The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 2, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 2, 1806

Friday May 2nd 1806

This morning we dispatched two hunters a head. we had much dificuelty in Collecting our horses. at 8 A.M. we obtained them all except the horse we obtained from the Chopunnish man whome we Seperated from yesterday. we apprehended that this horse would make Some attempts to rejoin the horses of this man and accordingly had him as we thought Scurely hobbled both before and at the Side, but he broke the Strings in the Course of the night and absconded. we Sent Several men in different directions in Serch of him. and hired one of the men who joined us last night to prosue him and over take us & at 4 after 1 P.M. the indian and Joseph Fields returned with the horse they had found him on his way back about 17 miles. I paid the Indian the price Stipulated for his Services and we imediately loaded up and Set forward. East 3 miles over a hilly road along the N. Side of the Creek. wide bottoms on the S. Side. a branch falls in on the S. side which runds from the S W. Mountains, which appear to be about 25 m. distant low yet Covered with Snow. N. 75° E. 7 m. through an extencive leavel bottom. more timber than usial on the Creek. Some pine of the long leaf kind appear on the Creek hills. also about 50 acres of well timbered pine land where we passed the Creek at 4 m. on the Course. N. 45° E. 9 m. passed the Creek at 4 M. and Continued up on the N. E. Side. the bottoms wide. the main creek bear to the S. and head in the Mountains. we passed a Small Creek at 83/4 m. from the Commencement of this Course and encamped on the N. Side in a little bottom. haveing traviled 19 miles to day. at this place the road leaves the Creek and passes through the open high plains. this creek is 5 yds wide and bears East towards the Mts. I observed a Considerable quantity of the qua mash in the bottoms through which we passed this evening now in blume. there is much appearance of beaver & otter along these creeks. Saw two deer at a distance, also Sand hill Cranes, Curloos and fowls common to the plains. the Soil appears to improve as we advance on this road. our hunters killed a deer only. The three young men of the Wallah wallah nation Continue with us in the Course of this day. I observed them cut the inner part of the young and succulent Stem of a large Corse plant with a ternate leaf, the leafets of which are three loabes and Covered with woolly pubersence. the flower and fructification resembles that of the parsnip. this plant is very common in the rich lands on the Ohio and its branches. I tasted of this plant found it agreeable and eate hartily of it without feeling any inconveniance.