[Lewis, June 18, 1806]
Wednesday June 18th 1806. 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 thick 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 fel 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. 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. 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.
[Clark, June 18, 1806]
Wednesday June 18th 1806 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 if 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 without 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 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.
[Lewis, June 19, 1806]
Thursday June 19th 1806. Our hunters were out very early this morning, they returned before noon with one deer only. the Fishermen had been more unsuccessfull, they returned without a single fish and reported they could find but few and those they had tryed to take in vain. they had broke both their giggs which were of indian fabrication made of bone. I happened to have a pointed peice of iron in my pouch which answered by cuting in two peices to renew boath giggs. they took one fish this evening which proved to be a salmon trout much to our mortification, for we had hoped that they were the salmon of this spring arrival and of course fat and fine. these trout are of the red kind they remain all winter in the upper parts of the rivers and creeks and are generally poor at this season. At 2 P.M. J & R Feilds arived with two deer; John Sheilds and LaPage came with them, they had not succeeded in finding their horses. late in the evening Frazier reported that my riding horse that of Capt Clark and his mule had gone on towards the Quawmash flatts and that he had pursued their tracks on the road about 21/2 miles. we determined to send out all the hunters in the morning in order to make a fair experiment of the pactability of our being able to subsist at this place and if not we shall move the day after to the Quawmash flatts. the musquetoes have been excessively troublesome to us since our arrival at this place particularly in the evening. Cruzatte brought me several large morells which I roasted and eat without salt pepper or grease in this way I had for the first time the true taist of the morell which is truly an insippid taistless food. our stock of salt is now exhausted except two quarts which I have reserved for my tour up Maria's River and that I left the other day on the mountain.-