The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Lewis, May 3, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Lewis, May 3, 1806

Saturday May 3rd 1806. This morning we set out at 7 A.M. steered N. 25 E 12 ms. to Kimooenem Creek through a high level plain. this creek is about 12 yds. wide pebbly bottom low banks and discharges a considerable body of water it heads in the S. W. mountains and discharges itself into Lewis's river a few miles above the narrows. the bottoms of this creek are narrow with some timber principally Cottonwood and willow. the under brush such as mentioned on N. East Creek. the hills are high and abrupt. the land of the plains is much more fertile than below, less sand and covered with taller grass; very little of the aromatic shrubs appear in this part of the plain. we halted and dined at this creek; after which we again proceeded N. 45 E. 3 M. through the high plain to a small creek 5 yds. wide branch of the Kimooenem C. this stream falls into the creek some miles below. the hills of this creek like those of the Kimooenem are high it's bottoms narrow and possess but little timber, lands of a good quality, a dark rich loam. we continued our rout up this creek, on it's N. side. N. 75 E. 7 Ms. the timber increases in quantity the hills continue high. East 4 Ms. up the creek. here we met with We-ark-koomt whom we have usually distinguished by the name of the bighorn Cheif from the circumstance of his always wearing a horn of that animal suspended by a cord to he left arm. he is the 1st Cheif of a large band of the Chopunnish nation. he had 10 of his young men with him. this man went down Lewis's river by land as we decended it by water last fall quite to the Columbia and I beleive was very instrumental in procuring us a hospitable and friendly reception among the natives. he had now come a considerable distance to meet us. after meeting this cheif we continued still up the creek bottoms N. 75. E. 2 m to the place at which the road leaves the creek and ascends the hills to the plain here we encamped in small grove of cottonwood tree which in some measure broke the violence of the wind. we came 28 ms. today. it rained hailed snowed and blowed with great violence the greater portion of the day. it was fortunate for us that this storm was from the S. W. and of course on our backs. the air was very cold. we divided the last of our dryed meat at dinner when it was consumed as well as the ballance of our dogs nearly we made but a scant supper and had not anything for tomorrow; however We-arkkoomt consoled us with the information that there was an indian lodge on the river at no great distance where we might supply ourselves with provision tomorrow. our guide and the three young Wallahwollahs left us this morning reather abruptly and we have seen nothing of them since. the S. W. mountains appear to become lower as they proceede to the N. E. this creek reaches the mountains. we are nearer to them than we were last evening