This supply of Elk I think by useing economey and in addition of roots and dogs which we may probably precure from the Nativs on Lewis's river will be sufficient to last us to the Chopunnish where we shall meet with our horses, and near which place there is some deer to be precured.

 

April 06, 1806
John Ordway

a clear pleasant morning.  we loaded up and Set out   proceeded on verry well about 8 miles and halted at the Camp of our hunters they having killed 3 Elk in a bottom S side   8 men went out for the meat   Ruben Fields killed a curious handsom bird (Mountain quail, Oreortyx pictus) which made a curious noise   it had blue feathers on its breast and under its throat and 2 long feathers on the top of its head the longest 3 Inches long & a handsome Small bird.   he Skined it and it is taken care of to carry home with us.    in the evening the men returned with the meat of 5 Elk having found 2 more than they expected which the hunters had killed. So we Camped here for the night in a Small willow bottom near high river hills on South Side   eat & fleased the greater part of of the Elk meat to dry &C.

April 06, 1806
Patrick Gass

We had a fine morning with some fog; about 10 o'clock we set out; passed a beautiful prairie on the north side, which we could not see for the fog as we went down; proceeded on about 9 miles and came to our hunters' camp. They had killed 5 elk, so we halted, sent out for the meat and began to dry it. We are now at the head of the Columbia valley; which is a fine valley about 70 miles long, abounding with roots of different kinds, which the natives use for food, especially the Wapto roots which they gather out of the ponds. The timber is mostly of the fir kind, with some cherry, dogwood, soft maple and ash; and a variety of shrubs which bear fruit of a fine flavour, that the natives make use of for food.