University of Virginia Library

CHAP. XII.

Sunday 1st Sept. 1805. We set out early in a
fine morning, and travelled on nearly a west course.
We found here the greatest quantity and best service
berries, I had ever seen before; and abundance
of choak-cherries. There is also a small bush grows
in this part of the country, about 6 inches high,
which bears a bunch of small purple berries. Some
call it mountain holly; the fruit is of an acid taste.
We are much better supplied with water than I expected;
and cross several fine springs among the
mountains through which we pass. At noon some
rain fell, and the day continued cloudy. About the
middle of the day Capt. Clarke's blackman's feet became
so sore that he had to ride on horseback. At
3 o'clock we came to a creek, where there was fine
grass and we halted to let our horses eat. There are
a great number of fish in this creek. After we halted
the weather became cloudy, and a considerable quantity
of rain fell. We therefore concluded to remain
where we were all night, having come this day 18
miles. Our hunters killed a deer, and we caught 5
fish.

Monday 2nd. The morning was cloudy. We set
out early; proceeded up the creek, and passed some
part closely timbered with spruce and pine. We
went on with difficulty on account of the bushes, the
narrowness of the way and stones that injured our
horses feet, they being without shoes. In the forenoon
we killed some pheasants and ducks, and a
small squirrel. In the afternoon we had a good
deal of rain, and the worst road (if road it can be
called) that was ever travelled. The creek is become

small and the hills come close in upon the banks of
it, covered thick with standing timber and fallen
trees; so that in some places we were obliged to go
up the sides of the hills, which are very steep, and
then down again in order to get along at all. In going
up these ascents the horses would sometimes fall
backwards, which injured them very much; and
one was so badly hurt that the driver was obliged to
leave his load on the side of one of the hills. In the
low ground there are most beautiful tall straight pine
trees of different kinds, except of white pine. Game
is scarce; and a small quantity of dried salmon,
which we got from the natives is almost our whole
stock of provisions. A son of our guide joined us today
and is going on. We went 13 miles and encamped;
but some of the men did not come up till late
at night.

Tuesday 3rd. The morning of this day was cloudy
and cool. Two men went back with a horse to bring
on the load, which had been left behind last night;
and we breakfasted on the last of our salmon and
waited their return. Two hunters were sent on ahead,
and on the return of the two men, who had
been sent back, we pursued our journey up the
creek, which still continued fatiguing almost beyond
description. The country is very mountainous and
thickly timbered; mostly with spruce pine. Having
gone nine miles we halted for dinner, which was
composed of a small portion of flour we had along
and the last of our pork, which was but a trifle:—
Our hunters had not killed any thing. We staid
here about two hours, during which time some rain
fell and the weather was extremely cold for the season.
We then went on about 3 miles over a large
mountain, to the head of another creek and encamped
there for the night. This was not the creek our
guide wished to have come upon; and to add to our
misfortunes we had a cold evening with rain.

Wednesday 4th. A considerable quantity of snow
fell last night, and the morning was cloudy. After
eating a few grains of parched corn, we set out at 8
o'clock; crossed a large mountain and hit on the
creek and small valley, which were wished for by our
guide. We killed some pheasants on our way, and
were about to make use of the last of our flour, when,
to our great joy, one of our hunters killed a fine deer.
So we dined upon that and proceeded down a small
valley about a mile wide, with a rich black soil; in
which there are a great quantity of sweet roots and
herbs, such as sweet myrrh, angelica and several
other, that the natives make use of, and of the names
of which I am unacquainted. There is also timothy
grass growing in it; and neither the valiey nor the
hills are so thickly timbered, as the mountains we
had lately passed. What timber there is, is mostly
pitch pine. We kept down the valley about 5 miles,
and came to the Tussapa band of the Flathead nation
of Indians, or a part of them. We found them encamped
on the creek and we encamped with them.[1]

Thursday 5th. This was a fine morning with a
great white frost. The Indian dogs are so hungry
and ravenous, that they eat 4 or 5 pair of our mockasons
last night. We remained here all day, and
recruited our horses to 40 and 3 colts; and made 4
or 5 of this nation of Indians chiefs. They are a
very friendly people; have plenty of robes and skins
for covering, and a large stock of horses, some
of which are very good; but they have nothing to
cat, but berries, roots and such articles of food.

This band is on its way over to the Missouri or Yellow-stone
river to hunt buffaloe. They are the whitest
Indians I ever saw.

Friday 6th. A cloudy morning. We exchanged
some of our horses, that were fatigued, with the natives;
about 12 o'clock some rain fell; and we prepared
to move on. At 1 we started, when the Indians
also set out. We proceeded over a mountain
to a creek, and went down the creek, our course being
northwest: found the country mountainous and
poor; and the game scarce. Having travelled about
7 miles we encamped. Four hunters had been out
to-day, but killed nothing; we therefore supped
upon a small quantity of corn we had yet left.

