North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — John Ordway: September 1, 1805
The party traveled 23 miles through rugged mountain terrain after leaving the Lemhi River country. One horse fell backward early on but was not seriously hurt. They crossed several cold creeks lined with pine and cottonwood, gathering sweet serviceberries and ripe chokecherries along the way. Afternoon brought showers of rain and a little hail. Descending into a valley with a large creek, they camped at some old lodges, gigged several salmon, and traded with nearby people for about 25 pounds of dried salmon. Hunters killed a deer and wounded two bears.
and proceeded on up a high mountain at the first put one of the
horses fell backward and roled over, but did not hurt him much,
we proceeded on up and down the high mountains Crossed Sev-
1 On the south bank of Lemhi River, about eight miles above the forks of
Salmon River. Coues.
2 He “fled with great Speed to Some lodges below & informed them that
the Enemies were Coming down, arm’1 with guns &c.” Clark.
3 For the route traversed this day see Wheeler, II, 58, and Coues, II, 575-76.
In leaving the Lemhi River country the main party followed the route already
pursued by Captain Clark down Salmon River to a point eight or ten miles
below the junction of the Lemhi with that Stream, to a stream called by them
Tower Creek, supposed to be modern Boyle’s Creek. They ascended this
Stream about four miles and then set out across the mountains in a general
northwestern direction. Today’s camp was four miles above the mouth of
Tower (or Boyle’s) Creek.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 279
eral Creeks the water of which was verry cold, considerable of
pine and cotton timber along each of those branches, and pleanty
of Servis berrys which are verry Sweet and good at this time, in
the afternoon we had several Shower of rain and a little hail, we
descended a mountain1 down into a valley through which runs
a large creek we went on a short distance up the valley and
Camped2 at some old lodges, we giged several Sammon in this
Creek, three men went down to the mouth of the creek and
bought about 25 pounds of dryed Sammon and Sammon rose
with a fiew small articles, our hunters killed a Deer and wounded
2 bear, at dusk we Came 23 miles this day. we find abundance
of wild or choke Cherries which are now ripe in this bottom we
gethered and boiled Some which eat verry well. Several Small
Showers of rain this evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We proceeded on up a high mountain. At the first ascent, one of the horses fell backward and rolled over, but it did not hurt him much. We proceeded on up and down the high mountains, crossing several creeks, the water of which was very cold. There was considerable pine and cottonwood timber along each of those branches, and plenty of serviceberries, which are very sweet and good at this time.
In the afternoon we had several showers of rain and a little hail. We descended a mountain down into a valley through which runs a large creek. We went on a short distance up the valley and camped at some old lodges. We gigged several salmon in this creek. Three men went down to the mouth of the creek and bought about 25 pounds of dried salmon and salmon roe, along with a few small articles. Our hunters killed a deer and wounded 2 bears at dusk. We came 23 miles this day.
We find an abundance of wild or chokecherries, which are now ripe in this bottom. We gathered and boiled some, which ate very well. Several small showers of rain this evening.
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