Lewis: June 16, 1805

Sunday June 16th 1805 J. Fields set out early on his return to the lower
camp, at noon the men arrived and shortly after I set out with them to
rejoin the party. we took with us the dryed meat consisting of about 600
lbs. and several douzen of dryed trout. about 2 P.M. I reached the camp
found the Indian woman extreemly ill and much reduced by her
indisposition. this gave me some concern as well for the poor object
herself, then with a young child in her arms, as from the consideration of
her being our only dependence for a friendly negociation with the Snake
Indians on whom we depend for horses to assist us in our portage from the
Missouri to the columbia River. I now informed Capt. C. of my discoveries
with rispect to the most proper side for our portage, and of it’s great
length, which I could not estimate at less than 16 miles. Capt. C. had
already sent two men this morning to examine the country on the S. side of
the river; he now passed over with the party to that side and fixed a camp
about a mile blow the entrance of a Creek where there was a sufficient
quantity of wood for fuel, an article which can be obtained but in few
places in this neighbourhood. after discharging the loads four of the
canoes were sent back to me, which by means of strong ropes we hawled
above the rappid and passed over to the south side from whence the water
not being rappid we can readily convey them into the creek by means of
which we hope to get them on the high plain with more ease. one of the
small canoes was left below this rappid in order to pass and repass the
river for the purpose of hunting as well as to procure the water of the
Sulpher spring, the virtues of which I now resolved to try on the Indian
woman. this spring is situated about 200 yards from the Missouri on the N.
E. side nearly opposite to the entrance of a large creek; it discharges
itself into the Missouri over a precepice of rock about 25 feet, forming a
pretty little ____ the water is as transparent as possible strongly
impregnated with sulpher, and I suspect Iron also, as the colour of the
hills and bluffs in the neighbourhood indicate the existence of that
metal. the water to all appearance is precisely similar to that of
Bowyer’s Sulpher spring in Virginia. Capt. Clark determined to set out in
the morning to examine and survey the portage, and discover the best rout.
as the distance was too great to think of transporting the canoes and
baggage on the men’s shoulders, we scelected six men, and ordered them to
look out some timber this evening, and early in the morning to set about
making a parsel of truck wheels in order to convey our canoes and baggage
over the portage. we determined to leave the white perogue at this place,
and substitute the Iron boat, and also to make a further deposit of a part
of our stores. in the evening the men who had been sent out to examine the
country and made a very unfavourable report. they informed us that the
creek just above us and two deep ravenes still higher up cut the plain
between the river and mountain in such a manner, that in their opinions a
portage for the canoes on this side was impracticable. good or bad we must
make the portage. notwithstanding this report I am still convinced from
the view I had of the country the day before yesterday that a good portage
may be had on this side at least much better than on the other, and much
nearer also. I found that two dozes of barks and opium which I had given
her since my arrival had produced an alteration in her pulse for the
better; they were now much fuller and more regular. I caused her to drink
the mineral water altogether. wen I first came down I found that her pulse
were scarcely perceptible, very quick frequently irregular and attended
with strong nervous symptoms, that of the twitching of the fingers and
leaders of the arm; now the pulse had become regular much fuller and a
gentle perspiration had taken place; the nervous symptoms have also in a
great measure abated, and she feels herself much freeer from pain. she
complains principally of the lower region of the abdomen, I therefore
continued the cataplasms of barks and laudnumn which had been previously
used by my friend Capt Clark. I beleive her disorder originated
principally from an obstruction of the mensis in consequence of taking
could.I determined to remain at this camp in order to make some
celestial observations, restore the sick woman, and have all matters in a
state of readiness to commence the portage immediately on the return of
Capt. Clark, who now furnished me with the dayly occurrences which had
taken place with himself and party since our seperation which I here enter
in his own words.