Captain Clarke proceeds with his party down the
river--description of an Indian lodge--serjeant Pryor arrives
with the horses left by the party when they embarked in
their canoes--his difficulty in bringing them on--remarkable
rock discovered by captain Clarke, and the beauty of the
prospect from the summit--they continue their route down the
river, of which a particular description is given, as well
as of the surrounding country--Yellowstone and Bighorn river
compared--great quantities of game found on the banks of the
rivers--immense herds of buffaloe--fierceness of the white
bear--encamp at the junction of the Yellowstone and Missouri--a
general outline given of Yellowstone river, comprehending
the shoals--its entrance recommended for the formation of a
trading establishment--the sufferings of the party from the
musquetoes--serjeant Pryor, who with a detachment of the party
was to have brought on the horses, arrives, and reports that
they were all stolen by the Indians--deprived of these animals,
they form for themselves Indian canoes of the skins of beasts,
and of curious structure, with which they descend the river
over the most difficult shoals and dangerous rapids--meet with
two white men unexpectedly, from whom they procure intelligence
of the Indians formerly visited by the party.
Thursday, July 24. The canoes were loaded, and serjeant Pryor and
his party set out with orders to proceed down to the entrance of the
Bighorn river, which was supposed to be at no great distance, and
where they should be taken in the boats across the Yellowstone. At
eight o’clock captain Clarke embarked in the little flotilla, and
proceeded on very steadily down the river, which continues to be
about two hundred yards wide, and contains a number of islands, some
of which are supplied with a small growth of timber. At the distance
of a mile from the camp, the river passes under a high bluff for
about twenty-three miles, when the bottoms widen on both sides. At
the distance of twenty-nine miles, a river falls in from the south.
This was the river supposed to be the Bighorn; but afterwards, when
the Bighorn was found, the name of Clarke’s fork was given to this
stream. It is a bold river, one hundred and fifty yards wide at the
entrance, but a short distance above, is contracted to a hundred
yards. The water is of a light muddy colour, and much colder than that
of the Yellowstone, and its general course is south and east of the
Rocky mountains. There is a small island situated immediately at the
entrance; and this or the adjoining main land would form a very good
position for a fort. The country most frequented by the beaver begins
here, and that which lies between this river and the Yellowstone is,
perhaps, the best district for the hunters of that animal. About a
mile before reaching this river, there is a ripple in the Yellowstone,
on passing which the canoes took in some water. The party therefore
landed to bail the boats, and then proceeded six miles further to a
large island, where they halted for the purpose of waiting for serjeant
Pryor. It is a beautiful spot with a rich soil, covered with wild
rye, and a species of grass like the blue-grass, and some of another
kind, which the Indians wear in plaits round the neck, on account of
a strong scent resembling that of the vanilla. There is also a thin
growth of cottonwood scattered over the island. In the centre is a
large Indian lodge which seems to have been built during the last
summer. It is in the form of a cone, sixty feet in diameter at the
base, composed of twenty poles, each forty-five feet long, and two and
a half in circumference, and the whole structure covered with bushes.
The interior was curiously ornamented. On the tops of the poles were
feathers of eagles, and circular pieces of wood, with sticks across
them in the form of a girdle: from the centre was suspended a stuffed
buffaloe skin: on the side fronting the door was hung a cedar bush: on
one side of the lodge a buffaloe’s head; on the other several pieces
of wood stuck in the ground. From its whole appearance, it was more
like a lodge for holding councils, than an ordinary dwelling house.
Serjeant Pryor not having yet arrived, they went on about fifteen and
a half miles further to a small creek on the right, to which they gave
the name of Horse creek, and just below it overtook serjeant Pryor
with the horses. He had found it almost impossible, with two men, to
drive on the remaining horses, for as soon as they discovered a herd of
buffaloe the loose horses, having been trained by the Indians to hunt,
immediately set off in pursuit of them, and surrounded the buffaloe
herd with almost as much skill as their riders could have done. At last
he was obliged to send one horseman forward, and drive all the buffaloe
from the route. The horses were here driven across, and sergeant Pryor
again proceeded with an additional man to his party. The river is now
much more deep and navigable, and the current more regular than above
Clarke’s fork, and although much divided by well-wooded islands, when
collected, the stream is between two and three hundred feet in width.
