Clark: August 12, 1806

Thursday, 12th August 1806. I set out early this morning and had not proceeded far before Shannon discovered he had lost his tomahawk. I directed him to land his skin canoe and go back to our camp of last night in search of it, and proceeded on myself with the two wood canoes and one skin canoe to a large bottom on the northeast side above the head of Jins Island, and landed to take breakfast as well as to delay until Shannon and Gibson should arrive. Sent out Shields and Labiech to hunt deer in the bottom. At 2 p.m. Shannon and Gibson arrived, having found the tomahawk at our camp; they killed 3 elk, etc. One of the canoes of buffalo skin by accident got a hole pierced in her of about 6 inches diameter. I directed two of the men to patch the canoe with a piece of elk skin over the hole, which they did, and it proved sufficient; afterward the canoe did not leak one drop. The two hunters returned without having killed anything.

At midday Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) came in sight with the party that went by way of the Missouri as well as that which accompanied him from Travellers Rest on Clarks River. I was alarmed on the landing of the canoes to be informed that Capt. Lewis was wounded by an accident. I found him lying in the pirogue; he informed me that his wound was slight and would be well in 20 or 30 days. This information relieved me very much. I examined the wound and found it a very bad flesh wound; the ball had passed through the fleshy part of his left thigh below the hip bone and cut the cheek of the right buttock for 3 inches in length and the depth of the ball. Capt. L. informed me the accident happened the day before by one of the men, Peter Crusat (Cruzatte), mistaking him in the thick bushes to be an elk. Capt Lewis with this Crusat and several other men were out in the bottom shooting elk, and had scattered in a thick part of the woods in pursuit of the elk. Crusat, seeing Capt. L. passing through the bushes and taking him to be an elk from the color of his clothes, which were of leather and very nearly that of the elk, fired, and unfortunately the ball passed through the thigh as aforesaid. Capt Lewis, thinking it was Indians who had shot him, hobbled to the canoes as fast as possible and was followed by Crusat; the mistake was then discovered. This Crusat is nearsighted and has the use of but one eye; he is an attentive, industrious man and one in whom we both have placed the greatest confidence during the whole route.

After Capt. Lewis and myself parted at Travellers Rest, he with the Indians proceeded down the west side of Clarks River seven miles and crossed on rafts 2 miles below the East Fork, 120 yards wide. After crossing the river he proceeded up the north side of the East Fork and camped. Here the Indians left him and proceeded down Clarks River in search of the Tushepaws. An Indian man came up with Capt. L. from the west of the mountains and proceeded on with those who had accompanied us. Capt. L. proceeded up the East Fork of Clarks River 17 miles to the entrance of Cokahlarishkit River, or the River to Buffalo. He proceeded up the north side of this river, which is 60 yards wide, crossing several small streams and the North Fork, and passing over part of the dividing mountain onto the waters of Dearborns River in the plains, and in a direction to the north extremity of the east range of Rocky Mountains, which pass the Missouri at the Pine Island Rapid. From thence he bore his course to the northeast until he struck Medicine River near where that river enters the Rocky Mountains, and proceeded down Medicine River to the Missouri at the White Bear Islands at the upper part of the portage. This route is a very good one though not the most direct route. The most direct route would be to proceed up the Missouri above Dearborns River and take a right-hand road and fall on a south branch of the Cokatlarishkit River and proceed down that river to the main road. But the best route would be from the falls of the Missouri by Fort Mountain and passing the north extremity of that range of the Rocky Mountains which pass the Missouri at the Pine Island Rapid, course nearly southwest, and to the gap through which the great road passes the dividing mountain. The distance from the falls to this gap is about 45 miles through a tolerably level plain on an old Indian road, and the distance from thence to Clarks River is 105 miles. The total distance from the falls of the Missouri to Clarks River is only 150 miles of a tolerable road.

Capt. L. arrived at the White Bear Islands and camped on the west side of the Missouri, and in the morning he discovered that the Indians had taken off seven of his best horses. Drouillard pursued the Indians two days on the route toward Clarks River. He saw their camp on Dearborns River near the road on which Capt. Lewis and party came, on a back place where they had left only one or two days; at this encampment he saw great appearance of horses. On the return of Drouillard, Capt. L. took Drouillard and the two Fieldses and proceeded on his intended route up Marias River, leaving Sgt. Gass, Thompson, Frazier, Werner, McNeal, and Goodrich at the portage to prepare gear and repair the wheels and carriage against the arrival of the canoes. He also left 4 horses for the purpose of hauling the canoes across. The canoes arrived on the 16th, and on the 26th they had all except one across; the plains had become so muddy from the immense rains which had fallen that they could not get her over the portage. On the 28th they joined Capt. Lewis at the Grog Spring a few miles above the entrance of Marias River. From the falls of the Missouri Capt. L. proceeded on with Drouillard and the two Fieldses.

