[Clark:]
Thursday 24th. April 1806
rose early this morning and sent out after the horses all of
which were found except Mc.Neals which I hired an Indian to
find and gave him a Tomahawk had 4 pack saddles made
ready to pack the horses which we may purchase, we purchased
3 horses, and hired 3 others of the Chopunnish man
who accompanies us with his family, and at 1 P.M. set out
and proceeded on through a open countrey rugid & sandy
between some high lands and the river to a village of 5 Lodges
of the Met-cow-we band haveing passed 4 Lodges at 4 miles
and 2 Lodges at 6 miles. Great numbers of the nativs pass
us on hors back maney meet us and continued with us to the
Lodges. we purchased 3 dogs which were pore, but the fattest
we could precure, and cooked them with straw and dry willow.
we sold our canoes for a fiew strands of beeds. the nativs had
tantelized us with an exchange of horses for our canoes in the
first instance, but when they found that we had made our
arrangements to travel by land they would give us nothing for
them. we sent Drewyer to cut them up, he struck one and
split her they discovered that we were deturmined to destroy
the canoes and offered us several strans of beeds which were
accepted most of the party complain of their feet and legs this
evening being very sore. it is no doubt caused by walking
over the rough stone and deep sand after being accustomed to
a soft soil. my legs and feet give me much pain. I bathed
them in cold water from which I experienced considerable relief.
we directed that the 3 horses purchased yesterday should
be hobbled and confined to pickquets and that the others
should be hobbled & spanceled, and strictly attended to by
the guard made 12 miles to day.
