Lemhi Valley, preparing to cross Bitterroots — John Ordway: August 26, 1805
The party set out at sunrise in freezing cold, with small vessels iced over and fingers aching. They crossed the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass, drinking from headsprings of both the Missouri and Columbia rivers, passing pine and fir along snow-dotted mountains. After about eight miles they halted to dine; a Shoshone woman gave birth briefly without delaying the group. They reached a Shoshone village of about 30 lodges on the Lemhi River, fired a salute, and camped among the friendly natives. Colter returned with word from Captain Clark that the river was unnavigable; Clark would meet them to decide the route west.
the Small vessells froze, we set out at Sunrise and proceeded on
with our big coats on and our fingers ackd with the cold, we
passed a nomber of large Springs and I drank at the head Spring
of the Missourie ran South & walked across a ridge only about
one mile and drank at the head Spring of the Columbian River
running west.1 then went up and down a nomber of high hills
passed a nomber of large Springs all makeing west. Saw pitch
pine and balsom fer which grow verry tall on the Spring runs and
Sides of the mountains, but they are mostly covred with Short
grass. Saw considerable of Snow on the mountain near us which
appear but little higher than we are. it lies in heaps and a cold
breeze always comes from these mountains we came in Site of
the valley where the Small river runs, came al^out 8 miles &
halted to dine one of our Indian women was taken Sick rideing
a long and halted a fiew minutes and had hir child with out de-
taining us. we gave the savages a little corn and proceeded on
passed over Several hills and a large Spring run came in Site of
the Indian lodges which were on the little River running west, by
the request of the chief which was with us we fired 2 rounds and
went to their lodges, they had a large one prepared for us in the
center, they have about 30 lodges consisting of men women and
children, they have but little to eat they catch a large kind of
fish in this little Stream, a large Smooth bottoms on this R.
back of the bottoms [are] high hills & mountains. Some pitch
pine on them, we Camped near the lodge among the natives, we
1 Here Ordway crosses, by the Lemhi Puss, the continental divide, passing
from the headwaters of Horse Prairie Creek to a tributary of Lemhi River.
In so doing he crosses the boundary between Montana and Idaho.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 275
danced1 a while this evening, they assembled to see us they all
appear verry peaceable and friendly, we came here a little before
night found colter here who had been with Cap* Clark a long
distance down this River.2 he tells us that it is not navigable,
no game and verry mountaineous. Cap* Clark Sent Cap* Lewis a
note and says he will meet us here & determine whither we follow
the River or go across by land to the wtn ocean.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The small vessels froze. We set out at sunrise and proceeded on with our big coats on and our fingers aching with the cold. We passed a number of large springs, and I drank at the head spring of the Missouri, which ran south, and walked across a ridge only about one mile and drank at the head spring of the Columbia River, running west. Then we went up and down a number of high hills and passed a number of large springs, all flowing west. We saw pitch pine and balsam fir, which grow very tall along the spring runs and sides of the mountains, but the mountains are mostly covered with short grass. We saw considerable snow on the mountain near us, which appears but little higher than we are. It lies in heaps, and a cold breeze always comes from these mountains.
We came in sight of the valley where the small river runs, having come about 8 miles, and halted to dine. One of our Indian women was taken sick while riding along, and halted a few minutes and had her child without detaining us. We gave the savages a little corn and proceeded on, passed over several hills and a large spring run, and came in sight of the Indian lodges, which were on the little river running west. By the request of the chief who was with us, we fired 2 rounds and went to their lodges. They had a large one prepared for us in the center. They have about 30 lodges, consisting of men, women, and children. They have but little to eat. They catch a large kind of fish in this little stream. There are large smooth bottoms on this river, and back of the bottoms are high hills and mountains, with some pitch pine on them.
We camped near the lodge among the natives. We danced a while this evening. They assembled to see us, and they all appear very peaceable and friendly. We came here a little before night and found Colter here, who had been with Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) a long distance down this river. He tells us that it is not navigable, has no game, and is very mountainous. Capt Clark sent Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) a note and says he will meet us here and determine whether we follow the river or go across by land to the western ocean.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
