Sunday, June 29, 1806
Meriwether Lewis
We collected our horses early this morning and set out, having previously dispatched
Drewyer and R. Fields to the warm springs to hunt. we pursued the hights of the
ridge on which we have been passing for several days; it terminated at the distance of 5
ms. from our encampment and we decended to, and passed the main branch of the Kooskooske [Present
Crooked Fork, "North Fork" on Clark's map.] 1 1/2 ms. above the
entrance of Quawmash creek [Brushy Creek.] wid falls in on the N.E. side.
when we decended from this ridge we bid adieu to the snow. near the river we
f[o]und a deer which the hunters had killed and left us. this was a
fortunate supply as all our oil was now exhausted and we were reduced to our roots alone
without salt. the Kooskooske at this place is about 30 yds. wide and runs with great
volocity. the bed as all the mountain streams is composed of smooth stones. beyond
the river we ascended a very steep acclivity of a mountain about 2 Miles and arrived at
it's summit where we found the old road which we had pased as we went out, coming in on
our wright. the road was now much plainer and more beaten, which we were informed
happened from the circumstance of the Ootslashshoots visiting the fishery frequently from
the vally of Clark's river; tho' there was no appearance of there having been here this
spring. at noon we arrived at the quawmas flatts on the Creek of the same name
[Packer Meadows on Pack Creek, in the vicinity of their camp of September 13, 1805.]
and halted to graize our horses and dine having traveled 12 miles. we passed
our encampment of the [NB: 13th] of September at 10 ms. where we halted
there is a pretty little plain of about 50 acres plentifully stocked with quawmash
and from apperances this fromes one of the principal stages or encampments of the indians
who pass the mountains on this road. we found after we had halted that one of our
packhorses with his load and one of my riding horses were left behind. we dispatched
J. Feilds and Colter in surch of the lost horses. after dinner we continued our
march seven miles further to the warm springs [They crossed into Montana and
camped at the Lolo Hot Springs; See September 13, 1805.] where we arrived early
in the evening and sent out several hunters, who as well as R Fields and Drewyer returned
unsuccessful; late in the evening Colter and J. Fields joined us with the lost horses and
brought with them a deer which they had killed, this furnished us with supper. these warm
springs are situated at the base of a hill of no considerable hight on the N side and near
the bank of travellers rest creek [Present Lolo Creek.] which at that
place is about 10 yards wide. these springs issue from the bottoms and through the
interstices of a grey freestone rock [Gary E. Moulton: The term freestone was
applied to any layered stone that could be split easily to produce slabs or blocks; it
generally was used in reference to sedimentary rocks such as sandstone or limestone. The
rocks near Lolo Hot Springs, however, are igneous rocks of granitic composition and were
derived from the Jurassic-Cretaceous Idaho batholith intrusion. Lewis probably called
these rocks freestone either because they are fractured and appear layered or because
these rocks have the tendency to spall off in slabs (ex-foliate). The temperature of the
water at Lolo Hot Springs was measured at 111oF in 1974, and the discharge was
measured at 180 gallons per minute.], the rock rises in iregular masy
clifts in a circular range arround the springs on their lower side. immediately
above the springs on the creek there is a handsome little quamas plain of about 10
acres. the prinsipal spring is about the temperature of the warmest baths used at
the hot springs in Virginia. In this bath which had been prepared by the Indians by
stoping the run with stone and gravel, I bathed and remained in 19 minutes, it was with
dificulty I could remain thus long and it caused a profuse sweat two other
bold springs adjacent to this are much warmer, their heat being so great as to make the
hand of a person smart extreemly when immerced. I think the temperature of these springs
about the same as the hotest of the hot springs in Virginia. both the men and
indians amused themselves with the use of a bath this evening. I observed that the
indians after remaining in the hot bath as long as they could bear it ran and plunged
themselves into the creek the water of which is now as cold as ice can make it; after
remaining here a few minutes they returned again to the warm bath, repeating this
transision several times but always ending with the warm bath. I killed a small
black pheasant near the quamash grounds this evening which is the first I have seen below
the snowy region. I also saw some young pheasants which were about the size of
Chickens of 3 days old. saw the track of two bearfoot indians who were supposed to
be distressed rufugees who had fled from the Minnetares. [It appears that this
last sentence was probably inserted later. The "Minnetares" here might be either
Atsinas or Hidatsas.]
