Patrick Gass: August 11, 1806
The party set out early, passing Captain Clark's previous campsite and reaching the burnt bluffs, where they spotted elk. Hunters went ashore while the periogue continued. Captain Lewis went hunting with another man and soon returned wounded, fearing he had been shot by Indians. A scouting party found no Indians; instead, the man with Lewis had accidentally shot him through the hips. Lewis's wound was dressed and the ball recovered from his overalls. They later found a note from Clark reporting that Indians had stolen the horses sent overland from the Yellowstone, then continued on and camped.
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.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Early; we passed Captain Clarke's (Captain Clark's) campsite from the night of the 8th, and continued on to the burnt bluffs, where we saw a herd of elk feeding. The canoes were then sent to shore with a party of men to try to kill some of them; and we continued on with the pirogue. About half a mile further we saw another herd; we halted, and Captain Lewis and one of the men went out after them. In a short time Captain Lewis returned wounded and very alarmed, and ordered us to take up our arms, supposing he had been shot at by Indians. After preparing for an attack, I went out with three men to scout and search the bushes, which are very thick at this place, but I could see no Indians. After some time I met the man who had gone out with Captain Lewis, and learned upon questioning him that he had shot Captain Lewis by accident through the hips, and, without knowing it, had continued pursuing the game. Having made this discovery, we returned to the pirogue, examined and dressed Captain Lewis's wound, and found the ball, which had lodged in his overalls. After the canoes came down, we continued on, having first dressed two elk that had been killed at this place, and passed a campsite which Captain Clarke had left that morning. We found a note here informing us that the Indians had stolen all the horses which he had sent with a sergeant and party from the Yellowstone river, and that the sergeant and his party had come down in skin canoes and met him at this place. We then continued on for some distance and made camp.
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