Clark: July 5, 1806

Saturday July 5th 1806. I rose at daylight this morning and dispatched Labeash after a buck he killed late last evening. With the three men I had sent in search of a ford across the west fork of Clark's River, I examined each ford, but I thought neither would allow us to cross the fork without wetting all the loads. Near one of those places Colter pointed out, I found a practicable ford and returned to camp. I ordered everything packed up, and after breakfast we set out. We passed five channels of the river, which is divided by small islands. In passing the sixth and last channel, Colter's horse swam, and with some difficulty he made the opposite shore. Shannon took a different direction from Colter, reined his horse up the stream, and passed over very well. I directed all to follow Shannon and to pass quartering up the river, which they did and passed over tolerably well, the water running over the backs of only the two smaller horses. Unfortunately, my trunk and portmanteau, containing sea otter skins, flags, some curiosities, and necessary articles, got wet, as did an assortment of medicine and my roots.

About one mile on, we struck the east fork, which had fallen and was no higher than when we passed it last fall. We had not proceeded up this fork more than one mile before we struck the road by which we passed down last fall, and we kept it. At one mile we crossed the river at a very good ford and continued up on the east side to the foot of the mountain, nearly opposite Flour Creek, and halted to let our horses graze and to dry our wet articles. I saw fresh sign of two horses and a fire burning on the side of the road. I presume those Indians are spies from the Shoshones. Shannon and Crusat each killed a deer this morning, and J. Shields killed a female ibex, or bighorn, on the side of the mountain; this animal was very lean. Shannon left his tomahawk at the place he killed his deer. I directed him to return for it and join me in the valley on the east side of this mountain. I gave Shields permission to proceed on over to the first valley and hunt there until my arrival this evening at that place.

After drying every article, which detained us until half past 4 P.M., we packed up and crossed the mountain into the valley where we first met with the Flatheads. Here I overtook Shields; he had not killed anything. I crossed the river, which heads in a high peaked mountain covered with snow N.E. of the valley at about 20 miles. Shields informed me that the Flathead Indians passed up the small creek which we came down last fall, about 2 miles above our encampment of the 4th and 5th of September. I proceeded up this south branch 2 miles and camped on the east 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, well-beaten path.

If this route of the Oat lash shoots can be followed, it will evidently shorten our route by at least 2 days, and, as the Indians informed me last fall, it is a much better route than the one we came out on. At all events, I am determined to make the attempt and follow their trail if possible. If I can pursue it, my route will be nearer and much better than the one we came from the Shoshones; and if I should not be able to follow their road, our route can't possibly be much worse. The hunters killed two deer this evening. The latter part of the day we only came 8 miles, making a total of 20 miles. Shannon came up about sunset, having found his tomahawk.