Clearwater to Snake River — John Ordway: October 8, 1805

Sometime changing the officers canoes &C. hid a canister of
Powder by a broken top tree, about 9 oClock we Set out and
proceeded on Saw Some Indians horses on the Side of the hills
on Stard Side, passed over Several bad rapids took in Some
water by the waves, passed Some clifts of rocks and barron hills
on each Side, about 12 OClock we halted at Some Indian Camps
about 6 lodges of well looking Savages who had Several Small
canoes and catch considerable of Sammon. we bought some from
them. 2 dogs also, we proceeded on a Short distance and halted
at Some more Camps at the foot of an Island where was Several
Indian Camps, one of the canoes Struck a rock in the middle of
the rapid and Swang round and Struck another rock and cracked
hir So that it filled with water, the waves roared over the rocks
and Some of the men could not Swim, their they Stayed in this
doleful Situation untill we unloaded one of the other canoes and
went and released them. 2 Indians went in a canoe to their
assistance also, we got the men and the most of the baggage Safe
to Shore, a fiew articles lost one tommahawk and a fiew light
things, we put the baggage out and Camped on the Stard Side
1 Coues locates the camp at the mouth of Bed Rock Creek, Nez Perce County,
Idaho.
295
296 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Oct. 9
at high plains, a number of Savages visited us this evening —
had Come about 18 miles to day1