Capt. Clark set out early this morning and continued his rout to the
indian camp at the entrance of fish Creek; here he halted about an hour;
the indians gave himself and party some boiled salmon and hurries. these
people appeared extreemly hospitable tho poor and dirty in the extreem. he
still pursued the track up the river by which he had decended and in the
evening arrived at the bluff on the river where he had encamped on the
21st Inst. it was late in the evening before he reached this place. they
formed their camp, and Capt. C. sent them in different directions to hunt
and fish. some little time after they halted a party of Indians passed by
on their way down the river, consisting of a man a woman and several boys;
from these people the guide obtained 2 salmon which together with some
small fish they caught and a beaver which Shannon killed furnished them
with a plentifull supper. the pine grows pretty abundantly high up on the
sides of the mountains on the opposite side of the river. one of the
hunters saw a large herd of Elk on the opposite side of the river in the
edge of the timbered land.Winsor was taken very sick today and
detained Capt C. very much on his march. three hunters whom he had sent on
before him this morning joined him in the evening having killed nothing;
they saw only one deer.

The course and the distances, of Capt. Clark’s rout down this branch of
the Columbia below this bluff, commencing opposite to an Island, are as
follow.

This morning while passing through the Shoshone cove Frazier fired his
musquet at some ducks in a little pond at the distance of about 60 yards
from me; the ball rebounded from the water and pased within a very few
feet of me. near the upper part of this cove the Shoshonees suffered a
very severe defeat by the Minnetares about six years since. this part of
the cove on the N. E. side of the Creek has lately been birned by the
Indians as a signal on some occasion.

The post Lewis: August 25, 1805 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

the tops of the high and irregular mountains which present themselves to
our view on the opposite side of this branch of the Columbia are yet
perfectly covered with snow; the air which proceeds from those mountains
has an agreeable coolness and renders these parched and South hillsides
much more supportable at this time of the day it being now about noon. I
observe the indian women collecting the root of a speceis of fennel which
grows in the moist grounds and feeding their poor starved children; it is
really distressing to witness the situation of those poor wretches. the
radix of this plant is of the knob kind, of a long ovate form terminating
in a single radicle, the whole bing about 3 or four inches in length and
the thickest part about the size of a man’s little finger. it is white
firm and crisp in it’s present state, when dryed and pounded it makes a
fine white meal; the flavor of this root is not unlike that of annisseed
but not so pungent; the stem rises to the hight of 3 or four feet is
jointed smooth and cilindric; from r to 4 of those knobed roots are
attatched to the base of this stem. the leaf is sheathing sessile, &
pultipartite, the divisions long and narrow; the whole is of a deep green.
it is now in blame; the flowers are numerous, small, petals white, and are
of the umbellaferous kind. several small peduncles put forth from the main
stock one at each joint above the sheathing leaf. it has no root leaves.
the root of the present year declines when the seeds have been matured and
the succeeding spring other roots of a similar kind put fourth from the
little knot which unites the roots and stem and grow and decline with the
stem as before mentioned. The sunflower is very abundant near the
watercourses the seeds of this plant are now rip and the natives collect
them in considerable quantities and reduce them to meal by pounding and
rubing them between smooth stones. this meal is a favorite food their
manner of using it has been beforementiond. after dinner we continued our
rout towards the village. on our near approach we were met by a number of
young men on horseback. Cameahwait requested that we would discharge our
guns when we arrived in sight of the Village, accordingly when I arrived
on an eminence above the village in the plain I drew up the party at open
order in a single rank and gave them a runing fire discharging two rounds.
they appeared much gratifyed with this exhibition. we then proceeded to
the village or encampment of brush lodges 32 in number. we were conducted
to a large lodge which had been prepared for me in the center of their
encampmerit which was situated in a beautifull level smooth and extensive
bottom near the river about 3 miles above the place I had first found them
encamped. here we arrived at 6 in the evening arranged our baggage near my
tent and placed those of the men on either side of the baggage facing
outwards. I found Colter here who had just arrived with a letter from
Capt. Clark in which Capt. C. had given me an account of his peregrination
and the description of the river and country as before detailed from this
view of the subject I found it a folly to think of attemping to decend
this river in canoes and therefore to commence the purchase of horses in
the morning from the indians in order to carry into execution the design
we had formed of passing the rocky Mountains. I now informed Cameahwait of
my intended expedition overland to the great river which lay in the plains
beyond the mountains and told him that I wished to purchase 20 horses of
himself and his people to convey our baggage. he observed that the
Minnetares had stolen a great number of their horses this spring but hoped
his people would spear me the number I wished. I also asked a guide, he
observed that he had no doubt but the old man who was with Capt. C. would
accompany us if we wished him and that he was better informed of the
country than any of them. matters being thus far arranged I directed the
fiddle to be played and the party danced very merily much to the amusement
and gratification of the natives, though I must confess that the state of
my own mind at this moment did not well accord with the prevailing mirth
as I somewhat feared that the caprice of the indians might suddenly induce
them to withhold their horses from us without which my hopes of
prosicuting my voyage to advantage was lost; however I determined to keep
the indians in a good humour if possible, and to loose no time in
obtaining the necessary number of horses. I directed the hunters to turn
out early in the morning and indeavor to obtain some meat. I had nothing
but a little parched corn to eat this evening.

