Nez Perce camps, reuniting with horses — Patrick Gass: May 10, 1806
Overnight rain turned to snow, leaving about five inches on the plains and the party with no food. Without breakfast, they set out south toward a Native village on a branch of the river, traveling roughly 12 miles through snow before descending a steep hill where the snow disappeared entirely. Arriving around 3 o'clock, the commanding officers spoke with the villagers, who shared what little food and roots they could spare and provided a horse to shoot for meat. The party camped there for the night; one hunter had not yet rejoined them.
cloudy and it rained about an hour when the rain turned to
snow, and it continued snowing all night. In the morning
the weather became clear. Where we are lying in the plains
the snow is about five inches deep; and amidst snow and frost
we have nothing whatever to eat. Without breakfast we
started to go to a village of the natives, who live on a branch
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 229
of the river, about a south course from this place. We trav-
elled through the snow about 12 miles, and then went down a
long steep descent to the branch where the village is situated.
When we were about half way down the hill there was not a
particle of snow nor the least appearance of it. It was about
3 o’clock when we arrived at the village, and the commanding
Officers held a conversation with the natives, who informed
them that they had not more provisions and roots than they
wanted for themselves. They, however, divided their stock
with us; and told us what they had given was all they could
spare; but drove up some horses and told us to shoot one,
which we did. They then offered another, but that was re-
served for another time, and we dressed the one we had killed:
and in our situation find it very good eating. We remained
here all night. One of the hunters who had gone on before
the party did not join us yet.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
It was cloudy and it rained for about an hour, when the rain turned to snow, and it continued snowing all night. In the morning the weather became clear. Where we are lying in the plains the snow is about five inches deep; and amidst snow and frost we have nothing whatever to eat. Without breakfast we started to go to a village of the natives, who live on a branch of the river, about a south course from this place.
We traveled through the snow about 12 miles, and then went down a long steep descent to the branch where the village is situated. When we were about halfway down the hill there was not a particle of snow nor the least appearance of it. It was about 3 o'clock when we arrived at the village, and the commanding officers held a conversation with the natives, who informed them that they had no more provisions and roots than they wanted for themselves. They, however, divided their stock with us; and told us what they had given was all they could spare; but drove up some horses and told us to shoot one, which we did. They then offered another, but that was reserved for another time, and we dressed the one we had killed: and in our situation find it very good eating.
We remained here all night. One of the hunters who had gone on before the party did not join us yet.
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