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This morning we had considerable difficulty in collecting our horses they having straggled off to a considerable distance in surch of food on the sides of the mountains among the thick timber; at 9 OCk. we collected them all except one of Drewyers and one of Sheildes; we set out leaving Sheilds and LaPage to collect the two lost horses and follow us. We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the indians who had promised to accompany us or to procure a gude at all events and rejoin us as soon as possible. we sent by them a rifle which we offered as a reward to any of them who would engage to conduct us to traveller's rest; we also dirrected them if they found difficulty in induciny any of them to accompany us to offer the reward of two other guns to be given them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri. we had not proceeded far this morning before Potts cut his leg very badly with one of the large knives; he cut one of the large veigns on the inner side of the leg; I found much difficulty in stoping the blood which I could not effect untill I applyed a tight bandage with a little cushon of wood and tow on the veign below the wound. Colter's horse fel with him in passing hungry creek and himself and horse were driven down the creek a considerable distance rolling over each other among the rocks. he fortunately escaped without injury or the loss of his gun. by 1 P. M. we returned to the glade on the branch of hungry Creek where we had dined on the 16th inst. [1] here we again halted and dined. as there was much appearance of deer about this place we left R. and J. Feilds with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at this place and to join us in the evening at the meadows of Collin's creek where we intend remaining tomorrow in order to rest our horses and hunt. after dinner we proceeded on to Collin's Creek and encamped in a pleasant situation at the upper part of the meadows about 2 ms. above our encampment of the 15th inst. [2] we sent out several hunters but they returned without having killed anything. they saw a number if salmon [NB: trout] [3] in the creek and shot at them several times without success. we directed Colter and Gibson to fix each of them a gigg in the morning and indevour to take some of the salmon. the hunters saw much fresh appearance of bear but very little of deer. we hope by means of the fish together with what deer and bear we can kill to be enabled to subsist untill our guide arrives without the necessity of returning to the quawmash flats. there is a great abundance of good food here to sustain our horses.—
This morning we had considerable dificuelty in collecting our horses they haveing Strageled of to a considerable distance in Serch of food on the Sides of the mountains among the thick timber, at 9 oClock we Collected them all except 2 one of Sheilds & one of Drewyer's. we Set out leaving Shields and LePage to collect the two lost horses and follow us. We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the Indians who promised to accompany us, or to precure a guide at all events and rejeoin us as Soon as possible. We Sent by them a riffle which we offered as a reward to any of them who would engage to conduct us to Clarks river at the entrance of Travellers rest Creek; we also directed them if they found difficuelty in induceing any of them to accompany us to offer the reward of two other guns to be given them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri. we had not proceeded far this morning before J. Potts cut his leg very badly with one of the larger knives; he cut one of the large veins on the iner side of the leg; Colters horse fell with him in passing hungary creek and himself and horse were driven down the Creek a considerable distance roleing over each other among the rocks. he fortunately escaped with[out] much injurey or the loss of his gun. he lost his blanket. at 1 P. M we returned to the glade on a branch of hungary Creek where we had dined on the 16th instant. here we again halted and dined. as there was some appearance of deer about this place we left J. & R Field with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at this place and join us in the evening in the Meadows on Collin's Creek where we intended to remain tomorrow in order to restour horses and hunt. after dinner we proceeded on to the near fork of Collins Creek and encamped in a pleasant Situation at the upper part of the Meadows about 2 miles above our encampment of the 15th inst. we Sent out Several hunters but they returned without having killed any thing—. they saw a number of large fish in the Creek and Shot at them Several times without Suckcess. we Gibson and Colter to fix each of themselves a gigg in the morning and indeaver to take Some of those fish. the hunters Saw much fresh appearance of Bear, but very little deer Sign. we hope by the means of the fish together with what deer and bear we can kill to been abled to Subsist untill our guide arives without the necessaty of returning to the quawmash flats. there is great abundance of good food here to Sustain our horses. we are in flattering expectations of the arrival of two young chiefs who informed us that they intended to accompany us to the U. States, and Should Set out from their village in 9 nights after we left them on the 19th inst. if they Set out at that time Drewyer & Shannon will meet them, and probably join us on the 20th or 21st—. Musquetors Troublesome.
Wednesday 18th June 1806. cloudy Drewyer and Shannon Sent on a head to go to the villages of the pel-oll-pellow [4] nation they took one of the Short rifles [5] in order to git a pilot if possable to go over the mountn. with us. 2 of our horses could not be found this morning, So 2 men was left to hunt them. we Set out about 8 oClock proced. on with 4 men in front to clear the limbs and bushes out of the path. we got but a short distance before one of the men Potts who was of the front cut his leg verry bad with a big knife we halted a fiew minutes Capt. Lewis Sowed up the wound and bound it up we then proceeded on a Short distance further in crossing the creek Colters horse threw him in the creek lost his blanket and hirt him a little. about noon we halted to dine at the Same place we dined on the 16th Inst. at which time came up a hard Shower of hail and rain and hard Thunder, which lasted about an hour and cleared off. the 2 Fields Stayed here to hunt we proceeded on towards evening we arived at the long glades on a branch of Collinses Creek where is fine feed for our horses. so we Camped in order to Stay if the hunters kill game untill a guide comes or untill the road is So that we can go but it depends on the hunters and game in a great measure. the musquetoes verry troublesome at this place. Several Salmon [6] Seen in this branch &C—
Wednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy and several showers of rain fell during the day. We started about 8 o'clock, and found the road very slippery and bad. Two men [7] went on ahead to the village to enquire for a guide, and two more [8] remained to look for two horses that could not be found. We proceeded on with four men in front to cut some bushes out of the path; but did not go far till one of the men [9] cut himself very badly with a large knife; when we had to halt and bind up his wound. We again went forward, and in crossing the creek the horse of one of our men [10] fell with him, threw him off, hurt his leg, and lost his blanket. We halted for dinner at the same place were we dined on the 16th and had a gust of rain, hail, thunder and lightening, which lasted an hour, when the weather cleared and we had a fine afternoon. We continued our march till we came to a small glade on the branch of a creek, where we encamped, and some hunters went out in the evening; we had left two [11] men to hunt at the place where we dined. We found the musquitoes very troublesome on the creek, notwithstanding the snow is at so short a distance up the mountains. At night our hunters came to camp, having killed nothing; but saw some large fish [12] in the creek, which they supposed were salmon.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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