This morning Capt. C. and party

The post Lewis: August 26, 1805 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

The guide who had by this time arrived explained to them who we were and
our object in visiting them; but still there were some of the women and
Children inconsoleable, they continued to cry during our stay, which was
about an hour. a road passes up this river which my guide informed me led
over the mountains to the Missouri. from this place I continued my rout
along the steep side of a mountain for about 3 miles and arrived at the
river near a small Island on the lower point of which we encamped in the
evening we attempted to gig fish but were unsuccessfull only obtaining one
small salmon. in the course of the day we had passed several women and
children geathering burries who were very liberal in bestoing us a part of
their collections. the river is very rapid and shoaly; many rocks lie in
various derections scattered throughout it’s bed. There are some few small
pine scattered through the bottoms, of which I only saw one which appeared
as if it would answer for a canoe and that was but small. the tops of the
mountains on the Lard. side are covered with pine and some also scattered
on the sides of all the mountains. I saw today a speceis of woodpecker,
which fed on the seeds of the pine. it’s beak and tail were white, it’s
wings were black, and every other part of a dark brown. it was about the
size of a robin-

The post Lewis: August 22, 1805 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

The metal which we found in possession of these people consited of a few
indifferent knives, a few brass kettles some arm bands of iron and brass,
a few buttons, woarn as ornaments in their hair, a spear or two of a foot
in length and some iron and brass arrow points which they informed me they
obtained in exchange for horses from the Crow or Rocky Mountain Indians on
the yellowstone River. the bridlebits and stirrips they obtained from the
Spaniards, tho these were but few. many of them made use of flint for
knives, and with this instrument, skined the animals they killed, dressed
their fish and made their arrows; in short they used it for every purpose
to which the knife is applyed. this flint is of no regular form, and if
they can only obtain a part of it, an inch or two in length that will cut
they are satisfyed, they renew the edge by fleaking off the flint by means
of the point of an Elk’s or deer’s horn. with the point of a deer or Elk’s
horn they also form their arrow points of the flint, with a quickness and
neatness that is really astonishing. we found no axes nor hatchets among
them; what wood they cut was done either with stone or Elk’s horn. the
latter they use always to rive or split their wood. their culinary
eutensils exclusive of the brass kettle before mentioned consist of pots
in the form of ajar made either of earth, or of a white soft stone which
becomes black and very hard by birning, and is found in the hills near the
three forks of the Missouri betwen Madison’s and Gallitin’s rivers they
have also spoons made of the Buffaloe’s horn and those of the Bighorn.
Their bows are made of ceader or pine and have nothing remarkable about
them. the back of the bow is covered with sinues and glue and is about
21/2 feet long. much the shape of those used by the Siouxs Mandans
Minnetares &c. their arrows are more slender generally than those used
by the nations just mentioned but much the same in construction. Their
Sheild is formed of buffaloe hide, perfectly arrow proof, and is a circle
of 2 feet 4 I. or 2 F. 6 I. in diameter. this is frequently painted with
varios figures and ornamented around the edges with feather and a fringe
of dressed leather. they sometimes make bows of the Elk’s horn and those
also of the bighorn. those of the Elk’s horn are made of a single peice
and covered on the back with glue and sinues like those made of wood, and
are frequently ornamented with a stran wrought porcupine quills and sinues
raped around them for some distance at both extremities. the bows of the
bighorn are formed of small peices laid flat and cemented with gleue, and
rolled with sinews, after which, they are also covered on the back with
sinews and glew, and highly ornamented as they are much prized. forming
the sheild is a cerimony of great importance among them, this implement
would in their minds be devested of much of its protecting power were it
not inspired with those virtues by their old men and jugglers. their
method of preparing it is thus, an entire skin of a bull buffaloe two
years old is first provided; a feast is next prepared and all the warriors
old men and jugglers invited to partake. a hole is sunk in the ground
about the same in diameter with the intended sheild and about 18 inches
deep. a parcel of stones are now made red hot and thrown into the hole
water is next thrown in and the hot stones cause it to emit a very strong
hot steem, over this they spread the green skin which must not have been
suffered to dry after taken off the beast. the flesh side is laid next to
the groround and as many of the workmen as can reach it take hold on it’s
edges and extend it in every direction. as the skin becomes heated, the
hair seperates and is taken of with the fingers, and the skin continues to
contract untill the whoe is drawn within the compas designed for the
shield, it is then taken off and laid on a parchment hide where they pound
it with their heels when barefoot. this operation of pounding continues
for several days or as long as the feast lasts when it is delivered to the
propryeter and declared by the jugglers and old men to be a sufficient
defence against the arrows of their enimies or even bullets if feast has
been a satisfactory one. many of them beleive implisitly that a ball
cannot penitrate their sheilds, in consequence of certain supernaural
powers with which they have been inspired by their jugglers.The
Poggamoggon is an instrument with a handle of wood covered with dressed
leather about the size of a whip handle and 22 inches long; a round stone
of 2 pounds weight is also covered with leather and strongly united to the
leather of the handle by a throng of 2 inches long; a loop of leather
united to the handle passes arond the wrist. a very heavy blow may be
given with this instrument. They have also a kind of armor which they form
with many foalds of dressed Atelope’s skin, unite with glue and sand. with
this they cover their own bodies and those of their horses. these are
sufficient against the effects of the arrow.the quiver which
contains their arrows and implements for making fire is formed of various
skins. that of the Otter seems to be prefered. they are but narrow, of a
length sufficent to protect the arrow from the weather, and are woarn on
the back by means of a strap which passes over the left sholder and under
the wright arm.their impliments for making fire is nothing more than a
blunt arrow and a peice of well seasoned soft spongey wood such as the
willow or cottonwood. the point of this arrow they apply to this dry stick
so near one edge of it that the particles of wood which are seperated from
it by the friction of the arrow falls down by it’s side in a little pile.
the arrow is held between the palms of the hand with the fingers extended,
and being pressed as much as possible against the peice is briskly rolled
between the palms of the hands backwards and forwards by pressing the
arrow downwards the hands of course in rolling arrow also decend; they
bring them back with a quick motion and repeat the operation till the dust
by the friction takes fire; the peice and arrow are then removed and some
dry grass or Boated wood is added. it astonished me to see in what little
time these people would kindle fire in this way. in less than a minute
they will produce fire.

