June 18, 1806
Meriwether Lewis
This morning we had considerable difficulty in collecting our horses they having
straggled off to a considerable distance in surch of food on the sides of the mountains
among the thicker timber; at 9 OCk. we collected them all except one of Drewyers and one
of Sheildes; we set out leaving Sheilds and LaPage to collect the two lost horses and
follow us. We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains
beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the indians who had promised to
accompany us or to procure a gude at all events and rejoin us as soon as possible.
we sent by them a rifle which we offered as a reward to any of them who would engage to
conduct us to traveller's rest; we also dirrected them if they found difficulty in
induciny any of them to accompany us to offer the reward of two other guns to be given
them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri. we had not proceeded far
this morning before Potts cut his leg very badly with one of the large knives; he cut one
of the large veigns on the inner side of the leg; I found much difficulty in stoping the
blood which I could not effect untill I applyed a tight bandage with a little cushon of
wood and tow on the veign below the wound. Colter's horse fell with him in passing
hungry creek and himself and horse were driven down the creek a considerable distance
rolling over each other among the rocks. he fortunately escaped without injury or the loss
of his gun. by 1 P.M. we returned to the glade on the branch of hungry Creek where we had
dined on the 16th inst. [A branch of Fish Creek; See June 16, 1806.]
here we again halted and dined. as there was much appearance of deer about
this place we left R. and J. Feilds with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow
morning at this place and to join us in the evening at the meadows of Collin's creek where
we intend remaining tomorrow in order to rest our horses and hunt. after dinner we
proceeded on to Collin's Creek and encamped in a pleasant situation at the upper part of
the meadows about 2 ms. above our encampment of the 15th inst. [On Eldorado Creek,
at the mouth of Dollar Creek. As Lewis notes, it was above the camp of June 15.
It was somewhat south of Lewis's "Campd 20th" (September 20, 1805) on
Clark's map.] we sent out several hunters but they returned without having killed
anything. they saw a number of salmon in the creek and shot at them several times without
success. we directed Colter and Gibson to fix each of them a gigg in the morning and
indevour to take some of the salmon. the hunters saw much fresh appearance of bear
but very little of deer. we hope by means of the fish together with what deer and
bear we can kill to be enabled to subsist untill our guide arrives without the necessity
of returning to the quawmash flats. there is a great abundance of good food here to
sustain our horses.--
June 18, 1806
William Clark
This morning we had considerable dificuelty in collecting our horses they haveing
Strageled of to a considerable distance in Serch of food on the Sides of the mountains
among the thick timber, at 9 oClock we Collected them all except 2 one of Shields &
one of Drewyer's. we Set out leaving Shields and Lepage to collect the two lost
horses and follow us. We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in
the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the Indians who
promised to accompany us, or to precure a guide at all events and rejoin us as Soon as
possible. We Sent by them a riffle which we offered as a reward to any of them who
would engage to conduct us to Clarks river at the entrance of Travellers rest Creek; we
also directed them of they found difficuelty in induceing any of them to accompany us to
offer the reward of two other guns to be given them immediately and ten horses at the
falls of Missouri. we had not proceeded far this morning before J. Potts cut his leg
very badly with one of the large knives; he cut one of the large veins on the iner side of
the leg; Colters horse fell with him in passing hungary creek and himself and horse
were driven down the Creek a considerable distance roleing over each other among the
rocks. he fortunately escaped with[out] much injurey or the loss
of his gun. he lost his blanket. at 1 P.M we returned to the glade on a branch
of hungary Creek where we had dined on the 16th instant. here we again halted and
dined. as there was some appearance of deer about this place we left J. & R
Field with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at this place and join us
in the evening in the Meadows on Collin's Creek where we intended to remain tomorrow in
order to restour horses and hunt. after dinner we proceeded on to the near fork of
Collins Creek and encamped in a pleasant Situation at the upper part of the Meadows about
2 miles above our encampment of the 15th inst. we Sent out Several hunters but they
returned without having killed any thing--. they saw a number of large fish in the
Creek and Shot at them Several times without Suckcess. we Gibson and Colter to fix
each of themselves a gigg in the morning and indeaver to take Some of those fish.