Along its banks are some beaver, and an immense number of deer, elk,
and buffaloe. Towards night they passed a creek from the southeast,
thirty-five yards wide, which they called Pryor’s creek; half a mile
below which they encamped, after making sixty-nine and a half miles
during the day. At sunrise the next morning,
Friday, 25, they resumed their voyage, and passed a number of islands
and small streams, and occasionally high bluffs, composed of a yellow
gritty stone. A storm of rain and high southwest wind soon overtook
them, and obliged them to land and form a sort of log hut, covered
with deer skins. As soon as it ceased they proceeded, and about four
o’clock, after having made forty-nine miles, captain Clarke landed
to examine a very remarkable rock situated in an extensive bottom
on the right, about two hundred and fifty paces from the shore. It
is nearly four hundred paces in circumference, two hundred feet
high, and accessible only from the northeast, the other sides being
a perpendicular cliff of a light coloured gritty rock. The soil of
the top is five or six feet deep, of a good quality, and covered
with short grass. The Indians have carved the figures of animals and
other objects on the sides of the rock, and on the top are raised two
piles of stones. From this height the eye ranged over a large extent
of variegated country:--On the southwest the Rocky mountains covered
with snow; a low mountain, about forty miles distant, bearing south
15° east, and in a direction north 55° west; and at the distance of
thirty-five miles, the southern extremity of what are called the
Littlewolf mountains. The low grounds of the river extend nearly six
miles to the southward, when they rise into plains reaching to the
mountains, and watered with a large creek, while at some distance below
a range of highland, covered with pine, stretches on both sides of the
river, in a direction north and south. The north side of the river,
for some distance, is surrounded by jutting romantic cliffs; these are
succeeded by rugged hills, beyond which the plains are again open and
extensive; and the whole country is enlivened by herds of buffaloe,
elk and wolves. After enjoying the prospect from this rock, to which
captain Clarke gave the name of Pompey’s pillar, he descended, and
continued his course. At the distance of six or seven miles, he stopped
to get two bighorns, which were shot from the boat; and while on shore,
saw in the face of the cliff on the left, about twenty feet above the
water, the fragment of a rib of a fish, three feet long, and nearly
three inches round, incrusted in the rock itself, and though neither
decayed nor petrified is very rotten. After making fifty-eight miles
they reached the entrance of a stream on the right, about twenty-two
yards wide, and which discharges a great quantity of muddy water. Here
they encamped rather earlier than usual, on account of a heavy squall,
accompanied with some rain. Early next morning,
Saturday, 26, they proceeded. The river is now much divided by stony
islands and bars; but the current, though swift, is regular, and there
are many very handsome islands covered with cottonwood. On the left
shore the bottoms are very extensive; the right bank is formed of
high cliffs of a whitish gritty stone; and beyond these, the country
on both sides is diversified with waving plains, covered with pine. At
the distance of ten miles is a large creek on the right, about forty
yards in width, but containing very little water; and in the course of
the day, two smaller streams on the left, and a fourth on the right.
At length, after coming sixty-two miles, they landed at the entrance
of the Bighorn river; but finding the point between the two composed
of soft mud and sand, and liable to be overflowed, they ascended the
Bighorn for half a mile, then crossed and formed a camp on its lower
side. Captain Clarke then walked up the river. At the distance of seven
miles, a creek, twenty yards wide, which from the colour of the water
he called Muddy creek, falls in on the northeast, and a few miles
further, the river bends to the east of south. The bottoms of the river
are extensive, and supplied chiefly with cottonwood trees, variegated
with great quantities of rosebushes. The current is regular and rapid;
and like the Missouri, constantly changes so as to wash away the banks
on one side, leaving sandbars on the other. Its bed contains much less
of the large gravel than that of the Yellowstone, and its water is more
muddy, and of a brownish colour, while the Yellowstone has a lighter
tint. At the junction, the two rivers are nearly equal in breadth,
extending from two hundred to two hundred and twenty yards, but the
Yellowstone contains much more water, being ten or twelve feet deep,
while the depth of the Bighorn varies from five to seven feet. This
is the river which had been described by the Indians as rising in the
Rocky mountains, near the Yellowstone, and the sources of the river
Platte, and then finds its way through the Cote Noir, and the eastern
range of the Rocky mountains. In its long course it receives two larger
rivers, one from the north and the other from the south, and being
unobstructed by falls, is navigable in canoes for a great distance,
through a fine rich open country, supplied with a great quantity of
timber, and inhabited by beaver, and by numerous species of animals,
among which are those from which it derives the name of Bighorn. There
are no permanent settlements near it; but the whole country which it
waters, is occasionally visited by roving bands of hunters from the
Crow tribe, the Paunch, a band of Crows, and the Castahana, a small
band of Snake Indians.