Capt. Clark set out this morning very early and poroceeded but slowly in
consequence of the difficulty of his road which lay along the steep side
of a mountain over large irregular and broken masses of rocks which had
tumbled from the upper part of the mountain. it was with much wrisk and
pain that the horses could get on. at the distance of four miles he
arrived at the river and the rocks were here so steep and juted into the
river such manner that there was no other alternative but passing through
the river, this he attempted with success tho water was so deep for a
short distance as to swim the horses and was very rapid; he continued his
rout one mile along the edge of the river under this steep Clift to a
little bottom, below which the whole current of the river beat against the
Stard. shore on which he was, and which was formed of a solid rock
perfectly inaccessible to horses. here also the little track which he had
been pursuing, terminated. he therefore determined to leave the horses and
the majority of the party here and with his guide and three men to
continue his rout down the river still further, in order more fully to
satisfy himself as to it’s practicability. accordingly he directed the men
to hunt and fish at this place untill his return. they had not killed
anything today but one goose, and the ballance of the little provision
they had brought with them, as well as the five salmon they had procured
yesterday were consumed last evening; there was of tours no inducement for
his halting any time, at this place; after a few minutes he continued his
rout clambering over immence rocks and along the sides of lofty precepices
on the border of the river to the distance of 12 miles, at which place a
large creek discharged itself on the Norh side 12 yds. wide and deep. a
short distance above the entrance of this creek there is a narrow bottom
which is the first that he had found on the river from that in which he
left the horses and party. a plain indian road led up this creek which the
guide informed him led to a large river that ran to the North, and was
frequented by another nation who occasionally visited this river for the
purpose of taking fish. at this place he saw some late appearance of
Indians having been encamped and the tracks of a number of horses. Capt.
C. halted here about 2 hours, caught some small fish, on which, with the
addition of some berries, they dined. the river from the place at which he
left the party to his present station was one continued rapid, in which
there were five shoals neither of which could be passed with loaded canoes
nor even run with empty ones. at those several places therefore it would
be necessary to unload and transport the baggage for a considerable
distance over steep and almost inacassable rocks where there was no
possibility of employing horses for the releif of the men; the canoes
would next have to be let down by cords and even with this precaution
Capt. C. conceived there would be much wriske of both canoes and men. at
one of those shoals the lofty perpendicular rocks which from the bases of
the mountains approach the river so nearly on each side, as to prevent the
possibility of a portage, or passage for the canoes without expending much
labour in removing rocks and cuting away the earth in some places. to
surmount These difficulties, precautions must be observed which in their
execution must necessarily consume much time and provision, neither of
which we can command. the season is now far advanced to remain in these
mountains as the Indians inform us we shall shortly have snow; the salmon
have so far declined that they are themselves haistening from the country
and not an animal of any discription is to be seen in this difficult part
of the river larger than a pheasant or a squirrel and they not abundant;
add to this that our stock of provision is now so low that it would not
support us more than ten days. the bends of the river are short and the
currant beats from side to side against the rocks with great violence. the
river is about 100 yds. wide and so deep that it cannot be foarded but in
a few places, and the rocks approach the river so near in most places that
there is no possibility of passing between them and the water; a passage
therefore with horses along the river is also impracticable. The sides of
these mountains present generally one barren surface of confused and
broken masses of stone. above these are white or brown and towards the
base of a grey colour and so hard that when struck with a steel, yeald
fire like flint. those he had just past were scarcely releived by the
appearance of a tree; but those below the entrance of the creek were
better covered with timber, and there were also some tall pine near the
river. The sides of the mountains are very steep, and the torrents of
water which roll down their sides at certain seasons appear to carry with
them vast quantities of the loose stone into the river. after dinner Capt.
C. continued his rout down the river and at 1/2 a mile pased another creek
not so large as that just mentioned, or about 5 yards wide. here his guide
informed him that by ascending this creek some distance they would have a
better road and would cut off a considerable bend which the river made to
the south; accordingly he pursued a well beaten Indian track which led up
this creek about six miles, then leaving the creek on the wright he passed
over a ridge, and at the distance of a mile arrived at the river where it
passes through a well timbered bottom of about eighty acres of land; they
passed this bottom and asscended a steep and elivated point of a mountain,
from whence the guide shewed him the brake of the river through the
mountains for about 20 miles further. this view was terminated by one of
the most lofty mountains, Capt. C. informed me, he had ever seen which was
perfectly covered with snow. the river directed it’s course immediately to
this stupendous mountain at the bace of which the gude informe him those
difficulties of which himself and nation had spoken, commenced. that after
the river reached this mountain it continued it’s rout to the North for
many miles between high and perpendicular rocks, roling foaming and
beating against innumerable rocks which crouded it’s channel; that then it
penetrated the mountain through a narrow gap leaving a perpendicular rock
on either side as high as the top of the mountain which he beheld. that
the river here making a bend they could not see through the mountain, and
as it was impossible to decend the river or clamber over that vast
mountain covered with eternal snow, neither himself nor any of his nation
had ever been lower in this direction, than in view of the place at which
the river entered this mountain; that if Capt. C. wished him to do so, he
would conduct him to that place, where he thought they could probably
arrive by the next evening. Capt. C. being now perfictly satisfyed as to
the impractability of this rout either by land or water, informed the old
man, that he was convinced of the varacity of his assertions and would now
return to the village from whence they had set out where he expected to
meet myself and party. they now returned to the upper part of the last
creek he had passed, and encamped. it was an hour after dark before he
reached this place. a small river falls into this fork of the Columbia
just above the high mountain through which it passes on the south side.

