Patrick Gass: August 11, 1806

early; passed Captain Clarke’s encampment of the night of
the 8th instant, and proceeded on to the burnt bluffs, where
we saw a gang of elk feeding. The canoes were then sent to
shore with a party of men to endeavour to kill some of them ;
and we proceeded on with the periogue. In about half a mile
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 273
further we saw another gang; when we halted and Captain
Lewis and one of the men went out after them. In a short
time Captain Lewis returned wounded and very much alarmed;
and ordered us to our arms, supposing he had been shot at
by Indians. Having prepared for an attack, I went out with
three men to reconnoitre and examine the bushes, which are
very thick at this place, and could see no Indians; but after
some time met with the man who went out with Captain
Lewis, and found on inquiry that he had shot him by accident
through the hips, and without knowing it pursued the game.
Having made this discovery we returned to the periogue; ex-
amined and dressed Captain Lewis’s wound; and found the
ball, which had lodged in his overalls. The canoes having
come down, we proceeded on, after dressing two elk that had
been killed at this place, and passed an encampment which
Captain Clarke had left in the morning. We found a note
here informing us, that the Indians had stolen all the horses
which he had sent with a serjeant and party, from Yellow Stone
river, and that the serjeant with the party came down in skin
canoes and met him at this place. We then proceeded on
some distance and encamped.