Lewis: April 24, 1806

Thursday April 24 th 1806. We were up early this morning and dispatched
the men in surch of our horses, they were all found in a little time
except McNeal’s. we hired an indian to surch for this horse it was one in
the evening before he returned with him. in the intermediate time we had 4
packsaddles made purchased three horses of the Wah-howpums, and hired
three others of the Chopunnish man who accompanys us with his family and
horses. we now sold our canoes for a few strands of beads, loaded up and
departed at 2 P.M. the natives had tantalized us with an exchange of
horses for our canoes in the first instance, but when they found that we
had made our arrangements to travel by land they would give us nothing for
them I determined to cut them in peices sooner than leave them on those
terms, Drewyer struck one of the canoes and split of a small peice with
his tommahawk, they discovered us determined on this subject and offered
us several strands of beads for each which were accepted. we proceeded up
the river between the hills and it’s Northen shore. the road was rocky and
sandy alternately, the road difficult and fatiegu-ing. at 12 ms. we
arrived at a village of 5 lodges of the Met-cow-wes, having passed 4
lodges at 4 and 2 at 2 Ms. further. we ramined all night near the
Met-cow-we lodges about 2 miles below our encampment of the ____ of
October last; we purchased three dogs and some shappellel of these people
which we cooked with dry grass and willow boughs. many of the natives
pased and repassed us today on the road and behaved themselves with
distant rispect towards us. most of the party complain of the soarness of
their feet and legs this evening; it is no doubt caused by walking over
the rough stones and deep sands after bing for some months passed been
accustomed to a soft soil. my left ankle gives me much pain. I baithed my
feet in cold water from which I experienced considerable releif. The
curloos are abundant in these plains and are now laying their eggs. saw
the Kildee, the brown lizzard, and a Moonax which the natives had petted.
the winds which set from Mount Hood or in a westerly direction are much
more cold than those from the opposite quarter. there are now no dews in
these plains, and from the appearance of the earth there appears to have
been no rain for several weeks.we derected that the three horses
which we purchased yesterday should be bubbled and confined to a picqut,
and that the others should be disposed of in the same manner they were
last evening.