The post Lewis: August 23, 1805 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

The few guns which the Shoshones have are reserved for war almost
exclusively and the bow and arrows are used in hunting. I have seen a few
skins among these people which have almost every appearance of the common
sheep. they inform me that they finde this animals on the high mountains
to the West and S. W. of them. it is about the size of the common sheep,
the wool is reather shorter and more intermixed with long hairs
particularly on the upper part of the neck. these skins have been so much
woarn that I could not form a just Idea of the animal or it’s colour. the
Indians however inform me that it is white and that it’s horns are lunated
comprest twisted and bent backward as those of the common sheep. the
texture of the skin appears to be that of the sheep. I am now perfectly
convinced that the sheep as well as the Bighorn exist in these mountains.

The usual caparison of the Shoshone horse is a halter and saddle. the 1st
consists either of a round plated or twisted cord of six or seven strands
of buffaloe’s hair, or a throng of raw hide made pliant by pounding and
rubing. these cords of bufaloe’s hair are about the size of a man’s finger
and remarkably strong. this is the kind of halter which is prefered by
them. the halter of whatever it may be composed is always of great length
and is never taken from the neck of the horse which they commonly use at
any time. it is first attatched at one end about the neck of the horse
with a knot that will not slip, it is then brought down to his under jaw
and being passed through the mouth imbaces the under jaw and tonge in a
simple noose formed by crossing the rope inderneath the jaw of the horse.
this when mounted he draws up on the near side of the horse’s neck and
holds in the left hand, suffering it to trail at a great distance behind
him sometimes the halter is attatched so far from the end that while the
shorter end serves him to govern his horse, the other trails on the grond
as before mentioned. they put their horses to their full speed with those
cords trailing on the ground. when they turn out the horse to graze the
noose is mearly loosed from his mouth. the saddle is made of wood and
covered with raw hide which holds the parts very firmly together. it is
made like the pack saddles in uce among the French and Spaniards. it
consists of two flat thin boards which fit the sides of the horses back,
and are held frirm by two peices which are united to them behind and
before on the outer side and which rise to a considerable hight
terminating sometimes in flat horizontal points extending outwards, and
alwas in an accute angle or short bend underneath the upper part of these
peices. a peice of buffaloe’s skin with the hair on, is usually put
underneath the saddle; and very seldom any covering on the saddle.
stirrups when used are made of wood and covered with leather. these are
generally used by the elderly men and women; the young men scarcely ever
use anything more than a small pad of dressed leather stuffed with hair,
which is confined with a leather thong passing arond the body of the horse
in the manner of a girth. they frequently paint their favorite horses, and
cut their ears in various shapes. they also decorate their mains and
tails, which they never draw or trim, with the feathers of birds, and
sometimes suspend at the breast of the horse the finest ornaments they
possess. the Spanish bridle is prefered by them when they can obtain them,
but they never dispence with the cord about the neck of the horse, which
serves them to take him with more ease when he is runing at large. They
are excellent horsemen and extreemly expert in casting the cord about the
neck of a horse. the horses that have been habituated to be taken with the
cord in this way, however wild they may appear at first, surrender the
moment they feel the cord about their necks.There are no horses in
this quarter which can with propriety be termed wild. there are some few
which have been left by the indians at large for so great a length of time
that they have become shye, but they all shew marks of having been in
possession of man. such is that one which Capt. Clark saw just below the
three forks of the Missouri, and one other which I saw on the Missouri
below the entrance of the Mussle shell river.Capt. Clark set out
very early this morning on his return, he traveled down the creek to it’s
entrance by the same Indian track he had ascended it; at the river he
marked his name on a pine tree, then ascended to the bottom above the
second creek, and brekfasted on burries, which occupyed them about one
hour. he now retraced his former track and joined the party where he had
left them at 4 P.M. on his way Capt. C. fell from a rock and injured one
of his legs very much. the party during his absence had killed a few
pheasants and caught a few small fish on which together with haws and
Serviceburies they had subsisted. they had also killed one cock of the
Mountains Capt. Clark now wrote me a discription of the river and country,
and stated our prospects by this rout as they have been heretofore
mentioned and dispatched Colter on horseback with orders to loose no time
reaching me. he set out late with the party continued his rout about two
miles and encamped. Capt Clark had seen some trees which would make small
canoes but all of them some distance below the Indian Caps which he passed
at the entrance of fish Creek.

