seven of our hunters returned witil 8 deer;
they had wounded several others and a bear but did not get
them. in the evening Labuish and Cruzatte returned and reported
that the buzzards had eaten up a deer which they had
killed butchered and hung up this morning. The indian who
visited us yesterday exchanged his horse for one of ours which
had not perfectly recovered from the operation of castration
and received a small ax and a knife to boot, he seemed much
pleased with his exchange and set out immediately to his village,
as if fearfull that we would cancel the bargain which is customary
among themselves and deemed only fair. we directed the
meat to be cut thin and exposed to dry in the sun. we made
a digest of the Indian Nations West of the Rocky Mountains
which we have seen and of whom we have been repeated[ly]
informed by those with whom we were conversent. they
amount by our estimate to 69.000 (about 80,000) Souls.[10]

[Clark:]

Friday June 13th. 1806.

Ordered Rubin Fields and Willard to proceed on to a small
prarie in the Mountains about 8 miles and there hunt untill
we arrive the[y] set out at 10 A. M. Soon after they set out
all of our hunters returned each with a deer except Shields who
brought two in all 8 deer. Labeech and P. Crusatt went out
this morning killed a deer & reported that the buzzds. had
eate up the deer in their absence after haveing butchered and
hung it up. The indian who visited us yesterday exchanged
his horse with one of our party for a very indiferant one in
which exchange he r[e]cived a small ax a Knife &c. Soon after
he had exchanged he returned to his village well satisfied, we
caused the meat to be cut thin and dried in the sun. I make

a list of the Indian Nations their place of residence, and probable
number of Soles of each nation from estimation and indian
information &c.

[Lewis:]

Saturday June 14th. 1806.

Sent our hunters out early this morning. Colter killed a
deer and brought it in by 10 A. M. the other hunters except
Drewyer returned early without having killed anything.
Drewyer returned. we had all our articles packed up and
made ready for an early departure in the morning. our
horses were caught and most of them hubbled and otherwise
confined in order that we might not be detained. from hence
to traveller's rest we shall make a forsed march; at that place
we shal probably remain one or two days to rest ourselves and
horses and procure some meat. we have now been detained
near five weeks in consequence of the snows; a serious loss of
time at this delightfull season for traveling. I am still apprehensive
that the snow and the want of food for our horses will
prove a serious imbarrassment to us as at least four days
journey of our rout in these mountains lies over hights and
along a ledge of mountains never intirely destitute of snow.
every body seems anxious to be in motion, convinced that we
have not now any time to delay if the calculation is to reach
the United States this season; this I am detirmined to accomplish
if within the compass of human power.

[Clark:]

Saturday June 14th. 1806

Sent out Hunters this morning Colter killed a deer and
brought it in by 10 A. M. Drewyer did not return untill night
he wounded deer but could get none &c. neither of the other
hunters killed nothing. we had our articles packed up ready
for a start in the morning. our horses collected and hobble[d]
that they may not detain us in the morning, we expect to set
out early, and shall proceed with as much expedition as possible
over those snowey tremendious mountains which has detained
us near five weeks in this neighbourhood waiting for the
Snows to melt sufficient for us to pass over them. and even

now I shudder with the expectation with [of] great dificuelties
in passing those Mountains, from the debth of snow and the
want of grass sufficient to subsist our horses, as about 4 days
we Shall be on the top of the Mountain which we have every
reason to beleive is covered with snow the greater part of the
year.

[Lewis:]

Sunday June 15th. 1806.

We had some little difficulty in collecting our horses this
morning they had straggled off to a greater distance than usual.
it rained very hard in the morning and after collecting our
horses we waited an hour for it to abait, but as it had every
appearance of a settled rain we set out at 10 A. M. we passed
a little prarie at the distance of 8-½ m1. to which we had previously
sent R. Feilds and Willard. we found two deer which
they had killed and hung up. at the distance of 2-½ Miles
further we arrived at Collins's Creek where we found our hunters;
they had killed another deer, and had seen two large
bear together the one black and the other white. we halted
at the creek, dined and graized our horses. the rains have
rendered the road very slippery insomuch that it is with much
difficulty our horses can get on several of them fell but sustained
no injury. after dinner we proceeded up the creek
about ½ a mile, passing it three times, thence through a high
broken country to an Easterly fork of the same creek about
10-½ miles and incamped near a small prarie in the bottom
land.[11] the fallen timber in addition to the slippry roads made
our march slow and extreemly laborious on our horses. the
country is exceedingly thickly timbered with longleafed pine,
some pitch pine, larch, white pine, white cedar or arbor vita
of large size, and a variety of firs.[12] the undergrowth principally

reedroot[13] from 6 to 10 feet high with all the other
speceis enumerated the other day. the soil is good; in some
plaices it is of a red cast like our lands in Virginia about the
S. W. mountains. Saw the speckled woodpecker, bee martin
and log cock or large woodpecker. found the nest of a humming
bird, it had just began to lay its eggs. Came 22 Miles
today.

[Clark:]

Sunday June 15th. 1806.

Collected our horses early with the intention of makeing
an early Start. Some hard Showers of rain detained us untill
[blank space in MS.] AM at which time we took our final
departu[r]e from the quawmash fields and proceeded with
much dificuelty owing to the Situation of the road which was
very sliprey, and it was with great dificulty that the loaded
horses Could assend the hills and Mountains the[y] frequently
sliped down both assending and decending those
steep hills. at 9 miles we passed through a Small prarie in
which was quawmash in this Prarie Reubin Fields & Willard
had killed and hung up two deer at 2 miles further we arrived
at the Camp of R. Fields & Willard on Collin's Creek,
they arrived at this creek last evening and had killed another
Deer near the Creek. here we let our horses graze in a small
glade and took dinner. the rain seased and sun shown out.
after detaining about 2 hours we proceeded on passing the
Creek three times and passing over some ruged hills or Spurs
of the rocky Mountain, passing the Creek on which I encamped
on the 17th. Septt. last to a Small glade of about 10
acres thickly covered with grass and quawmash, near a large
Creek and encamped. we passed through bad fallen timber
and a high Mountain this evening. from the top of this
Mountain I had an extensive view of the rocky Mountains to
the South and the Columbian plains for [a] great extent also
the SW. Mountains and a range of high Mountains which
divides the waters of Lewis's & Clarks rivers and seems to

termonate nearly a West cours[e]. Several high pts. to the
N & N. E. covered with Snow. a remarkable high rugd
mountain in the forks of Lewis's river nearly south and covered
with snow. The vally up the Chopunnish river appears
extensive tolerably leavel and covered with timber. The SW.
Mountain is very high in a S S W derection.

[Lewis:]

Monday June 16th. 1806.

We collected our horses very readily this morning, took
breakfast and set out at 6 A. M.; proceeded up the creek
about 2 miles through some handsom meadows of fine grass
abounding with quawmash, here we passed the creek & ascended
a ridge which led us to the N. E. about seven miles
when we arrived at a small branch of hungry creek. the
difficulty we met with from the fallen timber detained us
untill 11 OC before we reached this place. here is a handsome
little glade in which we found some grass for our horses
we therefore halted to let them graize and took dinner knowing
that there was no other convenient situation for that purpose
short of the glaids on hungry creek where we intended
to encamp, as the last probable place, at which we shall find
a sufficient quantity of grass for many days. this morning
Windsor busted his rifle near the muzzle. before we reached
this little branch on which we dined we saw in the hollows and
N. hillsides large qua [n] titles of snow yet undesolved; in
some places it was from two to three feet deep. vegetation
is proportionably backward; the dogtooth violet is just in
blume, the honeysuckle, huck[le]burry and a small speceis of
white maple are begining to put fourth their leaves;[14] these
appearances in this comparatively low region augers but unfavourably
with rispect to the practibility of passing the
mountains, however we determined to proceed, accordingly
after taking a haisty meal we set out and continued our rout

through a thick wood much obstructed with fallen timber,
and intersepted by many steep ravines and high hills. the
snow has increased in quantity so much that the greater part
of our rout this evening was over the snow which has become
sufficiently firm to bear our horshes, otherwise it would have
been impossible for us to proceed as it lay in immence masses
in some places 8 or ten feet deep, we found much difficulty
in pursuing the road as it was so frequently covered with snow.
we arrived early in the evening at the place[15] that Capt. C. had
killed and left the flesh of a horse for us last September. here
is a small glade in which there was some grass, not a sufficiency
for our horses but we thought it most advisable to remain here
all night as we apprehended if we proceeded further we should
find less grass. the air is pleasent in the course of the day
but becomes very cold before morning notwithstanding the
shortness of the nights. Hungry creek is but small at this
place but is deep and runs a perfect torrent; the water is perfectly
transparent and as cold as ice. the pitch pine. white
pine some larch and firs consti[tu]te the timber; the long leafed
pine extends a little distance on this side of the main branch
of Coilins's creek, and the white cedar not further than the
branch of hungry creek on which we dined. I killed a small
brown pheasant today, it feeds on the tender leaves and buds
of the fir and pitch pine, in the fore part of the day I observed
the Cullumbine the blue bells and the yelow flowering
pea in blume. there is an abundance of a speceis of anjelico
in these mountains, much st[r]onger to the taist and more
highly scented than that speceis common to the U'States. I
know of no particular virtue or property it possesses; the
natives dry it cut it in small peices which they string on a
small cord and place about their necks; it smells very pleasantly.[16]
we came 15 miles today.

