Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — John Ordway: June 10, 1806

our horses found all except 2. about 10 A. M. we Set out and
proced on ascended a high hill then decended it down on Collins
Creek forded it and ascended a high hill on to a livel timbred
country 2 or 3 men was left to look for the lost horses. proced
thro thickets of young slim pines & balsom fer timber about 4
P.M. we arived at the Commass ground where we Camped 22
1 “several foot races were run this evening between the indians and our men.
the indians are very active; one of them proved as fleet as Drcwyer and R. Fields,
our swiftest runners, when the racing was over the men divided themselves
into two parlies and played prison base, by way of exercise which we wish the
men to take previously to entering the mountain; in short those who are not
hunters have had so little to do that they are geting reather lazy and slouth-
full.” Lewis.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 365
Sep4 last but no villages here now. we Camped here1 for a fiew
days to kill some deer to take Some meat for the mountains,
this level consists of about 2000 ackers of level Smooth prarie on
which is not a tree or Shreub, but the lowest parts is covred with
commass which is now all in blossom, but is not good untill the
Stalk is dead, then the natives assemble and collect their winters
food in a short time as it is verry convenient for their villages as
points of timber runs out in the praries of higher ground & covred
with pitch pine, a fine timbred country all around this rich land
the Soil is deep black & verry rich & easy for cultervation our
men all came up had found only one of the 2 lost horses. Sev-
eral of the natives accompanied us. Several of our hunters went
out this evening a hunting, they all returned at dark Collins
had killed one deer. Some of the rest wounded Several others &C.