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I derected the men to Speak to them in the Pania and mahar Languages first neither of which they could understand I then derected the man who could Speak a fiew words of Seioux to inquire what nation or tribe they belong to they informed me that they were Tetons and their Chief was Tar-tack-kah-sabbar or the black buffalow This Chief I knew very well to be the one we had seen with his band at Teton river which band had attempted to detain us in the fall of 1804 as we assended this river and with whome we wer near comeing to blows.
I got out & walked on the L Sd. thro a Charming Bottom of rich Land about one mile then I assended a hill of about 170 foot on the top of which is a Moun and about 100 acres of Land of Dead timber on this hill one of the party says he has found Lead ore a verry extensive Cave under this hill next the river, the Land on the top is fine, This is a very bad part of the river Seven Deer Killed to day by our hunters- one of the horses is Snaged, the other lost his Shous to day the Bottom on the St.
The Thmtr. Stood at 48° a. 0 at Sunrise wind S W. The hunters joined me at 1 oClock, I dispatched 2 men to prosue an Indian roade over the hills for a fiew miles, at the narrows I assended a mountain from the top of which I could See that the river forked near me the left hand appeared the largest & bore S. E. the right passed from the West thro an extensive Vallie, I could See but three Small trees in any Direction from the top of this mountain. passed an Isld. and Encamped ion the Lard.
Took equal altitudes & Mredian altitude also-and made them I assended the hill in the point 80 ps. from the pt. found it about 100 foot high, on the top is 2 graves, or mouns, a Delightfull prospect from this hill which Comds. both rivers Drewyer & Shields came to the opposit Side to day at SunSet we sent across & brought them over, they had been absent 7 Days Swam many creeks, much worsted.
Mackey lay down a old french fort, I could See no traces of a Settlement of any Kind, in this plain I discovered a Kind of Grass resembling Timothey which appeared well calculated for Hay, this Plain is verry extensive in the evening I walked on the S. S. to see if any timber was Convt. to make Oars, which we were much in want of, I found Som indifferent timber and Struck the river above the Boat at a bad Sand bar the worst I had Seen which the boat must pass or Drop back Several Miles & Stem a Swift Current on the opsd Side of an Isd. the Boat however assended the middle of the Streem which was diffucult Dangerious We Came to above this place at Dark and Camped in a bad place, the misquitoes and Ticks are noumerous & bad.
Shore, and it would be necessary to liten our canoe, I deturmined to walk down on the Lard Side, with the 2 Chiefs the interpreter & his woman, and derected the Small canoe to prcede down on the Lard Side to the foot of the rapid which was about 2 miles in length I Sent on the Indian Chiefs &c. down and I assended a high clift about 200 feet above the water from the top of which is a leavel plain extending up the river and off for a great extent, at this place the Countrey becoms low on each Side of the river, and affords a prospect of the river and countrey below for great extent both to the right and left; from this place I descovered a high mountain of emence hight covered with Snow, this must be one of the mountains laid down by Vancouver, as Seen from the mouth of the Columbia River, from the Course which it bears which is West I take it to be Mt.
The S W fok contains more timber than is below for Some distance, we assended this fork about one mile and Encamped on an Island which had been laterly overflown & was wet we raised our bead on bushes, we passed a part of the river above the forks which was divided and Scattered thro the willows in Such a manner as to render it dificuelt to pass through for a 1/4 of a mile, we wer oblige to Cut our way thro the willows- Men much fatigued from their excessive labours in hauling the Canoes over the rapids &c. verry weak being in the water all day. my foot verry painfull
I walked up the Brook & assended the first Spur of the mountain with much fatigue, the distance about 3 miles, through an intolerable thickets of Small pine, a groth much resembling arrow wood on the Stem of which there is thorns; this groth about 12 or 15 feet high inter lockd into each other and Scattered over the high fern & fallen timber, added to this the hills were So Steep that I was compelled to draw my Self up by the assistance of those bushes- The Timber on those hills are of the pine Species large and tall maney of them more than 200 feet high & from 8 to 10 feet through at the Stump those hills & as far back as I could See, I Saw Some Elk Sign, on the Spur of the mountain tho not fresh.
I crossed a Deep holler and assended a part of the plain elevated much higher than where I first viewed the above mountains; from this point I beheld the Rocky Mountains for the first time with Certainty, I could only discover a fiew of the most elivated points above the horizon. the most remarkable of which by my pocket Compas I found bore S. 60 W. those points of the rocky Mountain were Covered with Snow and the Sun Shown on it in Such a manner as to give me a most plain and Satisfactory view. whilst I viewed those mountains I felt a Secret pleasure in finding myself So near the head of the heretofore Conceived boundless Missouri; but when I reflected on the difficulties which this Snowey barrier would most probably throw in my way to the Pacific Ocean, and the Sufferings and hardships of my Self and party in them, it in Some measure Counter ballanced the joy I had felt in the first moments in which I gazed on them; but as I have always held it little Short of Criminality to anticipate evils I will allow it to be a good Comfortable road untill I am Compelled to believe otherwise The high Country in which we are at present and have been passing for Some days I take to be a continuation of what the Indians as well as the French Engages call the Black hills.
The Swiftness of the Current wheeled the boat, Broke our Toe rope, and was nearly over Setting the boat, all hand jumped out on the upper Side and bore on that Side untill the Sand washed from under the boat and wheeled on the next bank by the time She wheeled a 3rd Time got a rope fast to her Stern and by the means of Swimmers was Carred to Shore and when her Stern was down whilst in the act of Swinging a third time into Deep water near the Shore, we returned, to the Island where we Set out and assended under the Bank which I have just mentioned, as falling in, here George Drewyer & Willard, two of our men who left us at St.
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