Clark: June 30, 1806

Monday June 30th 1806 We dispatched Drewyer & Jo. Field early this
morning ahead to hunt. just as we had prepard. to set out at an early
hour, a deer Came in to lick at the Springs and one of our hunters killed
it; this Secired to us our dinner. and we proceeded down the Creek,
Sometimes in the bottoms and at other times on the tops or along the Steep
Sides of the ridge to the N of the Creek. at 11/2 m. we passd our
encampment of the 12th of Septr. last. we noon’d it at the place we had on
the 12 of Septr. last whiles here Shields killed a deer on the N. fork
near the road. here a rode leads up the N. fork and passed over to an
extensive vally on Clarks river at Some distance down that river as our
guids inform us. after dinner we resumed our march. Soon after Setting out
Shields killed another deer, and we picked up 3 others which G Drewyer had
killed along the road. Deer are very abundant in the neighbourhood of
travellers rest of boath Specis, also Some big horn and Elk. a little
before Sunset we arrived at our old encampment on the S. Side of the Creek
a little above its enterance into Clarks river. here we Encamped with a
view to remain 2 days in order to rest ourselves and horses and make our
final arrangements for Seperation. we found no signs of the Oatlashshots
haveing been here lately. the Indians express much Concern for them and
apprehend that the Menetarries of Fort d Prar have destroyed them in the
course of the last Winter and Spring, and mention the tracts of the
bearfooted indians which we Saw yesterday as an evidence of their being
much distressed-. our horses have stood the journey Supirisinly well and
only want a fiew days rest to restore them.

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Descended the mountain to Travellers rest leaveing those tremendious
mountanes behind us-in passing of which we have experiensed Cold and
hunger of which I shall ever remember. in passing over this part of the
Rocky mountains from Clarks river, to the quawmash flats from the 14th to
the 19th of Septr. 1805 we marched through Snow, which fell on us on the
night of the 14th and nearly all the day of the 15 in addition to the cold
rendered the air cool and the way difficuelt. our food was horses of which
we eate three.On our return we Set out from the quawmash flats on
the 15th of June and commenes the assent of the rocky mountains; the air
became cool and vigitation backwardon the 16th we met with banks of
Snow and in the hollars and maney of the hill Sides the Snow was from 3 to
4 feet deep and Scercely any grass vegitation just commencing where the
Snow had meltedon the 17th at meridian, the Snow became So deep in
every derection from 6 to 8 feet deep we could not prosue the road there
being no grass for our horses we were obliged to return to the quawmash
flatts to precure meat to live on as well as grass for our horsesleaveing
our baggage on the mountains We precured 5 Indians as pilots and on the
24th of June 1806 we again under took those Snowey regn. on the 26th we
with our baggage arived at an open plain serounded with Snow where there
was grass for horses on the 27th & 28th also passing over Snow 6 or 8
feet deep all the way on 29th passed over but little Snowbut saw
great masses of it lying in different directions