Clark: May 23, 1806

Friday 23rd May 1806 a fair morning. Sergt. Pryor wounded a Deer at a lick
near our Camp and our dog prosued it into the river. two Indians which
happened to be at our Camp Mounted their horses and Swam across the river
chased the deer into the water again and pursued it across to the Side on
which we were, and as the Deer Came out of the Water Sgt. Pryor killed it.
we derected half of this deer to be given to those two indians. they
imediately made a fire and Cooked the meat. 4 others joined them from the
Village and they Soon consumed their portion. The Child is Something
better this morning than it was last night. we apply a fresh poltice of
the wild Onion which we repeeted twice in the Course of the day. the
Swelling does not appear to increas any Since yesterday. The 4 Indians who
visited us to day informed us that they Came from their village on Lewis’s
river two days ride from this place for the purpose of Seeing of us and
getting a little eye water I washed their eyes with Some eyewater and they
all left us at 2 P.M. and returned to the Villages on the opposit Side of
this river. at 1 oClock Shannon, Colter, Labiech, Crusatt Lapage and
Collins all returned from hunting without haveing killed any thing except
a fiew heath hens & black Pheasants two of which they brought with
them. Labiech also brought a whisteling squerel which he had killed on
it’s hole in the high plains. this squerel differs from those on the
Missouri in their Colour, Size, food and the length tal and from those
found near the falls of Columbia

Our hunters brought us a large hooting owl which differ from those of the
atlantic States. The plumage of this owl is an uniform mixture of dark
yellowish brown and white, in which the dark brown prodominates. it’s
Colour may be properly termed a dark Iron gray. the plumage is very long
and remarkably Silky and Soft. those have not the long feathers on the
head which give it the appearance of ears, or horns, remarkable large eyes

the hunters informed us that they had hunted with great industry all the
Country between the river and for Some distance above and below without
the Smallest Chance of killing any game. they inform us that the high
lands are very cold with snow which has fallen for every day or night for
Several past. our horses which was Cut is like to doe well.