Thursday August 12th 1806. Being anxious to overtake Capt. Clark who from the appearance of his camps could be at no great distance before me, we set out early and proceeded with all possible expedition at 8 A.M. the bowsman informed me that there was a canoe and a camp he beleived of whitemen on the N. E. shore. I directed the perogue and canoes to come too at this place and found it to be the camp of two hunters from the Illinois by name Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock. these men informed me that Capt. C. had passed them about noon the day before. they also informed me that they had left the Illinois in the summer 1804 since which time they had been ascended the Missouri, hunting and traping beaver; that they had been robed by the indians and the former wounded last winter by the Tetons of the birnt woods; that they had hitherto been unsuccessfull in their voyage having as yet caught but little beaver, but were still determined to proceed. I gave them a short discription of the Missouri, a list of distances to the most conspicuous streams and remarkable places on the river above and pointed out to them the places where the beaver most abounded. I also gave them a file and a couple of pounds of powder with some lead. these were articles which they assured me they were in great want of. I remained with these men an hour and a half when I took leave of them and proceeded. while I halted with these men Colter and Collins who seperated from us on the 3rd ist. rejoined us. they were well no accedent having happened. they informed me that after proceeding the first day and not overtaking us that they had concluded that we were behind and had delayed several days in waiting for us and had thus been unable to join us untill the present momet. my wounds felt very stiff and soar this morning but gave me no considerable pain. there was much less inflamation than I had reason to apprehend there would be. I had last evening applyed a poltice of peruvian barks at 1 P.M. I overtook Capt. Clark and party and had the pleasure of finding them all well. as wrighting in my present situation is extreemly painfull to me I shall desist untill I recover and leave to my frind Capt. C. the continuation of our journal. however I must notice a singular Cherry which is found on the Missouri in the bottom lands about the beaverbends and some little distance below the white earth river. this production is not very abundant even in the small tract of country to which it seems to be confined. the stem is compound erect and subdivided or branching without any regular order it rises to the hight of eight or ten feet seldom puting up more than one stem from the same root not growing in cops as the Choke Cherry dose. the bark is smooth and of a dark brown colour. the leaf is peteolate, oval accutely pointed at it's apex, from one and a 1/4 to 11/2 inches in length and from 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in width, finely or minutely serrate, pale green and free from bubessence. the fruit is a globular berry about the size of a buck-shot of a fine scarlet red; like the cherries cultivated in the U States each is supported by a seperate celindric flexable branch peduncle which issue from the extremities of the boughs the peduncle of this cherry swells as it approahes the fruit being largest at the point of insertion. the pulp of this fruit is of an agreeable ascid flavour and is now ripe. the style and stigma are permanent. I have never seen it in blume.
[Clark, July 3, 1806]
Thursday July 3rd 1806 we colected our horses and after brackfast I took My leave of Capt Lewis and the indians and at 8 A M Set out with ____ men interpreter Shabono & his wife & child (as an interpreter & interpretess for the Crow Inds and the latter for the Shoshoni) with 50 horses. we proceeded on through the Vally of Clarks river on the West Side of the river nearly South 18 Miles and halted on the upper Side of a large Creek, haveing Crossed 8 Streams 4 of which were Small. this vally is from 10 to 15 Ms. in width tolerably leavel and partially timberd with long leaf & pitch pine, Some cotton wood, Birch, and Sweet willow on the borders of the Streams. I observed 2 Species of Clover in this vally one the white Clover Common in the Western parts of the U. States, the other Species which is much Smaller than either the red or white both it's leaf & blossom the horses are excessively fond of this Species. after letting our horses graze a Sufficient length of time to fill themselves, and taking dinner of Venison we again resumed our journey up the Vally which we found more boutifully versified with Small open plains covered with a great variety of Sweet cented plants, flowers & grass. this evening we Crossed 10 Streams 8 of which were large Creeks which comes roleing their Currents with Velocity into the river. those Creeks take their rise in the mountains to the West which mountains is at this time Covered with Snow for about 1/5 of the way from their tops downwards. Some Snow is also to be Seen on the high points and hollows of the Mountains to the East of us. our Course this evening was nearly South 18 Ms. makeing a total of 36 miles today. we encamped on the N. Side of a large Creek where we found tolerable food for our horses. Labeish killed a Deer this evening. We Saw great numbers of deer and 1 bear today. I also observed the burring Squirel of the Species Common about the quawmarsh flatts West of the Rocky Mountains. Musquetors very troublesom.—one man Jo. Potts very unwell this evening owing to rideing a hard trotting horse; I give him a pill of Opiom which Soon releve him.
