Clark: May 21, 1806
On a rainy day in camp near the Rocky Mountains, the captains sent out hunters and set five men to building a canoe for fishing and river crossings, which could also be traded for a horse. With their tent leaking, the party built a grass-covered shelter. Trade goods were divided among the men—each receiving only an awl, knitting pin, paint, thread, and needles—to barter with natives for roots, since the snow-covered mountains will likely delay travel until mid-June. They ate their last meat at dinner, keeping a horse in reserve.
Wednesday 21st May 1806 rained this morning. Shields and Gibson Set out to
hunt towards the mountains. Collins Came in to day and Stayed in about two
hours, he has killed nothing Since he went out last. we Set 5 Men at work
to build a Canoe for the purpose of takeing fish and passing the river and
for which we can get a good horse. as our tent is not Sufficient to keep
off the rain we are Compelled to have Some other resort for a Security
from the repeeted Showers which fall. we have a small half circular place
made and Covered with grass which makes a very Secure Shelter for us to
Sleep under. We devided our Store of merchindize amongst our party for the
purpose of precureing Some roots &c. of the nativs to each mans part
amounted to about an awl Knitting pin a little paint and Some thread &
2 Needles which is but a Scanty dependance for roots to take us over those
Great Snowey Barriers (rocky mountains) which is and will be the Cause of
our Detention in this neighbourhood probably untill the 10 or 15 of June.
they are at this time Covered deep with Snow. the plains on the high
Country above us is also covered with Snow. Serjt. Ordway, Goodrich, &
Willard went to the village to day to precure a fiew roots. we eate the
last of our meat for Dinner to day, and our only Certain dependance is the
roots we Can precure from the nativs for the fiew articles we have left
those roots with what Game we Can precure from the wods will probably last
us untill the arival of the Salmon. if they Should not; we have a horse in
Store ready to be killed which the indians have offered to us. Willard
returned from the Village. Sergt. Ordway and Goodrich Continued all night.
one of the men brought me a young Sandhill Crain which was about 5 or 6
days old it was of a yellowish brown Colour, about the Size of a
partridge. Those Crains are very abundant in every part of this country in
pars of two, and Sometimes three together.
the party had gathered roots with leaves still attached they probably
could have been sorted with Indian assistance. However, the parsley family
(Apiaceae) is one of the most diverse and confusing plant families in the
region, and Lewis could not be sure that the men would not bring back some
other poisonous species not well known to the Indians. The decision to
purchase roots was probably prudent.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday 21st May 1806. It rained this morning. Shields and Gibson set out to hunt toward the mountains. Collins came in today and stayed about two hours; he has killed nothing since he went out last. We set 5 men at work to build a canoe for the purpose of taking fish and crossing the river, and for which we can get a good horse. As our tent is not sufficient to keep off the rain, we are compelled to have some other resort for security from the repeated showers which fall. We have a small half-circular place made and covered with grass, which makes a very secure shelter for us to sleep under.
We divided our store of merchandise amongst our party for the purpose of procuring some roots, etc., from the natives. Each man's part amounted to about an awl, a knitting pin, a little paint, and some thread and 2 needles, which is but a scanty dependence for roots to take us over those great snowy barriers (Rocky Mountains), which is and will be the cause of our detention in this neighborhood, probably until the 10th or 15th of June. They are at this time covered deep with snow. The plains on the high country above us are also covered with snow.
Sergeant Ordway, Goodrich, and Willard went to the village today to procure a few roots. We ate the last of our meat for dinner today, and our only certain dependence is the roots we can procure from the natives for the few articles we have left. Those roots, with what game we can procure from the woods, will probably last us until the arrival of the salmon. If they should not, we have a horse in store ready to be killed, which the Indians have offered to us. Willard returned from the village. Sergeant Ordway and Goodrich stayed all night.
One of the men brought me a young sandhill crane which was about 5 or 6 days old. It was of a yellowish-brown color, about the size of a partridge. These cranes are very abundant in every part of this country, in pairs of two, and sometimes three together.
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