The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, June 26, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, June 26, 1806

Thursday June 26th 1806

We collected our horses and Set out early and proceeded on Down hungary Creek a fiew miles and assended to the Summit of the mountain where we deposited our baggage on the 17th inst. found every thing Safe and as we had left them. the Snow which was 10 feet 10 inches deep on the top of the mountain, had sunk to 7 feet tho perfectly hard and firm. we made Some fire Cooked dinner and dined, while our horses Stood on snow 7 feet deep at least. after dinner we packed up and proceeded on. about the borders of the Snowey region we killed 2 Small black pheasents and a female of the large dommanicker or Speckled pheasent, the former have 16 feathers in the tail and the latter 20 while the common Pheasent have 18. the indians informed us that neither of these Speces drumed; they appear to be very Silent birds for I never heard any of them make any noise. the Indians hastened us off and informed us that it was a considerable distance to the place they wished to reach this evening where there was grass for our horses. accordingly we Set out with our guides who led us over and along the Steep Sides of tremendious Mountains entirely covered with Snow except about the roots of the trees where the Snow was partially melted and exposed a Small Spot of earth. we assended and decended Several Steep lofty hights but keeping on the dividing ridge of the Chopunnish & Kooskooske river we passed no Stream of water. late in the evening much to the Satisfaction of ourselves and the Comfort of the horses we arived at the desired Spot and Encamped on the Steep Side of a Mountain Convenient to a good Spring. here we found an abundance of fine grass for our horses. this Situation was the Side of an untimbered mountain with a fair Southern aspect where the Snow from appearance had been disolved about 10 days, the grass was young and tender of course and had much the appearance of the Green Swoard. there is a great abundance of Species of bear grass which grows on every part of those Mountains, its growth is luxurient and continues green all winter but the horses will not eate it. Soon after we had encamped we were over taken by a Chopunnish man who had pursued us with a view to accompany Capt Lewis to the falls of Missouri. we were now informed that the two young men we met on the 21st and detained Several days were going on a party of pleasure mearly to the Oat-lash-shoots or as they call them Sha-lees a band of the Tush-she-pah Nation who reside on Clarks river in the neighbourhood of the Mouth of Travelers rest. one of our Guides lost 2 of his horses, he returned in Serch of them he found them & rejoined us at Dark. all of the Indians with us have two & 3 horses each. I was taken yesterday with a violent pain in my head which has tormented me ever Since, most violently