Lewis: up Marias River / Clark: down Yellowstone — John Ordway: July 19, 1806

hunters went on Shore to go across a bend after the buffaloe &
we proceeded on with the canoes round sd bend, about 11 A.M.
the hunters killed 4 buffaloe and a buck deer, we halted and took
the best of the meat or fat and proceed on about 3 PM. we
arived at the white bear Camp at the head of the portage. Serg1
Gass and five more of the party were Camped here, they in-
formed us that they had a fine road over.1 they followed up the
Tus-e-paw or buffaloe river2 a Smooth road, then crossed a low
dividing ridge came on Smooth plains, the blanket Mountains
to the left, they had a large road, a band of Indians had went
before them. Saw one of their Sculp poles &C. they Struck the
Meddison river above its forks and followed on down it about 3
days travvel to this place, considerable of cotten timber on its
bottoms, the plain Smooth Soil indifferent except Some of the
river bottoms are rich & good land, they arived here on the 11th
Ins* they had killed a number of fat buffaloe and fat buck deers.
Cap1 Lewis and party lost 7 fine horses at this place, they ex-
pect they were stole by the war parties they hunted for them
untill the 16th Ins1 then gave them out for lost, and then he set
out for to go up morriahs river Drewyer J° & R. Fields only with
him as he left 4 horses to hale the canoes past the portage, he had
not horses enofe to take any more men with him. they had
opened the cash or hole at this place & found Several Small articles
Spoiled and opened the one below the portage and found everry
thing Safe except some of the mens robes, they have geers fixed
for the horses. Mcneal was attacked by a white bear, his horse
threw him So near the bear that he had not time to shoote but
drew his gun and Struck the bear across the head and broke off
the brich of his gun and Stonded3 the bear So that he had time to
1 From the place at the mouth of Lolo Creek whence the parties of Lewis
and Clark had set out in opposite directions on July 3, Lewis down the Bitter
Root River, and Clark up that stream.
2 Modern Big Blackfoot River, a tributary of Hell Gate River, which Lewis
had first ascended to the mouth of the Big Blackfoot. From its upper course
the party crossed the mountains by the misnamed Lewis and Clark Pass to
one of the head streams of Dearborn River. Instead of following the trail
down this river, however, Lewis turned directly north to Medicine, or modern