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On the 26th of July Capt Lewis Set out on his return to the enterance of
Marias river to meet with the party with, the Canoes from the falls. his
course was through the plains

S. E. 5 Milespassing a Small Creek from the mts

S. 70° E. 9 Miles to a principal branch of Marias River 65 yards wide not
very deep at 7 mile. this last branch is Shallow and rapid about the Size
of the former from the S W. both of those Streams Contain a great
preportion of timberhere we find the 3 Specis of Cotton before
mentioned

N 80° E. 4 miles down Marias river and met with 8 Indians of the Blackfoot
nation with about 30 horses, those Indians professed friendship and Set
out with him and encamped together the night of the 26th of July, thy
informed him that there was two large bands of their nation in that
quarter one of which would be at the enterance of Marias river in a fiew
days. they also informed that a french Trader was with one of those bands,
that they traded with the white people on the Suskashwen River at 6 easy
days march or about 150 miles distant from whome they precured Guns Powder
Lead blankets &c. in exchange for wolf and beaver Skins. Capt Lewis
gave them a Flag Meadel & Handkerchief Capt. L. informed those Indians
where he was from & where he had been and his objects & friendly
views &c. of which they appeared to be well Satisfied.

“on the morning of the 27th at day light the indians got up and crouded
around the fire, Jo. Field who was on post had carelessly laid his gun
down behind him near where his brother was Sleeping. one of the Indians
Slipd. behind him and took his gun and that of his brother unperceived by
him, at the Same instant two others advanced and Seized the guns of
Drewyer and Capt Lewis who were yet asleep. Jo. Fields Seeing this turned
about to take his gun and Saw the fellow running off with his and his
brothers, he called to his brother who instantly jumped up and prosued the
indian with him whome they overtook at the distance of 50 or 60 paces
Siezed their guns and rested them from him and R. Field as he Seized his
gun Stabed the indian to the heart with his knif who fell dead; (this Cap
L. did not know untill Some time after.) drewyer who awoke at the first
alarm jumped up and Seized & rested his gun from the indian &c.
Capt L. awoke and asked what was the matter Seeing Drewyer in a Scuffle
for his gun he turned to get his gun and found her gorn, he drew a pistol
from his holsters and prosued the Indian whom he Saw in possession of his
gun making off he presented the pistol and the indian lay down the gun.
the two Fields Came up and drew up to Shoot the Indian which Capt L.
forbid the indians then attempted to drive off all the horses. Capt L.
derected the men to fire on them if they attempted to drive off the
horses, and prosued two fellows who Continued to drive of his horses he
Shot the indian who had taken his gun and then in possession of his horse
through the belly, he fell and raised on his elbow and fired at Capt L.
the other made his escape into a nitch out of Sight with his bow and
arrows and as Capt L. guns was empty and he without his Shot pouch he
returnd. to the Camp where the 2 fields and Drewyer joind him having
prosued the indians across the river the were now in possession of the
most of their own as well as the indian horses and a gun Several bows
& arrows and all the indians baggage the gun & Some feathers and
flag they took and burnt all the other articles. and Saddled up a many of
the best horses as they wished with Some Spear horses, and Set out for to
intersept the party at Marias river and proceded on a little to the S. of
East 112 Miles to the Missouri at the Grog Spring. here they met with
Canoes and party decending joined them leaving their horses on the river
bank, and proceeded on to the enterance of Marias river opened the
deposits, found Several articles damaged. 3 Beaver traps could not be
found, the red perogue unfit for Service, from thenc they proceeded
without delay to the River Rochejhone See cources of Capt Lewis rout in
next book.”

at 2 P.M. Shannon & Gibson arived in the Skin Canoe with the Skins and
the greater part of the flesh of 3 Elk which they had killed a fiew miles
above. the two men Dixon & Handcock the two men we had met above came
down intending to proceed on down with us to the Manclans. at 3 P M we
proceded on all together having left the 2 leather Canoes on the bank. a
little below the enterance of (Jos) Shabonos Creek we Came too on a large
Sand point from the S. E. Side and Encamped. the wind blew very hard from
the S W. and Some rain. I washed Capt L. wound which has become Sore and
Somewhat painfull to him.

