Lewis: April 4, 1806
On a fair Friday near the Columbia and Quicksand rivers, Sergeant Ordway was sent to find Sergeant Gass's hunting party, which returned with bear and venison but reported leaving most of an elk and six deer behind because the meat was too lean. Hunter Collins received permission to return with Gass and Windsor to ambush a female bear at her den. Native families passed through visiting the camp. Gibson, Shannon, Howard, and Wiser were dispatched upriver by canoe to hunt, and Drewyer and the Field brothers were ordered to follow. Lewis took sextant observations that evening.
Friday April 4th 1806. This morning early we sent Sergt. Ordway in Surch
of Sergt. Gass and party below the entrance of the Quicksand river fom
whom we have yet had no report. in the course of a few hours both parties
returned. Sergt. Gass and party brought the flesh of a bear and some
venison. they informed us that they had killed an Elk and six deer tho the
flesh of the greater part of those animals was so meagre that it was unfit
for uce and they had therefore left it in the woods. Collins who had
killed the bear, found the bed of another in which there were three young
ones; and requested to be permitted to return in order to waylay the bed
and kill the female bear; we permitted him to do so; Sergt. Gass and
Windsor returned with him. Several parties of the natives visit us today
as usual both from above and below; those who came from above were moving
with their families, and those from below appeared to be empeled mearly by
curiossity to see us. About noon we dispatched Gibson Shannon Howard and
Wiser in one of the light canoes, with orders to proceed up the Columbia
to a large bottom on the South side about six miles above us and to hunt
untill our arrival. late in the evening Joseph Fields and Drewyer
returned. they had killed two deer yesterday, and informed us that the
meat would be dryed by midday tomorrow. we directed Drewyer and the two
Feildses to ascend the river tomorrow to join Gibson and party, and hunt
untill our arrival. this evening being fair I observed time and distance
of Ys Eastern Limb from regulus with Sextant. k West.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday April 4th, 1806. Early this morning we sent Sergeant Ordway in search of Sergeant Gass and his party below the entrance of the Quicksand River, from whom we have yet had no report. Within a few hours both parties returned. Sergeant Gass and his party brought back the flesh of a bear and some venison. They informed us that they had killed an elk and six deer, though the flesh of most of those animals was so lean that it was unfit for use, and they had therefore left it in the woods. Collins, who had killed the bear, found the bed of another in which there were three young ones, and requested to be permitted to return in order to wait by the bed and kill the female bear. We permitted him to do so; Sergeant Gass and Windsor returned with him.
Several parties of the natives visited us today as usual, both from above and below; those who came from above were moving with their families, and those from below appeared to be impelled merely by curiosity to see us. About noon we dispatched Gibson, Shannon, Howard, and Wiser in one of the light canoes, with orders to proceed up the Columbia to a large bottom on the south side about six miles above us, and to hunt until our arrival.
Late in the evening Joseph Fields and Drouillard (Drewyer) returned. They had killed two deer yesterday, and informed us that the meat would be dried by midday tomorrow. We directed Drouillard and the two Fieldses to ascend the river tomorrow to join Gibson and his party, and to hunt until our arrival. This evening being fair, I observed the time and distance of the sun's eastern limb from Regulus with the sextant. K West.
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