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 Cool morning wind from the East, Collected all our horses, & Branded them [1] 38 in No. and delivered them to the men who were to take Charge of them, each of which I gave a Knife & one a wampon Shell gorget, The Lattd. of this place the mean of 2 observations is 46° 34' 56.3" North. nothing to eate but dried roots & Dried fish, Capt Lewis & my Self eate a Supper of roots boiled, which filled us So full of wind, that we were Scercely able to Breathe all night felt the effects of it. Lanced 2 Canoes to day one proved a little leakey the other a verry good one
Wind Easterly and Cool, had all our horses 38 in number Collected and branded Cut off their fore top and delivered them to the 2 brothers and one Son of one of the Chiefs who intends to accompany us down the river to each of those men I gave a Knife & Some Small articles &c. they promised to be attentive to our horses untill we Should return.—
Latitude of this place from the mean of two observations is 46° 34' 56.3" North—
Nothing to eate except dried fish & roots. Capt Lewis & myself eate a Supper of roots boiled, which Swelled us in Such a manner that we were Scercely able to breath for Several hours— finished and lanced [NB: launched] 2 of our Canoes this evening which proved to be verry good our hunters with every diligence Could kill nothing. The hills high and ruged and woods too dry to hunt the deer which is the only game in our neighbourhood. Several Squars Came with Fish and roots which we purchased of them for Beeds, which they were fond of— Capt Lewis not So well to day as yesterday
Saturday 5th Oct. 1805. a clear cool morning a little white frost. the two men returnd from the villages late last evening with their horses loaded with commass roots and Some more in loaves and a considerable quantity of dryed Sammon &C. Several dressed Elk Skins and otter &C we continued dressing off the canoes. got up all our horses 38 in number. we branded them on the near fore Shoulder with a Stirrup Iron, and cropped their fore mane So as we may know them at our return. the old chief [2] who we leave the care of our horses with has engaged to go on with us past his nation and leave the horses in the care of his two sons our officers gave them Some Small presents &C. another Chief [3] engaged to go with us also. towards evening we put two of the canoes which was finished in to the water.—
Saturday 5th. Having got pretty well forward in our canoe making, we collected all our horses and branded them, in order to leave them with the Indians, the old chief having promised that they should be well taken care of. In the evening we got two of our canoes into the water.
During the sixth most of the hands were engaged at the other canoes; and we buried our saddles and some ammunition. The morning of the seventh was pleasant, and we put the last of our canoes into the water; loaded them, and found that they carried all our baggage with convenience. We had four large ones; and one small one, to look ahead. About 3 o'clock in the after noon we began our voyage down the river, and found the rapids in some places very dangerous. One of our canoes sprung a leak. We therefore halted and mended her, after going twenty miles. [4] The hills come close on the river on both sides; where there are a few pine trees. Back from the river the tops of the hills, to a great distance are prairie land; and the country level.
Saturday 5th Oct. 1805. a fair cool frosty morning, the two men who had been at the villages trading, returned late last night, with their horses loaded with the root bread and a Small quantity of Sammon, a fiew Elk Skins dressed & otter Skins for caps &c. we continue on finishing off the canoes. got up our horses and cropped their fore mane, and branded them with a Sturrup Iron on the near fore Shoulder, So that we may know them again at our return. a Chief who we Intended leaveing our horses with has engaged to go on with us & leaves the horses in care of his two Sons. 38 in nomber of the horses which we delivered up in their care towards evening we put two of the canoes which was finished in to the River. (the distance over the mountn. is estimated to be 160 odd miles from where we left Flatt head River, to this place[)]
Saturday October 5th This morning was Clear & frosty.— The two Men who had been at the Villages trading with the Indians returned late last night. they had their horses loaded with Root bread & a small quantity of Salmon, & a few dressed Elk Skins, also some Otter skins, which we make use of in making Caps &ca.
The Men at work on the Canoes, continued to work on them & finishing them off— We got up all our horses, and Cropped close off the foretop of each horse, and branded them with a stirrup Iron, on the near fore shoulder, that we may be able to know them on our return. One of the Indian Chiefs who our officers intend leaving the care of our horses with, intends going on with us, & to leave the horses in the Care of his Two Sons. We delivered up to this Indian Chief 38 Horses, which he & his Sons took charge of. Towards evening we put two of the Canoes which our Men had finish'd into the River. We computed the distance that we came across the Mountains, & estmated it to be 165 Miles from where we left Flatt head River to this place.—
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.