June 29, 1806
William Clark
We colected our horses and Set out haveing previously dispatched Drewyer & R. Field
to the Warm Springs to hunt. we prosued the hights of the ridge on which we have
been passing for several days; it termonated at the distance of 5 M. from our encampment,
and we decended to & passed the main branch of Kooskooke 1 1/2 Ms. above the enterance
of Glade Creek which falls in on the N. E. Side. we bid adew to the Snow. near
the River we found a Deer which the hunters had killed and left us. this was a
fortunate Supply as all our bears oil was now exhosted, and we were reduced to our roots
alone without Salt. the river is 30 yds wide and runs with great velossity.
the bead as all the Mountain streams is composed of Smooth Stone. beyond this river
we assended a Steep Mountain about 2 Miles to it's Sumit where we found the old road which
we had passed on as we went out. comeing in on our right, the road was now much
plainer and much beaten. at noon we arived at the quawmash flatts on Vally Creek and
halted to graize our horses and dined haveing traveled 12 Miles here is a pretty
little plain of about 50 acres plentifully Stocked with quawmash and from appearance this
forms one of the principal Stages of the indians who pass the mountains on this
road. we found that one of our pack horss with his load and one of Capt. L.s. horses
were missing we dispatched Jo. Field & Colter in serch of the lost
horse's. after dinner we continued our march 7 ms further to the worm Springs where
we arrived early in the evening, and Sent out Several hunters, who as well as R. Field
& Drewyer returned unsuksessfull; late in the evening Jo. Field & Colter joined us
with the lost horses and brought with them a Deer which J. F. had killed, this furnished
us with a Supper.
Those Worm or Hot Springs are Situated at the base of a a hill of no considerable
hight, on the N. Side and near the bank of travellers rest Creek which is at that place
about 10 yds wide. these Springs issue from the bottom and through the interstices
of a grey freestone rock, the rock rises in irregular masy clifts in a circular range,
arround the Springs on their lower Side. imediately above the Springs on the Creek
there is a handsom little quawmash plain of about 10 acres. the principal Spring is
about the temperature of the Warmest baths used at the Hot Springs in Virginia. in
this bath which had been prepared by the Indians by stopping the river with Stone and mud,
I bathed and remained in 10 minits it was with dificuelty I could remain this long and it
causd a profuse swet. two other bold Springs adjacent to this are much warmer, their
heat being so great as to make the hand of a person Smart extreemly when immerced.
we think the temperature of those Springs about the Same as that of the hotest of the hot
Springs of Virginia. both the Men and the indians amused themselves with the use of
the bath this evening. I observe after the indians remaining in the hot bath as long
as they could bear it run and plunge themselves into the Creek the water of which is now
as Cold as ice Can make it; after remaining here a fiew minits they return again to the
worm bath repeeting this transision Several times but always ending with the worm
bath. Saw the tracks of 2 bearfooted indians--.
June 29, 1806
John Ordway
a fair morning. we got up our horses eairly two hunters went on a head.
the fog rose up thick from the hollars. we proceeded on a ridge
desended down on a fork of Collinses Creek took the meat of a deer the hunters had killed
crossed the creek above the forks Some distance ascended a high mountn. came in the old
road we went in last year & proceed. on [The party traveled eastward along the
ridge to Rocky Point, then descended to Crooked Fork Creek and crossed it a mile or so
above the entrance of Brushy Creek. Then they turned to the northeast and climbed a ridge
to pick up their trail of the previous year] had a Shower of hail and
Thunder. about 1 oClock P. M. we arived at the glades of the rockey mountn.
[Packer Meadows on Pack (Glade) Creek] Crossed glade Creek Several
times and halted at a handsom flat of grass and Commass. found that 2 of our
horses got left back on the road 2 men [Joseph Field & John
Colter] went back for them Shields killed 2 crains we
dined and proceed. on Soon came on the head waters of travvellers rest Creek. [Lolo
Creek] towards evening we arived at the hot Stream where we Camped. [Lolo
Hot Springs] the 2 men came up with the 2 horses. had
killed one deer. a number of the party as well as myself bathed in these hot
Springs, but the water so hot [111oF] that it makes the Skin
Smart when I first entered it. I drank Some of the water also.--
June 29, 1806
Patrick Gass
There was a foggy morning. We set out early, proceeded over some bad hills, and came to
the old path; at which time there was a shower of rain, with hail, thunder and lightening,
that lasted about an hour. At 10 o'clock we left the snow, and in the evening we arrived
at the warm spring [Lolo Hot Springs]; where we encamped for the night,
and most of us bathed in its water. One of our hunters killed a deer where we dined at the
glades or plains on Glade creek; and where there is good grass, and com-mas also grows.
Two other hunters went on ahead and killed another deer on the way.
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