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This evening the Indians entertained us with their dancing nearly all
night. at 12 O’Ck. I grew sleepy and retired to rest leaving the men to
amuse themselves with the Indians. I observe no essential difference
between the music and manner of dancing among this nation and those of the
Missouri. I was several times awoke in the course of the night by their
yells but was too much fortiegued to be deprived of a tolerable sound
night’s repose.

This morning Capt Clark set out early having previously dispatched some
hunters ahead. it was cool and cloudy all the forepart of the day. at 8
A.M. they had a slight rain. they passed a number of shoals over which
they were obliged to drag the canoes; the men in the water 3/4ths of the
day, they passed a bold runing stream 7 yds. wide on the Lard. side just
below a high point of Limestone rocks. this stream we call McNeal’s Creek
after Hugh McNeal one of our party. this creek heads in the Mountains to
the East and forms a handsome valley for some miles between the mountains.
from the top of this limestone Clift above the creek The beaver’s head
boar N 24° E. 12 Ms. the course of Wisdom river or that which the opening
of it’s valley makes through the mountains is N. 25 W. to the gap through
which Jefferson’s river enters the mountains above is S 18° W 10 M. they
killed one deer only today. saw a number of Otter some beaver Antelopes
ducks gees and Grains. they caught a number of fine trout as they have
every day since I left them. they encamped on Lrd. in a smooth level
prarie near a few cottonwood trees, but were obliged to make use of the
dry willow brush for fuel.

The post Lewis: August 13, 1805 appeared first on Lewis & Clark Research Database.

The means I had of communicating with these people was by way of Drewyer
who understood perfectly the common language of jesticulation or signs
which seems to be universally understood by all the Nations we have yet
seen. it is true that this language is imperfect and liable to error but
is much less so than would be expected. the strong parts of the ideas are
seldom mistaken.