Saturday 7th. We set out early in a cloudy cool
morning; and our hunters went on as usual. We
proceeded down the creek, and in our way we were
met by a hunter, who had not come in last night,
and who had lost his horse. We halted at 12 o'clock,
and one of our hunters killed 2 deer; which was a
subject of much joy and congratulation. Here we
remained to dine, and some rain fell. On the south
of this place there are very high mountains covered
with snow and timber, and on the north prairie hills.
After staying here 2 hours we proceeded on down
the creek; found the country much the same as that
which we had passed through in the forenoon; and
having travelled about 20 miles since the morning,
encamped for the night. The valley is become more
extensive, and our creek has encreased to a considerable
river. Some rain fell in the forenoon, and our
hunters killed two cranes on our way.

Sunday 8th. The morning was wet, and we proceeded
on over some beautiful plains. One of our
hunters had remained out all night, at noon we halted
and they all came in, having killed an elk and a
deer. At 2 we proceeded on again, and had a cold,
wet and disagreeable afternoon, but our road or way

was level along the valley. Having travelled 20
miles, we encamped and our hunters came in, one
of whom had killed a deer, and another had caught
two mares and a colt, which he brought with him.

Monday 9th. The morning was fair, but cool;
and we continued our journey down the river. The
soil of the valley is poor and gravelly; and the high
snow-topped mountains are still in view on our left:
Our course generally north a few degrees west. We
halted at noon: on our way the hunters had killed 3
wild geese; so we have plenty of provisions at present.
At 2 o'clock we again went forward, and
crossed over the Flathead river, about 100 yards
wide, and which we called Clarke's river; passed
through a close timbered bottom of about two miles,
and again came into beautiful plains. The timber
on this bottom is pitch pine. We travelled 19 miles
and encamped on a large creek, which comes in
from the south. Our hunters this day killed 3 deer.

Tuesday 10th. We remained here all this day,
which was clear and pleasant, to let our horses rest,
and to take an observation. At night our hunters
came in, and had killed 5 deer. With one of the
hunters, 3 of the Flathead Indians came to our camp.
They informed us that the rest of their band was
over on the Columbia river, about 5 or 6 days' journey
distant, with pack-horses; that two of the
Snake nation had stolen some of their horses, and
that they were in pursuit of them. We gave them
some presents, and one staid to go over the mountains
with us; the other two continued their pursuit.

Wednesday 11th. This was a fine morning, and
we went out to collect our horses, in order to renew
our journey, and found all but one. Capt. Lewis had
a meridian altitude that gave 46° 48 28.8 north latitude.
In the bottoms here, there are a great quantity
of cherries. The mountains are not so high, as

at some distance back. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon
the horse was found, and we proceeded on up the
creek nearly a west course, through small bottoms.
We went about 6 miles and encamped; when our
hunters came in but had killed nothing. The country
is poor and mountainous.

Thursday 12th. We started early on our journey
and had a fine morning. Having travelled 2 miles
we reached the mountains which are very steep;
but the road over them pretty good, as it is much
travelled by the natives, who come across to the
Flathead river to gather cherries and berries. Our
hunters in a short time killed 4 deer. At noon we
halted at a branch of the creek, on the banks of which
are a number of strawberry vines, haws and service
berry bushes. At 2 we proceeded on over a large
mountain, where there is no water, and we could find
no place to encamp until late at night, when we arrived
at a small branch, and encamped by it, in a
very inconvenient place, having come 23 miles.

Friday 13th. A cloudy morning. Capt. Lewis's
horse could not be found; but some of the men were
left to hunt for him and we proceeded on. When we
had gone 2 miles, we came to a most beautiful warm
spring, the water of which is considerably above
blood-heat; and I could not bear my hand in it without
uneasiness. There are so many paths leading to
and from this spring, that our guide took a wrong
one for a mile or two, and we had bad travelling across
till we got into the road again. At noon we halted.
Game is scarce; and our hunters killed nothing
since yesterday morning; though 4 of the best were
constantly out, and every one of them furnished with
a good horse. While we remained here, Captain
Lewis and the men, who had been left with him,
came up; but had not found the horse. At 2 o'clock
we proceeded on again over a mountain, and in our
way found a deer, which our hunters had killed and

hung up. In a short time we met with them, and
Capt. Lewis sent two back to look for the horse. We
passed over a dividing ridge to the waters of another
creek, and after travelling 12 miles we encamped on
the creek, up which there are some prairies or plains.

Saturday 14th. We set out early in a cloudy morning;
passed over a large mountain, crossed Stony
creek, about 30 yards wide, and then went over another
large mountain, on which I saw service-berry
bushes hanging full of fruit; but not yet ripe, owing
to the coldness of the climate on these mountains: I
also saw a number of other shrubs, which bear fruit,
but for which I know no names. There are black
elder and bore-tree, pitch and spruce pine all growing
together on these mountains. Being here unable
to find a place to halt at, where our horses could
feed, we went on to the junction of Stony creek, with
another large creek, which a short distance down becomes
a considerable river, and encamped for the
night, as it rained and was disagreeable travelling.
The two hunters, that had gone back here joined us
with Capt. Lewis's horse, but none of the hunters
killed any thing except 2 or 3 pheasants; on which,
without a miracle it was impossible to feed 30 hungry
men and upwards, besides some Indians. So Capt.
Lewis gave out some portable soup, which he had
along, to be used in cases of necessity. Some of the
men did not relish this soup, and agreed to kill a
colt; which they immediately did, and set about
roasting it; and which appeared to me to be good
cating. This day we travelled 17 miles.