Nez Perce villages on Clearwater — Patrick Gass: September 23, 1805
After a fine morning, the party resumed their march at 9 o'clock and soon found a horse the hunters had killed and hung up for them. Captain Clark left a note saying he and the hunters were pushing ahead to the valley, since game was scarce in these barren mountains. The group dined on horseflesh at noon, then realized a horse carrying Captain Lewis's clothes and baggage had wandered off; men sent back failed to find it. They traveled along a rocky ridge with tall cedars, struggling to find water before nightfall.
10
146 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
but the day was fine; and at 9 o’clock we continued our
march. Having proceeded about a mile, we came to a small
glade, where our hunters had found a horse, and had killed,
dressed and hung him up. Capt. Clarke, who had gone for-
ward with the hunters, left a note informing us that he and
they intended to go on to the valley or level country ahead,
as there was no chance of killing any game in these desert
mountains. We loaded the meat and proceeded along the
mountains. At noon we stepped and dined, on our horse
flesh: here we discovered that a horse, having Capt. Lewis’s
clothes and baggage on him, had got into the bushes while we
were loading the meat, and was left behind. One of the men
therefore was sent back, but returned without finding him.
Two other men with a horse were then sent back, and we con-
tinued our march along the ridge, where there are rocks, that
appear to be well calculated for making millstones ; and some
beautiful tall cedars among the spruce pine. Night came on
before we got off this ridge, and we had much difficulty in
finding water. The soil on the western side of the mountains
appears much better than on the east; and not sorocky. We
can see the valley ahead, but a great way off.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
But the day was fine; and at 9 o'clock we continued our march. Having proceeded about a mile, we came to a small glade, where our hunters had found a horse, and had killed, dressed, and hung him up. Capt. Clarke (Capt. Clark), who had gone forward with the hunters, left a note informing us that he and they intended to go on to the valley or level country ahead, as there was no chance of killing any game in these desert mountains. We loaded the meat and proceeded along the mountains.
At noon we stopped and dined on our horse flesh. Here we discovered that a horse, carrying Capt. Lewis's clothes and baggage, had gotten into the bushes while we were loading the meat, and was left behind. One of the men therefore was sent back, but returned without finding him. Two other men with a horse were then sent back, and we continued our march along the ridge, where there are rocks that appear to be well suited for making millstones; and some beautiful tall cedars among the spruce pine.
Night came on before we got off this ridge, and we had much difficulty finding water. The soil on the western side of the mountains appears much better than on the east, and not so rocky. We can see the valley ahead, but a great way off.
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