Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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 Screcly keep from Slipping down, Several Sliped & Injured themselves verry much, with great dificuelty we made [blank] miles [NB: about 8 m. see Courses & Dist] [EC: courses and distances make 14 miles] & Encamped on a branh of the Creek we assended after Crossing Several Steep points & one mountain, [1] but little to eate I killed 5 Pheasants & The huntes 4 with a little Corn afforded us a kind of Supper, at dusk it began to Snow 〈& rain〉 at 3 oClock Some rain. The 〈last〉 mountains [NB: we had passed] 〈we had〉 to the East Covered with Snow. we met with a great misfortune, in haveing our last Thmometer [2] broken by accident, This day we passed over emence hils and Some of the worst roade that ever horses passed our horses frequently fell 〈Country a〉 Snow about 2 inches deep when it began to rain which termonated in a Sleet 〈killed Seven〉 our genl. Courses nearly North from the R
Tuesday 3rd Sept. 1805. we Set out as usal, and proceeded on up the branch a Short distance further up the branch then took the mountain and went up and down rough rockey mountains all day. Some places So Steep and rockey that Some of the horses fell backwards and roled to the bottom. [one] horse was near being killed. crossed a nomber of fine Spring branches. Some places oblidged to cut a road for to git along thro thickets &C. Some of the balsom fir trees on the branches are about 100 and fifty feet high, and Strait. 〈towards〉 the most of them are covred with warts 〈of〉 filled with the balsom &C. we dined at a branch eat the last of our pork &.C. Some of the men threaten to kill a colt to eat they being hungry, but puts if off untill tomorrow noon hopeing the hunters will kill Some game. towards evening we assended a mountain went Some distance on the top of it then went down in to a cave near the head of a branch running nearly an opposite course from the branch we dined on at noon. we Camped [3] in this cove. Several Small Showers of rain. So we lay down wet hungry and cold came with much fatigue 11 miles this day.
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. [4] 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 [5] 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.
Tuesday 3rd Sept. 1805. Cloudy. we Set out as usal after the load was brought up which was left last night. we proceeded on up the branch a Short distance, then took the mountains and w[ent] up and down the mountains all day. passed and crossed an a bundance of fine Springs and Spring runs. Some of the mountains was So Steep and rockey that Several of the horses fell back among the rocks and was near killing them Some places we had to cut the road through thickets of bolsom fer Some of that kind of timber in the vallies of these mountains is verry high about 100 & 60 feet, and verry Strait and handsom. the most of them are covred with warts full of the bolsom towards evening we crossed a dividing ridge went some distance on the top of it which was tollarable good and Smoth going. then passed down a Steep hill in to the head of a cove and branch where we Camped after a dissagreeable days march of only 11 miles with much fatigue and hunger as nothing has been killed this day only 2 or 3 fessents, [6] and have no meat of any kind. Set in to raining hard at dark So we lay down and Slept, wet hungry and cold. Saw Snow on the tops of Some of these mountains this day.—
Tuesday September 3rd We had a cloudy morning, & set out as usual, we brought the load up the hill on our backs, that was left there last night, and then we proceeded on up the Creek a short distance, and then took to the mountains, and went up & down them the whole of this day, and crossed abundance of fine Springs, & spring runs, some of the mountains that we crossed was so steep & Rockey, that several of the horses fell backwards among the rocks & was near being killed.— We had to cut Roads, through thickets of balsam fir timber, for our horses to pass through. We found some of that kind of timber in the Vallies which were very high many of them being 160 feet long & very strait & handsome, a number of them full of warts, & full of the balsam.— towards evening, we crossed a dividing ridge, we went some distance on the top of it, which was tolerable smooth & good travelling, We then passed down a steep hill, at the head of a Cove and branch.— We encamped at this place after a most diasgreeable days travel of only 11 Miles, being much fataigued & very hungry, our hunters having killed only 3 Pheasants this day,— and we had no fresh meat with us. At dark it began to Rain hard, We lay down to sleep being Wet, hungry & Cold, We saw Snow on the Top of these Mountains this day.—
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.