Clark
Wednesday June 18th 1806
This morning we had considerable dificuelty in collecting our horses they haveing Strageled of to a considerable distance in Serch of food on the Sides of the mountains among the thick timber, at 9 oClock we Collected them all except 2 one of Sheilds & one of Drewyer's. we Set out leaving Shields and LePage to collect the two lost horses and follow us. We dispatched Drewyer and Shannon to the Chopunnish Indians in the plains beyond the Kooskooske in order to hasten the arrival of the Indians who promised to accompany us, or to precure a guide at all events and rejeoin us as Soon as possible. We Sent by them a riffle which we offered as a reward to any of them who would engage to conduct us to Clarks river at the entrance of Travellers rest Creek; we also directed them if they found difficuelty in induceing any of them to accompany us to offer the reward of two other guns to be given them immediately and ten horses at the falls of Missouri. we had not proceeded far this morning before J. Potts cut his leg very badly with one of the larger knives; he cut one of the large veins on the iner side of the leg; Colters horse fell with him in passing hungary creek and himself and horse were driven down the Creek a considerable distance roleing over each other among the rocks. he fortunately escaped with[out] much injurey or the loss of his gun. he lost his blanket. at 1 P. M we returned to the glade on a branch of hungary Creek where we had dined on the 16th instant. here we again halted and dined. as there was some appearance of deer about this place we left J. & R Field with directions to hunt this evening and tomorrow morning at this place and join us in the evening in the Meadows on Collin's Creek where we intended to remain tomorrow in order to restour horses and hunt. after dinner we proceeded on to the near fork of Collins Creek and encamped in a pleasant Situation at the upper part of the Meadows about 2 miles above our encampment of the 15th inst. we Sent out Several hunters but they returned without having killed any thing—. they saw a number of large fish in the Creek and Shot at them Several times without Suckcess. we Gibson and Colter to fix each of themselves a gigg in the morning and indeaver to take Some of those fish. the hunters Saw much fresh appearance of Bear, but very little deer Sign. we hope by the means of the fish together with what deer and bear we can kill to been abled to Subsist untill our guide arives without the necessaty of returning to the quawmash flats. there is great abundance of good food here to Sustain our horses. we are in flattering expectations of the arrival of two young chiefs who informed us that they intended to accompany us to the U. States, and Should Set out from their village in 9 nights after we left them on the 19th inst. if they Set out at that time Drewyer & Shannon will meet them, and probably join us on the 20th or 21st—. Musquetors Troublesome.
Gass
Wednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy and several showers of rain fell during the day. We started about 8 o'clock, and found the road very slippery and bad. Two men went on ahead to the village to enquire for a guide, and two more remained to look for two horses that could not be found. We proceeded on with four men in front to cut some bushes out of the path; but did not go far till one of the men cut himself very badly with a large knife; when we had to halt and bind up his wound. We again went forward, and in crossing the creek the horse of one of our men fell with him, threw him off, hurt his leg, and lost his blanket. We halted for dinner at the same place were we dined on the 16th and had a gust of rain, hail, thunder and lightening, which lasted an hour, when the weather cleared and we had a fine afternoon. We continued our march till we came to a small glade on the branch of a creek, where we encamped, and some hunters went out in the evening; we had left two men to hunt at the place where we dined. We found the musquitoes very troublesome on the creek, notwithstanding the snow is at so short a distance up the mountains. At night our hunters came to camp, having killed nothing; but saw some large fish in the creek, which they supposed were salmon.
A branch of Fish Creek, in Idaho County, Idaho; see [June 16, 1806].
On Eldorado Creek, at the mouth of Dollar Creek in Idaho County. As Lewis notes, it was above the camp of June 15. It was somewhat south of Lewis's "Campd 20th" ([September 20, 1805]) on Atlas map 70. Space, 33; Peebles (RLC), 22; Peebles (LT), map.
Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (formerly Salmo gairdneri). See the next entry, [June 19], and [March 12] and [13], 1806.
The term may apply to either the Palouse or Nez Perce Indians. Lewis used his term for
the Nez Perces on this occasion, which is probably the case in this context. The expression could also refer to names of villages. See Lewis's entry of [June 8, 1806], for a discussion of the term.
Meaning the Model 1803 rifle. See Clark's entry of [May 10, 1804].
From Lewis and Clark it is apparent that the fish are steelhead trout. The next day
Ordway calls them salmon trout.
Drouillard and Shannon, as noted by the captains and Ordway.
Shields and Lepage, the captains say.
Potts; see Lewis's entry for the treatment.
Colter.
The Field brothers, noted by Lewis, Clark, and Ordway.
Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss; see the captains' entries, and Ordway.