Clark: June 2, 1806
With trade goods exhausted, the captains sent McNeal and York across the river to barter buttons cut from their coats, homemade salve, and eye water for food, ahead of the difficult Rocky Mountain crossing; the men returned with about three bushels of roots and bread. Drouillard arrived with two Nez Perce chiefs and recovered two tomahawks, including Sergeant Floyd's. Ordway, Frazier, and Wiser returned with 17 salmon after a 70-mile journey. Shields, Collins, the Field brothers, and Shannon left to hunt. Horses were recovering well.
Monday June 2nd 1806 McNeal and York were Sent on a tradeing voyage over
the river this morning. having exhosted all our Merchendize we were
obliged to have recourse to every Subterfuge in order to prepare in the
most ample manner in our power to meet that wretched portion of our
journy, the Rocky Mountains, where hungar and Cold in their most regorous
form assail the waried traveller; not any of us have yet forgotten our
those mountains in September last, I think it probable we never Shall. Our
traders McNeal and York are furnished with the buttons which Capt L-. and
my Self Cut off of our Coats, Some eye water and Basilicon which we made
for that purpose and Some phials of eye water and Some tin boxes which
Capt L. had brought from Philadelphia. in the evening they returned with
about 3 bushels of roots and Some bread haveing made a Suckcessfull
voyage, not much less pleasing to us than the return of a good Cargo to an
East India merchant.
Shields, Collins, Reuben & Joseph Field & Shannon Set out on a
hunting excurtion to the quaw mash the lower side of Collins Creek &
towards the Mountains.
Drewyer arived this evening with Neeshneparkkeeook and Hohashillpilp who
had accompanied him to the lodge of the person who had our tomahawks. he
obtained both the tomahawks principally by the influence of the former of
those Chiefs. the one which had been Stolen we prized most as it was the
private property of the late Serjt. Floyd and I was desireous of returning
it to his friends. The man who had this tomahawk had purchased it from the
man who had Stolen it, and was himself at the moment of their arival just
expireing. his relations were unwilling to give up the tomahawk as they
intended to bury it with the deceased owner, but were at length to do so
for the Consideration of a handkerchief, two Strands of heeds, which
drewyer gave them and two horses given by the Chiefs to be Killed
agreeable to their custom at the grave of the deceased. The custom of
Sacrificeing horses to the disceased appears to be Common to all the
nations of the plains of the Columbia. a Wife of Neeshneeparkkeeook died
Some Short time Sence, himself and her relations sacrificed horses to her.
The Indians inform us that there is a plenty of Moos to the S. E. of them
on the East branch of Lewis’s river which they Call Tommawamah River.
About noon Sergt. Ordway Frazier and Wiser returnd. with 17 Salmon and
Some roots of the Cows; the distance was So great from whence they brought
the fish, that most of them were nearly Spoiled. those fish were as fat as
any I ever saw; Sufficiently So to cook themselves without the addition of
Grease or butter; those which were Sound were extreemly delicious; their
flesh is of a fine rose colour with a Small admixture of yellow. these men
Set out on the 27th ulto. and in Sted of finding the fishing Shore at the
distance of half a days ride as we had been informed, they did not reach
the place at which they obtained their fish untill the evening of the 29th
haveing traveled near 70 miles. the rout they had taken however was not a
direct one; the Indians Conducted them in the first instance to the East
fork of Lewis’s river about 10 miles above it’s junction with the South
branch, a distance of about 50 miles where they informed them they might
obtain fish; but on their arival at that place finding that the Salmon had
not arived or were not taken, they were Conducted down that river to a
fishery a fiew miles below the junction of the forks of Lewis’s River
about 20 miles further, here they remained one day and with some
dificuelty, they purchased the Salmon which they brought with them. the
first 20 ms. Of their rout was up Commeap Creek and through a plain open
Country, the hills of the Creek Continued high and broken with Some timber
near it’s borders, the ballance of their rout was through a high broken
Mountanious Country. generally well timbered with pine the soil fertile.
in this quarter the meet with abundance of deer and Some big-horned
Animals. The East fork of Lewis’s river they discribe as one Continued
rapid of about 150 yards wide, it’s banks are in most places Solid and
perpindicular rocks, which rise to a great hight; it’s hills are
mountanious high. on the top of Some of those hills over which they
passed, the Snow had not entirely disappeared, and the grass was just
springing up. at the fishery on Lewis’s river below the forks there is a
very Considerable rapid, nearly as Great from the information of Sergt.
