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.
This morning we collected our horses and set out as usual after an early breakfast. several of our horses had straggled to a considersble distance in surch of food but we were fortunate enough to find them in good time they look extreemly gant this morning, however the indians informed us that at noon we would arrive at a place where there was good food for them. we continued our rout along the dividing ridge passing one very deep hollow and at the distance of six miles passed our encampment of the 〈16〉 [NB: 15th] [1] of September last, one and a half miles further we passed the road which leads by the fishery falling in on the wright immediately on the dividing ridge. [2] about eleven O'clock we arrived at an untimbered side of a mountain with a Southern aspect just above the fishery here we found an abundance of grass for our horses as the Indians had informed us. as our horses were very hungary and much fatiegued and from information no other place where we could obtain grass for them within the reach of this evening's travel we determined to remain at this place all night having come 13 miles only. [3] the water was distant from our encampment we therefore melted snow and used the water principally. the whole of the rout of this day was over deep snows. we find the traveling on the snow not worse than without it, as the easy passage it gives us over rocks and fallen timber fully compensate for the inconvenience of sliping, certain it is that we travel considerably faster on the snow than without it. the snow sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a hors, is coarse and firm and seems to be formed of the larger and more dense particles of the snow; the surface of the snow is reather harder in the morning than after the sun shines on it a few hours, but it is not in that situation so dense as to prevent the horse from obtaining good foothold. we killed a small black pheasant; this bird is generally found in the snowey region of the mountains and feeds on the leaves of the pine and fir. [4] there is a speceis of small whortleburry [5] common to the hights of the mountains, and a speceis of grass with a broad succulent leaf which looks not unlike a flag; [6] of the latter the horses are very fond, but as yet it is generally under the snow or mearly making it's appearance as it confined to the upper parts of the highest mountains.—
This morning we Colected our horses and Set out as usial after an early brackfast. we continued our rout along the dividig ridge over knobs & through deep hollows passed our encampmt of the 14 Sept. last near the forks of the road leaving the one on which we had Came one leading to the fishery to our right imediately on the dividing ridge. at 12 oClock we arrived at an untimberd side of a mountain with a southern aspect just above the fishery here we found an abundance of grass for our horses as the guids had informed us. as our horses were hungary and much fatiegued and from information no other place where we could obtain grass for them within the reach of this evening's travel we deturmined to remain at this place all night haveing come 13 m. only. the water was distant from our Encampment we therefore melted Snow and used the water. the whole of the rout of this day was over deep Snow. we find the travelling on the Snow not worse than without it, as easy passage it givs us over rocks and fallen timber fully compensates for the inconvenience of sliping, certain it is that we travel considerably faster on the snow than without it. the Snow Sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a horse, is course and firm and seems to be formed of the larger particles the surface of the snow sees to be rather harder in the morning than after the Sun Shines on it a fiew hours, but it is not in that situation so dense as to prevent the horses from obtaining good foothold. I killed a Small black pheasant; this bird is generally found in the Snowey region of the mountains and feeds on the leaves of the pine & fir. there is a Species of Small huckleberry common to the hights of the mountains, and a Species of grass with a broad succulent leaf which looks not unlike a flag; of the latter the horses are very fond, but as yet it is generally under the Snow, or mearly makeing it's appearance as it confined to the upper part of the highest mountains.
〈Saturday 28th June 1806. a fair cool morning. we Set out as usal and proceeded on [four words illegible] the vallies on to the ridge [thick?] 2 hunters went on a head to hunt. we descended a mountn. down on a fork of Collinses Creek, found the meat of a deer which one of the hunters had killed. we crossed the creek and ascended a high Steep mountn. came in [our old] road had a bad Shower of hail and [Some?] Thunder〉
Saturday 28th June 1806. a clear cool morning we Set out as usal and proceeded on verry well the Snow continues as yesterday. our guides took us on a ridge different from that we went last fall, but a better way. [7] about one oClock we halted on the top of a bald mountain on the South Side of which our horses git tollarable feed. So we delay this afternoon to let our horses refresh themselves &C in the evening we had Thunder & hail.
Saturday 28th. The morning was pleasant, we set out early, and passed the place where we had encamped on the 15th Sept. last when the snow fell on us. After passing this place about a mile, we took a left-hand path, [8] and travelled along high ridges till noon, when we came to a good place of grass; where we halted and remained all the afternoon to let our horses feed, as they had but little grass last night. Some hunters went out, as we saw some elk signs here, and our meat is exhausted. We still have a good stock of roots, which we pound and make thick soup of, that eats very well. In the evening our hunters came in but had not killed any thing. On the south side of this ridge there is summer with grass and other herbage in aboundance; and on the north side, winter with snow six or eight feet deep.
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.