the hunters Saw much fresh appearance of Bear, but very little deer Sign. we hope by
the means of the fish together with what deer and bear we can kill to been abled to
Subsist untill our guide arives without the necessaty of returning to the quawmash
flats. there is a great abundance of good food here to Sustain our horses. we
are in flattering expectations of the arrival of two young chiefs who informed us that
they intended to accompany us to the U. States, and Should Set out from their village in 9
nights after we left them on the 19th inst. if they Set out at that time Drewyer
& Shannon will meet them, and probably join us on the 20th or 21st--.
Musquetors Troublesome.
June 18, 1806
John Ordway
cloudy Drewyer and Shannon Sent on a head to go to the villages of the
Pel-oll-pellow [Palouse or Nez Perce Indians] nation they
took one of the Short rifles [Recent scholarship indicates that Captain Lewis did
not use the U.S. Model 1803 commonly referred to as the "Lewis and Clark Expedition
Rifle." Instead, the fifteen rifles he picked up at the Harpers Ferry armory in March
1803 were likely Model 1792 rifles. Historian Bob Moore surmises that because Lewis
ordered gun slings for the weapons brought on the expedition it is believed they had full
stocks, not the partial stocks of the Model 1803 rifles. The 1792 models may
sometimes have been referred to as "short rifles" in the journals because they
were shorter than the Kentucky or Pensylvania "long rifles" of the period.]
in order to git a pilot if possable to go over the mountn. with us. 2 of our horses
could not be found this morning, so 2 men was left to hunt them. we Set out
about 8 oClock proced. on with 4 men in front to clear the limbs and bushes out of
the path. we got but a short distance before one of the men Potts who was of
the front cut his leg verry bad with a big knife we halted a fiew minutes
Capt. Lewis Sowed up the wound and bound it up we then proceeded on a
Short distance further in crossing the creek Colters horse threw him in the
creek lost his blanket and hirt him a little. about noon we halted to
dine at the Same place we dined on the 16th. Inst. at which time came up a hard Shower of
hail and rain and hard Thunder, which lasted about an hour and cleared off.
the 2 Fields Stayed here to hunt we proceeded on towards evening
we arived at the long glades on a branch of Collinses Creek where is find feed for our
horses. so we Camped [On Eldorado Creek, at the mouth of Dollar Creek]
in order to Stay if the hunters kill game untill a guide comes or untill the road is So
that we can go but it depends on the hunters and game in a great measure. the
musquetoes verry troublesome at this place. Several Salmon [Steelhead Trout]
Seen in this branch &C--
June 18, 1806
Patrick Gass
The morning was cloudy and several showers of rain fell during the day. We started
about 8 o'clock, and found the road very slippery and bad. Two men [Drouillard
& Shannon] went on ahead to the village to enquire for a guide, and two more
remained to look for two horses that could not be found. We proceeded on with four men in
front to cut some bushes out of the path; but did not go far till one of the men [Potts]
cut himself very badly with a large knife; when we had to halt and bind up his wound. We
again went forward, and in crossing the creek the horse of one of our men [Colter]
fell with him, threw him off, hurt his leg and lost his blanket. We halted for dinner at
the same place where we dined on the 16th and had a gust of rain, hail, thunder and
lightening, which lasted an hour, when the weather cleared and we had a fine afternoon. We
continued our march till we came to a small glade on the branch of a creek, where we
encamped, and some hunters went out in the evening, we had left two men to hunt at the
place where we dined. We found the musquitoes very troublesome on the creek,
notwithstanding the snow is at so short a distance up the mountains. At night our hunters
came to camp, having killed nothing; but saw some large fish in the creek, which they
supposed were salmon.
|