Sunday, 27. They again set out very early, and on leaving the Bighorn,
took a last look at the Rocky mountains, which had been constantly in
view from the first of May. The river now widens to the extent of from
four to six hundred yards; is much divided by islands and sandbars; its
banks generally low and falling in, and resembles the Missouri in many
particulars; but its islands are more numerous, it waters less muddy,
and the current more rapid. The water too is of a yellowish-white,
and the round stones, which form the bars above the Bighorn, have
given place to gravel. On the left side the river runs under cliffs
of light, soft, gritty stone, varying in height from seventy to an
hundred feet, behind which are level and extensive plains. On the right
side of the river are low extensive bottoms, bordered with cottonwood,
various species of willow, rosebushes, grape-vines, the redberry or
buffaloe-grease bushes, and a species of sumach; to these succeed high
grounds, supplied with pine, and still further on are level plains.
Throughout the country are vast quantities of buffaloe, which, as
this is the running season, keep a continued bellowing. Large herds
of elk also are lying in every point, and are so gentle that they
may be approached within twenty paces without being alarmed. Several
beaver were seen in the course of the day; indeed, there is a greater
appearance of those animals than there was above the Bighorn. Deer,
however, are by no means abundant, and the antelopes, as well as the
bighorns, are scarce.
Fifteen miles from the Bighorn river they passed a large dry creek
on the left, to which they gave the name of Elk creek, and halted
for breakfast about three miles further, at the entrance of Windsor’s
river, a stream from the left, which though fifty yards wide, contains
scarcely any water. Forty-eight miles from the Bighorn is a large bed
of a stream sixty yards wide, but with very little water. They called
it Labiche’s river. Several other smaller streams, or rather beds of
creeks, were passed in the course of the day, and after coming eighty
and a half miles, they encamped on a large island. At daylight the next
morning,
Monday, 28, they proceeded down the smooth gentle current, passing by
a number of islands and several creeks, which are now dry. These are,
indeed, more like torrents, and like the dry brooks of the Missouri,
merely serve to carry off the vast quantities of water which fall in
the plains, and bring them also a great deal of mud, which contributes
to the muddiness of the Yellowstone. The most distinguished of these
are at the distance of six miles, a creek of eighty yards in width,
from the northwest, and called by the Indians, Littlewolf river:
twenty-nine miles lower another on the left, seventy yards in width,
which they call Table creek, from several mounds in the plains to the
northwest, the tops of which resemble a table. Four miles further a
stream of more importance enters behind an island from the south. It is
about one hundred yards in width, with a bold current of muddy water,
and is probably the river called by the Indians the Little Bighorn;
and another stream on the right, twenty-five yards wide, the Indian
name of which is Mashaskap. Nearly opposite to this creek they encamped
after making seventy-three miles. The river during part of the route is
confined by cliffs, which on the right are of a soft, yellowish, gritty
rock, while those on the left are harder, and of a lighter colour.
In some of these cliffs were several stratas of coal of different
thickness and heights above the water; but like that of the Missouri,
is of an inferior quality.
Tuesday, 29. During the night there was a storm of thunder and
lightning, with some rain, a high northeast wind, which continued
during the morning, and prevented the party from making more than
forty-one miles. The country resembles that passed yesterday; the dry
beds of rivers continue, and large quantities of coal are seen in the
sides of the cliffs. The river itself is now between five hundred yards
and half a mile in width, and has more sand and bars of gravel than
above. The beaver are in great numbers; and in the course of the day
some catfish and a soft-shelled turtle were procured. In the evening
they encamped on the left, opposite to the entrance of a stream, called
by the Indians Lazeka, or Tongue river. This stream rises in the Cote
Noir, and is formed of two branches, one having its sources with the
heads of the Chayenne, the other with one of the branches of the
Bighorn. It has a very wide bed, and a channel of water a hundred and
fifty yards wide, but the water is of a light brown colour, very muddy,
and nearly milk-warm. It is shallow, and its rapid current throws out
great quantities of mud and some coarse gravel. Near the mouth is a
large proportion of timber, but the warmth of the water would seem to
indicate that the country through which it passed was open and without
shade.
