Clark: September 15, 1805

Wednesday Septr. 15th 1805 We set out early. the morning Cloudy and
proceeded on Down the right Side of River over Steep points rockey &
buschey as usial for 4 miles to an old Indian fishing place, here the road
leaves the river to the left and assends a mountain winding in every
direction to get up the Steep assents & to pass the emence quantity of
falling timber which had falling from dift. causes i e. fire & wind
and has deprived the Greater part of the Southerley Sides of this mountain
of its gren timber, 4 miles up the mountain I found a Spring and halted
for the rear to come up and to let our horses rest & feed, about 2
hours the rear of the party came up much fatigued & horses more So,
Several horses Sliped and roled down Steep hills which hurt them verry
much The one which Carried my desk & Small trunk Turned over &
roled down a mountain for 40 yards & lodged against a tree, broke the
Desk the horse escaped and appeared but little hurt Some others verry much
hurt, from this point I observed a range of high mountains Covered with
Snow from S E. to S W with Their top bald or void of timber. after two
hours delay we proceeded on up the mountain Steep & ruged as usial,
more timber near the top, when we arrived at the top As we Conceved we
could find no water and Concluded to Camp and make use of the Snow we
found on the top to cook the remnt. of our Colt & make our Supe,
evening verry Cold and Cloudy. Two of our horses gave out, pore and too
much hurt to proceed on and left in the rearnothing killed to day
except 2 Phests.

From this mountain I could observe high ruged mountains in every direction
as far as I could See. with the greatest exertion we Could only make 12
miles up this mountain and encamped on the top of the mountain near a Bank
of old Snow about 3 feet deep lying on the Northern Side of the mountain
and in Small banks on the top & leavel parts of the mountain, we
melted the Snow to drink, and Cook our horse flesh to eat.