Lewis: July 4, 1806

July 4th 1806. An Indian arrived alone from the West side of the
mountains. he had pursued and overtook us here. sent out the hunters early
to kill some meat to give the indians as they would not go with us further
and I was unwilling after they service they had rendered to send them away
without a good store of provision. they are going down Clark’s River in
surch of the Shalees their friends, and from thence intend returning by
this rout home again, they fleesed their meat informed us that they should
dry it and leave it for their homeward journey.Set out at 12. had
killed no deer.

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Friday July 4th 1806. I arrose early this morning and sent out Drewyer and
the Fieldses to hunt. at 6. A.M. a man of the Pallote pellows arrived from
the West side of the Rocky mountains; he had pursued us a few days after
our departure and overtook us at this place; he proved to be the same
young man who had first attempted to pass the rocky mountains early in
June last when we lay on the Kooskooske and was obliged to relinquish the
enterprize in consequence of the debth and softness of the snow. I gave a
shirt a handkercheif and a small quantity of ammunition to the indians. at
half after eleven the hunters returned from the chase unsuccessfull. I now
ordered the horses saddled smoked a pipe with these friendly people and at
noon bid them adieu. they had cut the meat which I gave them last evening
thin and exposed it in the sun to dry informing me that they should leave
it in this neighbourhood untill they returned as a store for their
homeward journey. it is worthy of remark that these people were about to
return by the same pass by which they had conducted us through the
difficult part of the Rocky Mountains, altho they were about to decend
Clark’s river several days journey in surch of the Shale’s their
relations, a circumstance which to my mind furnishes sufficient evidence
that there is not so near or so good a rout to the plains of Columbia by
land along that river as that which we came. the several war routs of the
Minetarees which fall into this vally of Clark’s river concenter at
traveller’s rest beyond which point they have never yet dared to venture
in pursuit of the nations beyond the mountains. all the nations also on
the west side of the mountain with whom we are acquainted inhabiting the
waters of Lewis’s river & who visit the plains of the Missouri pass by
this rout. these affectionate people our guides betrayed every emmotion of
unfeigned regret at seperating from us; they said that they were confidint
that the Pahkees, (the appellation they give the Minnetares) would cut us
off. the first 5 miles of our rout was through a part of the extensive
plain in which we were encamped, we then entered the mountains with the
East fork of Clark’s river through a narrow confined pass on it’s N. side
continuing up that river five ms. further to the entrance of the
Cokahlahishkit R which falls in on the N. E. side, is 60 yds. wide deep
and rapid. the banks bold not very high but never overflow. the East fork
below its junction with this stream is 100 yds. wide and above it about
90. the water of boath are terbid but the East branch much the most so;
their beds are composed of sand and gravel; the East fork possesses a
large portion of the former. neither of those streams are navigable in
consequence of the rapids and shoals which obstruct their currents. thus
far a plain or untimbered country bordered the river which near the
junction of these streams spread into a handsome level plain of no great
extent; the hills were covered with long leafed pine and fir. I now
continued my rout up the N. side of the Cokahlahishkit river through a
timbered country for 8 miles and encamped in a handsom bottom on the river
where there was an abundance of excelence grass for our horses. the
evening was fine, air pleasent and no musquetoes. a few miles before we
encamped I killed a squirrel of the speceis common to the Rocky Mountains
and a ground squirrel of a speceis which I had never before seen, I
preserved the skins of both of these animals.