Wednesday, 30. They set out at an early hour, and after passing, at the
distance of twelve miles, the bed of a river one hundred yards wide,
but nearly dry at present, reached two miles below it a succession
of bad shoals, interspersed with a hard, dark brown, gritty rock,
extending for six miles, the last of which stretches nearly across
the river, and has a descent of about three feet. At this place they
were obliged to let the canoes down with the hand, for fear of their
splitting on a concealed rock; though when the shoals are known a large
canoe could with safety pass through the worst of them. This is the
most difficult part of the whole Yellowstone river, and was called the
Buffaloe shoal, from the circumstance of one of those animals being
found in them. The neighbouring cliffs on the right are about one
hundred feet high; on the left the country is low, but gradually rises,
and at some distance from the shore present the first appearance of
burnt hills which have been seen on the Yellowstone. Below the Buffaloe
shoals the river is contracted to the width of three or four hundred
yards, the islands less numerous, and a few scattering trees only are
seen either on its banks or on the highlands: twenty miles from those
shoals is a rapid, caused by a number of rocks strewed over the river;
but though the waves are high, there is a very good channel on the
left, which renders the passage secure. There was a bear standing on
one of these rocks, which occasioned the name of the Bear rapid. As
they were descending this rapid a violent storm from the northwest
obliged them to take refuge in an old Indian lodge near the mouth of
a river on the left, which has lately been very high, has widened to
the distance of a quarter of a mile, but though its present channel
is eighty-eight yards wide, there is not more water in it than would
easily pass through a hole of an inch in diameter. It was called York’s
dry river. As soon as the rain and wind had abated, they resumed their
journey, and at seven miles encamped under a spreading cottonwood tree
on the left side, after making forty-eight miles. A mile and a half
above on the opposite side is a river containing one hundred yards
width of water, though the bed itself is much wider. The water is very
muddy, and like its banks of a dark brown colour. Its current throws
out great quantities of red stones; and this circumstance, with the
appearance of the distant hills, induced captain Clarke to call it the
Redstone, which he afterwards found to be the meaning of its Indian
name, Wahasah.
Saturday, 31. During the whole night the buffaloe were prowling about
the camp, and excited much alarm, lest in crossing the river they
should tread on the boats and split them to pieces. They set out as
usual, and at the distance of two miles passed a rapid of no great
danger, which they called Wolf rapid, from seeing a wolf in them.
At this place commences a range of highlands. These highlands have
no timber, and are composed of earth of different colours, without
much rock, but supplied throughout with great quantities of coal, or
carbonated wood. After passing these hills the country again opens
into extensive plains, like those passed yesterday, and the river is
diversified with islands, and partially supplied with water by a great
number of wide, but nearly dry brooks. Thus eighteen miles below the
camp is a shallow, muddy stream on the left, one hundred yards wide,
and supposed to be that known among the Indians by the name of Saasha,
or Littlewolf river: five miles below on the right side is another
river, forty yards wide, and four feet in depth, which, from the steep
coal banks on each side, they called Oaktaroup, or Coal river; and at
eighteen miles further a third stream of sixty yards in width, to which
they gave the name of Gibson’s river. Having made sixty-six miles,
they halted for the night, and just as they landed, saw the largest
white bear that any of the party had ever before seen, devouring a
dead buffaloe on a sandbar. They fired two balls into him, and he
then swam to the main land and walked along the shore. Captain Clarke
pursued him, and lodged two more balls in his body; but though he bled
profusely he made his escape, as night prevented them from following
him. The next day,
Sunday, August 1, a high wind from ahead made the water rough, and
retarded their progress, and as it rained during the whole day, their
situation in the open boats was very disagreeable. The country bears in
every respect the same appearance as that of yesterday, though there is
some ash timber in the bottom, and low pine and cedar on the sides of
the hills. The current of the river is less rapid, has more soft mud,
and is more obstructed by sandbars, and the rain has given an unusual
quantity of water to the brooks. The buffaloe now appear in vast
numbers. A herd happened to be on their way across the river. Such was
the multitude of these animals, that although the river, including an
island, over which they passed was a mile in length, the herd stretched
as thick as they could swim, completely from one side to the other, and
the party was obliged to stop for an hour. They consoled themselves for
the delay by killing four of the herd, and then proceeded till at the
distance of forty-five miles on an island, below which two other herds
of buffaloe, as numerous as the first, soon after crossed the river.
