We set out very early this morning and continued our rout through the wide bottom on the Lard. side of the river after passing a large creek at about 5 miles we fel in with a plain Indian road which led towards the point that the river entered the mountain we therefore pursued the road I sent
The valley of the west fork through which we passed for four miles boar a little to N of West and was about 1 mile wide hemned in on either side by rough mountain and steep Clifts of rock at 4½ miles this stream enters a beatifull and extensive plain about ten miles long and from 5 to six in width. this plain is surrounded on all sides by a country of roling or high wavy plains through which several little rivulets extend their wide vallies quite to the Mountains which surround the whole in an apparent Circular manner; forming one of the handsomest coves [EC: Shoshone
] I ever saw, of about 16 or 18 miles in diameter. just after entering this cove the river bends to the N. W. and runs close under the Stard. hills. here we killed a deer and encamped on the Stard. side and made our fire of dry willow brush, the only fuel which the country produces. there are not more than three or four cottonwood trees in this extensive cove and they are but small. the uplands are covered with prickly pears and twisted or bearded grass and are but poor; some parts of the bottom lands are covered with grass and tolerably fertile; but much the greater proportion is covered with prickly pears sedge twisted grass the pulpy leafed thorn southernwood wild sage &c and like the uplands is very inferior in point of soil. we traveled by estimate 30 Ms. today, that is 10 to the
Some rain this morning at Sun rise and Cloudy we proceeded on passed a remarkable Clift point on the Stard. Side about 150 feet high, this Clift the Indians Call the Beavers head
Saturday 10th August 1805. a clear pleasant morning. we Set out as usal. Several men out hunting. we have now to live on poor venison & goat or antelopes which goes hard with us as the fatigues is hard. the clifts and high land begin to make near the River. passed a high bank along L. S. took on board a deer which one of the hunters killed 2 days past. passed a high clift of rocks on Stard. Side proceeded on the valley wider & covered with high Grass. the hills make further from the River. the River Small & amazeing crooked, our Commanding officers thought proper that the JeffersonsRiver
Maddisons River
, the
Saturday 10th. We set out early in a fine morning, and proceeded on through the valley, until breakfast time, when we came to a place where the river passes through a mountain. This narrow passage is not more than a quarter of a mile in length. At the upper end another valley commences, but not so wide as the one below. There is no timber in the lower end of this valley; and the river very crooked, narrow, and in some places
so shallow, that we were obliged to get into the water and drag the canoes along. At 1 o'clock we halted to dine, when a shower of rain came on with thunder and lightening, and continued an hour, during which some hail fell. Two hunters were out to day and killed but one deer. We came 13 miles and encamped on the North side. Here the valley begins to be more extensive.
Saturday 10th August 1805. a clear pleasant morning. we Set out as usal. Several hunters out on Shore. we now begin to live on fresh meat & that poor venson & goat meat at this time. as our fatigues hard we find that poor meat alone is not Strong diet, but we are content with what we can git. the high land make near the River on each Side. passed a high clifts of rocks on S. Side. proceeded on the valley gits wider and the hills make further from the River our officers thought proper that the Jeffersons
Maddison RiverGallitine River
Saturday August 10th This morning clear & pleasant, several of our Hunters went out early to hunt, & we set out as usual, We now have nothing to live on, but fresh meat, & that poor Venison & Goats flesh, and our men
seem much fataigued; and find that meat only, is too weak a diet, for men undergoing so much fataigue; but they seem all content with what we can get. The high land makes in near to the River on both sides of it, We passed
a high clift of Rocks, which lay on the South side of the River, and Valleys, which seem wider, than those which we passed Yesterday, and the hills lies off farther from the River, Our officers were of oppinion (before