I now prevailed on the Chief to instruct me with rispect to the geography
of his country. this he undertook very cheerfully, by delienating the
rivers on the ground. but I soon found that his information fell far short
of my expectation or wishes. he drew the river on which we now are to
which he placed two branches just above us, which he shewed me from the
openings of the mountains were in view; he next made it discharge itself
into a large river which flowed from the S. W. about ten miles below us,
then continued this joint stream in the same direction of this valley or
N. W. for one days march and then enclined it to the West for 2 more days
march, here he placed a number of beeps of sand on each side which he
informed me represented the vast mountains of rock eternally covered with
snow through which the river passed. that the perpendicular and even
juting rocks so closely hemned in the river that there was no possibilyte
of passing along the shore; that the bed of the river was obstructed by
sharp pointed rocks and the rapidity of the stream such that the whole
surface of the river was beat into perfect foam as far as the eye could
reach. that the mountains were also inaccessible to man or horse. he said
that this being the state of the country in that direction that himself
nor none of his nation had ever been further down the river than these
mountains. I then enquired the state of the country on either side of the
river but he could not inform me. he said there was an old man of his
nation a days march below who could probably give me some information of
the country to the N. W. and refered me to an old man then present for
that to the S. W.the Chief further informed me that he had
understood from the persed nosed Indians who inhabit this river below the
rocky mountains that it ran a great way toward the seting sun and finally
lost itself in a great lake of water which was illy taisted, and where the
white men lived. I next commenced my enquiries of the old man to whom I
had been refered for information relative the country S W. of us. this he
depicted with horrors and obstructions scarcely inferior to that just
mentioned. he informed me that the band of this nation to which he
belonged resided at the distance of 20 days march from hence not far from
the white people with whom they traded for horses mules cloth metal beads
and the shells which they woar as orniment being those of a species of
perl oister. that the course to his relations was a little to the West of
South. that in order to get to his relations the first seven days we
should be obliged to climb over steep and rocky mountains where we could
find no game to kill nor anything but roots such as a ferce and warlike
nation lived on whom he called the broken mockersons or mockersons with
holes, and said inhabited those mountains and lived like the bear of other
countries among the rocks and fed on roots or the flesh of such horses as
they could take or steel from those who passed through their country. that
in passing this country the feet of our horses would be so much wounded
with the stones many of them would give out. the next part of the rout was
about 10 days through a dry and parched sandy desert in which no food at
this season for either man or horse, and in which we must suffer if not
perish for the want of water. that the sun had now dryed up the little
pools of water which exist through this desert plain in the spring season
and had also scorched all the grass. that no animal inhabited this plain
on which we could hope to subsist. that about the center of this plain a
large river passed from S. E. to N. W. which was navigable but afforded
neither Salmon nor timber. that beyond this plain thee or four days march
his relations lived in a country tolerable fertile and partially covered
with timber on another large river which ran in the same direction of the
former. that this last discharged itself into a large river on which many
numerous nations lived with whom his relations were at war but whether
this last discharged itself into the great lake or not he did not know.
that from his relations it was yet a great distance to the great or
stinking lake as they call the Ocean. that the way which such of his
nation as had been to the Stinking lake traveled was up the river on which
they lived and over to that on which the white people lived which last
they knew discharged itself into the Ocean, and that this was the way
which he would advise me to travel if I was determined to proceed to the
Ocean but would advise me to put off the journey untill the next spring
when he would conduct me. I thanked him for his information and advise and
