Clark: June 28, 1806
After an early breakfast, the party gathered their horses and traveled along the dividing ridge, passing their previous September 14th campsite near a fork in the road. At noon, after covering 13 miles, they reached a south-facing, untimbered mountainside above the fishery, where guides had promised grass for the tired horses. They camped there for the night, melting snow for water since none was nearby. The day's route lay entirely over deep snow, which actually eased travel over rocks and fallen timber. Clark killed a small black pheasant and noted local huckleberries and grasses.
Saturday June 28th 1806 This morning we Colected our horses and Set out as
usial after an early brackfast. we continued our rout along the dividig
ridge over knobs & through deep hollows passed our encampmt of the 14
Sept. last near the forks of the road leaving the one on which we had Came
one leading to the fishery to our right imediately on the dividing ridge.
at 12 oClock we arived at an untimberd side of a mountain with a southern
aspect just above the fishery here we found an abundance of grass for our
horses as the guids had informed us. as our horses were hungary and much
fatiegued and from information no other place where we could obtain grass
for them within the reach of this evening’s travel we deturmined to remain
at this place all night haveing come 13 m. only. the water was distant
from our Encampment we therefore melted Snow and used the water. the whole
of the rout of this day was over deep Snow. we find the travelling on the
Snow not worse than without it, as easy passage it givs us over rocks and
fallen timber fully compensates for the inconvenience of sliping, certain
it is that we travel considerably faster on the snow than without it. the
Snow Sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a horse, is course and firm and seems
to be formed of the larger particles the surface of the snow sees to be
rather harder in the morning than after the Sun Shines on it a fiew hours,
but it is not in that situation so dense as to prevent the horses from
obtaining good foothold. I killed a Small black pheasant; this bird is
generally found in the Snowey region of the mountains and feeds on the
leaves of the pine & fir. there is a Species of Small huckleberry
common to the hights of the mountains, and a Species of grass with a broad
succulent leaf which looks not unlike a flag; of the latter the horses are
very fond, but as yet it is generally under the Snow, or mearly makeing
it’s appearance as it confined to the upper part of the highest mountains.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday June 28th 1806. This morning we collected our horses and set out as usual after an early breakfast. We continued our route along the dividing ridge over knobs and through deep hollows, passed our encampment of the 14th of September last near the forks of the road, leaving the one on which we had come — one leading to the fishery — to our right, immediately on the dividing ridge. At 12 o'clock we arrived at an untimbered side of a mountain with a southern aspect, just above the fishery. Here we found an abundance of grass for our horses, as the guides had informed us. As our horses were hungry and much fatigued, and from information there was no other place where we could obtain grass for them within the reach of this evening's travel, we determined to remain at this place all night, having come only 13 miles. The water was distant from our encampment, so we therefore melted snow and used the water.
The whole of the route of this day was over deep snow. We find the traveling on the snow not worse than without it, as the easy passage it gives us over rocks and fallen timber fully compensates for the inconvenience of slipping. It is certain that we travel considerably faster on the snow than without it. The snow sinks from 2 to 3 inches with a horse; it is coarse and firm, and seems to be formed of the larger particles. The surface of the snow seems to be rather harder in the morning than after the sun shines on it a few hours, but it is not in that situation so dense as to prevent the horses from obtaining good foothold.
I killed a small black pheasant; this bird is generally found in the snowy region of the mountains and feeds on the leaves of the pine and fir. There is a species of small huckleberry common to the heights of the mountains, and a species of grass with a broad succulent leaf which looks not unlike a flag; of the latter the horses are very fond, but as yet it is generally under the snow, or merely making its appearance, as it is confined to the upper part of the highest mountains.
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