Lemhi Valley, preparing to cross Bitterroots — John Ordway: August 30, 1805

horses, bought 8 more, have now got 30 in all. we got our loads
ready, the guide who has engaged with us to go on to the ocean
tells us that their is 2 ways to go, but the one bearing south of
the Ri: is plains and a desert country without game or water, but
the road to the North of the River is rough and mountaineous
but sd he could take us in 10 days to a large fork of the River
which came in on the South Side where the River would be navi-
gable or in about 15 days we could go to where the tide came up
and Salt water. So we concluded to go that road, apart of the
natives went from this village over to the head of the Missourie
after the buffalow.1 about one oClock P. M. our hunter came in
had killed three deer we loaded all but 2 of our horses and set
out and proceeded on down the River bottom crossed several
this Spring runs and Sever[al] old Camps, went about 10 miles
1 Thus Sacajawea parted from her people, never, so far as we know, to see
them again.
278 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS lAug. 31
and Camped on a Smooth bottom near the River1 considerable
of cotton and alder wood along the Shores.