Patrick Gass: September 20, 1805
The party gathered all but one of their horses early, sent six hunters ahead and another man to search for the missing horse, then continued across very high and rough mountains. Around noon they crossed a snow-free stretch, but by 3 o'clock encountered snow again and stopped to make soup with snow water. The man searching for the horse rejoined them empty-handed. The densely timbered terrain offered no clear way out of the mountains. After resting, they descended a steep mountain and camped, having traveled 18 miles, struggling to fetch water from a steep ravine half a mile away.
All our horses except one was collected early: Six hunters
went on ahead; one man to look for the horse; and all the
rest of us proceeded on our journey over the mountains,
which are very high and rough. About 12 we passed a part
where the snow was off, and no appearance that much had
lately fallen. At 3 we came to snow again, and halted to take
some soup, which we made with snow water, as no other could
be found. Here the man, who had been sent for the horse
came up, but had not found him. Except on the sides of hills
where it has fallen, the country is closely timbered with pitch
and spruce pine, and what some call balsam-fir. We can see
no prospect of getting off these desert mountains yet, except
the appearance of a deep cove on each side of the ridge we
are passing along. We remained here an hour and an half, and
then proceeded on down a steep mountain, and encamped
after travelling 18 miles. We had great difficulty in getting
water, being obliged to go half a mile for it down a very
steep precipice.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
All our horses except one were gathered early. Six hunters went on ahead; one man stayed back to look for the missing horse; and the rest of us continued our journey over the mountains, which are very high and rough. About 12 we passed a section where the snow had melted off, with no sign that much had recently fallen. At 3 we came to snow again, and halted to make some soup, which we prepared with snow water, since no other water could be found. Here the man who had been sent for the horse caught up with us, but he had not found it. Except on the hillsides where the timber has fallen, the country is closely covered with pitch and spruce pine, and what some call balsam-fir. We see no sign yet of getting off these desolate mountains, aside from the appearance of a deep cove on each side of the ridge we are traveling along. We stayed here an hour and a half, and then continued down a steep mountain, and camped after traveling 18 miles. We had great difficulty getting water, being forced to go half a mile for it down a very steep precipice.
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