August 25, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
This morning loaded our horses and set out a little after sunrise; a few only of the
Indians unengaged in assisting us went on as I had yesterday proposed to the Cheif.
the others flanked us on each side and started some Antelope which they pursued for
several hours but killed none of them. we proceeded within 2 Ms. of the narrow pass
or seven miles from our camp of last evening and halted for dinner. Our hunters
joined us at noon with three deer the greater part of which I gave the indians.
sometime after we had halted, Charbono mentioned to me with apparent unconcern that he
expected to meet all the Indians from the camp on the Columbia tomorrow on their way to
the Missouri. allarmed at this information I asked why he expected to meet them.
he then informed me that the 1st Cheif had dispatched some of his young men this
morning to this camp requesting the Indians to meet them tomorrow and that himself and
those with him would go on with them down the Missouri, and consequently leave me and my
baggage on the mountain or thereabouts. I was out of patience with the folly of
Charbono who had not sufficient sagacity to see the consequencies which would inevitably
flow from such a movement of the indians, and altho' he had been in possession of this
information since early in the morning yet he never mentioned it untill the after
noon. I could not forbear speaking to him with some degree of asperity on this
occasion. I saw that there was no time to be lost in having those orders
countermanded, or that we should not in all probability obtain any more horses or even get
my baggage to the waters of the Columbia. I therefore Called the three Cheifs
together and having smoked a pipe with them, I asked them if they were men of their words,
and whether I could depent on the promises they had made me; they readily answered in the
affermative; I then asked them if they had not promised to assist me with my baggage to
their camp on the other side of the mountains, or to the place at which Capt. Clark might
build the canoes, should I wish it. they acknowledged that they had. I then
asked them why they had requested their people on the other side of the mountain to meet
them tomorrow on the mountain where there would be no possibility of our remaining
together for the purpose of trading of their horses as they had also promised. that
if they had not promised to have given me their assistance in transporting my baggage to
the waters on the other side of the mountain that I should not have attempted to pass the
mountains but would have returned down the river and that in that case they would never
have seen anymore white men in their country. that if they wished the white men to
be their friends and to assist them against their enemies by furnishing them with arms and
keeping their enemies from attacking them that they must never promis us anything which
they did not mean to perform. that when I had first seen them they had doubted what
I told them about the arrival of the party of whitemen in canoes, that they had been
convinced that what I told them on that occasion was true, why then would they doubt what
I said on any other point. I told them that they had witnessed my liberality in dividing
the meat which my hunters killed with them; and that I should continue to give such of
them as assisted me a part of whatever we had ourselves to eat. and finally
concluded by telling them if they intended to keep the promisses they had made me to
dispatch one of their young men immediately with orders to their people to remain where
they were untill our arrival. the two inferior cheifs said that they wished to
assist me and be as good as their word, and that they had not sent for their people, that
it was the first Chief who had done so, and they did not approve of the measure.
Cameahwait remained silent for some time, at length he told me that he knew he had done
wrong but that he had been induced to that measure from seeing all his people
hungry, but as he had promised to give me his assistance he would not in future be
worse than his word. I then desired him to send immediately and countermand his orders;
acordingly a young man was sent for this purpose and I gave him a handkerchief to engage
him in my interest. this matter being arranged to my satisfaction I called all the
women and men together who had been assisting me in the transportation of the baggage and
gave them a billet for each horse which they had imployed in that service and informed
them when we arrived at the plaice where we should finally halt on the river I would take
the billet back and give them merchandize for it. every one appeared now satisfyed
and when I ordered the horses loaded for our departure the Indians were more than usually
allert. we continued our march untill late in the evening and encamped at the upper
part of the cove where the creek enters the mountains; [West of the fork of Horse
Prairie Creek and Trail Creek, MT.] here our hunters joined us with another deer
which they had killed, this I gave to the women and Children, and for my own part remained
supperless. I observed considerable quantities of wild onions in the bottom lands of
this cove. I also saw several large hares [White-Tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus
townsendii.] and many of the cock of the plains.