Monday, 2. The river is now about a mile wide, less rapid, and more
divided by islands and bars of sand and mud than hitherto: the low
grounds too are more extensive, and contain a greater quantity of
cottonwood, ash, and willow trees. On the northwest is a low, level
plain; on the southeast some rugged hills, on which we saw, without
being able to approach, some of the bighorns. The buffaloe and elk,
as well as the pursuers of both, the wolves, are in great numbers. On
each side of the river are several dry brooks; but the only stream of
any size is that they called Ibex river, on the right, about thirty
yards wide, and sixteen miles from the camp. The bear which gave so
much trouble on the head of the Missouri, are equally fierce in this
quarter. This morning one of them, which was on a sandbar as the
boat passed, raised himself on his hind feet, and after looking at
the party, plunged in and swarm towards them. He was received with
three balls in the body; he then turned round and made for the shore.
Towards evening another entered the water to swim across. Captain
Clarke ordered the boat towards the shore, and just as the bear landed,
shot the animal in the head. It proved to be the largest female they
had ever seen, and so old that its tusks were worn quite smooth. The
boats escaped with difficulty between two herds of buffaloe, which
were crossing the river, and would probably have again detained the
party. Among the elk of this neighbourhood are an unusual number of
males, while higher up the river the numerous herds consist of females
chiefly. After making eighty-four miles, they encamped among some ash
and elm trees on the right. They, however, rather passed the night than
slept there, for the musquitoes were so troublesome, that scarcely any
of the party could close their eyes during the greater part of the
time. They therefore set out early in the morning,
Tuesday, 3, to avoid the persecution of those insects. At the distance
of two miles they passed Fields’s creek, a stream thirty-five yards
wide, which enters on the right, immediately above a high bluff, which
is rapidly sinking into the river. Here captain Clarke went ashore in
pursuit of some bighorns, but the musquitoes were so numerous, that
he was unable to shoot with certainty. He therefore returned to the
canoes; and soon after observing a ram of the same animals, sent one of
the hunters, who shot it, and it was preserved entire as a specimen.
About two o’clock they reached, eight miles below Fields’s creek, the
junction of the Yellowstone with the Missouri, and formed a camp on the
point where they had encamped on the 26th of April, 1805. The canoes
were now unloaded, and the baggage exposed to dry, as many of the
articles were wet, and some of them spoiled.
The Rochejaune, or Yellowstone river, according to Indian information,
has its remote sources in the Rocky mountains, near the peaks of
the Rio del Norde, on the confines of New Mexico; to which country
there is a good road during the whole distance along the banks of the
Yellowstone. Its western waters are probably connected with those
of Lewis’s river, while the eastern branches approach the heads of
Clarke’s river, the Bighorn, and the Platte; so that it waters the
middle portion of the Rocky mountains for several hundred miles from
northwest to southeast. During its whole course from the point at
which captain Clarke reached it to the Missouri, a distance which he
computed at eight hundred and thirty-seven miles, this river is large
and navigable for periogues, and even batteaux, there being none of
the moving sandbars which impede the navigation of the Missouri, and
only a single ledge of rocks, which, however, is not difficult to pass.
Even its tributary waters, the Bighorn, Clarke’s fork, and Tongue
river, may be ascended in boats for a considerable distance. The banks
of the river are low, but bold, and no where subject to be overflowed,
except for a short distance below the mountains. The predominating
colour of the river is a yellowish-brown; that of the Missouri, which
possesses more mud, is of a deep drab colour; the bed of the former
being chiefly composed of loose pebble, which, however, diminish in
size in descending the river, till after passing the Lazeka, the pebble
ceases as the river widens, and the mud and sand continue to form the
greater part of the bottom. Over these the water flows with a velocity
constantly and almost equally decreasing in proportion to its distance
from the mountains. From the mountains to Clarke’s fork, the current
may be estimated at four and a half miles per hour; thence as low as
the Bighorn, at three and a half miles; between that and the Lazeka
at three miles; and from that river to the Wolf rapid, at two and
three quarter miles; from which to its entrance, the general rapidity
is two miles per hour. The appearance and character of the country
present nearly similar varieties of fertile, rich, open lands. Above
Clarke’s fork, it consists of high waving plains bordered by stony
hills, partially supplied with pine; the middle portion, as low as the
Buffaloe shoals, contains less timber, and the number diminishes still
lower, where the river widens, and the country spreads itself into
extensive plains. Like all the branches of the Missouri which penetrate
the Rocky mountains, the Yellowstone and its streams, within that
district of country beyond Clarke’s fork, abound in beaver and otter; a
circumstance which strongly recommends the entrance of the latter river
as a judicious position for the purposes of trade. To an establishment
at that place, the Shoshonees, both within and westward of the Rocky
mountains, would willingly resort, as they would be farther from the
reach of the Blackfoot Indians, and the Minnetarees of Fort de Prairie,
than they could be in trading with any factories on the Missouri. The
same motive of personal safety, would most probably induce many of the
tribes on the Columbia and Lewis’s river to prefer this place to the
entrance of Maria’s river, at least for some years; and as the Crow
and Paunch Indians, the Castahanahs, and the Indians residing south of
Clarke’s fork, would also be induced to visit it, the mouth of that
river might be considered as one of the most important establishments
for the western fur trade. This too may be the more easily effected, as
the adjacent country possesses a sufficiency of timber for the purpose,
an advantage which is not found on any spot between Clarke’s fork and
the Rocky mountains.
