Clark: July 22, 1806

Tuesday 22nd of July 1806. The wind continued to blow very hard from the
N. E. and a little before day light was moderately Cool. I Sent Sergt.
Pryor and Shabono in Serch of the horses with directions to proceed up the
river as far as the 1st narrows and examine particularly for their tracks,
they returned at 3 P M and informed me that they had proceeded up the
distance I derected them to go and could See neither horses nor tracks;
the Plains imediately out from Camp is So dry and hard that the track of a
horse Cannot be Seen without close examination. I therefore derected
Sergt. Pryor Shannon Shabono & Bratten to incircle the Camp at Some
distance around and find the tracks of the horses and prosue them, they
Serched for tracks all the evening without finding which Course the horses
had taken, the plains being so remarkably hard and dry as to render it
impossible to See a track of a horse passing through the hard parts of
them. begin to Suspect that they are taken by the Indians and taken over
the hard plains to prevent our following them. my Suspicions is grounded
on the improbibility of the horses leaveing the grass and rushes of the
river bottoms of which they are very fond, and takeing imediately out into
the open dry plains where the grass is but Short and dry. if they had
Continued in the bottoms either up or down, their tracks Could be followed
very well. I directed Labeech who understands traking very well to Set out
early in the morning and find what rout the horses had taken if possible