Clark: July 1, 1806

Tuesday July 1st 1806 on Clark’s river We Sent out all the hunters very
early this morning by 12 OClock they all returned haveing killd. 12 Deer
Six of them large fat Bucks, this is like once more returning to the land
of liveing a plenty of meat and that very good. as Capt. Lewis and Myself
part at this place we make a division of our party and such baggage and
provisions as is Souteable. the party who will accompany Capt L. is G.
Drewyer, Sergt. Gass, Jo. & R. Fields, Frazier & Werner, and
Thompson Goodrich & McNear as far as the Falls of Missouri at which
place the 3 latter will remain untill I Send down the Canoes from the head
of Jeffersons river. they will then join that party and after passing the
portage around the falls, proceed on down to the enterance of Maria where
Capt. Lewis will join them after haveing assended that river as high up as
Laid. 50° North. from the head of Jeffersons river I shall proceed on to
the head of the Rockejhone with a party of 9 or 10 men and desend that
river. from the R Rockejhone I Shall dispatch Sergt. Pryor with the horses
to the Mandans and from thence to the Tradeing Establishments of the N. W.
Co on the Assinniboin River with a letter which we have written for the
purpose to engage Mr. H. Haney to endeaver to get Some of the principal
Chiefs of the Scioux to accompany us to the Seat of our government &.
we divide the Loading and apportion the horses. Capt L. only takes 17
horses with him, 8 only of which he intends to take up the Maria &c.
One of the Indians who accompaned us Swam Clarks river and examined the
Country around, on his return he informed us that he had discovered where
a Band of the Tushepaws had encamped this Spring passed of 64 Lodges,
& that they had passed Down Clarks river and that it was probable that
they were near the quawmash flatts on a Easterly branch of that river.
those guides expressed a desire to return to their nation and not
accompany us further, we informed them that if they was deturmined to
return we would kill some meat for them, but wished that they would
accompy Capt. Lewis on the rout to the falls of Missouri only 2 nights and
show him the right road to cross the Mountains. this they agreed to do. we
gave a medal of the Small Size to the young man Son to the late Great
Chief of the Chopunnish Nation who had been remarkably kind to us in every
instance, to all the others we tied a bunch of blue ribon about the hair,
which pleased them very much. the Indian man who overtook us in the
Mountain, presented Capt. Lewis with a horse and said that he opened his
ears to what we had said, and hoped that Cap Lewis would see the
Crovanters of Fort De Prarie and make a good peace that it was their
desire to be at peace. Shew them the horse as a token of their wishes
&c.