[Clark:]

Munday 16th. June 1806

Collected our horses early and Set out 7 AM proceeded
on up the Creek through a gladey swompy bottom covered
with grass and quawmash crossed the creek to the East and
proceeded on through most intolerable bad fallen timber over
a high Mountain on which great quantity of Snow is yet lying
premisquissly through the thick wood, and in maney places
the banks of snow is 4 feet deep. we no[o]ned it or dined
on a small creek in a small open Vally where we found some
grass for our horses to eate, altho' serounded by snow no
other convenient situation short of the glades on Hungery
Creek where we intended to encamp, as the last probable
place, at which we Shall find a sufficient quantity of grass for
many days. This morning Windsor bursted his rifle near the
Muzzle. Vegitation is propotionable backward; the dogtooth
Violet is just in blume, the honeysuckle, huckleberry and a small
Species of white maple are beginning to put forth their leaves,
where they are clear of the Snow, those appearances in this
comparratively low region augers but unfavourably with respect
to the practibility of passing the Mountains, however we
deturmine to proceed, accordingly after takeing a hasty meal
we set out and continued our rout through a thick wood much
obstructed with fallen timber, and interupted by maney Steep
reveins and hills which wer very high. the Snow has increased
in quantity so much that the great part of our rout this evening
was over the Snow which has become sufficiently firm
to bear our horses, otherwise it would have been impossible
for us to proceed as it lay in emince masses in some places 8
or ten feet deep. We found much dificulty in finding the
road, as it was so frequently covered with snow. we arived
early in the evening at the place I had killed and left the flesh
of a horse for the party in my rear last Septt. here is a Small
glade in which there is some grass, not a Sufficency of [for]
our horses, but we thought it adviseable to remain here all
night as we apprehended if we proceeded further we should
find less grass. The air is pleasant in the course of the day,
but becomes very cold before morning notwithstanding the
shortness of the night. Hungary Creek is but small at this

place but is deep and runs a perfect torrent; the water is perfectly
transparent and as Cold as ice. the t[p]itch pine, white
pine some Larch and firs consists the timber, the long leafed
pine extends but a short distance on the Mts. Capt L. killed
a small brown pheasant today, it feeds on the tender leaves and
buds of the fir and pitch pine. in the forepart of the day I
observed the Cullumbine the blue bells and the Yellow flowering
pea in blume. there is an abundance of a Species of
anjelico in the mountains much stronger to the taiste, and more
highly scented than that Species common to the U'. States. I
know of no particular virtue or property it possesses. the
nativs dry it cut it in small pieces which they string on a small
cord and place about the necks; it smells pleasently. we
Come 15 Ms. to day.

[Lewis:]

Tuesday June 17th. 1806.

we collected our horses and set out early; we proceeded
down hungry creek about seven miles passing it twice; we
found it difficult and dangerous to pass the creek in consequence
of its debth and rapidity; we avoided two other
passes of the creek by ascending a very steep rocky and
difficult hill. beyond this creek[17] the road ascends the mountain
to the hight of the main leading ridges which divides the
Waters of the Chopunnish and Kooskooske rivers.[18] this hill
or reather mountain we ascended about 3 miles when we
found ourselves invelloped in snow from 12 to 15 feet deep
even on the south sides of the hills with the fairest exposure to
the sun; here was winter with all it's rigors; the air was cold,
my hands and feet were benumbed. we knew that it would

require five days to reach the fish wears at the entrance of
Colt Creek, provided we were so fortunate as to be enabled to
follow the proper ridges of the mountains to lead us to that
place; of this Drewyer our principal dependance as a woodman
and guide was entirely doubtfull;[19] short of that point we
could not hope for any food for our horses not even underwood
itself as the whole was covered many feet deep in snow.
if we proceeded and should get bewildered in these mountains
the certainty was that we should loose all our horses and consequently
our baggage inst[r]uments perhaps our papers and
thus eminently wrisk the loss of the discoveries which we had
already made if we should be so fortunate as to escape with
life. the snow boar our horses very well and the trav[e]lling
was therefore infinitely better that [n] the obstruction of rocks
and fallen timber which we met with in our passage over last
fall when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached
spots only. under these circumstances we conceived it madnes[s]
in this stage of the expedition to proceed without a
guide who could certainly conduct us to the fish wears on the
Kooskooske (Travellers (Creek) Rest), as our horses could not
possibly sustain a journey of more than five days without food.
we therefore came to the resolution to return with our horses
while they were yet strong and in good order and indevour
to keep them so untill we could procure an indian to conduct
us over the snowey mountains, and again to proceed as soon
as we could procure such a guide, knowing from the appearance
of the snows that if we remained untill it had desolved
sufficiently for us to follow the road that we should not be
enabled to return to the United States within this season.
having come to this resolution, we ordered the party to make
a deposit for all the baggage which we had not immediate use
for, and also all the roots and bread of cows which they had
except an allowance for a few days to enable them to return
to some place at which we could subsist by hunting untill we
procured a guide. we left our instruments papers &c. beleiving
them safer here than to wrisk them on horseback over the
roads and creeks which we had passed. our baggage being laid
on scaffoalds[20] and well covered we began our retrograde march
at 1 P. M. having remained about 3 hours on this snowey
mountain. we returned by the rout we had come to hungry
creek, which we ascended about 2 miles and encamped. we
had here more grass for our horses than the proceeding evening,
yet it was but scant. the party were a good deel dejected
tho' not as much so as I had apprehended they would have
been. this is the first time since we have been on this long
tour that we have ever been compelled to retreat or make a
retrograde march. it rained on us most of this evening.

[Clark:]

Tuesday June 17th. 1806

We collected our horses and set out early; we proceeded
down hungary Creek about 7 miles passing it twice; we found
it difficuelt and dangerous to pass the creek in consequence of
it's debth and rapidity; we avoided two other passes of the
creek, by assending a steep rockey and difficuelt hill. beyond
this creek the road assends the mountain to the hight of the
main leading ridges, which divides the waters of the Kooskooske
and Chopunnish Riv's. This mountain we ascended about 3
miles when we found ourselves invelloped in snow from 8 to
12 feet deep even on the South Side of the mountain. I was
in front and could only prosue the derection of the road by the
trees which had been peeled by the nativs for the iner bark
of which they scraped and eate, as those pealed trees were
only to be found scattered promisquisley, I with great difficulty
prosued the direction of the road one mile further to the top
of the mountain where I found the snow from 12 to 15 feet
deep, but new trees with the fairest exposure to the Sun; here
was Winter with all it's rigors; the air was cold my hands and
feet were benumed. we knew that it would require four days
to reach the fish weare at the enterance of Colt Creek, provided
we were so fortunate as to be enabled to follow the
p[r]oper ridge of the mountains to lead us to that place; of

this all of our most expert woodsmen and principal guides
were extreemly doubtfull; Short of that point we could not
hope for any food for our horses not even under wood itself as
the whole was covered many feet deep in snow. if we proceeded
and Should git bewildered in those Mountains the
certainty was that we Should lose all of our horses and consequently
our baggage enstrements perhaps our papers and
thus eventially resque the loss of our discoveries which we
had already made if we should be so fortunate as to escape
with life. the snow bore our horses very well and the traveling
was therefore infinately better than the obstruction of
rocks and fallen timber which we met with in our passage over
last fall when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached
spop[t]s only. under these circumstances we conceived it madness
in this stage of the expedition to proceed without a guide
who could certainly conduct us to the fishwears on the Kooskooske,
as our horses could not possibly sustain a journey of
more than 4 or 5 days without food. we therefore come to
the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet
strong and in good order, and indeaver to keep them so untill
we could precure an indian to conduct us over the Snowey
Mountains, and again to proceed as soon as we could precure
such a guide, knowing from the appearance of the snows that
if we remained untill it had disolved sufficiently for us to follow
the road that we should not be enabled to return to the
United States within this season. having come to this resolution,
we ordered the party to make a deposit of all the baggage
which we had not imediate use for, and also all the roots
and bread of Cows which they had except an allowance for a
fiew days to enable them to return to some place at which we
could subsist by hunting untill we precured a guide. we left
our instrements, and I even left the most of my papers
believing them safer here than to Wrisk them on horse
back over the road, rocks and water which we had passed.
our baggage being laid on Scaffolds and well covered, we
began our retragrade march at 1 P. M. haveing remaind.
about three hours on this Snowey mountain. we returned
by the rout we had advanced to hungary Creek, which
we assended about 2 miles and encamped. we had here
more grass for our horses than the proceeding evening, yet
it was but scant. the party were a good deel dejected,
tho' not as much so as I had apprehended they would have
been. this is the first time since we have been on this tour
that we have ever been compelled to retreat or make a retragrade
march. it rained on us the most of this evening. on
the top of the Mountain the Weather was very fluctiating
and uncertain snowed cloudy & fair in a few minets.

[Lewis:]

Wednesday June 18th. 1806.

this morning we had considerable difficulty in collecting our
horses they having straggled off to a considerable distance in
surch of food on the sides of the mountains among the thick
timber, at 9 OCk. we collected them all except one of Drewyers
and one of Sheildes; we set out leaving Sheilds and LaPage
to collect the two lost horses and follow us. We dispatched
Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains
beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the
indians who had promised to accompany us or to procure a
gu[i]de at all events and rejoin us as soon as possible. we
sent by them a rifle which we offered as a reward to any of
them who would engage to conduct us to traveller's rest: we
also dirrected them if they found difficulty in inducing any of
them to accompany us to offer the reward of two other guns to
be given them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri.
we had not proceeded far this morning before Potts
cut his leg very badly with one of the large knives; he cut
one of the large veigns on the inner side of the leg; I found
much difficulty in stoping the blood which I could not effect
untill I applyed a tight bandage with a little cushon of wood
and tow on the veign below the wound. Colter's horse fel
with him in passing hungry creek and himself and horse were
driven down the creek a considerable distance rolling over each
other among the rocks, fortunately [he] escaped without injury
or the loss of his gun. by 1 P. M. we returned to the
glade on the branch of hungry Creek where we had dined on

the 16th. inst. here we again halted and dined. as there was
much appearance of deer about this place we left R. and J.
Feilds with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow
morning at this place and to join us in the evening at the
meadows of Collin's creek where we intend remaining tomorrow
in order to rest our horses and hunt. after dinner
we proceeded on to Collin's Creek and encamped in a pleasant
situation at the upper part of the meadows about 2 Ms. above
our encampment of the 15th. inst. we sent out several hunters
but they returned without having killed anything. they saw a
number of salmon (trout) in the creek and shot at them several
times without success. we directed Colter and Gibson to fix
each of them a gigg in the morning and indevour to take
some of the salmon. the hunters saw much fresh appearance
of bear but very little of deer, we hope by means of the fish
together with what deer and bear we can kill to be enabled to
subsist untill our guide arrives without the necessity of returning
to the quawmash flats. there is a great abundance of good
food here to sustain our horses.

