Clark: June 20, 1806

Friday June 20th 1806 The hunters turned out early in different
directions, our guiggers also turned out with 2 guigs a Bayonet fixed on a
pole, a Scooping nett and a Snar made of horse. near the ford of the Creek
in a deep hole we killed Six Salmon trout & 2 others were killed in
the Creek above in the evening. Reubin Field killed a redish brown bear
which was very meagure. the tallons of this bear was remarkably Short
broad at their base and Sharply pointed, this was of the Species the
Chopunnish call Yahkar. as it was in very low order the flesh was
indifferent. Labiesh & Crusat returned late in the evening with one
deer which the former had killed. the hunters assured us that, their
greatest exertions would not enable them to support us here more than one
or two days longer, from the great scercity of game and the dificuelt
access of the Country, the under brush being very thick and great
quantities of fallen timber. as we shall necessarily be compelled to
remain more than two days for the return of Drewyer & Shannon we
determine to return in the morning as far as the quawmash flatts, and
endeaver to lay in another Stock of meat for the mountains, our former
Stock now being nearly exhosted as well as what we have killed on our
rout. by returning to the quawmash flatts we Shall Sooner be informed
wheather or not we can precure a guide to conduct us through the
Mountains; Should we fail in precureing one, we are deturmined to wrisk a
passage on the following plan immediately, because Should we wait much
longer, or untill the Snow disolves in Such manner as to enable us to
follow the road we cannot expect to reach the U States this Winter; this
is that Capt. L. or myself shall take four of our most expert woods men
with 3 or four of our best horses and proceed two days in advance takeing
a plentiful Supply of provisions. for this party to follow the road by the
mark the indins have made in many places with their baggage on the Sides
of the trees by rubbing against them, and to blaize the trees with a
tomahawk as they proceed. that after proceeding two days in advance of
Hungary Creek, two of those men would be sent back to the party who by the
time of their return to hungary Creek would have reached that place. the
men So returning would be enabled to inform the main party of the probable
Suckcess of the proceeding party in finding the road and of their probable
progress, in order that Should it be necessary, the main party by a delay
of a day or two a hungary Creek, should give the advance time to make the
road through before the main party could overtake them, and thus prevent
delay on that part of the rout where no food is to be obtained for our
horses. Should it So happen that the advance Should not find the road by
the marks of the trees after attempting it for two days, the whole of them
would return to the main party. in which Case we would bring back our
baggage and attempt a passage over the Mountains through the Country of
the Shoshones further to the South, by way of the main S Westerly fork of
Lewis’s river and Madisons or Gallitins river’s, where from the
information of the Chopunnish, there is a passage where at this season of
the year is not obstructed by snow, though the round is very distant and
would require at least a month in it’s preformance. The Shoshones informed
us when we first met with them that there was a passage across the
Mountains in that quarter but represented the difficuelties arriseing from
Steep ruggid high mountains, and also an extensive and barren plain which
was to be passed without game, as infinitely more difficuelt than the rout
by which we Came. from the Circumstance of the Chopunnish being at war
with that part of the Shoshones who inhabit the Country on this side of
the Mountains through which the road passes, I think it is highly probable
they cannot be well informed with respect to the road, and further, had
there been a better road in that quarter the Shoshones on the East fork of
Lewis’s river who knew them boath would not have recommend’d that by which
we came to this country. The travelling in the Mountains on the Snow, at
present is very good, the Snow bears the horses perfectly; it is a firm
coase Snow without a crust, and the horses have good foot hold without
slipping much; the only dificuelty is finding the road, and I think the
plan we have devised will Suckceed even Should we not be enabled to obtain
a guide. altho the Snow may be Stated on an average at 10 feet deep, yet
arround the body of the trees it has disolved much more than in other
parts, not being generally more than one or two feet deep imediately at
the roots of the trees, and of course the marks made by the rubbing of the
Indian baggage against them is not Concealed. The reason why the Snow is
comparitively So Shallow about the roots of the trees, 1 prosume proceeds
as well from the Snow in falling being thrown off from their bodies by the
thick and Spreading branches, as from the reflection of the Sun against
the trees and the warmth which they in Some measure acquire from the earth
which is never frozen underneath those masses of Snow. 4 of our horses are
absent.