Lewis: June 3, 1806

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.