[Clark:]

Wednesday June 18th. 1806

This morning we had considerble dificuelty in collecting
our horses they haveing Strageled of[f] to a considerable distance
in serch of food on the Sides of the mountains among the
thick timber, at 9 oClock we collected them all except 2 one
of Shields & one of Drewyers. we Set out leaving Shields
and LePage to collect the two lost horses and follow us. We
dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians
in the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the
arrival of the Indians who promised to accompany us, or to
precure a guide at all events and rejoin us as soon as possible.
We sent by them a riffle which we offered as a reward to any
of them who would engage to conduct us to Clarks river at
the entrance of Travellers rest Creek; we also directed them
if they found difficuelty in induceing any of them to accompany
us to offer the reward of two other guns to be given
them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri. we
had not proceeded far this morning before J. Potts cut his leg

very badly with one of the large knives; he cut one of the
large veins on the iner side of the leg; Colters horse fell
with him in passing hungary creek and himself and horse
were driven down the Creek a considerable distance roleing
over each other among the rocks. he fortunately escaped
with[out] much injurey or the loss of his gun. he lost his
blanket. at 1 P. M we returned to the glade on a branch
of hungary creek where we had dined on the 16th. instant.
here we again halted and dined. as there was some appearance
of deer about this place we left J. & R. Field with
directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at this
place and join us in the evening in the Meadows on Collin's
Creek where we intended to remain tomorrow in order to rest
our horses and hunt. after dinner we proceeded on to the
near fork of Collins Creek and encamped in a pleasant situation
at the upper part of the Meadows about 2 miles above
our encampment of the 15th. inst. we sent out several hunters
but they returned without having killed any thing. they saw
a number of large fish in the creek and shot at them several
times without suckcess. we [ordered] Gibson and Colter to
fix each of themselves a gigg in the morning and indeaver to
take some of those fish. the hunters saw much fresh appearance
of Bear, but very little deer sign. we hope by the means
of the fish together with what deer and bear we can kill to be
enabled to subsist untill our guide arives without the necessaty
of returning to the quawmash flats. there is great abundance
of good food here to sustain our horses. we are in flattering
expectations of the arrival of two young chiefs who informed
us that they intended to accompany us to the U. States, and
Should Set out from their village in 9 nights after we left them
[or] on the 19th. inst. if they set out at that time Drewyer &
Shannon will meet them, and probably join us on the 20th. or
21st. Musquetors Troublesome.

[Lewis:]

Thursday June 19th. 1806.

Our hunters were out very early this morning, they returned
before noon with one deer only. the Fishermen had been more
unsuccessfull, they returned without a single fish and reported

that they could find but few and those they had tryed to take
in vain. they had broke both their giggs which were of indian
fabrication made of bone. I happened to have a pointed peice
of iron in my pouch which answered by cuting in two peices
to renew boath giggs. they took one fish this evening which
proved to be a salmon trout much to our mortification, for we
had hoped that they were the salmon of this spring['s] arrival
and of course fat and fine. these trout are of the red kind
they remain all winter in the upper parts of the rivers and
creeks and are generally poor at this season. At 2 P. M.
J & R Feilds arived with two deer; John Sheilds and LaPage
came with them, they had not succeeded in finding their horses.
late in the evening Frazier reported that my riding horse that
of Capt. Clark and his mule had gone on towards the Quawmash
flatts and that he had pursued their tracks on the road
about 2-½ miles, we determined to send out all the hunters
in the morning in order to make a fair experiment of the p[r]act[ica]bility
of our being able to subsist at this place and if
not we shall move the day after to the Quawmash flatts. the
musquetoes have been excessively troublesome to us since
our arrival at this place particularly in the evening. Cruzatte
brought me several large morells which I roasted and eat without
salt pepper or grease in this way I had for the first time
the true taist of the morell which is truly an insippid taistless
food.[21] our stock of salt is now exhausted except two quarts
which I have reserved for my tour up Maria's River and that
I left the other day on the mountain.

[Clark:]

Thursday June 19th 1806

This morning early Collins Labeesh & Crusat turned out to
hunt, and Gibson & Colter fixed two Indian giggs and went
in serch of fish in the Creek. I took my gun and walked up
the Creek about 4 Miles Saw some bear sign and one fish only.
Gibson killed only one fish which we found to be the Salmon
Trout of the dark species. this fish was of the common size

pore and indifferently flavoured. Labeesh killed one Deer
neither of the others killed any thing. about 1 P. M. Jo. &
R Fields & LaPage came up. Reubin & Joseph Fields
broughth two Deer which R. had killed in the small glade on
a branch of Hungary Creek where we had left them yesterday.
Shields & LaPage did not find the two horses which we lost yesterday
morning. they report that they hunted with great diligence
in the vicinity of our camp of the 17th. without suckcess.
in my walk of this day up the creek I observed a great abundance
of fine grass sufficient to sustain our horses any length of
time we chose to stay at this place. Several glades of quawmash.
the S W. Sides of the hills is fallen timber and burnt
woods, the N. E. Sides of the hills is thickly timbered with
lofty pine, and thick under growth. This evening several
salmon trout were seen in the Creek, they hid themselves
under the banks of the creek which jutted over in such a
manner as to secure them from the stroke of our giggs nets
and spears which were made for the purpose of taking those
salmon trout. we concluded to delay at this place another
day with a view to give time to the two young Chiefs to
arrive in case they set out on the 19th. inst. as they informed
us they should they will have sufficient time to join us tomorrow
or early the next day. should we get a guide from
this place it will save us two days march through some of
the worst road through those Mountains, crouded with fallin
timber mudholes and steep hills &c. we directed all the
hunters to turn out early and kill something for us to live
on &c. Musquetors troublesom.

[Lewis:]

Friday June 20th. 1806.

Our hunters set out early this morning; most of them returned
before noon. R. Feilds killed a brown bear the tallons
of which were remarkably short broad at their base and sharply
pointed this was of the speceis which the Chopunnish call
Yah-kar. it was in very low order and the flesh of the bear
in this situation is much inferior to lean venison or the flesh of
poor Elk. Labush and Cruzatte returned late in the evening

with one deer which the former had killed. we also caught
seven salmon trout in the course of the day. the hunters
assured us that their greatest exertions would not enable them
to support us here more than one or two days longer from the
great scarcity of game and the difficult access of the country,
the under brush being very thick and great quantities of fallen
timber. as we shall necessarily be compelled to remain more
than two days for the return of Drewyer and Shannon we
determined to return in the morning as far as the quawmash
flatts and indeavour to lay in another stock of meat for the
mountains, our former stock being now nearly exhausted as
well as what we have killed on our return. by returning to
the quawmash flats we shall sooner be informed whether or
not we can procure a guide to conduct us through the mountains;
should we fail in procuring one, we have determined to
wrisk a passage on the following plan immediately, because
should we wait much longer or untill the snow desolves in
such manner as to enable us to follow the road we cannot hope
to reach the United States this winter; this is that Capt C. or
myself shall take four of our most expert woodsmen with three
or four of our best horses and proceed two days in advance
taking a plentifull supply of provision. for this party to
follow the road by the marks which the baggage of the
indians has made in many places on the sides of the trees by
rubing against them, and to blaize the trees with a tomahawk
as they proceeded. that after proceeding two days in advance
of hungary creek two of those men would be sent back to the
main party who by the time of their return to Hungary Creek
would have reached that place. the men so returning would
be enabled to inform the main party of the probable success of
the proceeding party in finding the road and of their probable
progress, in order that should it be necessary, the main party
by the delay of a day or two at hungary creek, should give the
advance time to mark the road through before the main party
could overtake them, and thus prevent delay on the part of
the rout where no food is to be obtained for our horses.
should it so happen that the advance could not find the road
by the marks on the trees after attempting it for two days, the
whole of [them] then would return to the main party. in
which case we wo[u]ld bring back our baggage and attempt a
passage over these mountains through the country of the
Shoshones further to the South by way of the main S. Westerly
fork of Lewis's river and Madison or Gallatin's rivers, where
from the information of the Chopunnish there is a passage
which at this season of the year is not obstructed by snow,
though the round is very distant and would require at least
a month in it's performance. The Shoshones informed us
when we first met with them that there was a passage across
the mountains in that quarter but represented the difficulties
arrising from steep high and rugged mountains and also an
extensive and barren plain which was to be passed without
game, as infinitely more difficult than the rout by which we
came. from the circumstance of the Chopunnish being at war
with that part of the Shoshones who inhabit the country on
this side of the Mountains through which the road passes I
think it is highly probable that they cannot be well informed
with rispect to the road, and further, had there been a better
road in that quarter the Shoshones on the East fork of Lewis's
river who knew them both would not have recommended that
by which we came to this country. the travelling in the mountains
on the snow at present is very good, the snow bears the
horses perfictly; it is a firm coa[r]se snow without a crust, and
the horses' have good foothold without sliping much; the only
dificulty is finding the road, and I think the plan we have
devised will succeed even should we not be enabled to obtain
a guide. Although the snow may be stated on an average at
10 feet deep yet arround the bodies of the trees it has desolved
much more than in other parts not being generally more than
one or two feet deep immediately at the roots of the trees, and
of course the marks left by the rubing of the indian baggage
against them is not concealed. the reason why the snow is
comparitively so shallow about the roots of the trees I presume
proceeds as well from the snow in falling being thrown off
from their bodies by their thick and spreading branches as
from the reflection of the sun against the trees and the warmth
which they in some measure acquire from the earth which is
never frozen underneath these masses of snow. Bratton's
horse was also discovered to be absent this evening. I presume
he has also returned to the flatts.

