Clark: May 15, 1806
At camp along the river, hunters spotted a large bear and pursued it without success, while a female bear and two differently colored cubs killed earlier convinced Clark that the region's variously colored bears are one species. Several men went out hunting with little luck. Multiple men fell ill with headaches or colics, possibly from diet or climate change. Chief Broken Arm and his men departed, and a Nez Perce hunting party passed through. The men secured baggage under straw roofing and built a bower for shade. Clark observed three distinct climates visible from camp, with the snow-covered Rockies in view.
Thursday 15th of May 1806 This morning Reubin Fields went out to hunt his
horse very early and Saw a large bear and no great distance from Camp.
Several men went in pursute of the bear, and prosued his trail Some time
without gitting Sight of this Monster. Shannon went out with Labeach to
hunt and continue out 3 days, Gibson and Hall accompanied them for the
meat Labeech killed yesterday which they brought in by 11 A M. this
Morning the female was black with white hares intermixed and a white Spot
on the breast the Cubs were about the Size of a dog also pore. one of them
very black and the other a light redish brown or bey colour. These bear
give me a Stronger evidence of the various Coloured bear of this Country
being one Specie only, than any I have heretofore had. Several other
Colours have been seen. Drewyer and Peter Crusat went up the river. John
Shields, R. Fields and Willard hunted in the hills near Camp and returned
before 2 P. M without killing any thing except a fiew Grows. they saw but
few deer. Some bear Sign. Frazur Jo. Fields and Peter Wizer Complain of a
violent pain in their heads. Howard and York with violent Cholicks. the
Cause of those disorders we are unable to account for. their diet and the
Sudin Change of Climate must contribute. The Great Chief Tin
nach-e-moo-tolt (or broken Arm) and 12 of the young men of his nation left
us today about 11 oClock and Crossed the river to his Village
Hoh-hast-ill-pilt and 3 old men Continued with us untill about 5 P. M when
they left us and returnd. to their Village. a party of 14 Indians passed
our Camp about 1 P.M. on their way to the leavel uplands to run and kill
the deer with their horses and Bows and arrows. Some of them were also
provided with deers heads Cased for the purpose of decoying the deer.
those men continued withus but a fiew minits and proceeded on. Those
people hunt most Commonly on horse back Seround the Deer or Goat which
they find in the open plains & kill them with their arrows. tho they
Sometimes hunt the deer on foot & decoy them. we had all of our horses
drove together to day with a view to fermilurize them to each other. those
that were Cut yesterday are Stiff and Several of them much Swelled. we had
all our baggage Secured and Covered with a rouf of Straw. our little
fortification also completely Secured with brush around which our Camp is
formed. the Greater part of our Security from the rains &c. is the
grass which is formed in a kind of ruff So as to turn the rain Completely
and is much the best tents we have. as the days are worm &c. we have a
bowry made to write under which we find not only comfortable but
necessary, to keep off the intence heet of the Sun which has great effect
in this low bottom. on the high plains off the river the Climate is
entirely different cool. Some Snow on the north hill Sides near the top
and vegetation near 3 weeks later than in the river bottoms. and the rocky
Mountains imedeately in view covered Several say 4 & 5 feet deep with
Snow. here I behold three different Climats within a fiew miles a little
before dark Hoh-hast-ill-pilt and the 3 old men & one other returned
to our Camp and informed us the Canoe was a great way off and they could
not cross this evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Thursday, 15th of May 1806. This morning Reubin Fields went out very early to hunt his horse and saw a large bear not a great distance from camp. Several men went in pursuit of the bear, and followed his trail for some time without getting sight of this monster. Shannon went out with Labeach to hunt and will continue out for 3 days. Gibson and Hall accompanied them to get the meat Labeach killed yesterday, which they brought in by 11 A.M. this morning.
The female was black with white hairs intermixed and a white spot on the breast. The cubs were about the size of a dog and also poor. One of them was very black and the other a light reddish brown or bay color. These bears give me stronger evidence that the various colored bears of this country are only one species than any I have had before. Several other colors have been seen.
Drewyer and Peter Crusat went up the river. John Shields, R. Fields, and Willard hunted in the hills near camp and returned before 2 P.M. without killing anything except a few crows. They saw but few deer. Some bear sign.
Frazur, Jo. Fields, and Peter Wizer complain of a violent pain in their heads. Howard and York have violent colics. The cause of these disorders we are unable to account for. Their diet and the sudden change of climate must contribute.
The Great Chief Tin-nach-e-moo-tolt (or Broken Arm) and 12 of the young men of his nation left us today about 11 o'clock and crossed the river to his village. Hoh-hast-ill-pilt and 3 old men continued with us until about 5 P.M., when they left us and returned to their village. A party of 14 Indians passed our camp about 1 P.M. on their way to the level uplands to run down and kill the deer with their horses and bows and arrows. Some of them were also provided with deer heads cased for the purpose of decoying the deer. These men stayed with us only a few minutes and then proceeded on. These people most commonly hunt on horseback, surrounding the deer or goat which they find in the open plains and killing them with their arrows. Though they sometimes hunt the deer on foot and decoy them.
We had all of our horses driven together today with a view to familiarize them to each other. Those that were cut yesterday are stiff, and several of them much swelled. We had all our baggage secured and covered with a roof of straw. Our little fortification is also completely secured with brush around it, which is what our camp is formed of. The greater part of our security from the rain, etc., is the grass, which is formed into a kind of roof so as to turn the rain completely, and it is much the best tent we have. As the days are warm, etc., we have a bower made to write under, which we find not only comfortable but necessary to keep off the intense heat of the sun, which has great effect in this low bottom.
On the high plains off the river the climate is entirely different—cool. Some snow on the north hillsides near the top, and vegetation nearly 3 weeks later than in the river bottoms. And the Rocky Mountains are immediately in view, covered (several say 4 and 5 feet deep) with snow. Here I behold three different climates within a few miles.
A little before dark, Hoh-hast-ill-pilt and the 3 old men, and one other, returned to our camp and informed us that the canoe was a great way off and they could not cross this evening.
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