Clark: July 6, 1806
After a frosty, sleepless night, the party gathered scattered horses and set out at 9 A.M., leaving the previous fall's road and crossing a dividing ridge between the Middle Fork of Clark's River and Lewis's River. They followed an Oat-lash-shute Indian route along a branch of Wisdom River, passing glades of blooming quamash. Sacagawea recognized the country and pointed out the gap they should aim for. A violent, cold rainstorm from the southwest forced a halt for about 90 minutes. Shields killed a large mountain hare, and the group camped on a small creek to dry out.
Sunday 6th July 1806 Some frost this morning the last night was so cold
that I could not Sleep. we Collected our horses which were much scattered
which detained us untill 9 A.M. at which time we Set out and proceeded up
the Creek on which we camped 3 Miles and left the road which we came on
last fall to our right and assended a ridge with a gentle Slope to the
dividing mountain which Seperates the waters from the Middle fork of
Clarks river from those and Lewis’s river and passed over prosueing the
rout of the Oat lash shute band which we met last fall to the head of a
branch of Wisdom R and down the Said branch crossing it frequently on each
Side of this handsom glades in which I observe great quantities of
quawmash just beginning to blume on each side of those glades the timber
is small and a great propotion of it Killed by the fires. I observe the
appearance of old buffalow roads and some heads on this part of the
mountain. The Snow appears to lying in considerable masses on the mountain
from which we decended on the 4th of Septr. last. I observe great numbers
of the whistleing Squirel which burrows their holes Scattered on each Side
of the glades through which we passed. Shields killed a hare of the large
mountain Species. the after part of the day we passed on the hill Side N
of the Creek for 6 Ms. Creek and entered an extensive open Leavel plain in
which the Indian trail Scattered in Such a manner that we Could not pursue
it. the Indian woman wife to Shabono informed me that she had been in this
plain frequently and knew it well that the Creek which we decended was a
branch of Wisdom river and when we assended the higher part of the plain
we would discover a gap in the mountains in our direction to the Canoes,
and when we arived at that gap we would See a high point of a mountain
covered with snow in our direction to the canoes. we proceeded on 1 mile
and Crossd. a large Creek from the right which heads in a Snow Mountain
and Fish Creek over which there was a road thro a gap. we assended a Small
rise and beheld an open boutifull Leavel Vally or plain of about 20 Miles
wide and near 60 long extending N & S. in every direction around which
I could see high points of Mountains Covered with Snow. I discovered one
at a distance very high covered with Snow which bore S. 80° E. The Squar
pointed to the gap through which she said we must pass which was S. 56° E.
She said we would pass the river before we reached the gap. we had not
proceeded more than 2 Miles in the last Creek, before a violent Storm of
wind accompand. with hard rain from the S W. imediately from off the Snow
Mountains this rain was Cold and lasted 11/2 hours. I discovd. the rain
wind as it approached and halted and formd. a solid column to protect our
Selves from the Violency of the gust. after it was over I proceeded on
about 5 Miles to Some Small dry timber on a Small Creek and encampd. made
large fires and dryed our Selves. here I observed Some fresh Indian Signs
where they had been gathering quawmash.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday 6th July 1806. There was some frost this morning, and last night was so cold that I could not sleep. We collected our horses, which were much scattered, and that detained us until 9 A.M., at which time we set out and proceeded up the creek on which we camped for 3 miles. We left the road on which we came last fall to our right and ascended a ridge with a gentle slope to the dividing mountain which separates the waters of the Middle Fork of Clarks river from those of Lewis's river. We passed over, pursuing the route of the Oat lash shute band whom we met last fall, to the head of a branch of Wisdom River, and down the said branch, crossing it frequently. On each side of this are handsome glades, in which I observed great quantities of quawmash just beginning to bloom. On each side of these glades the timber is small, and a great proportion of it has been killed by fires. I observed the appearance of old buffalo roads and some skulls on this part of the mountain. The snow appears to be lying in considerable masses on the mountain from which we descended on the 4th of September last. I observed great numbers of the whistling squirrel, which burrows holes scattered on each side of the glades through which we passed. Shields killed a hare of the large mountain species.
In the latter part of the day we passed along the hill side north of the creek for 6 miles, and entered an extensive open level plain in which the Indian trail was so scattered that we could not pursue it. The Indian woman, wife to Shabono (Charbonneau), informed me that she had been in this plain frequently and knew it well; that the creek which we descended was a branch of Wisdom River; and that when we ascended the higher part of the plain we would discover a gap in the mountains in our direction to the canoes, and when we arrived at that gap we would see a high point of a mountain covered with snow in our direction to the canoes. We proceeded on 1 mile and crossed a large creek from the right, which heads in a snow mountain, and Fish Creek, over which there was a road through a gap. We ascended a small rise and beheld an open, beautiful, level valley or plain of about 20 miles wide and nearly 60 long, extending north and south. In every direction around it, I could see high points of mountains covered with snow. I discovered one at a distance very high, covered with snow, which bore S. 80° E. The squaw pointed to the gap through which she said we must pass, which was S. 56° E. She said we would pass the river before we reached the gap.
We had not proceeded more than 2 miles past the last creek before a violent storm of wind accompanied with hard rain came from the southwest, immediately from off the snow mountains. This rain was cold and lasted 1½ hours. I discovered the rain and wind as they approached and halted, and we formed a solid column to protect ourselves from the violence of the gust. After it was over, I proceeded on about 5 miles to some small dry timber on a small creek and camped. We made large fires and dried ourselves. Here I observed some fresh Indian signs where they had been gathering quawmash.
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