[Clark:]

Friday June 20th. 1806

The hunters turned out early in different directions, our
guiggers also turned out with 2 guigs a Bayonet fixed on a
pole, a Scooping nett and a Snar made of horse [hair]. near
the ford of the Creek in a deep hole we killed six Salmon
trout & 2 others were killed in the Creek above in the evening.
Reubin Field killed a redish brown bear which was very
meagure. the tallons of this bear was remarkably short broad
at their base and Sharply pointed, this was the Species the
Chopunnish call Yah-kar. as it was in very low order the
flesh was indifferent. Labiesh & Crusat returned late in
the evening with one deer which the former had killed. the
hunters assured us that their greatest exertions would not
enable them to support us here more than one or two days
longer, from the great scercity of game and the dificuelt access
of the Country, the under brush being very thick and great
quantities of fallen timber. as we shall necessarily be compelled
to remain more than two days for the return of Drewyer
& Shannon we determine to return in the morning as far as
the quawmash flatts, and endeaver to lay in another stock of
meat for the Mountains, our former stock now being nearly
exhosted as well as what we have killed on our rout. by
returning to the quawmash flatts we shall sooner be informed
wheather or not we can procure a guide to conduct us through
the Mountains; Should we fail in precureing one, we are
deturmined to wrisk a passage on the following plan immediately,
because should we wait much longer, or untill the Snow
disolves in such manner as to enable us to follow the road we
cannot expect to reach the U, States this Winter; this is that
Capt. L. or myself shall take four of our most expert woodsmen
with 3 or four of our best horses and proceed two days
in advance takeing a plentifull supply of provisions. for this
party to follow the road by the mark the indi[a]ns have made

in many places with their baggage on the Sides of the trees by
rubbing against them, and to blaize the trees with a tomahawk
as they proceed. that after proceeding two days in advance
of Hungary Creek, two of those men would be sent back to
the party who by the time of their return to hungary Creek
would have reached that place. the men So returning would
be enabled to inform the main party of the probable suckcess
of the proceeding party in finding the road and of their probable
progress, in order that should it be necessary, the main
party by a delay of a day or two a[t] hungary Creek should
give the advance time to make the road through before the
main party could overtake them, and thus prevent delay on
that part of the rout where no food is to be obtained for our
horses. Should it so happen that the advance should not find
the road by the marks of the trees after attempting it for two
days, the whole of them would return to the main party. in
which Case we would bring back our baggage and attempt a
passage over the Mountains through the Country of the Shoshones
further to the South, by way of the main S Westerly
fork of Lewis's river and Madisons or Gallitins river's, where
from the information of the Chopunnish, there is a passage
where [which] at this season of the year is not obstructed by
snow, though the round is very distant and would require at
least a month in it's preformance. The Shoshones informed
us when we first met with them that there was a passage across
the Mountains in that quarter but represented the difficuelties
arriseing from Steep ruggid high Mountains, and also an extensive
and barren plain which was to be passed without game,
as infinitely more difficuelt than the rout by which we came.
from the circumstance of the Chopunnish being at War with
that part of the Shoshones who inhabit the country on this
side of the Mountains through which the road passes, I think
it is highly probable they cannot be well informed with respect
to the road, and further, had there been a better road in that
quarter the Shoshones on the East fork of Lewis's river who
knew them boath would not have recommend'd that by which
we came to this country. The travelling in the Mountains on
the Snow at present is very good, the Snow bears the horses
perfectly; it is a firm coa[r]se Snow without a crust, and the
horses have good foot hold without slipping much; the only
dificuelty is finding the road, and I think the plan we have
devised will suckceed even should we not be enabled to obtain
a guide, altho the Snow may be stated on an average at 10
feet deep, yet arround the body of the trees it has disolved
much more than in other parts, not being generally more than
one or two feet deep imediately at the roots of the trees, and
of course the marks made by the rubbing of the Indian baggage
against them is not concealed. The reason why the Snow is
comparitively so shallow about the roots of the trees, I prosume
proceeds as well from the Snow in falling being thrown off
from their bodies by the thick and spreading branches, as from
the reflection of the sun against the trees and the warmth
which they in some measure acquire from the earth which is
never frozen underneath those masses of snow. 4 of our
horses are absent.

[Lewis:]

Saturday June 21st. 1806

We collected our horses early set out on our return to the
flatts. we all felt some mortification in being thus compelled
to retrace our steps through this tedious and difficult part of
our rout, obstructed with brush and innumerable logs of fallen
timber which renders the traveling distressing and even dangerous
to our horses. one of Thompson's horses is either choked
this morning or has the distemper very badly I fear he is to be
of no further service to us. an excellent horse of Cruzatte's
snagged himself so badly in the groin in jumping over a parsel
of fallen timber that he will evidently be of no further service
to us. at the pass of Collin's Creek we met two Indians who
were on their way over the mountain; they had brought with
them the three horses and the mule that had left us and returned
to the quawmash grounds. these indians returned with
us about 1/2 a mile down the creek where we halted to dine
and graize our horses at the same place I had halted and remained
all night with the party on the [blank space in MS.]
of Septembr. last. as well as we could understand the indians

they informed us that they had seen Drewyer and Shannon
and that they would not return untill the expiration of two
days; the cause why Drewyer and Shannon had not returned
with these men we are at a loss to account for. we pressed
these indians to remain with us and to conduct us over the
mountain on the return of Drewyer and Shannon. they consented
to remain two nights for us and accordingly deposited
their store of roots and bread in the bushes at no great distance
and after dinner returned with us, as far as the little prarie
about 2 miles distant from the creek, here they halted with
their horses and informed us they would remain untill we overtook
them or at least two nights. they had four supenumery
horses with them. we sent on four hunters a head to the
quawmash flatts to take an evenings hunt; they so far succeeded
as to kill one deer. we left Reubin and J. Feilds at
the Creek where we dined together with Sergt. Gass in order to
hunt about that place untill our return. at seven in the evening
we found ourselves once more at our old encampment
where we shall anxiously await the return of Drewyer and
Shannon.

[Clark:]

Saturday June 21st. 1806

We collected our horses early and Set out on our return to
the flatts. we all felt some mortification in being thus compelled
to retrace our Steps through this tedious and difficuelt
part of our rout, obstructed with brush and innumerable logs
and fallen timber which renders the traveling distressing and
even dangerous to our horses. one of Thompsons horses is
either choked this morning or has the distemper badly. I fear
he is to be of no further survice to us. an excellent horse of
Cruzatt's snagged himself so badly in the groin in jumping
over a parcel of fallen timber that he will eventually be of no
further survice to us. at the pass of Collin's Creek we met
two indians who were on their way over the mountains, they
had brought with themm the three horses and the Mule which
had left us and returned to the quawmash ground. those
indians returned with us about 1/2 a mile down the Creek

where we halted to dine and graze our horses. as well as we
could understand the Indians they informed us they had Seen
Geo. Drewyer & Shannon, and that they would not return untill
the expiration of two days. the cause why Drewyer &
Shannon did not return with these men we are at a loss to
account for. we pressed those indians to remain with us, and
conduct us over the Mountains on the return of Drewyer &
Shannon. they consented to remain two nights for us and
accordingly deposited their Stores of roots & Bread in the
bushes at no great distance and after Dinner returned with us
as far as the little prarie about 2 Miles distance from the
Creek, here they halted with their horses and informed us
they would remain untill we overtook them or at least 2
nights. they had four Supernoumery horses with them. We
Sent on four hunters ahead to the quawmash flatts to make
an evening hunt; they so far suckceeded as to kill one deer.
We left R. and Jo. Fields at the Creek where we dined, and
Sergt. Gass in order to hunt about that place untill our return.
at 7 in the evening we found ourselves once more at our old
encampment where we Shall anxiously await the return of
Drewyer & Shannon.

[Lewis:]

Sunday June 22ed. 1806.

this morning by light all hands who could hunt were sent
out; the result of this days perfo[r]mance was greater than we
had even hoped for. we killed eight deer and three bear. we
dispatched Whitehouse to the Kooskooske near our old encampment
above Collins's Creek in order to procure some
Salmon which we have understood the natives are now taking
in considerable quantities near that place. we gave Whitehouse
a few beads which Capt. C. had unexpectedly found in one
of his waistcoat pockets to purchase the fish. nothing further
worthy of notice occured in the course of this day. the last evening
was cool but the day was remarkably pleasant with a fine
breize from the N. W. neither Drewyer Shannon nor Whitehouse
returned this evening. Potts's legg is inflamed and very
painfull to him. we apply a poltice of the roots of Cows.

[Clark:]

Sunday June 22nd. 1806

This morning by light all hands who could hunt were Sent
out, the result of the days performance was greater than we
had even hopes for. we killed eight Deer and three Bear.
we despatched whitehouse to the Kooskoo[s]ke near out old
encampment above Collins Creek in order to precure some
salmon which we understood the nativs are now takeing in
considerable quantities near that place. we gave Whitehouse
a fiew beeds which I unexpectedly found in one of my waistcoat
pockets to purchase the fish. nothing further occured
in the course of this day. the last evening was cool but the
day was remarkably pleasant with a fine breeze from the N.W.
neither Shannon Drewyer nor Whitehouse returned this evening.
Potts legg is inflamed and very painfull to him. we
apply a poltice of the root of Cowes.

[Lewis:]

Monday June 23rd. 1806.

Apprehensive from Drewyer's delay that he had met with
some difficulty in procuring a guide, and also that the two
indians who had promised to wait two nights for us would set
out today, we thought it most advisable to dispatch Frazier
and Wiser to them this morning with a vew if possible to detain
them a day or two longer; and directed that in the event
of their not being able to detain the indians, that Sergt. Gass,
R & J. Feilds and Wiser should accompany the indians by
whatever rout they might take to travellers rest and blaize the
trees well as they proceeded and wait at that place untill our
arrival with the party. the hunters as usual wer dispatched
early this morning. the does now having their fawns the
hunters can bleat them up and in that manner kill them with
more facility and ease. the indians pursue the game so much
on horseback in this neighbourhood that it is very shye. our
hunters killed 4 deer and a bear today. at 3 P. M. Drewyer
Shannon and Whitehouse returned. Drewyer brought with
him three indians who had consented to accompany us to the
falls of the Missouri for the compensation of two guns. one
of those men is the brother of the cutnose and the other two

are the same who presented Capt. Clark and myself each with
a horse on a former occasion at the Lodge of the broken arm.
these are all young men of good character and much respected
by their nation. we directed the horses to be brought near
camp this evening and secured in such manner that they may
be readily obtained in the morning being determined to make
an early start if possible. Colter one of our hunters did not
return this evening.

[Clark:]

Monday June 23rd. 1806

Apprehensive from Drewyer & Shannons delay that they
had met with some difficuelty in precureing a guide, and also
that the two indians who had promised to wait two nights for
us would set out today, we thought it most adviseable to dispatch
Wizer & Frazier to them this morning with a view if
possible to detain them a day or two longer; and directed that
in the event of their not being able to detain the indians, that
Sergt. Gass, Jo. & R. Fields & Wiser should accompany the
indians by whatever rout they might take to travellers rest
and blaize the trees well as they proceeded, and wait at that
place untill our arival with the party. the hunters as usial
were dispatched early this morning. The does now haveing
their young the hunters can blait them up, and in that manner
kill them with more facillity and ease. the indians pursue the
game so much on horse back in this neighbourhood that it is
very shye. our hunters killed [blank space in MS.][22] deer
today. at 4 P. M. Shannon Drewyer & Whitehouse returned.
Shannon & Drewyer brought with them three indians who had
consented to accompany us to the falls of the Missouri for
the Compensation of 2 guns. one of those men is the brother
of the cutnose and the other two are the Same who presented
Capt. L. and myself with a horse on a former occasion at the
Lodge of the broken arm, and the two who promised to pursue
us in nine nights after we left the river, or on the 19th. inst.
Those are all young men of good Charrector and much respected
by their nation. those men infor[med] us that th[e]ir

nation as well as the Wallar-wallars have made peace with the
Shoshones agreeable to our late advice to them. they also
inform us that they have heard by means of the Skeetsomis[h]
Nation & Clarks river that the Big bellies of Fort de Prarie
killed great numbers of the Shoshons and Ottelashoots which
we met with last fall on the East fork of Lewis's river and
high up the West fork of Clarks river &c.

