Lewis: to Great Falls / Clark: to Three Forks — Patrick Gass: July 4, 1806
On July 4, 1806, Captain Lewis's party paused for a morning hunt to provision their Nez Perce guides for the return trip over the mountains. Though the hunters returned empty-handed, the men gave the guides two and a half deer from the previous day's kill, along with presents, and parted on friendly terms, praising the nation as the most hospitable and honest they had encountered. The party then traveled 18 miles up the Isquet-co-qual-la River, crossing a prairie before entering rough, mountainous terrain along the rapid 80-yard-wide stream.
*The route taken by Captain Lewis and his party is the direct road to the falls
of the Missouri, mentioned in Captain Clarke’s letter, that taken by Captain Clarke
and his party leads to the head waters of the main branch of the Missouri, which they
ascended in their outward bound voyage, and which is a considerable distance south
of the direct course from the falls to the crossing place of the great chain of Rocky
Mountains.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 255
some time in order to have a morning hunt, as our guides
intend to return, and we wish to give them a plentiful supply
of provisions to carry them back over the mountains. While
our hunters were out a young Indian came to our camp, who
had crossed the mountains after us. At 10 o’clock our hunt-
ers came in, but had not killed any thing. We were, how-
ever, able to furnish them with two deer and an half, from
those that were killed yesterday. We then gave them some
presents and took a friendly leave of them: and it is but
justice to say, that the whole nation to which they belong, are
the most friendly, honest and ingenious people that we have
seen in the course of our voyage and travels. After taking
our farewell of these good hearted, hospitable and obliging
sons of the west, we proceeded on up Isquet-co-qual-la
through a handsome prairie of about 10 miles, after which
the hills came close on the river, on both sides, and we had
a rough road to pass. Having made 18 miles we encamped
for the night: where the country is very mountainous on both
sides of the river, which runs nearly east and west, and is a
deep rapid stream about 80 yards wide.
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*The route taken by Captain Lewis and his party is the direct road to the falls of the Missouri, mentioned in Captain Clarke's (Clark's) letter. The route taken by Captain Clarke and his party leads to the headwaters of the main branch of the Missouri, which they ascended on their outward bound voyage, and which is a considerable distance south of the direct course from the falls to the crossing place of the great chain of Rocky Mountains.
We stayed some time in order to have a morning hunt, as our guides intend to return, and we wish to give them a plentiful supply of provisions to carry them back over the mountains. While our hunters were out, a young Indian came to our camp, who had crossed the mountains after us. At 10 o'clock our hunters came in, but had not killed anything. We were, however, able to furnish them with two and a half deer from those that were killed yesterday. We then gave them some presents and took a friendly leave of them. It is only just to say that the whole nation to which they belong are the most friendly, honest, and ingenious people that we have seen in the course of our voyage and travels. After taking our farewell of these good-hearted, hospitable, and obliging sons of the west, we proceeded on up Isquet-co-qual-la through a handsome prairie for about 10 miles, after which the hills came close on the river on both sides, and we had a rough road to pass. Having made 18 miles, we camped for the night, where the country is very mountainous on both sides of the river, which runs nearly east and west, and is a deep, rapid stream about 80 yards wide.
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