University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

August 27th. Tuesday 1805.

SOME frost this morning every Man except one, out
hunting,[1] a young man Came from the upper Village
& informed me that Capt Lewis would join me abt. 12
oClock to day. one man killed a Small Sammon, and the
Indians gave me another which afforded us a Sleight brackfast.
Those Pore people are here depending on what fish they can
catch, without anything else to depend on; and appere contented,
my party hourly Complaining of their retched Situation
and [word illegible in MS.—Ed.] doubts of Starveing in
a Countrey where no game of any kind except a fiew fish can
be found, an Indian brough[t] in to the Camp 5 Sammon,
two of which I purchased which afforded us a Supper

August 28th Wednesday 1805

a frost this morning. The Inds. Cought out of their traps
Several Sammon and gave us two. I purchased two others
which we made last us to day. Several—a Camp of about
40 Indians came from the West fork and passed up to day,
nothing killed by my party with every exertion in all places
where game probably might be found. I dispatched one man[2]

to the upper Camps to enquire if Cap. Lewis was comeing &c.
he returned after night with a letter from Capt. Lewis informing
me of his Situation at the upper Village, and had precured 22
horses for our rout through by land on the plan which I had
preposed in which he agreed with me in; and requ[e]sted me
to ride up, and get the horses the Indians informed him they
had reserved for me &c. I purchased Some fish roe[3] of those
pore but kind people with whome I am Encamped for which I
gave three Small fish hooks, the use of which they readily proseved;
one Indian out all day & killed only one Sammon with
his gig; My hunters killed nothing; I had three pack
Saddles made to day for our horses which I expected Capt
Lewis would purchase &c. Those Sammon which I live on
at present are pleasent eateing, notwithstanding they weaken
me verry fast and my flesh I find is declineing

Course Distance & [c.] over the portage from the Waters of the
Missouri to the Waters of the Columbia River.

                 

N. 60°. W.	5	Miles to a Point of a hill on the right Passed Several points of high land bottom wide only 3 Small trees
S. 80°. W	10	Miles to a place the high lands approach within 200 yards, Creek 10 yds. wide
S. W.	5	miles to a narrow part of the bottom passed a Creek on each Side, a place the Indians were masserced [massacred], a road coms in on the right
S. 70° W.	2	miles to a Creek on the right
S. 80°. W	3	Miles to a rockey point opsd. a Pine thicket on the left, passed a run from the right
West	3	Miles to the head Spring of the Missouri near the top of a deviding mountain at a gap
S. 80°. W	6	miles to a run from the right, passed Several Small Streams & Spring runs running to my left, and down a Drean,
N. 80°. W.	4	miles to the East fork of the Lewis's River 40 yds. Wide an Indian Snake Camp of 25 Lodges passed over hilley land all the way from, the deviding ridge.
Miles	38

August 29th. Thursday 1805

a Cold morning Some frost. the Wind from the South, I
left our baggage in possession of 2 men and proceeded on up
to join Capt Lewis at the upper Village of Snake Indians
where I arrived at 1 oClock found him much engaged in
Councelling[4] and attempting to purchase a fiew more horses.
I Spoke to the Indians on various Subjects endeavoring to
impress on theire minds the advantage it would be to them for
to sell us horses and expedite the [our] journey the nearest and
best way possibly that we might return as soon as possible
and winter with them at Some place where there was plenty of
buffalow, our wish is to get a horse for each man to carry
our baggage and for Some of the men to ride occasionally,
The horses are handsom and much acustomed to be changed
as to their Parsture, we cannot calculate on their carrying
large loads & feed on the Grass which we may calculate on
finding in the Mountain thro' which we may expect to pass on
our rout Made Some Selestial observations, the Latd. of this
part the Columbia River is [blank space in MS.] North.
Longtd [blank space in MS.] W.

I purchased a horse for which I gave my Pistol 100 Balls
Powder & a Knife. our hunters Killed 2 Deer near their
Camp to day 2 yesterday & 3 the day before, this meet was
a great treat to me as I had eate none for 8 days past

August 30th. Friday 1805

a fine Morning, finding that we Could purchase no more
horse[s] than we had for our goods &c. (and those not a Sufficint
number for each of our Party to have one which is our
wish) I Gave my Fuzee to one of the men & Sold his musket
for a horse which Completed us to 29 total horses, we Purchased
pack cords Made Saddles & Set out on our rout down
the [Lemhi] river by land guided by my old guide [and] one

other who joined him, the old gu[i]de's 3 Sons followed him,
before we Set out our hunters killed three Deer proceeded
on 12 Miles and encamped on the river South Side.[5] at the
time we Set out from the Indian Camps the greater Part of
the Band Set out over to the waters of the Missouri. we had
great attention paid to the horses, as they were nearly all Sore
Backs, and Several pore, & young Those horses are indifferent,
maney Sore backs and others not acustomed to pack,
and as we cannot put large loads on them are Compelled to
purchase as maney as we can to take our Small propotion of
baggage of the Parties, (& Eate if necessary) Proceeded on
12 Miles to day

August 31st.. 1805 Satturday.