[Clark, July 4, 1806]
Friday July 4th 1806 I order three hunters to Set out early this morning to hunt & kill Some meat and by 7 A.M. we Collected our horses took braekfast and Set out proceeded on up the Vally on the West Side of Clarks river crossing three large deep and rapid Creeks, and two of a Smaller Size to a Small branch in the Spurs of the mountain and dined. the last Creek or river which we pass'd was So deep and the water So rapid that Several of the horses were Sweped down Some distance and the Water run over Several others which wet Several articles. after Crossing this little river, I observed in the road the tracks of two men whome I prosume is of the Shoshone nation. our hunters joined us with 2 deer in tolerable order. on the Side of the Hill near the place we dined Saw a gange of Ibex or big horn Animals I Shot at them running and missed. This being the day of the decleration of Independence of the United States and a Day commonly Scelebrated by my Country I had every disposition to Selebrate this day and therefore halted early and partook of a Sumptious Dinner of a fat Saddle of Venison and Mush of Cows (roots) after Dinner we proceeded on about one mile to a very large Creek which we assended Some distance to find a foard to cross in crossing this creek Several articles got wet, the water was So Strong, alto the debth was not much above the horses belly, the water passed over the backs and loads of the horses. those Creeks are emensely rapid has great decnt the bottoms of the Creek as well as the low lands on each Side is thickly covered with large Stone after passing this Creek I inclined to the left and fell into the road on which we had passed down last fall near the place we had dined on the 7th of Sept. and continued on the road passing up on the W. Side of Clarks river 13 miles to the West fork of Sd. river and Encamped on an arm of the same I Sent out 2 men to hunt, and 3 in Serch of a foard to pass the river. at dark they all returned and reported that they had found a place that the river might be passed but with Some risque of the loads getting wet I order them to get up their horses and accompany me to those places &c. our hunters killed 4 deer to day. we made 30 ms. to day on a course nearly South Vally from 8 to 10 mes. wide. contains a good portion of Pitch pine. we passed three large deep rapid Creeks this after noon
[Clark, July 5, 1806]
Saturday July 5th 1806 I rose at day light this morning despatched Labeash after a Buck which he killed late last evening; and I with the three men who I had Sent in Serch of a ford across the West fork of Clarks river, and examined each ford neither of them I thought would answer to pass the fork without wetting all the loads. near one of those places pointed out by Colter I found a practiable foard and returned to Camp, ordered everything packed up and after Brackfast we Set out passed 5 Chanels of the river which is divided by Small Islands in passing the 6th & last Chanel Colter horse Swam and with Some dificuelty he made the Opposite Shore, Shannon took a different derection from Colter rained his horse up the Stream and passed over very well I derected all to follow Shannon and pass quartering up the river which they done and passed over tolerably well the water running over the back of the 2 Smaller horses only. unfortunately my trunk & portmantue Containing Sea otter Skins flags Some curiosites & necessary articles in them got wet, also an esortment of Medicine, and my roots. about 1 mile we struk the East fork which had fallen and was not higher than when we passed it last fall we had not proceeded up this fork more than 1 mile eer we struck the road by which we passed down last fall and kept it at one mile we crossed the river at a very good foard and continued up on the East Side to the foot of the Mountain nearly opposite flour Crek & halted to let our horses graze and dry our wet articles. I saw fresh Sign of 2 horses and a fire burning on the side of the road. I prosume that those indians are spies from the Shoshones. Shannon & Crusat killed each a deer this morning and J. Shields killed a female Ibex or bighorn on the side of the Mountain, this Animal was very meager. Shannon left his tomahawk at the place he killed his deer. I derect him to return for it and join me in the Vally on the East Side of this mountain. gave Shields permission to proceed on over to the 1st Vally and there hunt untill my arival this evening at that place, after drying every article which detained us untill 1/2 past 4 P.M. we packed up and Crossed the Mountain into the vally where we first met with the flatheads here I overtook Shields he had not killed any thing. I crossed the river which heads in a high peecked mountain Covered with Snow N. E. of the Vally at about 20 Miles. Shields informed me that the Flat head indians passed up the Small Creek which we came down last fall about 2 miles above our Encampment of the 4th & 5th of, Septr. I proceeded up this South branch 2 Miles and encamped on the E. side of the Creek, and Sent out several men to examine the road. Shields returned at dark and informed me that the best road turned up the hill from the creek 3 Miles higher up, and appeared to be a plain beaten parth. as this rout of the Oat lash shoots can be followed it will evidently Shorten our rout at least 2 days and as the indians informed me last fall a much better rout than the one we came out. at all events I am deturmined to make the attempt and follow their trail if possible if I can prosue it my rout will be nearer and much better than the one we Came from the Shoshones, & if I should not be able to follow their road; our rout can't possibly be much wors. The hunters killed two deer this evening. The after part of the day we only come 8 miles makeing a total of 20 Miles-. Shannon Came up about Sunset haveing found his tomahawk.