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We collected our horses early and set out. the road still continued on the heights of the same dividing ridge on which we had traveled yesterday for nine miles or to our encampment of the 〈18th〉 [NB: 17th] [1] of September last. about one mile short of this encampment on an elivated point we halted by the request of the Indians a few minutes and smoked the pipe. on this eminence the natives have raised a conic mound of stones of 6 or eight feet high and on it's summit erected a pine pole of 15 feet long. [2] from hence they informed us that when passing over with their familes some of the men were usually sent on foot by the fishery at the entrance of Colt Creek in order to take fish and again met the main party at the Quawmash glade on the head of the Kooskooske river. [3] from this place we had an extensive view of these stupendous mountains principally covered with snow like that on which we stood; we were entirely surrounded by those mountains from which to one unacquainted with them it would have seemed impossible ever to have escaped; in short without the asssistance of our guides I doubt much whether we who had once passed them could find our way to Travellers rest in their present situation for the marked trees on which we had placed considerable reliance are much fewer and more difficult to find than we had apprehended. these fellows are most admireable pilots; we find the road wherever the snow has disappeared though it be only for a few hundred paces. after smoking the pipe and contemplating this seene sufficient to have damp the sperits of any except such hardy travellers as we have become, we continued our march and at the distance of 3 ms. decended a steep mountain and passed two small branches of the Chopunnish river just above their forks [4] and again ascended the ridge on which we passed several miles and at a distance of 7 ms. arrived at our encampment [NB: 16th] of September near which we passed 3 small branches [5] of the Chopunnish river and again ascended to the dividing ridge on which we continued nine miles when the ridge became lower and we arrived at a situation very similar to our encampment of the last evening tho' the ridge was somewhat higher and the snow had not been so long desolved of course there was but little grass. [6] here we encamped for the night having traveled 28 miles over these mountains without releiving the horses from their packs or their having any food. the indians inform us that there is [NB: in the mountains a little or our left] an abundance of the mountain sheep or what they call white buffaloe. [7] we saw three black-tailed or mule deer [8] this evening but were unable to get a shoot at them. we also saw several tracks of those animals in the snow. the indians inform that there is great abundance of Elk in the vally about the Fishery on the Kooskooske River. [9] our meat being exhausted we issued a pint of bears oil to a mess which with their boiled roots made an agreeable dish. Potts's legg which has been much swolen and inflamed for several days is much better this evening and gives him but little pain. we applyed the pounded roots and leaves of the wild ginger [10] & from which he found great relief. neare our encampment we saw a great number of the yellow lilly with reflected petals in blume; [11] this plant was just as forward here at this time as it was in the plains on the 10th of may.
We collected our horses early and Set out. the road Still Continue on the hights of the Dividing ridge on which we had traveled yesterday for 9 Ms. or to our encampment of the 16th Septr. last. [12] about 1 m. Short of the encampment we halted by the request of the Guides a fiew minits on an ellevated point and Smoked a pipe on this eminance the nativs have raised a conic mound of Stons of 6 or 8 feet high and erected a pine pole of 15 feet long. from hence they informed us that when passing over with their families some of the men were usually Sent on foot by the fishery at the enterance of Colt Creek in order to take fish and again meet the party at the quawmash glade on the head of Kooskoske river. from this place we had an extencive view of these Stupendeous Mountains principally Covered with Snow like that on which we Stood; we were entirely Serounded by those mountains from which to one unacquainted with them it would have Seemed impossible ever to have escaped, in short without the assistance of our guides, I doubt much whether we who had once passed them could find our way to Travellers rest in their present Situation for the marked trees on which we had placed Considerable reliance are much fewer and more difficuelt to find than we had apprehended. those indians are most admireable pilots; we find the road wherever the Snow has disappeared tho' it be only fora fiew paces. after haveing Smoked the pipe and Contemplating this Scene Sufficient to have dampened the Spirits of any except Such hardy travellers as we have become, we continued our march and at the dist. of 3 m. decended a Steep mountain and passed two Small branches of the Chopunnish river just above their fok, and again assend the ridge on which we passed. at the distance of 7 m. arived at our Encampment of 16th Septr. last passed 3 Small branches passed on a dividing ridge rugid and we arived at a Situation very Similar to our Situation of last night tho' the ridge was Somewhat higher and the Snow had not been So long disolved of course there was but little grass. here we Encamped for the night haveing traveled 28 Ms. over these mountains without releiveing the horses from their packs or their haveing any food. the Indians inform us that there is an abundance of the Mountain Sheep, or what they Call white Buffalow on those Mountains. we Saw 3 black tail or mule deer this evening but were unable to get a Shoot at them. we also Saw Several tracks of those animals in the snow. our Meat being exhosted we 〈send 2〉 issued a point of Bears Oil to a mess which with their boiled roots made an agreeable dish. Jo. Potts leg which had been much Swelled and inflaimed for several days is much better this evening and givs him but little pain. we applied the poundd root & leaves of wild ginger from which he found great relief. Near our encampment we saw great numbers of the Yellow lilly with reflected petals in blume; this plant was just as foward here at this time as it was in the plains on the 10th of May. My head has not pained me so much to day as yesterday and last night.
Friday 27th June 1806. a fair morning. we took an eairly breakfast and proceeded on verry fast over the high banks of Snow the most part of the day and bad mountains. we came further to day than we went in 2 when we came over. and Camped [13] on the South Side of a mountain where our horses find a little grass. the day warm and Snow melts fast.—
Friday 27th. We had a cloudy morning and at 8 o'clock we renewed our march, proceeding over some of the steepest mountains I ever passed. The snow is so deep that we cannot wind along the sides of these steps, but must slide straight down. The horses generally do not sink more than three inches in the snow; but sometimes they break through to their bellies. We kept on without halting to about 5 o'clock in the evening, when we stopped at the side of a hill where the snow was off, and where there was a little grass; and we here encamped for the night. The day was plesant throughout; but it appeared to me somewhat extraordinary, to be travelling over snow six or eight feet deep in the latter end of June. The most of us, however, had saved our socks as we expected to find snow on these mountains.
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