Lewis: June 3, 1806
The party's sick are improving: Bratton walks more easily, the Indian chief is regaining use of his limbs, and the child's neck swelling is subsiding under continued onion poultice treatment. Broken Arm and three warriors visited and stayed the night. Hunters Colter, Joseph Fields, and Willard returned with five deer and a brown bear. The Nez Perce sent an express over the mountains to gather news from the Flatheads. Told the passes are still impassable for about two weeks, the captains decided to move to the quamash grounds beyond Collins's Creek on June 10th to hunt before attempting the crossing mid-month. Lewis has given up on obtaining salmon.
Tuesday June 3rd 1806. Our invalids are all on the recovery; Bratton is
much stronger and can walk about with considerable ease. the Indian Cheif
appears to be gradually recovering the uce of his limbs, and the child is
nearly well; the imposthume on his neck has in a great measure subsided
and left a hard lump underneath his left ear; we still continue the
application of the onion poltice. at 2 P.M. The Broken arm and 3 of his
wariars visited us and remained all night. Colter, Jo. Fields and Willard
returned this evening with five deer and one bear of the brown speceis;
the hair of this was black with a large white spot on the breast
containing a small circular black spot. today the Indians dispatched an
express over the mountains to travellers rest or the neighbourhood of that
Creek on Clark’s river in order to learn from the Oote-lash-shoots a band
of the Flatheads who have wintered there, the occurrences that have taken
place on the East side of the mountains during that season. this is the
band which we first met with on that river. the mountains being
practicable for this express we thought it probable that we could also
pass, but the indians informed us that several of the creeks would yet
swim our horses, that there was no grass and that the roads were extreemly
deep and slipery; they inform us that we may pass conveniently in twelve
or fourteen days. we have come to a resolution to remove from hence to the
quawmash grounds beyond Collins’s creek on the 10th to hunt in that
neighbourhood a few days, if possible lay in a stock of meat and then
attempt the mountains about the middle of this month. I begin to lose all
hope of any dependance on the Salmon as this river will not fall
sufficiently to take them before we shall leave it, and as yet I see no
appearance of their runing near the shores as the indians informed us they
would in the course of a few days. I find that all the salmon which they
procure themselves they obtain on Lewis’s river, and the distance thither
is too great for us to think of sending after them even had we merchandize
with which to purchase.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday June 3rd 1806. Our invalids are all recovering. Bratton is much stronger and can walk about with considerable ease. The Indian Chief appears to be gradually regaining the use of his limbs, and the child is nearly well; the abscess on his neck has largely subsided and left a hard lump underneath his left ear. We still continue applying the onion poultice. At 2 P.M. The Broken Arm and three of his warriors visited us and remained all night. Colter, Jo. Fields, and Willard returned this evening with five deer and one bear of the brown species; the hair of this bear was black with a large white spot on the breast containing a small circular black spot.
Today the Indians dispatched a messenger over the mountains to Travellers Rest or the neighborhood of that creek on Clark's River in order to learn from the Oote-lash-shoots, a band of the Flatheads who have wintered there, what events have taken place on the east side of the mountains during that season. This is the band which we first met with on that river. Since the mountains are passable for this messenger, we thought it probable that we could also pass, but the Indians informed us that several of the creeks would still force our horses to swim, that there was no grass, and that the roads were extremely deep and slippery; they tell us that we may pass conveniently in twelve or fourteen days.
We have decided to move from here to the quamash grounds beyond Collins's Creek on the 10th, to hunt in that neighborhood for a few days, if possible lay in a stock of meat, and then attempt the mountains about the middle of this month. I am beginning to lose all hope of relying on the salmon, as this river will not fall enough to take them before we shall leave it, and as yet I see no sign of their running near the shores as the Indians told us they would in the course of a few days. I find that all the salmon which they obtain for themselves they get on Lewis's River, and the distance there is too great for us to consider sending after them, even if we had merchandise with which to purchase them.
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