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Apprehensive from Drewyer's delay that he had met with some difficulty in procuring a guide, and also that the two indians who had promised to wait two nights for us would set out today, we thought it most advisable to dispatch Frazier and Wiser to them this morning with a vew if possible to detain them a day or two longer; and directed that in the event of their not being able to detain the indians, that Sergt. Gass, R & J. Feilds and Wiser should accompany the indians by whatever rout they might take to travellers rest and blaize the trees well as they proceeded and wait at that place untill our arrivall with the party. the hunters as usual wer dispatched early this morning. the does now having their fawns the hunters can bleat them up [1] and in that manner kill them with more facility and ease. the indians pursue the game so much on horseback in this neighbourhood that it is very shye. our hunters killed 4 deer and a bear today. at [4?] P. M. Drewyer Shannon and Whitehouse returned. Drewyer brought with him three indians who had consented to accompany us to the falls of the Missouri for the compensation of two guns. one of those men is the brother of the cutnose and the other two [2] are the same who presented Capt. Clark and myself each with a horse on a former occasion at the Lodge of the broken arm. these are all young men of good character and much respected by their nation. we directed the horses to be brought near camp this evening and secured in such manner that they may be readily obtained in the morning being determined to make an early start if possible.— Colter one of our hunters did not return this evening.
Apprehensive from Drewyer & Shannons delay that they had met with Some difficuelty in precureing a guide, and also that the two indians who had promised to wait two nights for us would Set out today, we thought it most adviseable to dispatch Wizer & Frazier to them this morning with a view if possible to detain them a day or two longer; and directed that in the event of their not being able to detain the indians, that Sergt. Gass, Jo. & R. Field & Wiser Should accompany the Indians by whatever rout they might take to travellers rest and blaize the trees well as they proceeded, and wait at that place untill our arival with the party. the hunters as usial were dispatched early this morning. The does now haveing their young the hunters can blait them up, and in that manner kill them with more facillity and ease. the indians pursue the game So much on horse back in this neighbourhood that it is very Shye. our hunters killed [blank] deer today. at 4 P. M. Shannon Drewyer & Whitehouse returned. Shannon & Drewyer brought with them three indians who had consented to accompany us to the falls of the Missouri for the Compensation of 2 guns. one of those men is the brother of the Cutnose and the other two are the Same who presented Capt L. and myself with a horse on a former occasion at the Lodge of the broken arm, and the two who promised to pursue us in nine nights after we left the river, or on the 19th inst. Those are all young men of good Charrector and much respected by their nation. those men infor us that thir nation as well as the Wallar-wallars have made peace with the Shoshones agreeable to our late advice to them. they also inform us that they have heard by means of the Skeetsomis Nation & Clarks river that the Big bellies of Fort de Prarie [3] Killed great numbers of the Shoshons and Otte lee Shoots [4] which we met with last fall on the East fork of Lewis's river and high up the West fork of Clarks river &c.
We directed the horses to be brought near Camp and secured in Such a manner that they may be readily obtained in the morning being deturmined to make an early Start if possible—.— Colter one of our hunters did not return this evening—.
Monday 23rd June 1806. a clear pleasant morning. The most of the hunters turned out again a hunting and killed two deer in the afternoon Drewyer Shannon & Whitehouse returned with the young chief [5] and 2 other Indians who has engaged to go over the mountains as guides for us &C. in the afternoon two of the hunters came in had killed 2 two deer. the Strawburys are pleanty about this place.—
Monday 23rd. We had again a fine morning; and the men went out to hunt. While they were out the two Indians went on. About 11 o'clock the hunters came in without having killed any thing; and at noon two men [6] came to our camp with orders for four of us to follow the Indians, if they were gone, until we should overtake them, and get them to halt if possible, till the party should come up; but if not, to follow them on and blaze the way after them; as the man [7] who had gone to enquire for a guide had not returned, and it was not known whether he would get one or not. The men said they had had good luck at the Com-mas flat, having killed ten deer and three bears. I immediately started with three of the men after the Indians, leaving one to take care of the camp, and the lame horse and some more that were there. We proceeded on till we came to the creek [8] where we had stayed the 19th and 20th, and overtook the Indians encamped there, and encamped with them.
They had caught two salmon-trout since they came to this camp; and shortly after we came one of our men killed a duck; and we remained together during the night.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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