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 burries. 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. [See
August 21, 1805.] they formed their camp, and Capt. C. sent them in
different directions to hunt and fish. some little time after they halted a prty 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 [George 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 [Richard Windsor] 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.
| N. 30o W. |
2 |
To the top of a mountain the river 1 m. on the left. |
| N. 45o W. |
10 |
With the general course of the river; passing over the spurs of four
mountains, almost inaccessible, and two small runs from the wright, to some Indian lodges
at the entrance of fish creek which discharges itself on the N. Side. a large Indian
road passes up this creek. on this course Capt. C. also passed several Islands, and
some small bottoms betwen the river and the mountains.-- |
| West |
3 |
along the river to the ascent of a mountain, passing one spur of the same.
also 2 Islands and a bottom in which there was an abundance of burries. |
| S. 45o W. |
5 |
to a very bad rapid, opposite which, a small run discharges itself on N.
side passing perpendicular clifts where the[y] were compelled to pass
through the water; passed over loose fragments of rocks on the side of a steep mountain
also passed one Island and a number of small rapids. |
| N. 45o W. |
3 |
high clifts on either side of the river, no road |
| West |
2 |
no road. passed several bad rapids which it would be scarcely possible
either to ascend or decend with empty canoes. |
| N. 45o W. |
6 |
to a large Creek on the N. side; passing several bad rappids and a number
of riffles. the mountains high step and very rocky. no bottom except a little
above the entrance of this Creek. |
| South |
1 |
to the entrance of a small run on N. side opposite to a small island and a
bad rapid. |
| N. 45o W. |
6 |
up the run along an indian road through a piney country; steep and lofty
hils on each side. |
| S. 45o W. |
1 |
to the river at a small bottom, passing a gap in the mountain from the top
of which can be seen the break of the river through the mountains for 20 miles to a very
high mountain on the South, at which place the guide informed Capt. C. that the impassable
part of the river commenced, and was innitely worse than any part he had yet seen.-- |
Miles |
39 |
|
This morning while passing through the Shoshone cove Frazier
[Robert Frazier] fired his musquet at some ducks in a little pond at the distance
of about 50 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.
August 25, 1805
William Clark
Set out verry early and halted one hour at the Indian Camp, they were kind gave us all
a little boiled Sammon & dried buries to eate, abt. half as much as I could eate,
those people are kind with what they have but excessive pore & Durtey.-- we
proceeded on over the mountains we had before passed to the Bluff we Encamped at on the
21s instant where we arrived late and turned out to hunt & fish, Cought Several Small
fish, a party of Squars & one man with Several boys going down to guathe berries
below, my guide got two Sammon from this party [(]which made about half a
Supper for the party), after Dark Shannon [George Shannon] came in with a
beaver which the Party suped on Sumptiously-- one man verry Sick to day [Richard
Windsor] which detained us verry much I had three hunters out all day, they
saw one Deer, killed nothing. one of the Party Saw 9 Elk on a Mountain to our right
assending, amongst the Pine timber which is thick on that side
Course & Distance Down Columbia [Lemhi and Salmon]
river by Land, as I Decended &c.
| [Aug 20-21] |
|
|
| N.W. |
18 |
miles from the Indian Camp to the forks [of Salmon R]
crossed the [Lemhi] river twice, passed Several old camps on the East
Side and a Camp of Several lodges at a were [weir] on the west Side,
passed a roade on the left leading up the main West fork [Salmon above the Lemhi]
below the last Camp, Several Small branches falls in on each Side [of the Lemhi],
a high mountain on each Side, [of Salmon and Lemhi together]
<passed> |
| [Aug 21-22] |
|
|
| N. 15o W. |
14 |
miles to a Island passed high red Clift on the right Side passed a large [Tower]
Creek [on the right] at 9 miles up which a roade passes large
bottom below. Several Spring runs falling from the mountains on the left passed a
Creek on the right. |
| N. 30o W. |
2 |
to the top of a mountain the river one mile to the left |
| [Aug 22] |
|
|
| N W |
10 |
miles with the general Course of the river, passed over the Spurs of four
mountains almost inexcessable and two Small runs on the right to Some Indian Camps at the
mouth of a Small river [Fish Creek] on the right up which a road passes
passed Several Islands, and Small bottoms between the mountains. |
| West |
3 |
miles on the right Side to the assent of a mountain, passed over one Spur
of the Same Mountain passed 2 Islands, & a bottom in which berris were plenty. |
| S.W. |
5 |
miles to a verry bad rapid & Camped, a Small run on the left.
