Lewis: June 29, 1806
The party broke camp early, sending Drouillard and R. Fields ahead to hunt at the warm springs. They descended from the snowy ridge, crossed the Kooskooske River, and found a deer left by the hunters—welcome food since their oil was gone. After climbing a steep mountain, they rejoined their outbound trail, halted at Quawmash Flats to graze, and sent Fields and Colter back for two stray horses. Reaching the warm springs by evening, Lewis bathed for 19 minutes and observed Indians alternating between the hot pools and icy creek. Hunters returned mostly empty-handed, but Colter brought a deer for supper.
Sunday June 29th 1806. We collected our horses early this morning and set
out, having previously dispatched Drewyer and R. Fields to the warm
springs to hunt. we pursued the hights of the ridge on which we have been
passing for several days; it terminated at the distance of 5 ms. from our
encampment and we decended to, and passed the main branch of the
Kooskooske 11/2 ms. above the entrance of Quawmash creek wid falls in on
the N. E. side. when we decended from this ridge we bid adieu to the snow.
near the river we fund a deer which the hunters had killed and left us.
this was a fortunate supply as all our oil was now exhausted and we were
reduced to our roots alone without salt. the Kooskooske at this place is
about 30 yds. wide and runs with great volocity. the bed as all the
mountain streams is composed of smooth stones. beyond the river we
ascended a very steep acclivity of a mountain about 2 Miles and arrived at
it’s summit where we found the old road which we had pased as we went out,
coming in on our wright. the road was now much plainer and more beaten,
which we were informed happened from the circumstance of the
Ootslashshoots visiting the fishery frequently from the vally of Clark’s
river; tho there was no appearance of there having been here this spring.
at noon we arrived at the quawmas flatts on the Creek of the same name and
halted to graize our horses and dine having traveled 12 miles. we passed
our encampment of the 13th of September at 10 ms. where we halted there is
a pretty little plain of about 50 acres plentifully stocked with quawmash
and from apperances this fromes one of the principal stages or encampments
of the indians who pass the mountains on this road. we found after we had
halted that one of our packhorses with his load and one of my riding
horses were left behind. we dispatched J. Feilds and Colter in surch of
the lost horses. after dinner we continued our march seven miles further
to the warm springs where we arrived early in the evening and sent out
several hunters, who as well as R Fields and Drewyer returned
unsuccessful; late in the evening Colter and J. Fields joined us with the
lost horses and brought with them a deer which they had killed, this
furnished us with supper. these warm springs are situated at the base of a
hill of no considerable hight on the N side and near the bank of
travellers rest creek which at that place is about 10 yards wide. these
springs issue from the bottoms and through the interstices of a grey
freestone rock, the rock rises in iregular masy clifts in a circular range
arround the springs on their lower side. immediately above the springs on
the creek there is a handsome little quamas plain of about 10 acres. the
prinsipal spring is about the temperature of the warmest baths used at the
hot springs in Virginia. In this bath which had been prepared by the
Indians by stoping the run with stone and gravel, I bathed and remained in
19 minutes, it was with dificulty I could remain thus long and it caused a
profuse sweat two other bold springs adjacent to this are much warmer,
their heat being so great as to make the hand of a person smart extreemly
when immerced. I think the temperature of these springs about the same as
the hotest of the hot springs in Virginia. both the men and indians amused
themselves with the use of a bath this evening. I observed that the
indians after remaining in the hot bath as long as they could bear it ran
and plunged themselves into the creek the water of which is now as cold as
ice can make it; after remaining here a few minutes they returned again to
the warm bath, repeating this transision several times but always ending
with the warm bath. I killed a small black pheasant near the quamash
grounds this evening which is the first I have seen below the snowy
region. I also saw some young pheasants which were about the size of
Chickens of 3 days old. saw the track of two bearfoot indians who were
supposed to be distressed rufugees who had fled from the Minnetares.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday June 29th 1806. We collected our horses early this morning and set out, having previously dispatched Drewyer and R. Fields to the warm springs to hunt. We pursued the heights of the ridge on which we have been passing for several days; it terminated at the distance of 5 miles from our encampment, and we descended to and passed the main branch of the Kooskooske 1½ miles above the entrance of Quawmash Creek, which falls in on the N.E. side. When we descended from this ridge we bid adieu to the snow. Near the river we found a deer which the hunters had killed and left us. This was a fortunate supply, as all our oil was now exhausted and we were reduced to our roots alone without salt. The Kooskooske at this place is about 30 yards wide and runs with great velocity. The bed, as in all the mountain streams, is composed of smooth stones. Beyond the river we ascended a very steep acclivity of a mountain about 2 miles and arrived at its summit, where we found the old road which we had passed as we went out, coming in on our right. The road was now much plainer and more beaten, which we were informed happened from the circumstance of the Ootslashshoots visiting the fishery frequently from the valley of Clark's River; though there was no appearance of their having been here this spring.
At noon we arrived at the Quawmash Flats on the creek of the same name and halted to graze our horses and dine, having traveled 12 miles. We passed our encampment of the 13th of September at 10 miles, where we halted; there is a pretty little plain of about 50 acres plentifully stocked with quawmash, and from appearances this forms one of the principal stages or encampments of the Indians who pass the mountains on this road. We found after we had halted that one of our packhorses with his load and one of my riding horses were left behind. We dispatched J. Fields and Colter in search of the lost horses. After dinner we continued our march seven miles further to the warm springs, where we arrived early in the evening and sent out several hunters, who, as well as R. Fields and Drewyer, returned unsuccessful. Late in the evening Colter and J. Fields joined us with the lost horses and brought with them a deer which they had killed; this furnished us with supper.
These warm springs are situated at the base of a hill of no considerable height on the N. side and near the bank of Travellers Rest Creek, which at that place is about 10 yards wide. These springs issue from the bottoms and through the interstices of a grey freestone rock; the rock rises in irregular massy cliffs in a circular range around the springs on their lower side. Immediately above the springs on the creek there is a handsome little quamas plain of about 10 acres. The principal spring is about the temperature of the warmest baths used at the hot springs in Virginia. In this bath, which had been prepared by the Indians by stopping the run with stone and gravel, I bathed and remained in 19 minutes; it was with difficulty I could remain thus long, and it caused a profuse sweat. Two other bold springs adjacent to this are much warmer, their heat being so great as to make the hand of a person smart extremely when immersed. I think the temperature of these springs about the same as the hottest of the hot springs in Virginia. Both the men and Indians amused themselves with the use of a bath this evening. I observed that the Indians, after remaining in the hot bath as long as they could bear it, ran and plunged themselves into the creek, the water of which is now as cold as ice can make it; after remaining here a few minutes they returned again to the warm bath, repeating this transition several times but always ending with the warm bath.
I killed a small black pheasant near the quamash grounds this evening, which is the first I have seen below the snowy region. I also saw some young pheasants which were about the size of chickens of 3 days old. Saw the track of two barefoot Indians, who were supposed to be distressed refugees who had fled from the Minnetares.
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