Lewis: August 11, 1805
Lewis's advance party pushed west to find the Indian road, crossing a beaver-dammed river and spreading out with Drouillard and Shields flanking. Lewis spotted a lone Shoshone on horseback and tried to approach peacefully, displaying trinkets, calling 'tab-ba-bone,' and showing his skin, but Shields kept advancing despite signals, spooking the rider, who fled. Frustrated, Lewis left gifts on a pole and tracked the horse before losing the trail. A hailstorm soaked them. Meanwhile, Clark's party dragged canoes through shallows, passed '3000 Mile Island,' and killed deer, antelope, beaver, and otter.
Sunday August 11th 1805. We set out very early this morning; but the track
which we had pursued last evening soon disappeared. I therefore resolved
to proceed to the narrow pass on the creek about 10 miles West in hopes
that I should again find the Indian road at the place, accordingly I
passed the river which was about 12 yards wide and bared in several places
entirely across by beaver dams and proceeded through the level plain
directly to the pass. I now sent Drewyer to keep near the creek to my
right and Shields to my left, with orders to surch for the road which if
they found they were to notify me by placing a hat in the muzzle of their
gun. I kept McNeal with me; after having marched in this order for about
five miles I discovered an Indian on horse back about two miles distant
coming down the plain toward us. with my glass I discovered from his dress
that he was of a different nation from any that we had yet seen, and was
satisfyed of his being a Sosone; his arms were a bow and quiver of arrows,
and was mounted on an eligant horse without a saddle, and a small string
which was attatched to the underjaw of the horse which answered as a
bridle. I was overjoyed at the sight of this stranger and had no doubt of
obtaining a friendly introduction to his nation provided I could get near
enough to him to convince him of our being whitemen. I therefore proceeded
towards him at my usual pace. when I had arrived within about a mile he
mad a halt which I did also and unloosing my blanket from my pack, I mad
him the signal of friendship known to the Indians of the Rocky mountains
and those of the Missouri, which is by holding the mantle or robe in your
hands at two corners and then throwing up in the air higher than the head
bringing it to the earth as if in the act of spreading it, thus repeating
three times. this signal of the robe has arrisen from a custom among all
those nations of spreading a robe or skin for ther gests to set on when
they are visited. this signal had not the desired effect, he still kept
his position and seemed to view Drewyer an Shields who were now comiming
in sight on either hand with an air of suspicion, I wold willingly have
made them halt but they were too far distant to hear me and I feared to
make any signal to them least it should increase the suspicion in the mind
of the Indian of our having some unfriendly design upon him. I therefore
haistened to take out of my sack some beads a looking glas and a few
trinkets which I had brought with me for this purpose and leaving my gun
and pouch with McNeal advanced unarmed towards him. he remained in the
same stedfast poisture untill I arrived in about 200 paces of him when he
turn his hose about and began to move off slowly from me; I now called to
him in as loud a voice as I could command repeating the word tab-ba-bone,
which in their language signifyes white man. but loking over his sholder
he still kept his eye on Drewyer and Sheilds who wer still advancing
neither of them haveing segacity enough to recollect the impropriety of
advancing when they saw me thus in parley with the Indian. I now made a
signal to these men to halt, Drewyer obeyed but Shields who afterwards
told me that he did not obseve the signal still kept on the Indian halted
again and turned his horse about as if to wait for me, and I beleive he
would have remained untill I came up whith him had it not been for Shields
who still pressed forward. whe I arrived within about 150 paces I again
repepeated the word tab-ba-bone and held up the trinkits in my hands and
striped up my shirt sieve to give him an opportunity of seeing the colour
of my skin and advanced leasure towards him but he did not remain untill I
got nearer than about 100 paces when he suddonly turned his hose about,
gave him the whip leaped the creek and disapeared in the willow brush in
an instant and with him vanished all my hopes of obtaining horses for the
preasent. I now felt quite as much mortification and disappointment as I
had pleasure and expectation at the first sight of this indian. I fet
soarly chargrined at the conduct of the men particularly Sheilds to whom I
principally attributed this failure in obtaining an introduction to the
natives. I now called the men to me and could not forbare abraiding them a
little for their want of attention and imprudence on this occasion. they
had neglected to bring my spye-glass which in haist I had droped in the
plain with the blanket where I made the signal before mentioned. I sent
Drewyer and Shields back to surche it, they soon found it and rejoined me.
