Clark: July 1, 1806
Camped on Clark's River, the captains prepare to split the Corps of Discovery into separate exploring parties. Hunters brought in twelve deer, providing welcome fresh meat. Lewis will take nine men north toward the Falls of the Missouri and up the Marias River, while Clark heads to the Yellowstone with another group; Sergeant Pryor will later take horses to the Mandans. The Nez Perce guides agreed to lead Lewis two more days over the mountains. Medals and ribbons were distributed, and one Indian gave Lewis a horse as a peace token.
Tuesday July 1st 1806 on Clark’s river We Sent out all the hunters very
early this morning by 12 OClock they all returned haveing killd. 12 Deer
Six of them large fat Bucks, this is like once more returning to the land
of liveing a plenty of meat and that very good. as Capt. Lewis and Myself
part at this place we make a division of our party and such baggage and
provisions as is Souteable. the party who will accompany Capt L. is G.
Drewyer, Sergt. Gass, Jo. & R. Fields, Frazier & Werner, and
Thompson Goodrich & McNear as far as the Falls of Missouri at which
place the 3 latter will remain untill I Send down the Canoes from the head
of Jeffersons river. they will then join that party and after passing the
portage around the falls, proceed on down to the enterance of Maria where
Capt. Lewis will join them after haveing assended that river as high up as
Laid. 50° North. from the head of Jeffersons river I shall proceed on to
the head of the Rockejhone with a party of 9 or 10 men and desend that
river. from the R Rockejhone I Shall dispatch Sergt. Pryor with the horses
to the Mandans and from thence to the Tradeing Establishments of the N. W.
Co on the Assinniboin River with a letter which we have written for the
purpose to engage Mr. H. Haney to endeaver to get Some of the principal
Chiefs of the Scioux to accompany us to the Seat of our government &.
we divide the Loading and apportion the horses. Capt L. only takes 17
horses with him, 8 only of which he intends to take up the Maria &c.
One of the Indians who accompaned us Swam Clarks river and examined the
Country around, on his return he informed us that he had discovered where
a Band of the Tushepaws had encamped this Spring passed of 64 Lodges,
& that they had passed Down Clarks river and that it was probable that
they were near the quawmash flatts on a Easterly branch of that river.
those guides expressed a desire to return to their nation and not
accompany us further, we informed them that if they was deturmined to
return we would kill some meat for them, but wished that they would
accompy Capt. Lewis on the rout to the falls of Missouri only 2 nights and
show him the right road to cross the Mountains. this they agreed to do. we
gave a medal of the Small Size to the young man Son to the late Great
Chief of the Chopunnish Nation who had been remarkably kind to us in every
instance, to all the others we tied a bunch of blue ribon about the hair,
which pleased them very much. the Indian man who overtook us in the
Mountain, presented Capt. Lewis with a horse and said that he opened his
ears to what we had said, and hoped that Cap Lewis would see the
Crovanters of Fort De Prarie and make a good peace that it was their
desire to be at peace. Shew them the horse as a token of their wishes
&c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday July 1st 1806, on Clark's River. We sent out all the hunters very early this morning. By 12 o'clock they all returned, having killed 12 deer, six of them large fat bucks. This is like once more returning to the land of the living: a plenty of meat, and that very good. As Capt. Lewis and myself part at this place, we make a division of our party and such baggage and provisions as is suitable. The party who will accompany Capt. L. is G. Drewyer (Drouillard), Sergt. Gass, Jo. & R. Fields, Frazier and Werner, and Thompson, Goodrich, and McNear as far as the Falls of the Missouri, at which place the three latter will remain until I send down the canoes from the head of Jefferson's river. They will then join that party, and after passing the portage around the falls, proceed on down to the entrance of Maria's river, where Capt. Lewis will join them after having ascended that river as high up as latitude 50° North. From the head of Jefferson's river I shall proceed on to the head of the Rockejhone (Yellowstone) with a party of 9 or 10 men and descend that river. From the Rockejhone I shall dispatch Sergt. Pryor with the horses to the Mandans, and from thence to the trading establishments of the N. W. Co. on the Assinniboin River with a letter which we have written for the purpose, to engage Mr. H. Haney to endeavor to get some of the principal chiefs of the Sioux to accompany us to the seat of our government, etc.
We divide the loading and apportion the horses. Capt. L. only takes 17 horses with him, eight only of which he intends to take up the Maria, etc. One of the Indians who accompanied us swam Clark's river and examined the country around. On his return he informed us that he had discovered where a band of the Tushepaws had camped this spring past, of 64 lodges, and that they had passed down Clark's river, and that it was probable that they were near the Quawmash Flats on an easterly branch of that river. Those guides expressed a desire to return to their nation and not accompany us further. We informed them that if they were determined to return, we would kill some meat for them, but wished that they would accompany Capt. Lewis on the route to the Falls of the Missouri only two nights and show him the right road to cross the mountains. This they agreed to do. We gave a medal of the small size to the young man, son to the late great chief of the Chopunnish nation, who had been remarkably kind to us in every instance. To all the others we tied a bunch of blue ribbon about the hair, which pleased them very much. The Indian man who overtook us in the mountain presented Capt. Lewis with a horse, and said that he opened his ears to what we had said, and hoped that Capt. Lewis would see the Crovanters of Fort de Prairie and make a good peace; that it was their desire to be at peace. He showed them the horse as a token of their wishes, etc.
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