Lewis: June 21, 1806

Saturday June 21st 1806. We collected our horses early set out on our
return to the flatts. we all felt some mortification in being thus
compelled to retrace our steps through this tedious and difficult part of
our rout, obstructed with brush and innumerable logs of fallen timber
which renders the traveling distressing and even dangerous to our horses.
one of Thompson’s horses is either choked this morning or has the
distemper very badly I fear he is to be of no further service to us. an
excellent horse of Cruzatte’s snagged himself so badly in the groin in
jumping over a parsel of fallen timber that he will evidently be of no
further service to us. at the pass of Collin’s Creek we met two indians
who were on their way over the mountain; they had brought with them the
three horses and the mule that had left us and returned to the quawmash
grounds. these indians returned with us about 1/2 a mile down the creek
where we halted to dine and graize our horses at the same place I had
halted and remained all night with the party on the ____ of Septembr last.
as well as we could understand the indians they informed us that they had
seen Drewyer and Shannon and that they would not return untill the
expiration of two days; the cause why Drewyer and Shannon had not returned
with these men we are at a loss to account for. we pressed these indians
to remain with us and to conduct us over the mountain on the return of
Drewyer and Shannon. they consented to remain two nights for us and
accordingly deposited their store of roots and bread in the bushes at no
great distance and after dinner returned with us, as far as the little
prarie about 2 miles distant from the creek, here they halted with their
horses and informed us they would remain untill we overtook them or at
least two nights. they had four supenumery horses with them. we sent on
four hunters a head to the quawmash flatts to take an evenings hunt; they
so far succeeded as to kill one deer. we left Reubin and J. Feilds at the
Creek where we dined together with Sergt Gass in order to hunt about that
place untill our return. at seven in the evening we found ourselves once
more at our old encampment where we shall anxiously await the return of
Drewyer and Shannon.