gave him a knife with which he appeared to be much gratifyed. from this
narative I was convinced that the streams of which he had spoken as runing
through the plains and that on which his relations lived were southern
branches of the Columbia, heading with the rivers Apostles and Collorado,
and that the rout he had pointed out was to the Vermillion Sea or gulph of
Callifornia. I therefore told him that this rout was more to the South
than I wished to travel, and requested to know if there was no rout on the
left of this river on which we now are, by means of which, I could
intercept it below the mountains through which it passes; but he could not
inform me of any except that of the barren plain which he said joined the
mountain on that side and through which it was impossible for us to pass
at this season even if we were fortunate enough to escape from the broken
mockerson Indians. I now asked Cameahwait by what rout the Pierced nosed
indians, who he informed me inhabited this river below the mountains, came
over to the Missouri; this he informed me was to the north, but added that
the road was a very bad one as he had been informed by them and that they
had suffered excessively with hunger on the rout being obliged to subsist
for many days on berries alone as there was no game in that part of the
mountains which were broken rockey and so thickly covered with timber that
they could scarcely pass. however knowing that Indians had passed, and did
pass, at this season on that side of this river to the same below the
mountains, my rout was instantly settled in my own mind, povided the
account of this river should prove true on an investigation of it, which I
was determined should be made before we would undertake the rout by land
in any direction. I felt perfectly satisfyed, that if the Indians could
pass these mountains with their women and Children, that we could also
pass them; and that if the nations on this river below the mountains were
as numerous as they were stated to be that they must have some means of
subsistence which it would be equally in our power to procure in the same
country. they informed me that there was no buffaloe on the West side of
these mountains; that the game consisted of a few Elk deer and Antelopes,
and that the natives subsisted on fish and roots principally. in this
manner I spent the day smoking with them and acquiring what information I
could with respect to their country. they informed me that they could pass
to the Spaniards by the way of the yellowstone river in 10 days. I can
discover that these people are by no means friendly to the Spaniard their
complaint is, that the Spaniards will not let them have fire arms and
amunition, that they put them off by telling them that if they suffer them
to have guns they will kill each other, thus leaving them defenceless and
an easy prey to their bloodthirsty neighbours to the East of them, who
being in possession of fire arms hunt them up and murder them without
rispect to sex or age and plunder them of their horses on all occasions.
they told me that to avoid their enemies who were eternally harrassing
them that they were obliged to remain in the interior of these mountains
at least two thirds of the year where the suffered as we then saw great
heardships for the want of food sometimes living for weeks without meat
and only a little fish roots and berries. but this added Cameahwait, with
his ferce eyes and lank jaws grown meager for the want of food, would not
be the case if we had guns, we could then live in the country of buffaloe
and eat as our enimies do and not be compelled to hide ourselves in these
mountains and live on roots and berries as the bear do. we do not fear our
enimies when placed on an equal footing with them. I told them that the
Minnetares Mandans & Recares of the Missouri had promised us to desist
from making war on them & that we would indevour to find the means of
making the Minnetares of fort d Prarie or as they call them Pahkees desist
from waging war against them also. that after our finally returning to our
homes towards the rising sun whitemen would come to them with an abundance
of guns and every other article necessary to their defence and comfort,
and that they would be enabled to supply themselves with these articles on
reasonable terms in exchange for the skins of the beaver Otter and Ermin
so abundant in their country. they expressed great pleasure at this
information and said they had been long anxious to see the whitemen that
traded guns; and that we might rest assured of their friendship and that
they would do whatever we wished them.