A fine morning Set out before Sun rise, as we passed the
lodges at which place I had encamped for thre[e] nights and
left 2 men,[6] those 2 men joined us and we proceeded on in the
Same rout I decended the 21st. Instant, halted 3 hours on
Sammon Creek[7] to Let our horses graze the wind hard from
the S.W. I met an Indian on horse back who fled with great
Speed to Some lodges below & informed them that the Enemies
were Coming down, armd. with guns &c. the inhabitents
of the Lodges indisceved him, we proceeded on the road on
which I had decended as far as the Ist run [Tower Cr.][8] below
& left the road & Proceeded up the Run in a tolerable road
4 miles & Encamped in Some old lodges at the place the road

leaves the Creek and assends the high Countrey Six Indians
followed us four of them the Sons of our guide, our hunters
killed one Deer a goose & Prarie fowl. This day warm and
Sultrey, Praries or open Valies on fire in Several places. The
Countrey is Set on fire for the purpose of Collecting the different
bands, and a Band of the Flat heads to go to the Missouri
where they intend passing the winter near the Buffalow
Proceeded on 22 miles to Day, 4 miles of which up a run[9]

Course and Distance by land from the Columbia River 14 miles
below the forks. August 31st 1805.

     

N. 35°. E	2	miles up Tower Creek to a hill
N. 10°. E	2	d°   d°   d° passed remarkable rock resembling Pirimids on the Left Side
	4

September 1st.. Sunday 1805

a fine morning Set out early and proceeded on over high
ruged hills passing the heads of the Small runs which fall into
the river on our left to a large Creek which falls into the river
6 miles to our left and encamped, in the bottom,[10] Some rain
to day at 12 and in the evening which obliges us to Continue
all night despatched 2 men to the mouth of the Creek to
purchase fish of the Indians at that place, they returned with
Some dried, we giged 4 Sammon & killed one Deer to Day.
the Countrey which we passed to day is well watered & broken
Pore Stoney hilly country except the bottoms of the Creek
which is narrow, all the Indians leave us except our Guide,
one man Shot two bear this evining unfortunately we Could
git neither of them

Septr 1st Sunday

                   

N. 80°. W	1 ½	Miles to the top of a high hill
N 65°. W	1 ½	to the of a hill passing the heads of dreans passing to our left
N. 55°. W.	3 ½	miles to the top of a high hill passd. two forks of a Crek, the first large & bold the 2d. Small
S. 80°. W.	1 ½	mile down a raveen to a run
N. 70°. W.	3 ½	to the top of a high hill passing a branch at ¼ & over a hill at 1 mile
N. 35°. W.	2 ½	to the top of a high hill
N. 25°. W.	1 ½	to ditto passed a branch at ½ mile which passes to the left
N. 80°. W.	2 ½	decending a Steep winding hill to a large Creek which we Call Fish Creek & runs into the river at Some lodge 6 miles below South[11]
N. 12°. W.	2	Miles up the Creek to a bluff Point.[12]
	20

September 2nd. Monday 1805

a Cloudy Morning, raind Some last night we Set out
early and proceeded on up the [Fish] Creek, Crossed a large
fork from the right and one from the left; and at 8 [7 ½] miles
left the roade on which we were pursuing and which leads over
to the Missouri,[13] and proceeded up a West fork [of Fish Creek]
without a roade preceded on thro' thickets in which we
were obliged to Cut a road, over rockey hill Sides where our
horses were in [per]peteal danger of Slipping to their certain
distruction & up & Down Steep hills, where Several horses
fell, Some turned over, and others Sliped down Steep hill Sides,
one horse Crippeled & 2 gave out. with the greatest dificuelty
risque &c. we made five miles 7 ½ & Encamped on the left
Side of the Creek in a Small Stoney bottom. after night
Some time before the rear Came up, one Load left about 2
miles back, the horse on which it was carried crippled. Some
rain at night

Septr. 2nd Monday

             

North	1 ½	to a large fork which falls in on the left in a pine bottom
N. 45°. E	2 ½	Miles to a large fork which falls in on the right Hills Covd. with Pine
North	3 ½	miles to the forks of the Creek passed a leavel pine bottom & pine hills maney beaver Dams across the Creek
N. 60°. W	2 ½	miles up the west fork leaving the road on our right which passes to the Missouri by the East fork
N. 35°. W	3	miles up the west fork Crossed it Several times & passing thro' thickets brush & over rocks.
N. 50°. W	2	miles over hills rocks & Steep points & hill Sides on the left of the Creek Crossing a run at 1 mile
	15

