Lewis: June 25, 1806
The previous evening, Nez Perce guides entertained the party by setting fir trees ablaze, claiming it would bring fair weather for the journey. The expedition gathered horses and set out early, though one guide reported feeling unwell, worrying Lewis. At 11 a.m. they reached a branch of Hungry Creek, meeting Reubin and Joseph Field, who had killed no game. Lewis examined a Shoshone food root resembling a Jerusalem artichoke. After dinner they continued to Hungry Creek and camped. Lewis gave the sick guide a buffalo robe, while Drouillard and Shields recovered lost horses.
Wednesday June 25th 1806. last evening the indians entertained us with
seting the fir trees on fire. they have a great number of dry lims near
their bodies which when set on fire creates a very suddon and immence
blaze from bottom to top of those tall trees. they are a beatifull object
in this situation at night. this exhibition reminded me of a display of
fireworks. the natives told us that their object in seting those trees on
fire was to bring fair weather for our journey.We collected our
horses readily and set out at an early hour this morning. one of our
guides complained of being unwell, a symptom which I did not much like as
such complaints with an indian is generally the prelude to his abandoning
any enterprize with which he is not well pleased. we left them at our
encampment and they promised to pursue us in a few hours. at 11 A.M. we
arrived at the branch of hungary creek where we found R. & J. Feilds.
they had not killed anything. here we halted and dined and our guides
overtook us. at this place I met with a plant the root of which the
shoshones eat. it is a small knob root a good deel in flavor an
consistency like the Jerusalem Artichoke. it has two small oval smooth
leaves placed opposite on either side of the peduncle just above the root.
the scape is only about 4 inches long is round and smooth. the roots of
this plant formed one of those collections of roots which Drewyer took
from the Shoshones last summer on the head of Jefferson’s river. after
dinner we continued our rout to hungary Creek and encamped about one and a
half miles below our encampment of the 16th inst.the indians
continued with us and I beleive are disposed to be faithfull to their
engagement. I gave the sik indian a buffaloe robe he having no other
covering except his mockersons and a dressed Elkskin without the hair.
Drewyer and Sheilds were sent on this morning to hungry Creek in surch of
their horses which they fortunately recovered.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday June 25th 1806. Last evening the Indians entertained us by setting the fir trees on fire. These trees have a great number of dry limbs near their trunks, which when set on fire create a very sudden and immense blaze from the bottom to the top of those tall trees. They are a beautiful sight in this state at night. This exhibition reminded me of a display of fireworks. The natives told us that their purpose in setting those trees on fire was to bring fair weather for our journey.
We gathered our horses readily and set out at an early hour this morning. One of our guides complained of being unwell, a symptom which I did not much like, as such complaints from an Indian are generally the prelude to his abandoning any enterprise with which he is not well pleased. We left them at our camp, and they promised to follow us in a few hours. At 11 A.M. we arrived at the branch of Hungary Creek, where we found R. and J. Fields. They had not killed anything. Here we halted and dined, and our guides overtook us.
At this place I came across a plant whose root the Shoshones eat. It is a small knob root, much like the Jerusalem Artichoke in flavor and consistency. It has two small, oval, smooth leaves placed opposite each other on either side of the stalk just above the root. The scape is only about 4 inches long, round, and smooth. The roots of this plant formed one of those collections of roots which Drewyer (Drouillard) took from the Shoshones last summer at the head of Jefferson's River.
After dinner we continued our route to Hungary Creek and camped about one and a half miles below our camp of the 16th of this month. The Indians continued with us, and I believe they are inclined to be faithful to their agreement. I gave the sick Indian a buffalo robe, since he had no other covering except his moccasins and a dressed elk skin without the hair. Drewyer (Drouillard) and Sheilds (Shields) were sent ahead this morning to Hungary Creek in search of their horses, which they fortunately recovered.
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