Wednesday, 4. The camp became absolutely uninhabitable, in consequence
of the multitude of musquetoes; the men could not work in preparing
skins for clothing, nor hunt in the timbered low grounds; in short,
there was no mode of escape, except by going on the sandbars in the
river; where, if the wind should blow, the insects do not venture; but
when there is no wind, and particularly at night, when the men have
no covering except their worn-out blankets, the pain they suffer is
scarcely to be endured. There was also a want of meat, for the buffaloe
were not to be found; and though the elk are very abundant, yet their
fat and flesh is more difficult to dry in the sun, and is also much
more easily spoiled than the meat or fat of either deer or buffaloe.
Captain Clarke therefore determined to go on to some spot which should
be free from musquetoes, and furnish more game. After having written a
note to captain Lewis, to inform him of his intention, and stuck it on
a pole, at the confluence of the two rivers, he loaded the canoes at
five in the afternoon, and proceeded down the river to the second point
and encamped on a sandbar; but here the musquetoes seemed to be even
more numerous than above. The face of the Indian child is considerably
puffed up and swollen with the bites of these animals, nor could the
men procure scarcely any sleep during the night, and they continued to
harrass them the next morning,
Thursday 5, as they proceeded. On one occasion captain Clarke went on
shore and ascended a hill after one of the bighorns; but the musquetoes
were in such multitudes that he could not keep them from the barrel
of his rifle long enough to take aim. About ten o’clock, however, a
light breeze sprung up from the northwest, and dispersed them in some
degree. Captain Clarke then landed on a sandbar, intending to wait for
captain Lewis, and went out to hunt. But not finding any buffaloe,
he again proceeded in the afternoon, and having killed a large white
bear, encamped under a high bluff exposed to a light breeze from the
southwest, which blew away the musquetoes. About eleven o’clock,
however, the wind became very high and a storm of rain came on, which
lasted for two hours, accompanied with sharp lightning and loud peals
of thunder. The party therefore rose,
Friday, 6, very wet, and proceeded to a sandbar below the entrance of
White-earth river. Just above this place, the Indians had, apparently
within seven or eight days past, been digging a root which they employ
in making a kind of soup. Having fixed their tents, the men were
employed in dressing skins and hunting. They shot a number of deer; but
only two of them were fat, owing probably to the great quantities of
musquetoes who annoy them whilst feeding. The next day,
Saturday, 7, after some severe rain, they proceeded at eleven o’clock,
through intervals of rain and high wind till six in the evening, when
they encamped on a sandbar. Here they had a very violent wind, for
two hours, which left the air clear and cold, so that the musquetoes
completely disappeared. On the following morning,
Sunday, 8, serjeant Pryor, accompanied by Shannon, Hall, and Windsor,
arrived, but without the horses. They reported that on the second
day after they left captain Clarke, they halted to let the horses
graze near the bed of a large creek, which contained no running
water; but soon after a shower of rain fell, and the creek swelled
so suddenly, that several horses which had struggled across the dry
bed of the creek, were obliged to swim back. They now determined to
form their camp; but the next morning were astonished at not being
able to find a single one of their horses. They immediately examined
the neighbourhood, and soon finding the tracks of the Indians who had
stolen the horses, pursued them for five miles, where the fugitives
divided into two parties. They now followed the largest party five
miles further, till they lost all hopes of overtaking the Indians, and
returned to the camp; and packing the baggage on their backs, pursued
a northeast course towards the Yellowstone. On the following night a
wolf bit serjeant Pryor through the hand as he lay asleep, and made an
attempt to seize Windsor, when Shannon discovered and shot him. They
passed over a broken open country, and having reached the Yellowstone
near Pompey’s pillar, they determined to descend the river, and for
this purpose made two skin canoes, such as they had seen among the
Mandans and Ricaras. They are made in the following manner:--Two sticks