September 3rd.. Tuesday 1805

A Cloudy morning, horses verry Stiff Sent 2 men back
with the horse on which Capt Lewis rode for the load left back
last night which detained us untill 8 oClock at which time we
Set out. The Country is timbered with Pine Generally, the
bottoms have a variety of Srubs & the fur trees in Great
abundance, hills high & rockey on each Side, in the after
part of the day the high mountains closed the Creek on each
Side and obliged us to take on the Steep Sides of those Mountains,
So Steep that the horses Could Scur[ce]ly keep from
Slipping down, Several sliped & Injured themselves verry
much, with great dificuelty we made [blank space in MS.]
miles (about 8 m. see Courses & Dist) & Encamped on a branch
of the Creek we assended after crossing Several Steep points &
one mountain, but little to eate I killed 5 Pheasents & the
hunters 4 with a little Corn afforded us a kind of Supper, at
dusk it began to Snow, at 3 oClock Some rain. The mountains
(we had passed) to the East Covered with Snow. we
met with a great misfortune, in haveing our last Th[er] mometer
broken, by accident This day we passed over emence
hils and Some of the worst roads that ever horses passed, our
horses frequently fell Snow about 2 inches deep when it
began to rain which termonated in a Sleet [storm] our genl
Courses nearly North from the R

Septr. 3rd. Tuesday 1805

             

N. 25°. W.	2 ½	Miles to a Small fork on the left Hilley and thick assending
N. 15°. W.	2	miles to a fork on the right assending
N. 22°. W.	2 ½	miles to a fork on the left passing one on the left Several Spring runs on the right Stoney hills & much falling timber
N. 18°. E.	2	miles passing over Steep points & winding ridges to a high Point passed a run on the right
N. 32°. W.	2	miles to the top of a high hill passed 2 runs from the left, passing on the Side of a Steep ridge. no road
N. 40°. W	3	miles leaveing the waters of the Creek to the right & passing over a high pine Mountn. o the head of a Drean running to the left
	14

September 4th.. Wednesday 1805

a verry cold morning every thing wet and frosed, we [were]
detained untill 8 oClock to thaw the covering for the baggage
&c. &c. Groun[d] covered with Snow, we assended a
mountain & took a Divideing ridge[14] which we kept for Several
Miles & fell on the head of a Creek which appeared to
run the Course we wished to go, I was in front, & saw
Several of the Argalia or Ibex decended the mountain by
verry Steep decent takeing the advantage of the points and
best places to the Creek, where our hunters killed a Deer
which we made use of, and prosued our Course down the
Creek[15] to the forks about 5 miles where we met a part[y] of
the Tushepau nation, of 33 Lodges about 80 men 400 Total
and at least 500 horses, those people rec[e]ved us friendly,
threw white robes over our Sholders & Smoked in the pipes
of peace, we Encamped with them & found them friendly
but nothing but berries to eate a part of which they gave us,

those Indians are well dressed with Skin shirts & robes, they
[are] Stout & light complected more So than Common for
Indians, The Chief harangued untill late at night, Smoked
in our pipe and appeared Satisfied. I was the first white man
who ever wer on the waters of this river.[16]

September 4th. Wednesday 1805

         

N. 10°. W.	6	miles on a Direct Course over a high Snow mountain & down a Drean of Flat head River to a fork on the right. (our rout on a Dividing ridge to the right 9 ms. about. bad road
N. 18°. W.	3	down the run to a run on the left
N. 35°. W	3	miles down the run to the river which Coms from the East, a wide Vallie. 33 tents of Flat heads.[17]
mls.	12
	53 ½ [65]

September 5th. Thursday 1805

a cloudy morning we assembled the Chiefs & warriers and
Spoke to them (with much dificuel[t]y as what we Said had to
pass through Several languages before it got into theirs, which
is a gugling kind of language Spoken much thro the throught
[throat][18] ) we informed them who we were, where we came

from, where bound and for what purpose &c. &c. and requested
to purchase & exchange a fiew horses with them, in
the Course of the day I purchased 11 horses & exchanged 7
for which we gave a fiew articles of merchendize, those people
possess ellegant horses.[19] we made 4 Chiefs [to] whome we
gave meadels & a few Small articles with Tobacco, the
women brought us a few berries & roots to eate and the
Principal Chief a Dressed Brarow, Otter & two Goat & antilope
Skins

