Nez Perce camps, reuniting with horses — Patrick Gass: May 4, 1806
On a cold, clear morning, the expedition crossed a plain and followed a creek down to Lewis's River below the forks of the Kooskooske. Stopping at an Indian lodge, they could only obtain root bread and a dog—scant food for over thirty hungry men. After meeting an old chief who had traveled with them the previous fall, they spent the afternoon ferrying across the river in four small borrowed canoes and camped on the north side among friendly natives.
morning was cold and clear. We were early on our march
over a handsome plain; and came to another creek, which we
kept down until we came to Lewis’s river, some distance below
the forks of Koos-koos-ke; where we halted at an Indian
lodge, and could get nothing to eat, except some bread made
of a kind of roots I was unacquainted with. We had however,
a dog, which we bought from the Indians, who met us last
night; but this was a scanty allowance for thirty odd hungry
men. We remained here about two hours, got a dog, and
proceeded up the south side of Lewis’s river, about three
miles, when we met with one of our old chiefs, who had come
down with us last fall; and who advised us to cross the river,
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 225
as the best road is on the north side. We therefore were
occupied in crossing, during the remainder of the day as we
could raise but four small canoes from the natives at this
place. We however, by dark got all safe over, and encamped
on the north side, accompanied by a great many of the natives,
who appear a friendly and well disposed people.
226 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
CHAP. XX.
ONDAY 5th. We had a fine morning, and proceeded
on early, accompanied by our old chief and a number
of the natives. About 10 o’clock we passed the forks, and
kept along the north side of Koos-koos-ke ; at noon we halted
at three lodges of Indians, where we got three dogs and some
roots. — We also got one of our horses, which we had left
here last fall in the care of the old chief who is now with us;
and says that the Snake guide, who deserted us last fall, stole
and took two of our horses with him. We remained here
about an hour, and then continued our journey; came to a
large lodge of the natives, at the mouth of a creek, where we
encamped. This lodge is built much after the form of the
Virginia fodder houses; is about fifty yards long, and con-
tains twenty families. We here could get no provisions but
shap-a-leel and ‘roots.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The morning was cold and clear. We were early on our march over a handsome plain, and came to another creek, which we followed down until we reached Lewis's river, some distance below the forks of Koos-koos-ke. There we halted at an Indian lodge, and could get nothing to eat except some bread made of a kind of root I was unacquainted with. We did, however, have a dog, which we bought from the Indians who met us last night; but this was a scanty allowance for thirty-odd hungry men. We remained here about two hours, got a dog, and proceeded up the south side of Lewis's river about three miles, when we met one of our old chiefs, who had come down with us last fall, and who advised us to cross the river, as the best road is on the north side. We were therefore occupied in crossing during the remainder of the day, as we could obtain only four small canoes from the natives at this place. However, by dark we got all safely across, and camped on the north side, accompanied by a great many of the natives, who appear to be a friendly and well-disposed people.
CHAP. XX.
MONDAY 5th. We had a fine morning, and set out early, accompanied by our old chief and a number of the natives. About 10 o'clock we passed the forks, and kept along the north side of Koos-koos-ke. At noon we halted at three lodges of Indians, where we got three dogs and some roots. We also got back one of our horses, which we had left here last fall in the care of the old chief who is now with us; he says that the Snake guide, who deserted us last fall, stole and took two of our horses with him. We remained here about an hour, and then continued our journey. We came to a large lodge of the natives, at the mouth of a creek, where we camped. This lodge is built much after the form of the Virginia fodder houses; it is about fifty yards long, and contains twenty families. Here we could get no provisions except shap-a-leel and roots.
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