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we arrose early and resumed our operations in compleating our canoes which we completed by 10 A. M. about this time two of the men whom I had dispatched this morning in quest of the horses returned with seven of them only. the 〈othe〉 remaining ten of our best horses were absent and not to be found. I fear that they 〈have〉 are stolen. I dispatch two men on horseback in surch of them. the wind blew so violently that I did not think it prudent to attempt passing the river.— at 〈3 PM〉 Noon Werner returned having found three others of the horses near Fort Mountain. Sergt. Gass did not return untill 3 P. M. not having found the horses. he had been about 8 ms. up medecine river. I now dispatched Joseph Fields and Drewyer in quest of them. the former returned at dark unsuccessfull and the latter continued absent all night. at 5 P. M. the wind abated and we transported our baggage and meat to the opposite shore in our canoes which we found answered even beyond our expectations. we swam our horses over also and encamped at sunset. [1] quetoes extreemly troublesome. I think the river is somewhat higher than when we were here last 〈spring〉 summer. the present season has been much more moist than the preceeding one. the grass and weeds are much more luxouriant than they were when I left this place on the 13th of July 1805.— saw the brown thrush, [2] pigeons, [3] doves &c.—
the yellow Currants begining to ripen. [4]
Sergt. Pryor did not join me last night he has proceeded on down. the beaver was flacking [5] [NB: flapping their tails] in the river about us all the last night. this Morning I was detained untill 7 A M makeing paddles and drawing the nails of the Canoe to be left at this place and the one we had before left here. after completing the paddles &c and takeing Some Brackfast I set out the Current I find much Stronger below the forks than above and the river tolerably streight as low as panther Creek [6] when it became much more Crooked the Wind rose and blew hard off the Snowey mountains to the N. W. [7] and renderd it very difficuelt to keep the canoes from running against the Shore at 2 P. M. the Canoe in which I was in was driven by a Suden puff of wind under a log which projected over the water from the bank, and the man in the Stern Howard was Caught in between the Canoe and the log and a little hurt after disingaging our selves from this log the canoe was driven imediately under a drift which projected over and a little abov the Water, here the Canoe was very near turning over we with much exertion after takeing out Some of the baggage hauled her out, and proceeded on without receving any damage. the men in the other Canoes Seeing our Situation landed and come with as much Speed as possible through the briers and thick brush to our assistance. but from the thickness of the brush did not get up to our assistance untill we had got Clear. at 3 P M we halted at the enterance of Fields Creek and dined here Willard and Collins over took us with two deer which they had killd. this morning and by takeing a different Side of an Island from which we Came, we had passed them. after dinner I proceeded on and Encamped a little below our encampmt. of the 31st of July last. [8] the Musquetoes very troublesome this evening Some old buffalow Signs. I killed 4 young gees and Collins killed 2 bever this evening.
Saturday 12th July 1806. a clear morning. the canoe we left here last year we Split up this morning for paddles &C. Set out as usal and proceed. on down the river fast the canoe Capt. Clark was in got drove to Shore by the wind under Some tops of trees and was near being filled with water. Capt. Clark fired 2 guns as a Signal for help I and the other canoes which was a head halted and went to their assistance. they Soon got him Safe off. about 2 P. M. we halted to dine at the mouth of R. Fields Creek [9] the hunters killed one deer and one beaver. we dined and proceeded on down the little gape of the mount. and Camped [10] about Sunset Collins killed two beaver this evening.—
Saturday 12th. Again a fine morning. We went out to collect our horses and found that ten of them were missing. I then set out to look for them, went seven miles up Medicine river, where I found three of them and returned to camp. Two more [11] went to hunt for them, and the rest of us crossed the river in our new craft, [12] which we find answer the purpose very well. At night one of the men [13] returned without finding the lost horses.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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