Those people wore their hair as follows the men Cewed
[queued] with otter Skin on each Side falling over the Sholders
forward, the women loose promisquisly over ther Sholders &
face long shirts which come to their anckles & tied with a
belt about their waste with a roabe over, the[y] have but fiew
ornaments and what they do were [wear] are Similar to the
Snake Indians, They Call themselves Eoote-lash-Schute (Oat
la shoot)[20] and consist of 450 Lodges in all and divided into
Several bands on the heads of Columbia river & Missouri,
Some low down the Columbia River

September 6th.. Friday 1805

Some little rain, purchased two fine horses & took a
Vocabelary of the language litened our loads & packed up,
rained contd. untill 12 oClock, we Set out at 2 oClock at
the Same time all the Indians Set out on their way to meet the
Snake Indians at the 3 forks of the Missouri. Crossed a
bmall river from the right we call (this was the main river or
Clarks) Soon after Setting out, also a Small Creek from the
North all three forks Comeing together below our Camp at
which place the Mountains Close on each Side of the river,
We proceeded on N 30 W. Crossed a Mountain and Struck
the river Several miles down, at which place the Indians had

Encamped two days before, we Proceeded on down the River
which is 30 yds. wide Shallow & Stoney Crossing it Several
times & Encamped in a Small bottom on the right side.
rained this evening nothing to eate but berries, our flour out,
and but little Corn, the hunters killed 2 pheasents only. all
our horses purchased of the flat heads (oote-lash-shutes) we
Secured well for fear of their leaveing of us, and Watched them
all night for fear of their leaving us or the Indians prosuing &
Steeling them.

Course Distance &c. Down Clark's river Septr. 6th. 1805

         

N. 30°. W.	5	miles crossing the river & a creek at 1 ½ m. & thro a vallie to the top of a mountain covered with pine
N. 80°. W.	1 ½	miles down a reveen & Steep hill Sides to the river at an old Encampment. a creek left
West	1 ½	miles down the Creek, bottoms narrow.
N. 35°. W.	2	miles down the River which is 25 yards wide passed a run on each side.
	10

September 7th. Satturday 1805

A Cloudy & rainie Day the greater Part of the day dark &
Drisley we proceeded on down the river thro a Vallie passed
Several Small Runs on the left (right) & 3 creeks on the left
The Vallie from 1 to 2 miles wide the Snow top mountains
to our left, open hilley Countrey on the right,[21] Saw 2 horses
left by the Indians those horses were as wild a[s] Elk. One
of our hunters came up this morning without his horse, in the
course of the night the horse broke loose & cleared out. we
did not make camp untill dark, for the want of a good place,
one of our hunters did not join us this evening. he haveing
killed an elk packed his horse & could not overtake us

Sepr. 7th Satturday 1805

           

N. 40°. W.	3	miles down the River aforesaid
N. 80°. W.	3	miles down the River to a large Creek on the left. bottoms narrow.
N. 45°. W.	4	down the river to a Creek on the left. bottoms wider, hills on the right is bald, mountains on our left is high and the tops Covered with Snow.
North	4	miles to a Creek which runs from the Snow toped mountains, passed one on the left at I mile & Several Small runs on the right, and left, one Drean
N. 25°. E.	8	miles down the River, passed a large Creek on the left at 2 miles. the Vallie thro which we passed about 2 miles wide, lands pore & Stoney The foot of the Snow toped mountains approach near the river on the left the river 50 yards wide Shallow & Stoney. no fish to be Seen. 2 Deer 2 crains & 2 Phesents killed to day.[22]
	22

September 8th. Sunday 1805

a Cloudy morning Set out early and proceeded on through
an open Vallie for 23 miles passed 4 Creeks on the right Some
runs on the left, the bottoms as also the hills Stoney bad
land, Some pine on the Creeks and mountains, an[d] partial
on the hills to the right hand Side two of our hunters came
up with us at 12 oClock with an Elk, & Buck, the wind
from the N.W. & Cold. The foot of the Snow mountains
approach the River on the left Side. Some Snow on the
mountain to the right also, proceeded on down the Vallie
which is pore Stoney land and encamped on the right Side of
the river a hard rain all the evening we are all Cold and
wet. on this part of the river (on the head of Clarks River) I
observe great quantities of a peculiar Sort of Prickly peare
grow in Clusters ovel & about the Size of a Pigions egge with
strong thorns which is So birded [bearded] as to draw the

Pear from the Cluster after penetrating our feet. Drewyer
killed a Deer, I killed a prarie fowl we found 2 mears and
a Colt, the mears were lame, we ventered to let our late
purchase of horses loose to night

September 8th. Sunday

     

North	11	miles to a small run on the right Side, passed a large Creek at I mile one at 4 miles & a Small one at 8 miles, thro' a open Vally of 4 or 5 miles wide Call'd Horse Vally
N. 12°. W	12	through the Said Vallie to a large Creek from the right divided into 4 different Channels, i. e. scattered Creek[23]
	23