On the 26th of July Capt Lewis set out on his return to the entrance of Marias River to meet with the party with the canoes from the falls. His course was through the plains.

S. E. 5 miles, passing a small creek from the mountains.

S. 70° E. 9 miles to a principal branch of Marias River, 65 yards wide, not very deep, at 7 miles. This last branch is shallow and rapid, about the size of the former from the southwest. Both of these streams contain a great proportion of timber. Here we find the three species of cottonwood before mentioned.

N. 80° E. 4 miles down Marias River, and met with 8 Indians of the Blackfoot nation with about 30 horses. These Indians professed friendship and set out with him and camped together the night of the 26th of July. They informed him that there were two large bands of their nation in that quarter, one of which would be at the entrance of Marias River in a few days. They also informed that a French trader was with one of those bands, that they traded with the white people on the Saskatchewan River at 6 easy days' march, or about 150 miles distant, from whom they procured guns, powder, lead, blankets, etc., in exchange for wolf and beaver skins. Capt Lewis gave them a flag, medal, and handkerchief. Capt. L. informed those Indians where he was from and where he had been, and his objects and friendly views, etc., of which they appeared to be well satisfied.

"On the morning of the 27th at daylight the Indians got up and crowded around the fire. Jo. Field, who was on post, had carelessly laid his gun down behind him near where his brother was sleeping. One of the Indians slipped behind him and took his gun and that of his brother unperceived by him. At the same instant two others advanced and seized the guns of Drouillard and Capt Lewis, who were yet asleep. Jo. Fields, seeing this, turned about to take his gun and saw the fellow running off with his and his brother's. He called to his brother, who instantly jumped up and pursued the Indian with him, whom they overtook at the distance of 50 or 60 paces, seized their guns, and wrested them from him; and R. Field, as he seized his gun, stabbed the Indian to the heart with his knife, who fell dead. (This Capt. L. did not know until some time after.) Drouillard, who awoke at the first alarm, jumped up and seized and wrested his gun from the Indian, etc. Capt. L. awoke and asked what was the matter; seeing Drouillard in a scuffle for his gun, he turned to get his gun and found her gone. He drew a pistol from his holsters and pursued the Indian, whom he saw in possession of his gun making off. He presented the pistol, and the Indian laid down the gun. The two Fields came up and drew up to shoot the Indian, which Capt. L. forbade. The Indians then attempted to drive off all the horses. Capt. L. directed the men to fire on them if they attempted to drive off the horses, and pursued two fellows who continued to drive off his horses. He shot the Indian who had taken his gun and was then in possession of his horse through the belly. He fell and raised on his elbow and fired at Capt. L. The other made his escape into a niche out of sight with his bow and arrows; and as Capt. L.'s gun was empty and he was without his shot pouch, he returned to the camp, where the two Fields and Drouillard joined him, having pursued the Indians across the river. They were now in possession of most of their own as well as the Indian horses, and a gun, several bows and arrows, and all the Indians' baggage. The gun and some feathers and flag they took, and burnt all the other articles. They saddled up as many of the best horses as they wished, with some spare horses, and set out to intercept the party at Marias River, and proceeded on a little to the south of east 112 miles to the Missouri at the Grog Spring. Here they met with the canoes and party descending, joined them, leaving their horses on the river bank, and proceeded on to the entrance of Marias River. They opened the deposits, found several articles damaged; 3 beaver traps could not be found; the red pirogue was unfit for service. From thence they proceeded without delay to the River Rochejhone. See courses of Capt. Lewis's route in the next book."

At 2 p.m. Shannon and Gibson arrived in the skin canoe with the skins and the greater part of the flesh of 3 elk which they had killed a few miles above. The two men Dixon and Hancock, the two men we had met above, came down intending to proceed on down with us to the Mandans. At 3 p.m. we proceeded on all together, having left the 2 leather canoes on the bank. A little below the entrance of (Jos.) Shabonos Creek we came to on a large sand point from the southeast side and camped. The wind blew very hard from the southwest, and some rain. I washed Capt. L.'s wound, which has become sore and somewhat painful to him.