I now told Cameahwait that I wished him to speak to his people and engage
them to go with me tomorrow to the forks of Jeffersons river where our
baggage was by this time arrived with another Chief and a large party of
whitemen who would wait my return at that place. that I wish them to take
with them about 30 spare horses to transport our baggage to this place
where we would then remain sometime among them and trade with them for
horses, and finally concert our future plans for geting on to the ocean
and of the traid which would be extended to them after our return to our
homes. he complyed with my request and made a lengthey harrangue to his
village. he returned in about an hour and a half and informed me that they
would be ready to accompany me in the morning. I promised to reward them
for their trouble. Drewyer who had had a good view of their horses
estimated them at 400. most of them are fine horses. indeed many of them
would make a figure on the South side of James River or the land of fine
horses.I saw several with Spanish brands on them, and some mules
which they informed me that they had also obtained from the Spaniards. I
also saw a bridle bit of spanish manufactary, and sundry other articles
which I have no doubt were obtained from the same source. notwithstanding
the extreem poverty of those poor people they are very merry they danced
again this evening untill midnight. each warrior keep one ore more horses
tyed by a cord to a stake near his lodge both day and night and are always
prepared for action at a moments warning. they fight on horseback
altogether. lobserve that the large flies are extreemly troublesome to the
horses as well as ourselves.

The morning being cold and the men stif and soar from the exertions of
yesterday Capt. Clark did not set out this morning untill 7 A.M. the river
was so crooked and rapid that they made but little way at one mile he
passed a bold runing stream on Stard. which heads in a mountain to the
North, on which there is snow. this we called track Creek. it is 4 yard
wide and 3 feet deep at 7 Ms. passed a stout stream which heads in some
springs under the foot of the mountains on Lard. the river near the
mountain they found one continued rapid, with was extreemly laborious and
difficult to ascend. this evening Charbono struck his indian Woman for
which Capt. C. gave him a severe repremand. Joseph and Reubin Fields
killed 4 deer and an Antelope, Capt. C. killed a buck. several of the men
have lamed themselves by various accedents in working the canoes through
this difficult part of the river, and Capt. C. was obliged personally to
assist them in this labour. they encamped this evening on Lard. side near
the rattlesnake clift

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