we now set out on the track of the horse hoping by that means to be lead
to an indian camp, the trail of inhabitants of which should they abscond
we should probably be enabled to pursue to the body of the nation to which
they would most probably fly for safety. this rout led us across a large
Island framed by nearly an equal division of the creek in this bottom;
after passing to the open ground on the N. side of the creek we observed
that the track made out toward the high hills about 3 m. distant in that
direction. I thought it probable that their camp might probably be among
those hills & that they would reconnoiter us from the tops of them,
and that if we advanced haistily towards them that they would become
allarmed and probably run off; I therefore halted in an elivated situation
near the creek had a fire kindled of willow brush cooked and took
breakfast. during this leasure I prepared a small assortment of trinkits
consisting of some mockkerson awls a few strans of several kinds of beads
some paint a looking glass &c which I attatched to the end of a pole
and planted it near our fire in order that should the Indians return in
surch of us they might from this token discover that we were friendly and
white persons. before we had finised our meal a heavy shower of rain came
on with some hail wich continued abot 20 minutes and wet us to the skin,
after this shower we pursued the track of the horse but as the rain had
raised the grass which he had trodden down it was with difficulty that we
could follow it. we pursued it however about 4 miles it turning up the
valley to the left under the foot of the hills. we pas several places
where the Indians appeared to have been diging roots today and saw the
fresh tracks of 8 or ten horses but they had been wandering about in such
a confused manner that we not only lost the track of the hose which we had
been pursuing but could make nothing of them. in the head of this valley
we passed a large bog covered with tall grass and moss in which were a
great number of springs of cold pure water, we now turned a little to the
left along the foot of the high hills and arrived at a small branch on
which we encamped for the night, having traveled in different directions
about 20 Miles and about 10 from the camp of last evening on a direct
line. after meeting with the Indian today I fixed a small flag of the U’S.
to a pole which I made McNeal carry. and planted in the ground where we
halted or encamped.
This morning Capt Clark dispatched several hunters a head; the morning
being rainy and wet did not set out untill after an early breakfast. he
passed a large Island which he called the 3000 mile Island from the
circumstance of it’s being that distance from the entrance of the Missouri
by water. a considerable proportion of the bottom on Lard. side is a bog
covered with tall grass and many parts would afford fine turf; the bottom
is about 8 Ms. wide and the plains which succeed it on either side extend
about the same distance to the base of the mountains. they passed a number
of small Islands and bayous on both sides which cut and intersect the
bottoms in various directions. found the river shallow and rapid, insomuch
that the men wer compelled to be in the water a considerable proportion of
the day in drageing the canoes over the shoals and riffles. they saw a
number of geese ducks beaver & otter, also some deer and antelopes.
the men killed a beaver with a seting pole and tommahawked several Otter.
the hunters killed 3 deer and an Antelope. Capt. C. observed some bunches
of privy near the river. there are but few trees in this botom and those
small narrow leafed Cottonwood. the principal growth is willow with the
narrow leaf and Currant bushes. they encamped this evening on the upper
point of a large Island near the Stard. shore.-
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday, August 11th, 1805. We set out very early this morning, but the track we had followed last evening soon disappeared. I therefore decided to go on to the narrow pass on the creek about 10 miles west, hoping that I should find the Indian road again at that place. Accordingly, I crossed the river, which was about 12 yards wide and blocked in several places entirely across by beaver dams, and proceeded through the level plain directly to the pass. I now sent Drewyer (Drouillard) to keep near the creek on my right and Shields to my left, with orders to search for the road. If they found it, they were to notify me by placing a hat in the muzzle of their gun. I kept McNeal with me.
After marching in this order for about five miles, I discovered an Indian on horseback about two miles away, coming down the plain toward us. With my glass I could tell from his dress that he was of a different nation from any we had yet seen, and I was satisfied he was a Shoshone. His arms were a bow and quiver of arrows, and he was mounted on an elegant horse without a saddle, with a small string attached to the horse's underjaw that served as a bridle. I was overjoyed at the sight of this stranger and had no doubt of obtaining a friendly introduction to his nation, provided I could get near enough to convince him we were white men. I therefore proceeded toward him at my usual pace.
When I had come within about a mile, he halted, which I also did. Unloosing my blanket from my pack, I made him the signal of friendship known to the Indians of the Rocky Mountains and those of the Missouri, which is by holding the mantle or robe by two corners, throwing it up in the air higher than the head, and bringing it to the earth as if in the act of spreading it, repeating this three times. This signal of the robe has arisen from a custom among all those nations of spreading a robe or skin for their guests to sit on when they are visited. This signal did not have the desired effect. He still kept his position and seemed to view Drewyer and Shields, who were now coming into sight on either hand, with an air of suspicion. I would willingly have made them halt, but they were too far away to hear me, and I feared making any signal to them lest it should increase the Indian's suspicion that we had some unfriendly design upon him.