of an inch and a quarter in diameter are tied together so as to form
a round hoop, which serves for the brim, while a second hoop, for the
bottom of the boat, is made in the same way, and both secured by sticks
of the same size from the sides of the hoops, fastened by thongs at
the edges of the hoops and at the interstices of the sticks: over this
frame the skin is drawn closely and tied with thongs, so as to form a
perfect basin, seven feet and three inches in diameter, sixteen inches
deep, and with sixteen ribs or cross-sticks, and capable of carrying
six or eight men with their loads. Being unacquainted with the river,
they thought it most prudent to divide their guns and ammunition, so
that in case of accident all might not be lost, and therefore built two
canoes. In these frail vessels they embarked, and were surprised at the
perfect security in which they passed through the most difficult shoals
and rapids of the river, without ever taking in water, even during the
highest winds.
In passing the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri, he took
down the note from the pole, supposing that captain Lewis had passed;
and now learning where the party was, pressed on in the skin canoes
to join them. The day was spent in hunting, so as to procure a number
of skins to trade with the Mandans; for having now neither horses nor
merchandise, our only resort in order to obtain corn and beans, is a
stock of skins, which those Indians very much admire.
Monday, 9. A heavy dew fell this morning. Captain Clarke now proceeded
slowly down the river, hunting through the low grounds in the
neighbourhood after the deer and elk, till late in the afternoon he
encamped on the southeast side. Here they remained during the next day,
Tuesday, 10, attempting to dry the meat, while the hunters were all
abroad; but they could obtain nothing except an antelope and one
black-tailed deer; those animals being very scarce on this part of the
river. In the low grounds of the river captain Clarke found to-day
a species of cherry which he had never seen before, and which seems
peculiar to this small district of country, though even there it is not
very abundant.
The men also dug up quantities of a large and very insipid root, called
by the Indians hankee, and by the engagees, the white apple. It is
used by them in a dry and pounded state, so as to mix with their soup;
but our men boiled it and eat it with meat. In descending the river
yesterday, the squaw brought in a large well-flavoured gooseberry, of a
rich crimson colour; and a deep purple berry of a species of currant,
common on this river as low as the Mandans, and called by the engagees,
the Indian currant.
Wednesday, 11. The next morning captain Clarke set out early, and
landed on a sandbar about ten o’clock for the purpose of taking
breakfast and drying the meat. At noon they proceeded on about two
miles, when they observed a canoe near the shore. They immediately
landed, and were equally surprised and pleased at discovering two men
by the names of Dickson and Hancock, who had come from the Illinois
on a hunting excursion up the Yellowstone. They had left the Illinois
in the summer of 1804, and had spent the last winter with the Tetons,
in company with a Mr. Ceautoin, who had come there as a trader, but
whom they had robbed, or rather they had taken all his merchandise and
given him a few robes in exchange. These men had met the boat which
we had despatched from fort Mandan, on board of which they were told
there was a Ricara chief on his way to Washington; and also another
party of Yankton chiefs, accompanying Mr. Durion on a visit of the same
kind. We were sorry to learn that the Mandans and Minnetarees were at
war with the Ricaras, and had killed two of them. The Assiniboins too,
are at war with the Mandans. They have, in consequence, prohibited the
Northwestern company from trading to the Missouri, and even killed two
of their traders near the Mouse river, and are now lying in wait for
Mr. M’Kenzie of the Northwestern company, who had been for a long time
among the Minnetarees. These appearances are rather unfavourable to the
project of carrying some of the chiefs to the United States; but we
still hope, that by effecting a peace between the Mandans, Minnetarees,
and Ricaras, the views of our government may be accomplished.
After leaving these trappers, captain Clarke went on and encamped
nearly opposite the entrance of Goatpen creek, where the party were
again assailed by their old enemies, the musquetoes.