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—

Tuesday July 15th 1806. Dispatched McNeal early this morning to the lower
part of portage in order to learn whether the Cash and white perogue
remained untouched or in what state they were. the men employed in drying
the meat, dressing deerskins and preparing for the reception of the
canoes. at 1 P.M. Drewyer returned without the horses and reported that
after a diligent surch of 2 days he had discovered where the horses had
passed Dearborn’s river at which place there were 15 lodges that had been
abandoned about the time our horses were taken; he pursued the tracks of a
number of horses from these lodges to the road which we had traveled over
the mountains which they struck about 3 ms. South of our encampment of the
7th inst. and had pursued this road Westwardly; I have no doubt but they
are a party of the Tushapahs who have been on a buffaloe hunt. Drewyer
informed that there camp was in a small bottom on the river of about 5
acres inclosed by the steep and rocky and lofty clifts of the river and
that so closely had they kept themselves and horses within this little
spot that there was not a track to be seen of them within a quarter of a
mile of that place. every spire of grass was eaten up by their horses near
their camp which had the appearance of their having remained here some
time. his horse being much fatiegued with the ride he had given him and
finding that the indians had at least 2 days the start of him thought it
best to return. his safe return has releived me from great anxiety. I had
already settled it in my mind that a whitebear had killed him and should
have set out tomorrow in surch of him, and if I could not find him to
continue my rout to Maria’s river. I knew that if he met with a bear in
the plains even he would attack him. and that if any accedent should
happen to seperate him from his horse in that situation the chances in
favour of his being killed would be as 9 to 10. I felt so perfectly
satisfyed that he had returned in safety that I thought but little of the
horses although they were seven of the best I had. this loss great as it
is, is not intirely irreparable, or at least dose not defeat my design of
exploring Maria’s river. I have yet 10 horses remaining, two of the best
and two of the worst of which I leave to assist the party in taking the
canoes and baggage over the portage and take the remaining 6 with me;
these are but indifferent horses most of them but I hope they may answer
our purposes. I shall leave three of my intended party, (viz ) Gass,
Frazier and Werner, and take the two Feildses and Drewyer. by having two
spare horses we can releive those we ride. having made this arrangement I
gave orders for an early departure in the morning, indeed I should have
set out instantly but McNeal road one of the horses which I intend to take
and has not yet returned. a little before dark McNeal returned with his
musquet broken off at the breech, and informed me that on his arrival at
willow run he had approached a white bear within ten feet without discover
him the bear being in the thick brush, the horse took the allarm and
turning short threw him immediately under the bear; this animal raised
himself on his hinder feet for battle, and gave him time to recover from
his fall which he did in an instant and with his clubbed musquet he struck
the bear over the head and cut him with the guard of the guns and broke
off the breech, the bear stunned with the stroke fell to the ground and
began to scratch his head with his feet; this gave McNeal time to climb a
willow tree which was near at hand and thus fortunately made his escape.
the bear waited at the foot of the tree untill late in the evening before
he left him, when McNeal ventured down and caught his horse which had by
this time strayed off to the distance of 2 ms. and returned to camp. these
bear are a most tremenduous animal; it seems that the hand of providence
has been most wonderfully in our favor with rispect to them, or some of us
would long since have fallen a sacrifice to their farosity. there seems to
be a sertain fatality attatched to the neighbourhood of these falls, for
there is always a chapter of accedents prepared for us during our
residence at them. the musquetoes continue to infest us in such manner
that we can scarcely exist; for my own part I am confined by them to my
bier at least 3/4ths of my time. my dog even howls with the torture he
experiences from them, they are almost insupportable, they are so numerous
that we frequently get them in our thrats as we breath.

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the yellow Currants begining to ripen.

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N. 25 E. 12 m. passing a small creek at one m. on S side on which there is
a handsom and extensive Valley and plain for 10 or 12 ms. also another
creek 12 yd. wide at 1/2 a mile further on N. sides and another 8 yds.
wide on N. side at 5 ms further one & 1/2 m. short of the extremity of
this course arrive at a high prarie on N. side from one to three miles in
width extending up the river. halted and dined in the mouth of a little
drane on the left of the plain where there was a considerable quantity of
quawmash. saw a gang of antelopes here of which we killed one the does at
this season herd with each other and have their young. the bucks are alone
there are many wild horses on Clarkes river about the place we passed it
we saw some of them at a distance. there are said to be many of them about
the head of the yellowstone river.

East 6 m. to the entrance of Werner’s Creek 35 yds. wide through a high
extensive prairie on N. side. hills low and timbered with the long leafed
pine, larch, and some fir. the road passes at some distance to the left of
the river and this couses is with the river.

N. 22 W. 4 miles to a high insulated knob just above the entrance of a
Creek 8 yards wide which discharges itself into Werners Creek.

N. 75 E. 21/2 M. to the river passing through an extensive and handsom
plain on Werner’s Creek, crossing that creek at 1 m. and leaving a high
prarie hill to the right seperating the plain from the river. saw two swan
in this beautiful Creek.

East 3 m. to the entrance of a large creek 20 yds. wide Called

31 m. Seamans Creek passing a creek at 1 m. 8 yds. wide. this course with
the river, the road passing through an extensive high prarie rendered very
uneven by a vast number of little hillucks and sinkholes at the heads of
these two creeks high broken mountains stand at the distance of 10 m.
forming a kind of Cove generally of open untimbered country.we
encamped on the lower side of the last creek just above it’s entrance.
here a war party had encamped about 2 months since and conceald their
fires.-

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