Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — John Ordway: June 16, 1806
After an early breakfast on a fair morning, the party set out and overtook the hunters, who had killed nothing. They traveled up glades and mountain ridges through fallen timber, crossing snowbanks five to six feet deep that supported the horses. They paused around noon at a small green branch to dine, finding grass sparse. Light afternoon rain fell as snow grew deeper. By evening they reached Hungry Creek and camped at a spot where Captain Clark had killed a horse the previous fall to feed the party.
a short distance to hunt we took an eairly breakfast the morn-
ing fair, we set out proced on overtook the hunters who had
killed nothing, foiled up the glade and mountains Some distance
then took the hills on to a ridge of falling timber towards noon
we passed over high banks of Snow which bore up our horses.
Some places 5 or 6 feet deep about noon we halted at a small
branch & green to dine the grass is verry short and in the woods
jest starting up. delayed about 2 hours and set forward again.
Light Showers of rain this afternoon the Snow is more Common
and much deeper, towards evening we came on hungry creek
followed down it to a green where Cap1 Clark killed a horse last
fall for the party to eat. here we Camped, the young grass verry
Short, the bushes are all bent flat down by the deep Snow lying
1 On Lolo Fork, about ten miles above the main forks of the stream, accord’
ing to Wheeler. I lis map (II, 112) of the route followed between Camp Chopun-
nish ;iii(l Traveller’s Best Creek on the eastern side of the Bitter Rool Mountains
is the best available representation of this portion of the explorers’ journey.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 367
on them, the Snow must fall in these hollars in the winter 15
or 20 feet deep and perhaps the Snow drifts in and fills the hollers
full.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A short distance to hunt. We took an early breakfast. The morning was fair. We set out and proceeded on, and overtook the hunters, who had killed nothing. We followed up the glade and mountains some distance, then took the hills on to a ridge of fallen timber. Towards noon we passed over high banks of snow which bore up our horses. Some places were 5 or 6 feet deep. About noon we halted at a small branch and green to dine. The grass is very short, and in the woods just starting up. We delayed about 2 hours and set forward again.
Light showers of rain this afternoon. The snow is more common and much deeper. Towards evening we came on Hungry Creek and followed down it to a green where Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) killed a horse last fall for the party to eat. Here we camped. The young grass is very short. The bushes are all bent flat down by the deep snow lying on them. The snow must fall in these hollows in the winter 15 or 20 feet deep, and perhaps the snow drifts in and fills the hollows full.
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