Lolo Trail, ascending into Bitterroot Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: September 13, 1805
On a cloudy morning, the party rounded up most of their horses, though Captain Lewis's horse and a colt ridden by the young Indian guide could not be found. They proceeded past a hot spring near the rocks, dammed by natives for bathing, with water hotter than body temperature and a slight sulfur taste. After detouring around fallen timber, they dined by beaver dams, where Lewis rejoined them. They climbed a high mountain, crossed the dividing ridge, and camped on a westward-running branch with good forage. Hunters killed a deer.
cloudy. we got our horses up all but the one Cap! Lewis
rode and a colt which our young Indian rode. we hunted
Some time for them but could not find them. then all but 2
or three loaded the horses and proceeded on a Short distance
passed a warm Spring, which nearly boiled where it Issued out
of the rocks a Short distance below the natives has dammed
it up to bathe themselves in, and the water in that place is con-
siderable above blood heat. it runs out in Sundry places and
Some places cooler than others. Several of us drank of the ,
water, it has a little sulp[h]ur taste and verry clear. these
Springs are very beautiful to See, and we think them to be as
good to bathe in &c. as any other ever yet found in the United
States. a handsom green or Small meadow on the creek near
S? Springs. a little above we could not git along the Indian
trail for the timber which had been blown down in a thicket of
pine &c. So we went around a hill came on the trail again and
proceeded on untill about 11 oClock and halted to dine and let
our horses feed on the main fork of the creek where was Sev-
eral beaver dams. Cap‘ Lewis and the men who Stayed back
to hunt their horses joined us, but had not found them our
hunters gone on a head the mountains rough and rocks which
appear above the timber like towers in Some places. the day
proved pleasant. we proceeded on assended a high mountain,
over took the hunters. they had killed a Deer. 2 of them
Sent back after Capt Lewis’s horse. we crossed the dividing
ridge found it only about half a mile from the head Spring of
the water running East to a branch running west. each head-
ing on an open Swamp, which is level and full of Springs,
Came [blank space in MS.] miles this day and Camped on the
branch running west where we had good feed for our horses.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Cloudy. We got our horses up, all but the one Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) rode and a colt which our young Indian rode. We hunted some time for them but could not find them. Then all but two or three loaded the horses and proceeded on a short distance. We passed a warm spring, which nearly boiled where it issued out of the rocks. A short distance below, the natives have dammed it up to bathe themselves in, and the water in that place is considerably above blood heat. It runs out in sundry places, some places cooler than others. Several of us drank of the water; it has a little sulphur taste and is very clear. These springs are very beautiful to see, and we think them to be as good to bathe in, etc., as any other ever yet found in the United States. There is a handsome green or small meadow on the creek near said springs.
A little above, we could not get along the Indian trail because of the timber which had been blown down in a thicket of pine, etc., so we went around a hill, came on the trail again, and proceeded on until about 11 o'clock, then halted to dine and let our horses feed on the main fork of the creek, where there were several beaver dams. Capt. Lewis and the men who stayed back to hunt their horses joined us, but had not found them. Our hunters had gone on ahead. The mountains are rough, and rocks appear above the timber like towers in some places.
The day proved pleasant. We proceeded on, ascended a high mountain, and overtook the hunters. They had killed a deer. Two of them were sent back after Capt. Lewis's horse. We crossed the dividing ridge and found it only about half a mile from the head spring of the water running east to a branch running west, each heading on an open swamp, which is level and full of springs. Came [blank space in MS.] miles this day and camped on the branch running west, where we had good feed for our horses.
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