Clark: June 29, 1806

Sunday June 29th 1806 We colected our horses and Set out haveing
previously dispatched Drewyer & R. Field to the Warm Springs to hunt.
we prosued the hights of the ridge on which we have been passing for
several days; it termonated at the distance of 5 M. from our encampment,
and we decended to & passed the main branch of Kooskooke 11/2 Ms.
above the enterance of Glade Creek which falls in on the N. E. Side. we
bid adew to the Snow. near the River we found a Deer which the hunters had
killed and left us. this was a fortunate Supply as all our bears oil was
now exhosted, and we were reduced to our roots alone without Salt. the
river is 30 yds wide and runs with great velossity. the bead as all the
Mountain streams is composed of Smooth Stone. beyond this river we
assended a Steep Mountain about 2 Miles to it’s Sumit where we found the
old road which we had passed on as we went out. comeing in on our right,
the road was now much plainer and much beaten. at noon we arived at the
quawmash flatts on Vally Creek and halted to graize our horses and dined
haveing traveled 12 Miles here is a pretty little plain of about 50 acres
plentifully Stocked with quawmash and from appearance this forms one of
the principal Stages of the indians who pass the mountains on this road.
we found that one of our pack horss with his load and one of Capt. L.s.
horses were missing we dispatched Jo. Field & Colter in serch of the
lost horse’s. after dinner we continued our march 7 ms further to the worm
Springs where we arrived early in the evening, and Sent out Several
hunters, who as well as R. Field & Drewyer returned unsuksessfull;
late in the evening Jo. Field & Colter joined us with the lost horses
and brought with them a Deer which J. F. had killed, this furnished us
with a Supper.

Those Worm or Hot Springs are Situated at the base of a a hill of no
considerable hight, on the N. Side and near the bank of travellers rest
Creek which is at that place about 10 yds wide. these Springs issue from
the bottom and through the interstices of a grey freestone rock, the rock
rises in irregular masy clifts in a circular range, arround the Springs on
their lower Side. imediately above the Springs on the Creek there is a
handsom little quawmash plain of about 10 acres. the principal Spring is
about the temperature of the Warmest baths used at the Hot Springs in
Virginia. in this bath which had been prepared by the Indians by stopping
the river with Stone and mud, I bathed and remained in 10 minits it was
with dificuelty I could remain this long and it causd a profuse swet. two
other bold Springs adjacent to this are much warmer, their heat being so
great as to make the hand of a person Smart extreemly when immerced. we
think the temperature of those Springs about the Same as that of the
hotest of the hot Springs of Virginia. both the Men and the indians amused
themselves with the use of the bath this evening. I observe after the
indians remaining in the hot bath as long as they could bear it run and
plunge themselves into the Creek the water of which is now as Cold as ice
Can make it; after remaining here a fiew minits they return again to the
worm bath repeeting this transision Several times but always ending with
the worm bath. Saw the tracks of 2 bearfooted indians-.