Clark: June 17, 1806
The party set out early and traveled down Hungary Creek for about seven miles, finding it dangerous to cross due to its depth and speed. Ascending the mountain ridge dividing the Kooskooske and Chopunnish rivers, they encountered snow 12 to 15 feet deep, obscuring the trail. Fearing they would lose their horses, baggage, and papers without a guide, Lewis and Clark decided to turn back—their first retreat of the expedition. They cached instruments, papers, and supplies on scaffolds, then retraced their route, camping two miles up Hungary Creek. Rain fell that evening; the party was somewhat dejected.
Tuesday June 17th 1806 We Collected our horses and Set out early; we
proceeded down hungary Creek about 7 miles passing it twice; we found it
dificuelt and dangerous to pass the creek in consequence of it’s debth and
rapidity; we avoided two other passes of the creek, by assending a Steep
rockey and difficuelt hill. beyond this Creek the road assends the
mountain to the hight of the main leading ridges, which divides the waters
of the Kooskooske and Chopunnish Riv’s. This mountain we ascended about 3
miles when we found ourselves invelloped in snow from 8 to 12 feet deep
even on the South Side of the mountain. I was in front and Could only
prosue the derection of the road by the trees which had been peeled by the
nativs for the iner bark of which they Scraped and eate, as those pealed
trees were only to be found Scattered promisquisley, I with great
difficulty prosued the direction of the road one mile further to the top
of the mountain where I found the Snow from 12 to 15 feet deep, but fiew
trees with the fairest exposure to the Sun; here was Winter with all it’s
rigors; the air was Cold my hands and feet were benumed. we knew that it
would require four days to reach the fish weare at the enterance of Colt
Creek, provided we were So fortunate as to be enabled to follow the poper
ridge of the mountains to lead us to that place; of this all of our most
expert woodsmen and principal guides were extreemly doubtfull; Short of
that point we could not hope for any food for our horses not even under
wood itself as the whole was covered many feet deep in Snow. if we
proceeded and Should git bewildered in those Mountains the Certainty was
that we Should lose all of our horses and consequencely our baggage
enstrements perhaps our papers and thus eventially resque the loss of our
discoveries which we had already made if we Should be So fortunate as to
escape with life. the Snow bore our horses very well and the traveling was
therefore infinately better than the obstruction of rocks and fallen
timber which we met with in our passage over last fall when the Snow lay
on this part of the ridge in detached spops only. under these
Circumstances we Conceived it madness in this stage of the expedition to
proceed without a guide who Could Certainly Conduct us to the fishwears on
the Kooskooske, as our horses could not possibly Sustain a journey of more
than 4 or 5 days without food. we therefore Come to the resolution to
return with our horses while they were yet strong and in good order, and
indeaver to keep them So untill we could precure an indian to conduct us
over the Snowey Mountains, and again to proceed as soon as we could
precure Such a guide, knowing from the appearance of the snows that if we
remained untill it had disolved Sufficiently for us to follow the road
that we Should not be enabled to return to the United States within this
Season. having come to this resolution, we ordered the party to make a
deposit of all the baggage which we had not imediate use for, and also all
the roots and bread of Cows which they had except an allowance for a fiew
days to enable them to return to Some place at which we could Subsist by
hunting untill we precured a guide. we left our instrements, and I even
left the most of my papers believing them Safer here than to Wrisk them on
horseback over the road, rocks and water which we had passed. our baggage
being laid on Scaffolds and well covered, we began our retragrade march at
1 P.M. haveing remain’d about three hours on this Snowey mountain. we
returned by the rout we had advanced to hungary Creek, which we assended
about 2 miles and encamped. we had here more grass for our horses than the
proceeding evening, yet it was but scant. the party were a good deel
dejected, tho not as much So as I had apprehended they would have been.
this is the first time Since we have been on this long tour that we have
ever been compelled to retreat or make a retragrade march. it rained on us
the most of this evening. on the top of the Mountain the Weather was very
fluctiating and uncertain snowed cloudy & fair in a few minets.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday June 17th 1806. We collected our horses and set out early; we proceeded down Hungary Creek about 7 miles, passing it twice. We found it difficult and dangerous to cross the creek because of its depth and rapidity; we avoided two other crossings of the creek by ascending a steep, rocky, and difficult hill. Beyond this creek the road ascends the mountain to the height of the main leading ridges, which divide the waters of the Kooskooske and Chopunnish Rivers. We ascended this mountain about 3 miles, when we found ourselves enveloped in snow from 8 to 12 feet deep, even on the south side of the mountain.
I was in front and could only follow the direction of the road by the trees which had been peeled by the natives for the inner bark, which they scraped and ate. As those peeled trees were only to be found scattered here and there, I with great difficulty followed the direction of the road one mile further to the top of the mountain, where I found the snow from 12 to 15 feet deep, but few trees with the fairest exposure to the sun. Here was winter with all its rigors; the air was cold, my hands and feet were numb.
We knew that it would require four days to reach the fish weir at the entrance of Colt Creek, provided we were so fortunate as to be able to follow the proper ridge of the mountains to lead us to that place; of this all of our most expert woodsmen and principal guides were extremely doubtful. Short of that point we could not hope for any food for our horses, not even underwood itself, as the whole was covered many feet deep in snow. If we proceeded and should get bewildered in those mountains, the certainty was that we should lose all of our horses and consequently our baggage, instruments, perhaps our papers, and thus eventually risk the loss of our discoveries which we had already made, if we should be so fortunate as to escape with life.
The snow bore our horses very well, and the traveling was therefore infinitely better than the obstruction of rocks and fallen timber which we met with in our passage over last fall, when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached spots only. Under these circumstances we considered it madness, at this stage of the expedition, to proceed without a guide who could certainly conduct us to the fish weirs on the Kooskooske, as our horses could not possibly sustain a journey of more than 4 or 5 days without food.
We therefore came to the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet strong and in good order, and endeavor to keep them so until we could procure an Indian to conduct us over the snowy mountains, and again to proceed as soon as we could procure such a guide. We knew from the appearance of the snows that if we remained until it had dissolved sufficiently for us to follow the road, we should not be able to return to the United States within this season.
Having come to this resolution, we ordered the party to make a deposit of all the baggage which we had no immediate use for, and also all the roots and bread of cows which they had, except an allowance for a few days to enable them to return to some place at which we could subsist by hunting until we procured a guide. We left our instruments, and I even left most of my papers, believing them safer here than to risk them on horseback over the road, rocks, and water which we had passed.
Our baggage being laid on scaffolds and well covered, we began our retrograde march at 1 P.M., having remained about three hours on this snowy mountain. We returned by the route we had advanced to Hungary Creek, which we ascended about 2 miles, and camped. We had here more grass for our horses than the preceding evening, yet it was but scant. The party were a good deal dejected, though not as much so as I had apprehended they would have been. This is the first time since we have been on this long tour that we have ever been compelled to retreat or make a retrograde march. It rained on us most of this evening. On the top of the mountain the weather was very fluctuating and uncertain—snowed, cloudy, and fair in a few minutes.
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