[Clark:]
Friday 16th11 May 1806
a cloudy morning with some rain which continued untill
meridian at intervals, but very moderately. a man and boy
came to our camp at 11 A.M with Drewyers Horse which
he informed us he found at a long distance towards the Mtns.
this horse must have strayed from Drewyers Camp last night.
Hohhastillpelt and all the nativs left us at merdn. and went up
the river with a view to cross at some distance above where
they expected to find a canoe. we gave those people a head
and neck of the largest bear a part of which they eate and the
balance they carefully took with them for their children. The
Indians of this country seldom kill the bear they are very
much afraid of them and the killing of a White or Grizly bear,
is as great a feet as two of their enimey. the fiew of those
animals which they chance to kill is found in the leavel open
lands and pursued on horses & killed with their Arrows.
they are fond of the flesh of this animal and eate imoderately
of it when they have a sufficiency to indulge themselves. The
men who were complaining of the head ake and cholick yesterday
and last night are much better to day. Shabonos Squar
gathered a quantity of
fenel roots which we find very paliatiable
and nurushing food. the onion we also find in abundance and
boil it with our meat. Shields rode out and hunted in the
morning without suckcess he returned at 11 A.M. having
killed only a black wood pecker with a red breast as discribed
hereafter. a snake which resembles the rattle snake in colour
and spots on the skin, longer and inosent. at 5 P M Dreyer
and Crusat returned haveing killed only one Deer only. D. shot
3 white bear but could get neither of them. they inform us that
the hunting in the direction they were is very bad. the country
hilly & brushey. a little after dark Shannon & Labiech came
in from the chas[e]. Shannon killed one deer which he
brought in. this deer being the only animal they could kill.
they informed that a large Creek (Collin's Creek) run parrelal
with the river at about 5 or 6 miles distant between which
there was but little game, and the Creek being high rapid and
the smothe rocks in the bottom rendered it impossible for them
to pass it on horsback. Serg
t. Pryor and Collins who set out
early this morning hunting have not returned. we derected
that the horses be drove up in future at 12 oClock on each
day.