We directed the horses to be brought near camp and secured
in such a manner that they may be readily obtained in
the morning being deturmined to make an early start if possible.
Colter one of our hunters did not return this evening.

[Lewis:]

Tuesday June 24th. 1806.

We collected our horses early this morning and set out accompanyed
by our three guides. Colter joined us this morning
having killed a bear, which from his discription of it's poverty
and distance we did not think proper to send after. we
nooned it as usual at Collins's Creek where we found Frazier,
solus; the other four men having gone in pursuit of the two
indian men who had set [out] from Collins's Creek two hours
before Frazier and Wizer arrived. after dinner we continued
our rout to Fish Creek a branch of Collins's Creek where we
had lain on the 19th. & 20th. inst. here we found Sergt. Gass
Wiser and the two Indians whom they had prevailed on to
remain at that place untill our arrival; R. & J. Feilds had
only killed one small deer only while they lay at Collins's
Creek and of this they had been liberal to the Indians insomuch
that they had no provision; they had gone on to the
branch of hungary Creek at which we shall noon it tomorrow
in order to hunt. we had fine grass for our horses this
evening.

[Clark:]

Tuesday June 24th. 1806

We collected our horses early this morning and set out accompanied
by our 3 guides. Colter joined us this morning
haveing killed a Bear, which from his discription of it's poverty

and distance we did not think proper to send after. We
nooned it as usial at Collins's Creek where we found Frazier,
solus; the other four men haveing gorn in pursute of the two
indians who had set out from Collin's Creek two hours before
Fraziers arrival Wiser arrived there. after dinner we continued
our rout to fish Creek a branch of Collin's creek where
we had lain the 15th 18th. 19th. & 20th. insts. here we found Sargt.
Gass, Wiser and the two indian men whome they had prevail'd
on to remain at that place untill our arival; Jos. & R.
Fields had killed one Small deer only while they lay at Collins
creek, and of this they had been liberal to the indians insomuch
that they had no provisions; they had gorn on to the
branch of hungary creek at which we shall noon it tomorrow
in order to hunt. we had fine grass for our horses this
evening.

[Lewis:]

Wednesday June 25th. 1806.

last evening the indians entertained us with seting the fir
trees on fire. they have a great number of dry lims near their
bodies which when set on fire creates a very suddon and immence
blaze from bottom to top of those tall trees. they are
a beatifull object in this situation at night. this exhibition
reminded me of a display of fireworks. the natives told us
that their object in seting those trees on fire was to bring fair
weather for our journey. We collected our horses readily and
set out at an early hour this morning. one of our guides
complained of being unwell, a symptom which I did not much
like as such complaints with an Indian is generally the prelude
to his abandoning any enterprize with which he is not well
pleased. we left them at our encampment and they promised
to pursue us in a few hours. at 11. A. M. we arrived at the
branch of hungary creek where we found R. & J. Feilds. they
had not killed anything. here we halted and dined and our
guides overtook us. at this place I met with a plant the root
of which the shoshones eat. it is a small knob root a good
deel in flavor an consistency like the Jerusalem Artichoke.
it has two small oval smooth leaves placed opposite on either

side of the peduncle just above the root. the scape is only
about 4 inches long is round and smooth. the roots of this
plant formed one of those collections of roots which Drewyer
took from the Shoshones last summer on the head of Jeffersons's
river.[23] after dinner we continued our rout to hungary
Creek and encamped about one and a half miles below our
encampment of the 16th. inst. the indians continued with us
and I beleive are disposed to be faithfull to their engagement.
I gave the si[c]k indian a buffaloe robe he having no other
covering except his mockersons and a dressed Elkskin without
the hair. Drewyer and Sheilds were sent on this morning
to hungry Creek in surch of their horses which they fortunately
recovered.

[Clark:]

Wednesday June 25th. 1806

last evening the indians entertained us with setting the fir
trees on fire. they have a great number of dry limbs near
their bodies which when Set on fire create a very sudden and
emmence blaize from bottom to top of those tall trees. they
are a boutifull object in this situation at night. this exhibition
remi[n]de[d] me of a display of firewo[r]ks. the nativs told
us that their object in Setting those trees on fire was to bring
fair weather for our journey. We collected our horses and
set out at an early hour this morning. one of our guides
complained of being unwell, a Symptom which I did not much
like as such complaints with an indian is generally the prelude
to his abandoning any enterprize with which he is not well
pleased. we left 4 of those indians at our encampment they
promised to pursue us in a fiew hours. at 11 A.M. we arrived
at the branch of hungary Creek where we found Jo. &
R. Fields. they had not killed anything. here we halted
and dined and our guides overtook us. at this place the
squaw collected a parcel of roots of which the Shoshones Eat.
it is a small knob root a good deel in flavour and consistency
like the Jerusolem artichoke. it has two small smooth oval

leaves placed opposit on either Side of the peduncle just above
the root. the scope [scape] is only about 4 inches long is
round and Smooth. the roots of this plant forms one of the
collection of roots which D—. took from the Shoshones last
fall on the head of Jefferson river. after dinner we continued
our rout to hungary creek and encamped about one and a half
miles below our Encampment of the 61th. inst: The indians
all continue with us and I beleive are disposed to be faithfull
to their engagements. Capt. L. gave the sick indian a small
buffalow robe which he brought from the Missouri, this indian
having no other Covering except his mockersons and a dressed
Elk skin without the hair. Drewyer & Shields were sent on
this morning to hungary Creek in serch of their horses which
they fortunately recovered. came [blank space in MS.] miles
to daye.

[Lewis:]

Thursday June 26th. 1806.

This morning we collected our horses and set out after an
early breakfast or at 6 A. M. we passed by the same rout
we had travelled on the 17th. inst. to our deposit on the top of
the snowey mountain to the N. E. of hungary Creek. here
we necessarily halted about 2 hours to arrange our baggage
and prepare our loads. we cooked and made a haisty meal
of boiled venison and mush of cows. the snow has subsided
near four feet since the 17th. inst. we now measured it accurately
and found from a mark which we had made on a tree
when we were last here on the 17th. that it was then 10 feet 10
inches which appeared to be about the common debth though
it is deeper still in some places. it is now generally about 7
feet. on our way up this mountain about the border of the
snowey region we killed 2 of the small black pheasant and
a female of the large dommanicker or speckled pheasant,
the former have 16 f[e]athers in their tail and the latter 20
while the common pheasant have only 18. the indians informed
us that neither of these speceis drumed; they appear
to be very silent birds for I never heared either of them make
a noise in any situation. the indians haistened to be off, and

informed us that it was a considerable distance to the place
which they wished to reach this evening where there was grass
for our horses. accordingly we set out with our guides who
lead us over and along the steep sides of tremendious mountains
entirely covered with snow except about the roots of the
trees where the snow had sometimes melted and exposed a few
square feet of the earth. we ascended and decended several
lofty and steep hights but keeping on the dividing ridge between
the Chopunnish and Kooskooske rivers we passed no
stream of water.[24] late in the evening much to the satisfaction
of ourselves and the comfort of our horses we arrived at the
desired spot and encamped on the steep side of a mountain
convenient to a good spring (having passed a few miles our
camp of 18 Sepr 1805). there we found an abundance of
fine grass for our horses. this situation was the side of an
untimbered mountain with a fair southern aspect where the
snows from appearance had been desolved about 10 days.
the grass was young and tender of course and had much the
appearance of the greensward.[25] there is a great abundance
of a speceis of bear-grass which grows on every part of these
mountains it's growth is luxouriant and continues green all
winter but the horses will not eat it. soon after we had encamped
we were overtaken by a Chopunnish man who had
pursued us with a view to accompany me to the falls of the
Missouri. we were now informed that the two young men
whom we met on the 21st. and detained several days are going
on a party of pleasure mearly to the Oote-lash-shoots or as
they call them Sha-lees a band of the Tush-she-pâh nation who
reside on Clark's river in the neighbourhood of traveller's rest.
one of our guides lost 2 of his horses, which he returned in
surch of; he found them and rejoined us a little before dark.

[Clark:]

Thursday June 26th. 1806

We collected our horses and set out early and proceeded on
Down hungary Creek a fiew miles and assended to the summit
of the mountain where we deposited our baggage on the 17th.
inst. found everything safe and as we had left them. the
Snow which was 10 feet 10 inches deep on the top of the
mountain, had sunk to 7 feet tho' perfectly hard and firm.
we made some fire cooked dinner and dined, while our horses
stood on snow 7 feet deep at least. after dinner we packed
up and proceeded on. about the borders of the Snowey
region we killed 2 small black pheasents and a female of the
large dommanicker or Speckled pheasent, the former have
16 feathers in the tail and the latter 20 while the common
Pheasent have 18. the indians informed us that neither of
these Spec[i]es drumed; they appear to be very silent birds
for I never heard any of them make any noise. the Indians
hastened us off and informed us that it was a considerable distance
to the place they wished to reach this evening where
there was grass for our horses. accordingly we Set out with
our guides who led us over and along the Steep Sides of tremendious
Mountains entirely covered with Snow except about
the roots of the trees where the Snow was partially melted and
exposed a small spot of earth. we assended and decended several
steep lofty hights but keeping on the dividing ridge of the
Chopunnish & Kooskooske river we passed no Stream of water.
late in the evening much to the Satisfaction of ourselves and
the Comfort of the horses we arived at the desired Spot and
Encamped on the steep side of a Mountain convenient to a
good Spring. here we found an abundance of fine grass for
our horses. this Situation was the Side of an untimbered
mountain with a fair Southern aspect where the snow from
appearance had been disolved about 10 days, the grass was
young and tender of course and had much the appearance
of the Green Swoard. there is a great abundance of [a]
Species of beargrass which grows on every part of those
Mountains, its growth is luxuriant and continues green all
winter but the horses will not eate it. Soon after we had
encamped we were overtaken by a Chopunnish man who had

pursued us with a view to accompany Capt Lewis to the falls
of Missouri. we were now informed that the two young men
we met on the 21st. and detained several days were going on a
party of pleasure mearly to the Oat-lash-shoots or as they call
them Sha-lees a band of the Tush-she-pâh Nation who reside on
Clarks river in the neighbourhood of the Mouth of Travelers
rest. one of our Guides lost 2 of his horses, he returned in
serch of them he found them & rejoined us at Dark. all of
the Indians with us have two & 3 horses each. I was taken
yesterday with a violent pain in my head which has tormented
me ever since most violently.

