June 4, 1806
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June 4, 1806

 

about noon The 3 Cheifs [1] left us and returned to their vilages.    while they were with us we repeated the promises we had formerly made them and invited them to the Missouri with us, they declined going untill the latter end of the summer and said it was there intention to spend the ensuing winter on the East side of the Rocky mountains.    they gave us no positive answer to a request which we made, that two or three of their young men should accompany me to the falls of the Missouri and there wait my return from the upper part of Maria's river [2] where it was probable I should meet with some of the bands of the Minnetares from Fort de Prarie; [3] that in such case I should indeavor to bring about a good understanding between those indians and themselves, which when effected they would be informed of it though the young men thus sent with me, and that on the contrary should I not be fortunate enough to meet with these people nor to prevail on them to be at peace they would equally be informed through those young men, and they might still remain on their guard with rispect to them untill the whites had it in their power to give them more effectual releif. The Broken Arm invited us to his village and said he wished to speak to us before we set out, and that he had some roots to give us for our journey over the mountains; Capt. C. promised to visit him as he wished the day after tomorrow.—    Sheilds returned this evening from the quawmash grounds with 2 deer which he had killed.

 

about noon the 3 chiefs left us and returned to their villages. While they were with us we repeeted the promisces we had formerly made them and envited them to the Missouri with us, they declined going untill the latter end of the Summer, and Said it was their intintion to Spend the insiewing winter on the East Side of the Rocky Mountains, they gave us no positive answer to a request 〈that〉 which we made, that two or three of their young men Should accompany Capt L. to the falls of Missouri and there wait his return from the upper part of Maria's river where it was probable he Should meet with Some of the bands of the Blakfoot Indians and Minitarres of Fort dePrarie, that in Such Case Capt L. would indeavor to bring about a good understanding between those indians and themselves, which when effected they would be informed of it through the young men thus Sent with him.    and that on the contrary Should he not be fortunate enough to meet with those people, nor to provaile on them to be at peace they would equally be informed through those young men, and they might Still remain on their guard with respect to them, untill the Whites had it more in their Power to give them more effectual relief. I also urged the necessaty of Sending one or two of their Considerate men to accompany me by the way of the Shoshonees on the head of Jeffersons river and about the three forks of the Missouri which whome there is most probably Some of the Chiefs of those bands of Shoshones with whome they are at war, and by which means a message Sent to that nation & good understanding brought about between the Shoshones and the Chopunnish Nations which appears to be the wish of both Nations. The Broken Arm envited us to his Village and Said he wished to Speak to us before we Set out, and that he had Some roots to give us for our journey over the mountains; I promised to visit him as he wished the day after tomorrow—. Shields returned this evining from the Quawmash grounds with two Deer which he had killed.—.

 

Wednesday 4th June 1806.    rained the greater part of last night    a wet morning    one of our hunters John Shields came in had killed 2 Deer and brought in the meat.    the after part of the day fair.

 

Wednesday 4th.    It rained slowly almost all last night, and for some time this morning. The river fell considerably yesterday, and in the night rose only an inch and a half. At noon one of our hunters [4] came in with two deer he had killed. The afternoon was clear and pleasant.

1. Evidently Broken Arm, Cut Nose, and Hohots Ilppilp. (back)
2. Lewis indicates here the route he expects to take after reaching Travelers' Rest and splitting with Clark. Clark in his entry gives the route he expects to take to the Yellowstone, which would take him through the Shoshone country to Camp Fortunate at the forks of the Beaverhead River, then down the Beaverhead and the Jefferson to the Three Forks of the Missouri. (back)
3. The Atsinas and perhaps also the Blackfeet; see Clark's entry. (back)
4. Shields, the captains say. (back)