Clark: June 10, 1806
The expedition rose early to gather horses, though one of Whitehouse's was missing; an Indian promised to bring it along. They packed and set out at 11 AM, well-mounted with spare horses, heading toward the Quamash Flats where they planned to hunt and wait for mountain snows to melt. After crossing a difficult Collins Creek, they camped on the eastern edge of the flats. Eight Indians joined their camp, hoping to be fed. Hunters killed a doe and several burrowing squirrels. Clark noted the fertile country's varied trees, shrubs, and wildlife.
Tuesday June 10th 1806. rose early this morning and had all the horses
Collected except one of Whitehouses horses which could not be found, an
Indian promised to find the horse and bring him on to us at the quawmash
fields at which place we intend to delay a fiew days for the laying in
Some meat by which time we Calculate that the Snows will have melted more
off the mountains and the grass raised to a sufficient hight for our
horses to live. we packed up and Set out at 11 A M we Set out with the
party each man being well mounted and a light load on a 2d horse, besides
which we have several supernumary horses in case of accident or the want
of provisions, we therefore feel ourselves perfectly equiped for the
Mountains. we assended the hills which are very high and about three miles
in extent our course being N. 22° E, thence N. 15° W 2 ms. to Collins
Creek. Thence North 5 Miles to the Eastern boarders of the Quawmash flatts
where we encamped near the place I first met with the Chopunnish Nation
last fall. the pass of Collins Creek was deep and extreemly difficult tho
we passed without sustaining further injury than wetting some of our roots
and bread. The Country through which we passed is extreemly fertile and
generally free from Stone, is well timbered with several Species of fir,
long leafed pine and Larch. the undergrowth is choke cherry near the
watercourses, black alder, a large species of red root now in blume, a
Growth which resembles the poppaw in it’s leaf and which bears a berry
with five valves of a deep purple colour, two species of Shoemate, Seven
bark, perple haw, Service berry, Goose berry, wildrose, honey suckle which
bears a white berry, and a Species of dwarf pine which grows about 10 or
12 feet high, bears a globarlar formed cone with Small Scales, the leaf is
about the length and much the appearance of the pitch pine haveing it’s
leaves in fassicles of two; in other respects they would at a little
distance be taken for the young plants of the long leafed pine. There are
two Species of the wild rose both quinque petallous and of a damask red,
but the one is as large as the common red rose of our guardens. I observed
the apples of these Species last fall to be more than triple the Size of
those of the ordinary wild rose; the Stem of this rose is the Same with
the other tho the leaf is somewhat larger. after we encamped this evening
we Sent out our hunters; Collins killed a doe on which we Suped much to
our Satisfaction, we had not reached the top of the river hills before we
were overtaken by a party of 8 Indians who informed me that they were
gowing to the quawmash flatts to hunt; their object I belive is the
expectation of being fed by us in which however kind as they have been we
must disappoint them at this moment as it is necessary that we Should use
all frugallaty as well as employ every exertion to provide meat for our
journey. they have encamped with us. we find a great number of burrowing
Squirels about our camp of which we killed Several; I eate of them and
found them quit as tender and well flavd. as our grey squirel. Saw many
Sand hill crains and Some ducks in the Slashey Glades about this place-.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday June 10th 1806. We rose early this morning and had all the horses collected except one of Whitehouse's horses which could not be found. An Indian promised to find the horse and bring him on to us at the quawmash fields, at which place we intend to delay a few days for the laying in of some meat. By that time we calculate that the snows will have melted more off the mountains and the grass risen to a sufficient height for our horses to live on. We packed up and set out at 11 A.M. We set out with the party, each man being well mounted and with a light load on a second horse. Besides this, we have several extra horses in case of accident or the want of provisions, so we feel ourselves perfectly equipped for the mountains.
We ascended the hills, which are very high and about three miles in extent, our course being N. 22° E, then N. 15° W. 2 miles to Collins Creek. Then north 5 miles to the eastern borders of the Quawmash Flats, where we camped near the place I first met with the Chopunnish Nation last fall. The crossing of Collins Creek was deep and extremely difficult, though we passed without sustaining further injury than wetting some of our roots and bread.
The country through which we passed is extremely fertile and generally free from stone, and is well timbered with several species of fir, long-leafed pine, and larch. The undergrowth is chokecherry near the watercourses, black alder, a large species of redroot now in bloom, a growth which resembles the pawpaw in its leaf and which bears a berry with five valves of a deep purple color, two species of sumac (Shoemate), sevenbark, purple haw, serviceberry, gooseberry, wild rose, honeysuckle which bears a white berry, and a species of dwarf pine which grows about 10 or 12 feet high. It bears a globular-formed cone with small scales; the leaf is about the length and much the appearance of the pitch pine, having its leaves in fascicles of two. In other respects they would at a little distance be taken for the young plants of the long-leafed pine.
There are two species of the wild rose, both five-petaled (quinquepetalous) and of a damask red, but one is as large as the common red rose of our gardens. I observed the apples of these species last fall to be more than triple the size of those of the ordinary wild rose. The stem of this rose is the same as the other, though the leaf is somewhat larger.
After we camped this evening, we sent out our hunters. Collins killed a doe on which we supped much to our satisfaction. We had not reached the top of the river hills before we were overtaken by a party of 8 Indians who informed me that they were going to the quawmash flats to hunt. Their object, I believe, is the expectation of being fed by us, in which, however kind as they have been, we must disappoint them at this moment, as it is necessary that we should use all frugality as well as employ every exertion to provide meat for our journey. They have camped with us.
We find a great number of burrowing squirrels about our camp, of which we killed several. I ate of them and found them quite as tender and well flavored as our gray squirrel. Saw many sandhill cranes and some ducks in the marshy glades about this place.
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