[Lewis:]

Friday June 27th. 1806.

We collected our horses early and set out. the road still
continued on the heights of the same dividing ridge on which
we had traveled yesterday for nine miles or to our encampment
of the (17th.) of September last. about one mile short of
this encampment on an elivated point we halted by the request
of the Indians a few minutes and smoked the pipe. On this
eminence the natives have raised a conic mound of stones of
6 or eight feet high and on it's summit erected a pine pole of
15 feet long.[26] from hence they informed us that when passing
over with their famil[i]es some of the men were usually sent on
foot by the fishery at the entrance of Colt Creek in order to
take fish and again me[e]t the main party at the Quawmash
glade on the head of the Kooskooske river. from this place
we had an extensive view of these stupendous mountains principally
covered with snow like that on which we stood; we
were entirely surrounded by those mountains from which to
one unacquainted with them it would have seemed impossible
ever to have escaped; in short without the assistance of our
guides I doubt much whether we who had once passed them
could find our way to Travellers rest in their present situation
for the marked trees on which we had placed considerable reliance
are much fewer and more difficult to find than we had

apprehended. these fellows are most admireable pilots; we find
the road wherever the snow has disappeared though it be only
for a few hundred paces. after smoking the pipe and contemplating
this seene sufficient to have damp[ened] the sperits of
any except such hardy travellers as we have become, we continued
our march and at the distance of 3 ms. decended a steep
mountain[27] and passed two small branches of the Chopunnish
river just above their forks and again ascended the ridge on
which we passed several miles and at a distance of 7ms
arrived at our encampment [of the] (16th.) of September
near which we passed 3 small branches of the Chopunnish
river and again ascended to the dividing ridge on which we
continued nine miles when the ridge became lower and we
arrived at a situation very similar to our encampment of the
last evening tho' the ridge was somewhat higher and the snow
had not been so long desolved of course there was but little
grass. here we encamped for the night having traveled 28
miles over these mountains without releiving the horses from
their packs or their having any food. the indians inform us
that there is (in the mountains a little to our left) an abundance
of the mountain sheep or what they call white buffaloe. we saw
three black-tailed or mule deer this evening but were unable
to get a shoot at them. we also saw several tracks of those
animals in the snow. the indians inform that there is great
abundance of Elk in the vally about the Fishery on the Kooskooske
River. our meat being exhausted we issued a pint of
bears oil to a mess which with their boiled roots made an
agreeable dish. Potts's legg which has been much swolen and
inflamed for several days is much better this evening and gives
him but little pain. we applyed the pounded roots and leaves
of the wild ginger[28] from which he found great relief. neare
our encampment we saw a great number of the yellow lilly
with reflected petals in blume; this plant was just as forward
here at this time as it was in the plains on the 10th. of may.[29]

[Clark:]

Friday June 27th. 1806

We collected our horses early and set out. the road Still
continue[d] on the hights of the Dividing ridge on which we
had traveled yesterday for 9 Ms. or to our encampment of the
16th. Septr. last. about 1 M. short of the encampment we halted
by the request of the Guides a fiew minits on an ellevated point
and smoked a pipe on this eminance the nativs have raised a
conic mound of Stons of 6 or 8 feet high and erected a pine
pole of 15 feet long. from hence they informed us that when
passing over with their families some of the men were usually
sent on foot by the fishery at the enterance of Colt Creek in
order to take fish and again meet the party at the quawmash
glade on the head of Kóoskoské river. from this place we had
an extencive view of these Stupendeous Mountains principally
covered with snow like that on which we stood; we were entirely
serounded by those mountains from which to one unacquainted
with them it would have Seemed impossible ever to
have escaped, in short without the assistance of our guides, I
doubt much whether we who had once passed them could find
our way to Travellers rest in their present situation for the
marked trees on which we had placed considerable reliance
are much fewer and more difficuelt to find than we had apprehended.
those indians are most admireable pilots; we find
the road wherever the snow has disappeared tho' it be only for
a fiew paces. after haveing smoked the pipe and contemplating
this Scene Sufficient to have dampened the Sperits of any except
such hardy travellers as we have become, we continued our
march and at the dist[ance] of 3 M. decended a steep Mountain
and passed two small branches of the Chopunnish river
just above their fo[r]k, and again assend the ridge on which we
passed. at the distance of 7 M. arived at our Encampment
of 16th. Septr. last passed 3 small branches passed on a dividing
ridge rugid and we arived at a Situation very similar to our
situation of last night tho' [as] the ridge was somewhat higher
and the snow had not been so long disolved of course there
was but little grass. here we Encamped for the night haveing
traveled 28 Ms. over these mountains without releiving the
horses from their packs or their haveing any food. the Indians

inform us that there is an abundance of the Mountain Sheep,
or what they call white Buffalow on those Mountains. we
Saw 3 black tail or mule deer this evening but were unable
to get a Shoot at them. we also Saw Several tracks of those
animals in the snow. our Meat being exhosted we issued a
point of Bears Oil to a mess which with their boiled roots
made an agreeable dish. Jo. Potts leg which had been much
Swelled and inflaimed for several days is much better this evening
and givs him but little pain. we applied the pounded
root & leaves of wild ginger from which he found great relief.
Near our encampment we saw great numbers of the Yellow
lilly with reflected petals in blume; this plant was just as forward
here at this time as it was in the plains on the 10th. of
May. My head has not pained me so much to day as yesterday
and last night.

[Lewis:]

Saturday June 28th. 1806.

This morning we collected our horses and set out as usual
after an early breakfast. several of our horses had straggled
to a considerable distance in surch of food but we were fortunate
enough to find them in good time they look extreemly
gant this morning, however the indians informed us that at
noon we would arrive at a place where there was good food for
them. we continued our rout along the dividing ridge passing
one very deep hollow and at the distance of six miles passed
our encampment of the [15th] of September last, one and a
half miles further we passed the road which leads by the fishery
falling in on the wright immediately on the dividing ridge.[30]
about eleven O'clock we arrived at an untimbered side of a
mountain with a Southern aspect just above the fishery here
we found an abundance of grass for our horses as the Indians
had informed us.[31] as our horses were very hungary and much
fatiegued and from information no other place where we could
obtain grass for them within the reach of this evening's travel

we determined to remain at this place all night having come 13
miles only. the water was distant from our encampment we
therefore melted snow and used the water principally. the
whole of the rout of this day was over deep snows. we find
the traveling on the snow not worse than without it, as the
easy passage it gives us over rocks and fallen timber fully compensate
for the inconvenience of sliping, certain it is that we
travel considerably faster on the snow than without it. the
snow sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a hors, is coarse and firm
and seems to be formed of the larger and more dense particles
of the snow; the surface of the snow is reather harder in the
morning than after the sun shines on it a few hours, but it
is not in that situation so dense as to prevent the horse from
obtaining good foothold. we killed a small black pheasant;
this bird is generally found in the snowey region of the mountains
and feeds on the leaves of the pine and fir. there is a
speceis of small whortleburry common to the hights of the
mountains, and a speceis of grass with a broad succulent leaf
which looks not unlike a flag; of the latter the horses are very
fond, but as yet it is generally under the snow or mearly making
it's appearance as it [is] confined to the upper parts of the
highest mountains.[32]

[Clark:]

Saturday June 28th. 1806

This morning we colected our horses and Set out as usial
after an early brackfast. we continued our rout along the dividing
ridge over knobs & through deep hollows passed our
encampmt of the 14 Sept. last near the forks of the road leaving
the one on which we had come one leading to the fishery to
our right imediately on the dividing ridge. at 12 oClock we
arived at an untimberd. side of a mountain with a southern
aspect just above the fishery here we found an abundance of
grass for our horses as the guid[e]s had informed us. as our
horses were hungary and much fatiegued and from information
no other place where we could obtain grass for them within the

reach of this evening's travel we deturmined to remain at this
place all night haveing come 13 M. only. the water was distant
from our Encampment we therefore melted snow and used
the water. the whole of the rout of this day was over deep
Snow. we find the travelling on the Snow not worse than
without it, as [the] easy passage it givs us over rocks and fallen
timber fully compensates for the inconvenience of sliping, certain
it is that we travel considerably faster on the snow than without
it. the snow sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a horse, is course
and firm and seems to be formed of the larger particles of the
Snow; the Surface of the Snow is reather harder in the morning
than after the sun shines on it a fiew hours, but it is not in
that situation so dense as to prevent the horses from obtaining
good foothold. I killed a small black pheasant; this bird is
generally found in the Snowey region of the mountains and
feeds on the leaves of the pine & fir. there is a Species of
small huckleberry common to the hights of the mountains.
and a Species of grass with a broad succulent leaf which looks
not unlike a flag; of the latter the horses are very fond, but as
yet it is generally under the Snow, or mearly makeing it's
appearance as it [is] confined to the upper part of the highest
mountains.

[Lewis:]

Sunday June 29th. 1806.

