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Had the carriage wheels dug up found them in good order. the iron frame of the boat had not suffered materially. had the meat cut thiner and exposed to dry in the sun. and some roots of cows of which I have yet a small stock pounded into meal for my journey. I find the fat buffaloe meat a great improvement to the mush of these roots. the old cash being too damp to venture to deposit my trunks &c in I sent them over to the Large island and had them put on a high scaffold among some thick brush and covered with skins. I take this precaution lest some indians may visit the men I leave here before the arrival of the main party and rob them. the hunters killed a couple of wolves, the buffaloe have almost entirely disappeared. saw the bee martin. the wolves are in great numbers howling arround us and loling about in the plains in view at the distance of two or three hundred yards. I counted 27 about the carcase of a buffaloe which lies in the water at the upper point of the large island. these are generally of the large kind. [1] Drewyer did not return this evening.—
| S 78° E. | 6 | Miles to a part of the river haveing passed through an open leavel butifull plain covered with low grass river bind to the N E. Passed Several buffalow roeds all leading to a gap in the mountain to the N. E. of me |
| S 70° E. | 6 | miles to a plain East of the river haveing crossed Several Streams 〈of〉 & the river 〈the river〉 〈the Streams〉 (passed out of my direction in the first part of this Course [)] an intolerable rout caused by Beaver daming the Stream a muddy wet rout, and Come into the course abut one mile from the commencement & then passed through a low leavel firm plain to the river and Crossd it into a low plain. |
| 〈East〉 S 78° E | 12 | Miles to the most Sourtherly of the three forks of the East fork of Galletins river, all Small, the most Easterly branch Comeing out of the mountain, passing through an open Leavel plain Passed 3 Small Streams from the Mountains to my right. Some Snow on the mountains to the S E. S. S W. West and at a distanc to the N. W. none to be seen on those Easterly— marked my name & day & year on a Cot- ton tree. |
| N 80° E. | 3 | miles to the Enterance of a banch into the middle fork from the N E at the foot of the mountain, haveing Crossed the E fork at 1½ above a thicket a Spur on the mountain on the left a Slopeing plain on the right Mountain forming a half Circle, and the middle fork entering the mountain a Short distance above. much beaver Sign &c. Camped |
Sent Sheilds a head to kill a deer for our brackfast and at an eaerly hour Set out with the party Crossed Gallitines river which makes a Considerable bend to the N. E. and proceeded on nearly S. 78° E through an open Leavel plain at 6 miles I Struck the river and crossed a part of it and attemptd to proceed on through the river bottoms which was Several Miles wide at this place, I crossed Several chanels of the river running through the bottom in defferent directions. I proceeded on about two miles crossing those defferent chanels all of which was damed with beaver in Such a manner as to render the passage impracticable and after Swamped as I may Say in this bottom of beaver I was compelled to turn Short about to the right and after Some difficuelty made my way good to an open low but firm plain which was an Island ane extended nearly the Course I wished to proceed. here the Squar informed me that there was a large road passing through the upper part of this low plain from Madicins river through the gap which I was Stearing my Course to. I proceeded up this plain 4 miles and Crossed the main Chanel of the river, having passed through a Skirt of cotton timber to an open low plain on the N E. Side of the river and nooned it. [2] the river is divided and on all the small Streams inoumerable quantities of beaver dams, tho' the river is yet navagable for Canoes. I overtook Shields Soon after I 〈had〉 set out; he had killed a large fat Buck. I saw Elk deer & Antelopes, and great deel of old Signs of buffalow. their roads is in every direction. The Indian woman informs me that a fiew years ago Buffalow was very plenty in those plains & Vallies quit as the head of Jeffersons river, but fiew of them ever come into those Vallys of late years owing to the Shoshones who are fearfull of passing into the plains West of the mountains and Subsist on what game they Can Catch in the Mountains principally and the fish which they take in the E. fork of Lewis's river. Small parties of the Shoshones do pass over to the plains for a few days at a time and kill buffalow for their Skins and dried meat, and return imediately into the Mountains. after Dinner we proceeded on a little to the South of East through an open leavel plain to the three forks of the E branch of Gallitines River [3] at about 12 miles, crossed the most Southerly of those forks [4] and Struck an old buffalow road [NB: the one our Indn woman meant] which I kept Continuing nearly the Same Course up the middle fork Crossed it and Camped on a small branch of the middle fork on the N E. Side at the commencement of the gap of the mountain— [5] the road leading up this branch, Several other roads all old Come in from the right & left. emence quantities of beaver on this Fork quit down, and their dams very much impeed the navigation of it from the 3 forks down, tho I beleive it practicable for Small Canoes by unloading at a fiew of the worst of those dams. Deer are plenty. Shannon Shields and Sergt. Pryor each killed one which were very fat much more So than they are Commonly at this Season of the year. The Main fork of Galletins River turn South and enter them mountains which are yet Covered with Snow. Madisens river makes a Great bend to the East and enter the Same mountain. a leavel plain between the two rivers below the mountain.
Monday 14th July 1806. a fair morning. we took an eairly breakfast and proceeded on down the river. the wind rose hard a head Colter killed 2 young beaver about noon we halted the wind rose So high that we were unable to proceed. So two hunters went out a hunting. in the evening as the wind fell we mooved down the R. to a bottom and Camped. Willard killed one deer. Saw Indn. Sign Collins did not join us this evening. Saw buffaloe Sign &C.
Monday 14th. There was a pleasant morning.— We staid here also to day; and the musketoes continued to torment us until about noon, when a fine breeze of wind arose and drove them, for a while away. We deposited the most valuable part of our baggage and stores on a large island so that if the Indians came they would not get it.
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