Camp Chopunnish (Long Camp), waiting for snow to melt — John Ordway: May 15, 1806
The party spotted a white bear and pursued it on horseback but failed to kill it. Several members set out on a camp hunt while others built a shelter for the baggage in a large cellar at the site of a former Native village and wintering house. They arranged their camp around the cellar as a defensive position in case of attack, and constructed a bower for the officers to write in. They also rendered five gallons of bear oil and stored it in a keg for the upcoming mountain crossing. The group remained encamped along the Kooskooskee River.
Saw a white bear [we] followed it with horses but did not kill it.
a number of the party went out to make a camp hunt, we made a
shelter to put our baggage in down in a large celler where had
formerly been a wintering house & has been a large village at this
place, we formed our Camp around this celler so as in case of an
alarm we can jump in the celler and defend ourSelves. built a
bowery for our officers to write in. we tryed out 5 gallons of bears
oil and put it in a keg for the mountains &C.
Encampment at kooskooskee river
Serg* Ordways journal continued from small book2
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saw a white bear; we followed it with horses but did not kill it. A number of the party went out to make a camp hunt. We made a shelter to put our baggage in down in a large cellar where there had formerly been a wintering house, and where there had been a large village at this place. We formed our camp around this cellar so that, in case of an alarm, we can jump in the cellar and defend ourselves. Built a bower for our officers to write in. We tried out 5 gallons of bear's oil and put it in a keg for the mountains, etc.
Encampment at Kooskooskee River
Sergeant Ordway's journal continued from small book 2
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