We collected our horses early this morning and set out,
having previously dispatched Drewyer and R. Fields to the
warm springs to hunt. we pursued the hights of the ridge on
which we have been passing for several days; it terminated at
the distance of 5 ms from our encampment and we decended
to, and passed the main branch of the Kooskooske 1-½ ms
above the entrance of Quawmash [i. e., Glade] creek which
falls in on the N. E. side. when we decended from this ridge
we bid adieu to the snow. near the river we f [o]und a deer
which the hunters had killed and left us. this was a fortunate
supply as all our oil was now exhausted and we were reduced
to our roots alone without salt. the Kooskooske at this place
is about 30 yds. wide and runs with great velocity. the bed as
[of] all the mountain streams is composed of smooth stones.

beyond the river we ascended a very steep acclivity of a mountain
about 2 Miles and arrived at it's summit where we found
the old road which we had pased as we went out, coming in
on our wright. the road was now much plainer and more
beaten, which we were informed happened from the circumstance
of the Ootslashshoots visiting the fishery frequently from
the vally of Clark's river; tho' there was no appearance of
there having been here this spring. at noon we arrived at the
quawmas flatts on the Creek of the same name and halted to
graize our horses and dine having traveled 12 miles. we
passed our encampment of the (13th.) September at 10 ms.
where we halted there is a pretty little plain of about 50 acres
plentifully stocked with quawmash and from apperances this
fromes [forms] one of the principal stages or encampments of
the indians who pass the mountains on this road. we found
after we had halted that one of our pack-horses with his load
and one of my riding horses were left behind. we dispatched
J. Feilds and Colter in surch of the lost horses. after dinner
we continued our march seven miles further to the warm
springs where we arrived early in the evening and sent out
several hunters, who as well as R. Fields and Drewyer returned
unsuccessful; late in the evening Colter and J. Fields joined
us with the lost horses and brought with them a deer which
they had killed, this furnished us with supper. these warm
springs are situated at the base of a hill of no considerable hight
on the N. side and near the bank of travellers rest creek which
at that place is about 10 yards wide. these springs issue from
the bottoms and through the interstices of a grey freestone
rock, the rock rises in iregular mas[s]y clifts in a circular range
arround the springs on their lower side. immediately above
the springs on the creek there is a handsome little quamas plain
of about 10 acres. the prinsipal spring is about the temperature
of the warmest baths used at the hot springs in Virginia.[33] In
this bath which had been prepared by the Indians by stoping
the run with stone and gravel, I bathed and remained in 19
minutes, it was with dificulty I could remain thus long and it
caused a profuse sweat two other bold springs adjacent to this
are much warmer, their heat being so great as to make the
hand of a person smart extreemly when immerced. I think
the temperature of these springs about the same as the hotest
of the hot springs in Virginia. both the men and indians
amused themselves with the use of a bath this evening. I
observed that the indians after remaining in the hot bath as
long as they could bear it ran and plunged themselves into the
creek the water of which is now as cold as ice can make it;
after remaining here a few minutes they returned again to the
warm bath, repeating this transision several times but always
ending with the warm bath. I killed a small black pheasant
near the quamash grounds this evening which is the first I
have seen below the snowy region. I also saw some young
pheasants which were about the size of Chickens of 3 days old.
saw the track of two bearfoot indians who were supposed to be
distressed rufugees who had fled from the Minnetares.

[Clark:]

Sunday June 29th. 1806

We colected our horses and Set out haveing previously dispatched
Drewyer & R. Fields to the warm Springs to hunt.
we prosued the hights of the ridge on which we have been
passing for several days; it termonated at the distance of 5 Ms.
from our encampment, and we decended to & passed the Main
branch of Kooskooke 1½ Ms. above the enterance of Glade
Creek which falls in on the N. E. side. we bid adew to the
Snow. near the River we found a Deer which the hunters had
killed and left us. this was a fortunate supply as all our bears
oil was now exhosted and we were reduced to our roots alone
without salt. the river is 30 Yds wide and runs with great
velossity. the bead as all the Mountain streams is composed
of smooth stone. beyond this river we assended a steep
Mountain about 2 Miles to it's sumit where we found the old
road which we had passed on as we went out, comeing in on
our right, the road was now much plainer and much beaten.
at noon we arived at the quawmash flatts on Vally Creek and
halted to graize our horses and dined haveing traveled 12 Miles
here is a pretty little plain of about 50 acres plentifully stocked

with quawmash and from appearance this forms one of the
principal Stages of the indians who pass the mountains on this
road. we found that one of our pack hors[e]s with his load
and one of Capt. L.s. horses were missing we dispatched Jo.
Field & Colter in serch of the lost horse's. after dinner we
continued our march 7 Ms further to the worm Springs where
we arrived early in the evening, and sent out several hunters,
who as well as R. Field & Drewyer returned unsuksessfull;
late in the evening Jo. Field & Colter joined us with the lost
horses and brought with them a Deer which J. F. had killed,
this furnished us with a Supper.

Those Worm or Hot Springs are Situated at the base of a
hill of no considerable hight, on the N. Side and near the bank
of travellers rest Creek which is at that place about 10 yds wide.
these Springs issue from the bottom and through the interstices
of a grey freestone rock, the rock rises in irregular masy clifts
in a circular range, arround the Springs on their lower Side.
imediately above the Springs on the creek there is a handsom
little quawmash plain of about 10 acres. the principal spring
is about the temperature of the Warmest baths used at the Hot
Springs in Virginia. in this bath which had been prepared by
the Indians by stopping the river with Stone and mud, I bathed
and remained in 10 minits it was with dificuelty I could remain
this long and it causd. a profuse swe[a]t. two other bold Springs
adjacent to this are much warmer, their heat being so great as
to make the hand of a person Smart extreemly when immerced.
we think the temperature of those Springs about the Same as
that of the hotest of the hot Springs of Virginia. both the
Men and the indians amused themselves with the use of the
bath this evening. I observe after the indians remaining in
the hot bath as long as they could bear it run and plunge
themselves into the creek the water of which is now as cold as
ice can make it; after remaining here a fiew minits they return
again to the worm bath repeeting this transision several times
but always ending with the worm bath. saw the tracks of 2
bear footed indians.

[Lewis:]

Monday June 30th. 1806

We dispatched Drewyer and J. Fields early this morning to
hunt on the road and indeavour to obtain some meat for us.
just as we had prepared to set out at an early hour a deer came
in to lick at these springs and one of our hunters killed it; this
secured us our dinners, and we proceeded down the creek
sometimes in the bottoms and at other times on the top or
along the steep sides of the ridge to the N. of the Creek. at
one mile from the springs we passed a stout branch of the creek
on the north side and at noon having travelled 13 ms. we
arrived at the entrance of a second Northe[r]n branch of the
creek where we had nooned it on the 12th. of Septr. last. here
we halted, dined and graized our horses. while here Sheilds
took a small tern and killed a deer. at this place a road turns
off to the wright which the indians informed us leads to Clarks
river some distance below where there is a fine extensive vally
in which the Shalees or Ootslashshoots sometimes reside. in
decending the creek this morning on the steep side of a high
hill my horse sliped with both his hinder feet out of the road
and fell, I also fell off backwards and slid near 40 feet down
the hill before I could stop myself such was the steepness of
the declivity; the horse was near falling on me in the first
instance but fortunately recovers and we both escaped unhirt.
I saw a small grey squirrel today much like those of the Pacific
coast only that the belly of this was white. I also met with
the plant in blume which is sometimes called the lady's slipper
or mockerson flower. it is in shape and appearance like ours
only that the corolla is white, marked with small veigns of pale
red longitudinally on the inner side.[34] after dinner we resumed
our march. soon after seting out Sheilds killed another deer
and in the course of the evening we picked up three others
which Drewyer had killed along the road making a total of 6
today. Deer are very abundant in the neighbourhood of
travellers rest of both speceis, also some bighorns and Elk. a
little before sunset we arrived at our old encampment on the
south side of the creek a little above it's entrance into Clark's
river. here we encamped with a view to remain two days in

order to rest ourselves and horses & make our final arrangements
for seperation. we came 19 ms. after dinner the road
being much better than it has been since we entered the mountains
we found no appearance of the Ootslashshoots having
been here lately. the indians express much concern for them
and apprehend that the Minnetares of fort de Prarie have
distroyed them in the course of the last winter and spring, and
mention the tracks of the bearfoot Indians which we saw yesterday
as an evidence of their being much distressed. our
horses have stood the journey supprisingly well, most of them
are yet in fine order, and only want a few days rest to restore
them perfectly.

[Clark:]

Monday June 30th. 1806

We dispatched Drewyer & Jo. Field early this morning a
head to hunt. just as we had prepard. to set out at an early
hour, a deer came in to lick at the Springs and one of our
hunters killed it; this secured to us our dinner. and we proceeded
down the Creek, sometimes in the bottoms and at other
times on the tops or along the Steep sides of the ridge to the
N. of the Creek. at 1½ M. we passd our encampment of the
12th. of Septr. last. we noon'd it at the place we had on the 12
of Septr. last whiles here Shields killed a deer on the N. fork
near the road. here a rode leads up the N. fork and passed
over to an extensive vally on Clarks river at some distance
down that river as our guids inform us. after dinner we resumed
our march. soon after setting out Shields killed another
deer, and we picked up 3 others which G Drewyer had killed
along the road. Deer are very abundant in the neighbourhood
of travellers rest of boath Species, also some big horn and Elk.
a little before Sunset we arrived at our old encampment on the
S. side of the Creek a litle above its enterance into Clarks
river. here we Encamped with a view to remain 2 days in
order to rest ourselves and horses and make our final arrangements
for Seperation. we found no signs of the Oatlashshots
haveing been here lately. the Indians express much concern

for them and apprehend that the Minetarries of Fort d[e]Prarie
have destroyed them in the course of the last Winter and
Spring, and mention the tracts of the bearfooted indians which
we saw yesterday as an evidence of their being much distressed.
our horses have stood the journey suprisinly well and only
want a flew days rest to restore them.[35]

[Lewis:]

Tuesday July 1st. 1806.