I therefore hastened to take out of my sack some beads, a looking glass, and a few trinkets I had brought for this purpose, and leaving my gun and pouch with McNeal, advanced unarmed toward him. He remained in the same steadfast posture until I came within about 200 paces of him, when he turned his horse around and began to move slowly away from me. I now called to him in as loud a voice as I could command, repeating the word tab-ba-bone, which in their language means white man. But looking over his shoulder, he still kept his eye on Drewyer and Shields, who were still advancing, neither of them having sagacity enough to recollect the impropriety of advancing when they saw me in parley with the Indian. I now made a signal to these men to halt. Drewyer obeyed, but Shields, who afterwards told me he did not observe the signal, still kept on. The Indian halted again and turned his horse around as if to wait for me, and I believe he would have remained until I came up to him had it not been for Shields, who still pressed forward.
When I had come within about 150 paces, I again repeated the word tab-ba-bone and held up the trinkets in my hands, and stripped up my shirt sleeve to give him an opportunity of seeing the color of my skin, and advanced leisurely toward him. But he did not remain until I got nearer than about 100 paces, when he suddenly turned his horse around, gave him the whip, leaped the creek, and disappeared in the willow brush in an instant; and with him vanished all my hopes of obtaining horses for the present.
I now felt quite as much mortification and disappointment as I had pleasure and expectation at the first sight of this Indian. I felt sorely chagrined at the conduct of the men, particularly Shields, to whom I principally attributed this failure in obtaining an introduction to the natives. I now called the men to me and could not refrain from upbraiding them a little for their lack of attention and imprudence on this occasion. They had neglected to bring my spyglass, which in haste I had dropped in the plain with the blanket where I made the signal mentioned before. I sent Drewyer and Shields back to search for it; they soon found it and rejoined me.
We now set out on the track of the horse, hoping by that means to be led to an Indian camp. Should the inhabitants flee, we should probably be able to follow them to the main body of the nation, to which they would most likely run for safety. This route led us across a large island formed by a nearly equal division of the creek in this bottom. After passing to the open ground on the north side of the creek, we observed that the track headed out toward the high hills about 3 miles distant in that direction. I thought it likely that their camp might be among those hills and that they would reconnoiter us from the tops of them, and that if we advanced hastily toward them they would become alarmed and probably run off. I therefore halted in an elevated spot near the creek, had a fire kindled of willow brush, cooked, and took breakfast.
During this leisure, I prepared a small assortment of trinkets consisting of some moccasin awls, a few strands of several kinds of beads, some paint, a looking glass, etc., which I attached to the end of a pole and planted near our fire, so that should the Indians return in search of us, they might from this token discover that we were friendly and white persons. Before we had finished our meal, a heavy shower of rain with some hail came on, which continued about 20 minutes and wet us to the skin. After this shower, we pursued the track of the horse, but as the rain had raised the grass that he had trodden down, it was with difficulty that we could follow it. We pursued it, however, about 4 miles, as it turned up the valley to the left at the foot of the hills.
We passed several places where the Indians appeared to have been digging roots today and saw the fresh tracks of 8 or 10 horses, but they had been wandering about in such a confused manner that we not only lost the track of the horse we had been pursuing, but could make nothing of them. At the head of this valley, we passed a large bog covered with tall grass and moss, in which were a great number of springs of cold, pure water. We now turned a little to the left along the foot of the high hills and came to a small branch, on which we camped for the night, having traveled in different directions about 20 miles, and about 10 from last evening's camp in a direct line. After meeting with the Indian today, I fixed a small flag of the U.S. to a pole, which I had McNeal carry, and planted it in the ground where we halted or camped.
This morning Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) dispatched several hunters ahead. The morning being rainy and wet, they did not set out until after an early breakfast. He passed a large island which he called 3000 Mile Island, from the fact that it is that distance from the entrance of the Missouri by water. A considerable portion of the bottom on the larboard side is a bog covered with tall grass, and many parts would afford fine turf. The bottom is about 8 miles wide, and the plains that follow it on either side extend about the same distance to the base of the mountains. They passed a number of small islands and bayous on both sides, which cut and intersect the bottoms in various directions. They found the river shallow and rapid, so much so that the men were compelled to be in the water a considerable part of the day, dragging the canoes over the shoals and riffles. They saw a number of geese, ducks, beaver, and otter, also some deer and antelopes. The men killed a beaver with a setting pole and tomahawked several otter. The hunters killed 3 deer and an antelope. Capt. C. observed some bunches of privet near the river. There are but few trees in this bottom, and those are small, narrow-leafed cottonwood. The principal growth is willow with the narrow leaf and currant bushes. They camped this evening on the upper point of a large island near the starboard shore.
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