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Reubin Feilds and Willard were ordered to proceed on our road to a small prarie 8 miles distant on this side of Collins's Creek and there hunt until our arrival; [1] they departed at 10 A. M. about noon seven of our hunters returned with 8 deer; they had wounded several others and a bear but did not get them. in the evening Labuish and Cruzatte returned and reported that the buzzards [2] has eaten up a deer which they had killed butchered and hung up this morning. The indian who visited us yesterday exchanged his horse for one of ours which had not perfectly recovered from the operation of castration and received a small ax and a knife to boot, he seemed much pleased with his exchange and set out immediately to his village, as if fearfull that we would cansel the bargain which is customary among themselves and deemed only fair. we directed the meat to be cut thin and exposed to dry in the sun. we made a digest of the Indian Nations West of the Rocky Mountains which we have seen and of whom we have been repeated informed by those with whom we were conversent. they amount by our estimate to 69,000 [NB?: about 80,000] Souls.— [3]
Ordered Rubin Fields and Willard to proceed on to a Small prarie in the Mountains about 8 miles and there hunt untill we arrive the Set out at 10 A. M. Soon after they Set out all of our hunters returned each with a deer except Shields who brought two in all 8 deer. Labeech and P. Crusatt went out this morning killed a deer & reported that the buzzds. had eate up the deer in their absence after haveing butchered and hung it up. The indian who visited us yesterday exchanged his horse with one of our party for a very indiferant one in which exchange he rcived a Small ax a Knife &c. Soon after he had exchanged he returned to his village well Satisfied. we caused the meat to be cut thin and dried in the sun. I make a list of the Indian Nations their place of residence, and probable number of Soles of each nation from estimation and indian information &c.
Friday 13th June 1806. a fair morning. Several men went out eairly from Camp a hunting about noon R. Fields and Willard Set out to go on about 10 miles a head and hunt at a small prarie untill we come up. our hunters all came in this afternoon and eight of them had killed each a deer Gibson Shields Shannon Collins Jo. Fields Drewyer Labuche and [blank] all the meat except Labuches was brought in & that the ravens & buzzards eat while he was hunting a little more after killing it. one of the other hunters Colter killed a large crain
Friday 13th. There was a fine morning, and a hunter or two went out. The Indian exchanged horses with one of our men, whose horse had not recovered, and was unable to cross the mountains; and then went home to the village. At noon two of our men [4] took their loads and went on ahead about eight miles to a small prairie to hunt until we should come up. During the afternoon the men [5] who went out yesterday to hunt, returned with eight deer. In the evening the weather became cloudy. The musquitoes are very troublesome.
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.