This morning early we sent out all our hunters. set Sheilds
at work to repair some of our guns which were out of order
[Capt. Clark & myself consurted the following Plan viz.] from
this place I determined to go with a small party by the most
direct rout to the falls of the Missouri, there to leave Thompson
McNeal and goodrich to prepare carriages and geer for the
purpose of transporting the canoes and baggage over the portage,
and myself and six volunteers to ascend Maria's river with
a view to explore the country and ascertain whether any branch
of that river lies as far north as Latd. 50. and again return and

join the party who are to decend the Missouri, at the entrance
of Maria's river. I now called for the volunteers to accompany
me on this rout, many turned out, from whom I scelected
Drewyer the two Feildes, Werner, Frazier and Sergt. Gass
[accompanied me] the other part of the men are to proceed
with Capt. Clark to the head of Jefferson's river where we
deposited sundry articles and left our canoes. from hence
Sergt. Ordway with a party of 9 men are to decend the river
with the canoes; Capt. C. with the remaining ten including
Charbono and York will proceed to the Yellowstone river at
it's nearest approach to the three forks of the missouri, here
he will build a canoe and decend the Yellowstone river with
Charbono the indian woman, his servant York and five others
to the missouri where should he arrive first he will wait my
arrival. Sergt. Pryor with two other men are to proceed with
the horses by land to the Mandans and thence to the British
posts on the Assinniboin with a letter to Mr. Heney (Haney)
whom we wish to engage to prevail on the Sioux Ch[i]efs to
join us on the Missouri, and accompany them with us to the
seat of the general government. these arrangements being
made the party were informed of our design and prepared
themselves accordingly. our hunters killed 13 deer in the
course of this day of which 7 were fine bucks, deer are large
and in fine order. the indians inform us that there are a great
number of white buffaloe or mountain sheep of [on] the snowey
hights of the mountains West of this river (Clarks); they state
that they inhabit the most rocky and inaccessible parts, and
ran but badly, that they kill them with great ease with their
arrows when they can find them. the indian warrior who overtook
us on the 26th. Ult. made me a present of an excellent horse
which he said he gave for the good council we had given himself
and nation and also to assure us of his attatchment to the
white men and his desire to be at peace with the Minnetares
of Fort de Prarie. we had our venison fleeced and exposed in
the sun on pole[s] to dry. the dove the black woodpecker,
the lark woodpecker, the logcock, the prarie lark, sandhill
crain, prarie hen with the short and pointed tail, the robin, a
speceis of brown plover, a few curloos, small black birds, ravens
hawks and a variety of sparrows as well as the bee martin and
the several speceis of Corvus genus are found in this vally.[36]
Windsor birst his gun near the muzzle a few days since; this
Sheilds cut off and I then exchanged it with the Cheif for the
one we had given him for conducting us over the mountains.
he was much pleased with the exchange and shot his gun several
times; he shoots very well for an inexperienced person.[37]

The little animal found in the plains of the Missouri which
I have called the barking squirrel[38] weighs from 3 to 3-½
pounds. it's form is that of the squirrel. it's colour is an
uniform light brick red grey, the red reather predominating.
the under side of the neck and bel[l]y are lighter coloured
than the other parts of the body. the legs are short, and it is
wide across the breast and sholders in propotion to it's size,
appears strongly formed in that part; the head is also bony
muscular and stout, reather more blontly terminated wider and
flatter than the common squirrel. the upper lip is split or
divided to the nose. the ears are short and lie close to the
head, having the appearance of being cut off, in this particular
they resemble the guinea pig. the teeth are like those of the
squirrel rat &c. they have a false jaw or pocket between the
skin and the mustle of the jaw like that of the common ground
squ[i]rrel but not so large in proportion to their size. they
have large and full whiskers on each side of the nose, a few
long hairs of the same kind on each jaw and over the eyes.
the eye is small and black. they have five toes on each foot
of which the two outer toes on each foot are much sho[r]ter
than those in the center particularly the two inner toes of the
forefeet, the toes of the fore feet are remarkably long and sharp
and seem well adapted to [s]cratching or burrowing those of

the hind feet are neither as long or sharp as the former; the
nails are black. the hair of this animal is about as long and
equally as course as that of the common grey squ[i]rrel of our
country, and the hair of the tail is not longer than that of the
body except immediately at the extremity where it is somewhat
longer and frequently of a dark brown colour. the part
of generation in the female is placed on the lower region of the
belly between the hinder legs so far forward that she must lie
on her back to copolate. the whole length of this animal is
one foot five inches from the extremity of the nose to that of
the tail of which the tail occupyes 4 inches. it is nearly double
the size of the whistleing squirrel of the Columbia. it is much
more quick active and fleet than it's form would indicate.
these squirrels burrow in the ground in the open plains usually
at a considerable distance from the water yet are never seen at
any distance from their burrows. six or eight usually reside
in one burrow to which there is never more than one entrance.
these burrows are of great debth. I once dug and pursued a
burrow to the debth of ten feet and did not reach it's greatest
debth. they generally associate in large societies placing their
burrows near each other and frequently occupy in this manner
several hundred acres of land. when at rest above ground
their position is generally erect on their hinder feet and rump;
thus they will generally set and bark at you as you approach
them, their note being much that of the little toy dogs, their
yelps are in quick succession and at each they [give] a motion
to their tails upwards. they feed on the grass and weeds
within the limits of their village which they never appear to
exceed on any occasion. as they are usually numerous they
keep the grass and weeds within their district very closely
graized and as clean as if it had been swept. the earth which
they throw out of their burrows is usually formed into a conic
mound around the entrance. this little animal is frequently
very fat and it's flesh is not unpleasant. as soon as the hard
frosts commence it shuts up it's burrow and continues untill
spring. it will eat neither grain or meat.

[Clark:]

Tuesday July 1st. 1806
on Clarks river

We Sent out all the hunters very early this morning by
12 oClock they all returned haveing killd. 12 Deer six of them
large fat Bucks, this is like once more returning to the land of
liveing a plenty of meat and that very good. as Capt. Lewis
and Myself part at this place we make a division of our party
and such baggage and provisions as is Souteable. the party
who will accompany Capt. L. is G. Drewyer, Sergt. Gass, Jo.
& R. Fields, Frazier & Werner, and Thompson Goodrich &
Mc. Near[l] as far as the Falls of Missouri at which place the 3
latter will remain untill I send down the Canoes from the
head of Jeffersons river. they will then join that party and
after passing the portage around the falls, proceed on down to
the enterance of Maria where Capt. Lewis will join them after
haveing assended that river as high up as Latd. 50°. North.
from the head of Jeffersons river I shall proceed on to the
head of the Rockejhone [i. e., Yellowstone] with a party of 9
or 10 men and desend that river. from the R Rockejhone I
shall dispatch Sergt. Pryor with the horses to the Mandans and
from thence to the Tradeing Establishments of the N.W.C°. on
the Assinniboin River with a letter which we have written for
the purpose to engage Mr. H. Haney to endeaver to get some
of the principal Chiefs of the Scioux to accompany us to the
Seat of our government &c. we divide the Loading and apportion
the horses. Capt. L. only takes 17 horses with him, 8
only of which he intends to take up the Maria &c. one of
the Indians who accompanied us swam Clarks river and examined
the country around, on his return he informed us that
he had discovered where a Band of the Tushepaws had encamped
this Spring passed of 64 Lodges, & that they had
passed Down Clarks river and that it was probable that they
were near the quawmash flatts on a Easterly branch of that
river. those guides expressed a desire to return to their nation
and not accompany us further, we informed them that if they
was deturmined to return we would kill some meat for them,
but wished that they would accompy Capt Lewis on the rout
to the falls of Missouri only 2 nights and show him the

right road to cross the Mountains. this they agreed to do.
we gave a medal of the small size to the young man son to the
late Great Chief of the Chopunish Nation who had been remarkably
kind to us in every instance, to all the others we
tied a bunch of blue ribon about the hair, which pleased them
very much the Indian man who overtook us in the Mountain,
presented Capt Lewis with a horse and said that he opened
his ears to what we had said, and hoped that Capt Lewis would
see the Crovanters [Gros Ventres] of Fort de Prarie and make
a good peace that it was their desire to be at peace. shew them
the horse as a token of their wishes &c.

[Lewis:]

Wednesday July 2nd. 1806.

We sent out the hunters early this morning, they returned not
so successfull as yesterday having killed 2 deer only. Sheilds
continued repairing the gunns which he compleated by evening.
all arrangements being now compleat we determined to set out
in the morning. in the course of the day we had much conversation
with the indians by signs, our only mode of communicating
our ideas. they informed us that they wished to go in
surch of the Ootslashshoots their friends and intended leaving
us tomorrow morning, I prevailed on them to go with me as far
as the East branch of Clark's River and put me on the road
to the Missouri. I gave the Cheif a medal of the small size;
he insisted on exchanging names with me according to their
custom which was accordingly done and I was called Yo-me-kol-lick
which interpreted is the white bearskin foalded. in the
evening the indians run their horses, and we had several foot
races betwen the natives and our party with various success.
these are a race of hardy strong athletic active men. nothin
worthy of notice transpired in the course of the day. Goodrich
and Mc. Neal are both very unwell with the pox which
they contracted last winter with the Chinnook women this
forms my inducement principally for taking them to the falls
of the Missouri where during an interval of rest they can use
the murcury freely. I found two speceis of native clover

here, the one with a very narrow small leaf and a pale red flower
the other nearly as luxouriant as our red clover with a white
flower the leaf and blume of the latter are proportionably
large. I found several other uncommon plants specemines of
which I preserved. The leaf of the cotton wood on this river
is like that common to the Columbia narrower than that
common to the lower part of the Missouri and Mississippi
and wider than that on the upper part of the Missouri. the
wild rose, servise berry, white berryed honeysuckle, seven bark,
elder, alder aspin, choke cherry and the broad and narrow
leafed willow are natives of this valley. the long leafed pine
forms the principal timber of the neighbourhood, and grows
as well in the river bottoms as on the hills. the firs and larch
are confined to the higher parts of the hills and mountains.
the tops of the high mountains on either side of this river are
covered with snow. the musquetoes have been excessively
troublesome to us since our arrival at this place.

[Clark:]

Wednesday July 2nd. 1806

Sent out 2 hunters this morning and they killed 2 Deer.
the Musquetors has been So troublesom day and night since
our arrival in this Vally that we are tormented very much by
them and cant' write except under our Bears [i. e., biers].
We gave the second gun to our guides agreeable to our promis,
and to each we gave Powder & ball I had the greater part
of the meat dried for to subsist my party in the Mountains
between the head of Jeffersons & Clarks rivers where I do not
expect to find any game to kill. had all of our arms put in
the most prime order two of the rifles have unfortunately
bursted near the muscle [muzzle], Shields cut them off and
they shute tolerable well one which is very short we exchanged
with the Indian whoe he had given a longer gun to
induce them to pilot us across the Mountains. we caused
every man to fill his horn with powder & have a sufficiency of
Balls &c. the last day in passing down Travellers rest Creek
Capt. Lewis fell down the side of a Steep Mountain near 40

feet but fortunately receved no damage. his hors was near
falling on him but fortunately recovered and they both escaped
unhurt. I killed a Small grey squirel and a Common pheasant.
Capt. L. showed me a plant in blume which is sometimes
called the ladies slipper or Mockerson flower. it is in shape
and appearance like ours only that the corolla is white marked
with small veigns of pale red longitudinally on the inner
side, and much smaller. The Indians and some of our men
amused themselves in running races on foot as well as with
their horses.