The Journals of Lewis & Clark: May 19, 1806

May 18, 1806

May 20, 1806

May 19, 1806

Monday May 19th 1806. It continued to rain this morning untill 8 OCk. when it became fair. We sent Charbono, Thompson, Potts, Hall and Wiser over the river to a village above in order to purchase some roots to eat with our lean bear meat. for this purpose we gave them a few awls, Kniting pins and Armbands. we were informed that there was a canoe at the village in which they could pass the river. I sent Joseph and R. Feilds up the river in surch of the horse which I rode over the Rocky mountains last fall. he had been seen yesterday with a parse) of indian horses and has become almost wild. at 11 A.M. Thompson returned from the village accompanied by a train of invalids consisting of 4 men 8 women and a child. The men had soar eyes and the women in addition to soar eyes had a variety of other complaints principally rheumatic; a weakness and pain in the loins is a common complaint with their women. eyewater was administered to all; to two of the women cathartics were given, to a third who appeared much dejected and who from their account of her disease we supposed it to be histerical, we gave 30 drops of Laudanum. the several parts of the others where the rheumatic pains were seated were well rubed with volitile linniment. all of those poor wretches thought themselves much benefited and all returned to their village well satisfyed. at 5 P.M. or marketers returned with about 6 bushels of the cows roots and a considerable quanty of bread of the same materials. late in the evening Reubin and Joseph Feilds returned with my horse; we had him immediately castrated together with two others by Drewyer in the ordinary. we amused ourselves about an hour this afternoon in looking at the men running their horses. several of those horses would be thought fleet in the U States. a little after dark Sheilds and Gibson returned unsuccessful) from the chase. they had seen some deer but no bear.

Monday 19th May 1806

Rained this morning untill 8 oClock when it Cleared off and became fair-. we Sent Shabono, Thomson, Potts, Hall & Wizer over to the Villages above to purchase Some roots to eate with our pore bear meat, for which purchase we gave them a fiew Awls, Knitting pins, & arm bans and directed them to proceed up on this Side of the river opposit to the Village and Cross in the Cano which we are informed is at that place. Sent Jo. & Reuben Field up the river a Short distance after the horse which Capt. Lewis rode over the mountains last fall, which horse was Seen yesterday with a gangue of Indian horses, and is Very wild-. about 11 oClock 4 men and 8 Women Came to our Camp with Thompson who went to the Village very early this morning. those Men applyed for Eye water and the Women had a Variety of Complaints tho the most general Complaint was the Rhumitism, pains in the back and the Sore eyes, they also brought fowd. a very young Child whome they Said had been very Sick-. I administered eye water to all, two of the women I gave a carthartic, one whose Spirets were very low and much hipedz I gave 30 drops of Lodomem, and to the others I had their backs hips legs thighs & arms well rubed with Volitile leniment all of those pore people thought themselves much benifited by what had been done for them, and at 3 P.M. they all returned to their Villages well satisfied. at 5 P.M. Potts, Shabono &c. returned from the Village with about 6 bushels of the root the nativs Call Cowse and Some bread of the Same root. Rubin & Jos. Fields returned with the horse Capt. Lewis rode across the rocky mountains we had this horse imedeately Cut with 2 others which we had not before thought proper to Castrate. we amused ourselves about an hour this after noon looking at the men run their horses, Several of them would be thought Swift horses in the atlantic States. a little after dark John Shields and Gibson returned haveing killed nothing. they Saw Some deer but Saw no bear.