Passed perpendicular Clift where we were obliged to go into the water passed Several
places on Stones & Sides of Mountains, one Island & Several rapids, all the way
rapids at intervales |
| N.W. |
3 |
miles high Clifts on each side no road [left men here] |
| [Aug 23] |
|
|
| West |
2 |
miles do do passed bad rapids Scercely possible to
pass down or up |
| N.W. |
6 |
miles to a large Creek on the Right Side, passed verry bad rapids & a
number of riffles, Mountains high and Steep verry Stoney no bottoms except the Creek
& a little above |
| South |
1 |
miles to the Mouth of a Small run on the right a Small Island and rapid |
| N.W. |
6 |
miles up the Run [Berry Creek] thro a piney countrey
large & lofty hills high |
| S.W. |
1 |
m. to the river at a Small bottom passed over a gap in the Mounts.
from the top of which I could See the hollers of the river for 20 miles to a verry high
Mountain on the left, at which place my guide made Signs that the bad part reclonnois of
the river Comsd. and much worst than any I Saw &c. &c. returned. 6 bad
rapids. many others. |
miles |
70 |
|
August 25, 1805
John Ordway
a clear morning. Some frost. we loaded our horses and Set out soon after Sunrise
and proceeed on through the level Sandy plain or desert covred with nothing but wild hysop
& golden rod, and prickley pears. we went about 7 miles and halted to dine
our hunters killed three Deer which we divided with the natives. Some of the Indian
hunters rode and chased Several goats or antelopes but did not kill any. the mountains are
high each Side of this valley and are covred in Some places with pitch pine. passed
Several fine Spring runs which falls from the mountains. the creek is gitting Small
and affords but little water. the hills rockey &.C. we proceeded on
passed thro a low part of the plain or prarie, which is covred with high Grass and wild
onions passed Several fine Springs and forks of the creek one of which had a
rapid where it passed a hill little above high clifts which make near the creek on each
Side. the plain gitting narrow the upper part of it has lately been burned
over. no timber in this valley except the willow on the little branches Saw a
fiew cotton trees towards evening. we Came 15 miles this day and Camped [On
Trail Creek] at the branch where the mountains made near on each Side. our
hunters joined us one of them had killed another Deer which we were oblidged to give
to the natives who were all most Sterved. had sent an express across the Mo. for the
remainder of their lodges to meet them that they all might go down the Missourie after the
baffalow. that they could not Sterve but Capt. Lewis prevailed on the head chief to
Send one of his men to contermand the Orders and git the other lodges on the other Side to
wait one day longer, as we wish to purchase Some more of their horses & want them to
help us over &C.
August 25, 1805
Patrick Gass
We set out early and had a fine morning; passed the Indian camp, where they gave us a
little dried salmon, and proceeded back again over the mountains. Some hunters went on
ahead and about 4 o'clock we got over the four mountains, and encamped in the valley. [At
Clark's camp of August 21, 1805 a few miles north of Carmen.] Two men went to
hunt, and all the rest to fish. We soon caught as many small fish as made, with two salmon
our guide got from some Indians, a comfortable supper. At dark our hunters [Including
Shannon.] came and had killed but one beaver.
August 25, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
a clear morning a little frost last night. we loaded up our horses and loaded the
Indian horses and proceeded on through the level plain. our hunters killed 3 Deer.
passed a nomber of fine Springs and Spring runs. Some willow on the creeks
& runs but no timber of any acct. except pitch pine on the hills & tops of the
mountains. our hunters killed another Deer. we came about 15 miles this Day
and Camped [On Trail Creek near its entrance into Horse Prairie Creek.]
near the creek or run
August 25, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
A clear morning with a light frost, we loaded our horses, & those hired from the
Indians; and proceeded on through a level plain, Our hunters that we sent a head of us,
had killed 3 deer, which they brought to us, We passed a number of fine springs &
Spring runs, we saw no timber except some pitch pine trees, which were on the hills, &
tips of mountains, and a few Willow Trees which grew on Creeks & Runs. towards
evening, our hunters killed another deer, which they brought to us. We came about 15
Miles this day, & encamped near a large Creek or River
|