Ordway as the Great falls of the Columbia the river 200 yards wide. their
common house at this fishery is built of Split timber 150 feet long and 35
feet in width, flat at top. the general Course from here to the forks of
Lewis’s river is a little to the west of South about 45 ms. The men at
this Season resort their fisheries while the womin are employed in
collecting roots-. both forks above the junction of Lewis’s river appear
to enter a high Mountainious Country. our horses are all recovering &
I have no hesitation in declareing that I believe that the Indian Method
of guilding preferable to that practised by ourselves.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday June 2nd 1806. McNeal and York were sent on a trading voyage across the river this morning. Having exhausted all our merchandise, we were obliged to have recourse to every subterfuge in order to prepare in the most ample manner in our power to meet that wretched portion of our journey, the Rocky Mountains, where hunger and cold in their most rigorous form assail the wearied traveler; not one of us has yet forgotten our passage through those mountains in September last, and I think it probable we never shall. Our traders McNeal and York are furnished with the buttons which Capt L. (Capt. Lewis) and myself cut off of our coats, some eye water and basilicon which we made for that purpose, and some phials of eye water and some tin boxes which Capt L. had brought from Philadelphia. In the evening they returned with about 3 bushels of roots and some bread, having made a successful voyage, not much less pleasing to us than the return of a good cargo to an East India merchant.
Shields, Collins, Reuben & Joseph Field & Shannon set out on a hunting excursion to the quamash, on the lower side of Collins Creek and toward the mountains.
Drewyer arrived this evening with Neeshneparkkeeook and Hohashillpilp, who had accompanied him to the lodge of the person who had our tomahawks. He obtained both the tomahawks, principally by the influence of the former of those chiefs. The one which had been stolen we prized most, as it was the private property of the late Sergt. Floyd, and I was desirous of returning it to his friends. The man who had this tomahawk had purchased it from the man who had stolen it, and was himself at the moment of their arrival just expiring. His relations were unwilling to give up the tomahawk, as they intended to bury it with the deceased owner, but at length consented to do so for the consideration of a handkerchief, two strands of beads which Drewyer gave them, and two horses given by the chiefs to be killed, agreeable to their custom, at the grave of the deceased. The custom of sacrificing horses to the deceased appears to be common to all the nations of the plains of the Columbia. A wife of Neeshneeparkkeeook died some short time since; he himself and her relations sacrificed horses to her. The Indians inform us that there is plenty of moose to the S.E. of them, on the east branch of Lewis's river, which they call Tommawamah River.
About noon Sergt. Ordway, Frazier, and Wiser returned with 17 salmon and some roots of the cows; the distance was so great from whence they brought the fish that most of them were nearly spoiled. Those fish were as fat as any I ever saw, sufficiently so to cook themselves without the addition of grease or butter; those which were sound were extremely delicious; their flesh is of a fine rose color, with a small admixture of yellow. These men set out on the 27th ult., and instead of finding the fishing shore at the distance of half a day's ride as we had been informed, they did not reach the place at which they obtained their fish until the evening of the 29th, having traveled near 70 miles. The route they had taken, however, was not a direct one. The Indians conducted them in the first instance to the East Fork of Lewis's river, about 10 miles above its junction with the south branch, a distance of about 50 miles, where they informed them they might obtain fish; but on their arrival at that place, finding that the salmon had not arrived or were not taken, they were conducted down that river to a fishery a few miles below the junction of the forks of Lewis's River, about 20 miles further. Here they remained one day, and with some difficulty they purchased the salmon which they brought with them. The first 20 miles of their route was up Commeap Creek and through a plain open country; the hills along the creek continued high and broken, with some timber near its borders. The balance of their route was through a high, broken, mountainous country, generally well timbered with pine, the soil fertile. In this quarter they met with abundance of deer and some bighorned animals. The East Fork of Lewis's river they describe as one continuous rapid, about 150 yards wide; its banks are in most places solid and perpendicular rocks, which rise to a great height; its hills are mountainous high. On the top of some of those hills over which they passed, the snow had not entirely disappeared, and the grass was just springing up. At the fishery on Lewis's river below the forks there is a very considerable rapid, nearly as great, from the information of Sergt. Ordway, as the Great Falls of the Columbia; the river is 200 yards wide. Their common house at this fishery is built of split timber, 150 feet long and 35 feet in width, flat at top. The general course from here to the forks of Lewis's river is a little to the west of south, about 45 miles. The men at this season resort to their fisheries, while the women are employed in collecting roots. Both forks above the junction of Lewis's river appear to enter a high mountainous country. Our horses are all recovering, and I have no hesitation in declaring that I believe the Indian method of gelding preferable to that practiced by ourselves.
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