August 30, 1805
William Clark
a fine Morning, finding that we Could purchase no more horse than we had for our goods
&c. (and those not a Sufficint number for each of our Party to have one which is our
wish) I Gave my Fuzee to one of the men & Sold his musket for a horse which Completed
us to 29 total horses, we Purchased pack Cords Made Saddles & Set out on our rout down
the river [Lemhi] by land guided by my old guide and one other who joined
him, the old gude's 3 Sons followed him before we Set out our hunters killed three
Deer proceded on 12 miles and encamped on the river South Side-- at the time
we Set out from the Indian Camps the greater Part of the Band Set out over to the waters
of the Missouri. we had great attention paid to the horses, as they were nearly all
Sore Backs and Several pore, & young Those horses are indifferent, maney Sore
backs and others not acustomed to pack, and as we Cannot put large loads on them are
Compelled to purchase as maney as we Can to take our Small propotion of baggage of the
Parties. (& Eate of necessary) Proceeded on 12 miles to day [A few
miles above the fish weir, below present Baker, ID.]
August 30, 1805
John Ordway
a fine morning. we got up all our horses. bought 3 more. have now got 30 in
all. we got our loads ready. the guide [Toby] who has engaged
with us to go on to the ocean tells us that their is 2 ways to go, but the one bearing
South of the Ri: is plains and a desert country without game or water. but the road to the
North of the River is rough and mountaineous but Sd. he could take us in 10 days to a
large fork of the River [The Snake River, called Lewis's River by the Corp.]
which came in on the South Side where the River would be navigable or in about 15 days we
could go to where the tide came up and Salt water. So we concluded to go that road.
apart of the natives went from this village over to the head of the Missouri after the
buffalow. about one oClock P.m. our hunter came in had killed three Deer we
loaded all but 2 of our horses and Set out and proceeded on down the River bottom
crossed Several this Spring runs and Sever old Camps. went about 10 miles and Camped
[Near the Lemhi River] on a Smooth bottom near the River
considerable of cotton and alder wood along the Shores.
August 30, 1805
Patrick Gass
We remained here all day, and in the evening the whole of the corps came down with in a
mile of our camp, and remained there all night, being a good place for grass.
August 30, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
a clear pleasant morning. we got all our horses up and bought 3 more which
makes 30 in all which we now have. we got our loads ready. the guide [The
man they called Toby, see Lewis's entry of August 20, 1805.] which we engaged to
go with us tells us that we could go a road which would be Smooth & leads to the
Southward but we would be 2 days without water and no game on that road. but
he could Show us a hilley rough roud [rout] over the mountains to the
north of the River which would take us in 15 days to Salt water, or in 10 days to a large
fork of the River, [The Snake River, called Lewis's River by the party.]
where it would be navagable. So we concluded to go that roud a part of these
natives Set out with their horses to go over on the Missourie after the buffalow.
about one oClock P. M. we got ready and Set out with all our horses except 2
loaded with baggage. our hunter killed three Deer this fornoon. we
proceeded on down this little River bottom Crossed Several Spring runs
passed Several old camps or lodges. Came about 10 miles and
Camped [Near the Lemhi River below Baker, ID.] on the bottom near the
River.
August 30, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse
A Clear pleasant morning, and our Men were employed in getting up our horses--
Captain Lewis bought 3 more horses from the Natives, and we now have 30 horses to carry
our baggage &ca.-- We got all the loads for the horses ready.-- The Indian
guide, which our officers had engaged to go with us, from the Indians we are among;
informed us, that we could go a Road which would be smooth & which went to the
Southward, but that we should be two days, without water, & that there was no game to
be met with on that Route,-- but that he would show us a hilly rough road, which
went over the mountains, to the North of the Columbia River, which would take us in 15
days to Salt water, or in 10 days to a large fork of the Columbia River; which would be
navigable for Canoes.-- Our Officers concluded to take the last mentioned
Road-- A party of the Snake Indians that we were with, set out with their Horses to
go over on the Mesouri after Buffalo, about 1 o'Clock P. M. we set out, having all our
horses (excepting 2) loaded with our baggage &ca. Our hunters came to us,
& brought 3 deer which they had killed with them. We proceeded on down
this little River bottom, & crossed several spring runs, and passed by several old
Indian Camps or lodges.-- We came about 10 Miles & encamped in a bottom,
which lay near the River--
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