Lewis: August 18, 1805

Sunday August 18th 1805. This morning while Capt Clark was busily engaged
in preparing for his rout, I exposed some articles to barter with the
Indians for horses as I wished a few at this moment to releive the men who
were going with Capt Clark from the labour of carrying their baggage and
also one to keep here in order to pack the meat to camp which the hunters
might kill. I soon obtained three very good horses for which I gave an
uniform coat, a pair of legings, a few handkerchiefs, three knives and
some other small articles the whole of which did not cost more than about
20$ in the U States. the Indians seemed quite as well pleased with their
bargin as I was. the men also purchased one for an old checked shirt a
pair of old legings and a knife. two of those I purchased Capt. C. took on
with him. at 10 A.M. Capt. Clark departed with his detatchment and all the
Indians except 2 men and 2 women who remained with us. Two of the inferior
chiefs were a little displeased at not having received a present
equivolent to that given the first Chief. to releive this difficulty Capt.
Clark bestoed a couple of his old coats on them and I promised that if
they wer active in assisting me over the mountains with horses that I
would give them an additional present; this seemed perfectly to satisfy
them and they all set out in a good humour. Capt. Clark encamped this
evening near the narrow pass between the hills on Jefferson’s river in the
Shoshone Cove. his hunters killed one deer which the party with the aid of
the Indians readily consumed in the course of the evening.after
there departure this morning I had all the stores and baggage of every
discription opened and aired. and began the operation of forming the
packages in proper parsels for the purpose of transporting them on
horseback. the rain in the evening compelled me to desist from my
operations. I had the raw hides put in the water in order to cut them in
throngs proper for lashing the packages and forming the necessary geer for
pack horses, a business which I fortunately had not to learn on this
occasion. Drewyer Killed one deer this evening. a beaver was also caught
by one of the party. I had the net arranged and set this evening to catch
some trout which we could see in great abundance at the bottom of the
river. This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had
in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to
remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but
little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or
to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with
regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now soarly feel the
want of that information which those hours would have given me had they
been judiciously expended. but since they are past and cannot be recalled,
I dash from me the gloomy thought and resolved in future, to redouble my
exertions and at least indeavour to promote those two primary objects of
human existence, by giving them the aid of that portion of talents which
nature and fortune have bestoed on me; or in future, to live for mankind,
as I have heretofore lived for myself.