Lewis: April 3, 1806
Lewis received word that hunters had killed four elk, so Sergeant Pryor and two men were sent across the river to help dry the meat while the hunting continued. Numerous Indians, many descending the river with their families, visited camp; appearing nearly starved, they scavenged discarded bones and scraps, confirming reports of food scarcity upriver. Lewis noted details of their clothing and ornaments and recorded Mount Hood's bearing. By evening the elk meat was fully dried, and Captain Clark returned successful from his trip, having located a large river entering near Wappetoe Island.
Thursday April 3rd 1806. Early this morning Joseph Feilds came over and
informed me that Reubin Feilds Drewyer and himself had killed four Elk. as
the party with me were now but weak and the Indians constantly crouding
about our camp, I thought it best to send a few men to dry the meat on the
other side of the river; accordingly Sergt Pryor and two men returned with
Jos. Fields for that purpose. the hunters were ordered to continue the
chase; while the others were employed in drying the meat. I have had no
account as yet from the party below the entrance of Quicksand river. The
Indians continued to visit us today in considerable numbers most of them
were decending the river with their families. these poor people appeared
to be almost starved, they picked up the bones and little peices of refuse
meat which had been thrown away by the party. they confirm the report of
the scarcity of provision among the natives above. I observe some of the
men among them who wear a girdle arround the waist between which and the
body in front they confine a small skin of the mink or polecat which in
some measure conceals the parts of generation, they also frequently wear a
cap formed of the skin of the deer’s head with the ears left on it, they
have some collars of leather wrought with porcupine quills after the
method of the Shoshonees. From this place Mount Hood bears S. 85 E.
distant 40 miles. This evening we completed drying the flesh of the Elk
which had been brought to camp. at 6 P.M. Capt. Clark returned, having
completely succeeded in his expedition. he found the entrance of the large
river of which the Indians had informed us, just at the upper part of
wappetoe Island. the following is a sketch of the rivers furnished Capt C.
by an old and inteligent Indian man.-
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Thursday, April 3rd, 1806. Early this morning Joseph Fields came over and informed me that Reubin Fields, Drewyer (Drouillard), and himself had killed four elk. As the party with me were now rather weak and the Indians were constantly crowding about our camp, I thought it best to send a few men to dry the meat on the other side of the river. Accordingly, Sergt. Pryor (Sergeant Pryor) and two men returned with Jos. Fields (Joseph Fields) for that purpose. The hunters were ordered to continue the chase, while the others were employed in drying the meat. I have had no account as yet from the party below the entrance of Quicksand river.
The Indians continued to visit us today in considerable numbers; most of them were descending the river with their families. These poor people appeared to be almost starved. They picked up the bones and little pieces of refuse meat which had been thrown away by the party. They confirm the report of the scarcity of provisions among the natives above. I observe some of the men among them who wear a girdle around the waist, between which and the body in front they confine a small skin of the mink or polecat, which in some measure conceals the parts of generation. They also frequently wear a cap formed of the skin of a deer's head with the ears left on it. They have some collars of leather wrought with porcupine quills after the method of the Shoshonees (Shoshones).
From this place Mount Hood bears S. 85 E., distant 40 miles. This evening we completed drying the flesh of the elk which had been brought to camp. At 6 P.M. Capt. Clark (Captain Clark) returned, having completely succeeded in his expedition. He found the entrance of the large river of which the Indians had informed us, just at the upper part of Wappetoe Island. The following is a sketch of the rivers furnished to Capt. C. (Captain Clark) by an old and intelligent Indian man.
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