Waiting for Nez Perce guides at Weippe Prairie — John Ordway: June 21, 1806
The party turned back toward the Camas flat, hoping to kill more meat before another attempt to cross the mountains. On Collins Creek they met two Indians heading over the mountains who were returning four of the expedition's lost horses. The Indians explained that crossing was possible if a guide knew the route, since snow was firm enough to support horses for about three days. The two agreed to wait, hunt, and then pilot the party across. Sergeant Gass and the Field brothers stayed to hunt; the rest descended to their old camp, where Shields brought in one deer.
all except 4 which we expect has gone back to the Commass
ground we Set out on our return to the Commass flat1 where
we expect we can kill Some more meat to start again with & to
take us back in the moun* when we got down on Collinses Creek
we met 2 Indians who were on their way to cross the moun*
they had our 4 horses takeing them back to us had 5 horses of
their own and provision to last them across the mountains, we
halted and dined below the forks of Collinses Creek, these 2
Indians told us that we could have went on if in case we could
have found the road, for as the Snow bears up the horses all can
cross the high parts which is covred so thick with Snow in about
3 days and our horses cannot git any thing to eat dureing that
time, we ascended the hill to the Small prarie the 2 Indians
halted here to stay 2 or 3 days & wait for us to kill some meat &
then pilot us across the Snow mountains. Serg* Gass & the 2
Fields Stayed here to hunt, we desended the mountain down to
the Commass flat towards evening and Camped at the old Camp-
1 The camping place from June 10 to June 15.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 369
ing ground. Several went went out a Short distance to hunt &
came in at dark. Shields had killed & brought in one deer.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
All except 4, which we expect have gone back to the Camas ground, we set out on our return to the Camas flat where we expect we can kill some more meat to start again with, and to take us back into the mountains. When we got down on Collins's Creek we met 2 Indians who were on their way to cross the mountains. They had our 4 horses, taking them back to us, and had 5 horses of their own and provisions to last them across the mountains. We halted and dined below the forks of Collins's Creek. These 2 Indians told us that we could have gone on if we could have found the road, for as the snow bears up the horses, all can cross the high parts, which are covered so thick with snow, in about 3 days, and our horses cannot get anything to eat during that time.
We ascended the hill to the small prairie. The 2 Indians halted here to stay 2 or 3 days and wait for us to kill some meat and then pilot us across the snow mountains. Sergeant Gass and the 2 Fields stayed here to hunt. We descended the mountain down to the Camas flat towards evening and camped at the old camping ground. Several went out a short distance to hunt and came in at dark. Shields had killed and brought in one deer.
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