Lewis: June 17, 1806
The party set out early and traveled down Hungry Creek, crossing it twice with difficulty due to its depth and speed. Ascending the mountain ridge dividing the Chopunnish and Kooskooske rivers, they encountered snow 12 to 15 feet deep, with no forage available for the horses. Fearing they would become lost and lose their horses, baggage, and records, Lewis and Clark made the unprecedented decision to turn back and seek an Indian guide. They cached instruments, papers, and supplies on scaffolds, then retreated to Hungry Creek to camp in the rain.
Tuesday June 17th 1806. we collected our horses and set out early; we
proceeded down hungry creek about seven miles passing it twice; we found
it difficult and dangerous to pass the creek in consequence of its debth
and rapidity; we avoided two other passes of the creek by ascending a very
steep rocky and difficult hill. beyond this creek the road ascends the
mountain to the hight of the main leading ridges which divides the Waters
of the Chopunnish and Kooskooske rivers. this hill or reather mountain we
ascended about 3 miles when we found ourselves invelloped in snow from 12
to 15 feet deep even on the south sides of the hills with the fairest
exposure to the sun; here was winter with all it’s rigors; the air was
cold, my hands and feet were benumbed. we knew that it would require five
days to reach the fish wears at the entrance of Colt Creek, provided we
were so fortunate as to be enabled to follow the proper ridges of the
mountains to lead us to that place; short of that point we could not hope
for any food for our horses not even underwood itself as the whole was
covered many feet deep in snow. if we proceeded and should get bewildered
in these mountains the certainty was that we should loose all our horses
and consequently our baggage instruments perhaps our papers and thus
eminently wrisk the loss of the discoveries which we had already made if
we should be so fortunate as to escape with life. the snow boar our horses
very well and the travelling was therefore infinitely better that the
obstruction of rocks and fallen timber which we met with in our passage
over last fall when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached
spots only. under these circumstances we conceived it madnes in this stage
of the expedition to proceed without a guide who could certainly conduct
us to the fish wears on the Kooskooske, as our horses could not possibly
sustain a journey of more than five days without food. we therefore came
to the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet strong and
in good order and indevour to keep them so untill we could procure an
indian to conduct us over the snowey mountains, and again to proceed as
soon as we could procure such a guide, knowing from the appearance of the
snows that if we remained untill it had desolved sufficiently for us to
follow the road that we should not be enabled to return to the United
States within this season. having come to this resolution, we ordered the
party to make a deposit for all the baggage which we had not immediate use
for, and also all the roots and bread of cows which they had except an
allowance for a few days to enable them to return to some place at which
we could subsist by hunting untill we procured a guide. we left our
instruments papers &c beleiving them safer here than to wrisk them on
horseback over the roads and creeks which we had passed. our baggage being
laid on scaffoalds and well covered we began our retrograde march at 1
P.M. having remained about 3 hours on this snowey mountain. we returned by
the rout we had come to hungry creek, which we ascended about 2 miles and
encamped. we had here more grass for our horses than the preceeding
evening yet it was but scant. the party were a good deel dejected tho not
so as I had apprehended they would have been. this is the first time since
we have been on this long tour that we have ever been compelled to retreat
or make a retrograde march. it rained on us most of this evening.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, June 17th, 1806. We collected our horses and set out early. We proceeded down Hungry Creek about seven miles, crossing it twice. We found it difficult and dangerous to cross the creek because of its depth and rapidity. We avoided two other crossings of the creek by ascending a very steep, rocky, and difficult hill. Beyond this creek the road ascends the mountain to the height of the main leading ridges, which divide the waters of the Chopunnish and Kooskooske rivers. This hill, or rather mountain, we ascended for about 3 miles, when we found ourselves enveloped in snow from 12 to 15 feet deep, even on the south sides of the hills with the fairest exposure to the sun. Here was winter with all its rigors; the air was cold, and my hands and feet were numb.
We knew that it would require five days to reach the fish weirs at the entrance of Colt Creek, provided we were so fortunate as to be able to follow the proper ridges of the mountains to lead us to that place. Short of that point we could not hope for any food for our horses, not even underbrush itself, as the whole was covered many feet deep in snow. If we proceeded and got bewildered in these mountains, the certainty was that we should lose all our horses and consequently our baggage, instruments, and perhaps our papers, and thus eminently risk the loss of the discoveries which we had already made, if we should be so fortunate as to escape with our lives. The snow bore our horses very well, and the traveling was therefore infinitely better than the obstruction of rocks and fallen timber which we met with in our passage over last fall, when the snow lay on this part of the ridge in detached spots only.
Under these circumstances we considered it madness at this stage of the expedition to proceed without a guide who could certainly conduct us to the fish weirs on the Kooskooske, as our horses could not possibly sustain a journey of more than five days without food. We therefore came to the resolution to return with our horses while they were yet strong and in good order, and endeavor to keep them so until we could procure an Indian to conduct us over the snowy mountains, and again to proceed as soon as we could procure such a guide, knowing from the appearance of the snows that if we remained until it had melted sufficiently for us to follow the road, we should not be able to return to the United States within this season.
Having come to this resolution, we ordered the party to make a deposit for all the baggage which we had no immediate use for, and also all the roots and bread of cows which they had, except an allowance for a few days to enable them to return to some place at which we could subsist by hunting until we procured a guide. We left our instruments, papers, etc., believing them safer here than to risk them on horseback over the roads and creeks which we had passed. Our baggage being laid on scaffolds and well covered, we began our retrograde march at 1 P.M., having remained about 3 hours on this snowy mountain. We returned by the route we had come to Hungry Creek, which we ascended about 2 miles and camped. We had here more grass for our horses than the preceding evening, yet it was but scant. The party were a good deal dejected, though not as much as I had apprehended they would have been. This is the first time since we have been on this long tour that we have ever been compelled to retreat or make a retrograde march. It rained on us most of this evening.
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