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Updated: May 12, 2025
The Sheep is found in various parts of the Rocky Mountains, but most Commonly on those parts which are timbered and Steep. they are also found in greater abundance on the chain of mountains which forms the Commencement of the woody country on this Coast and which pass the Columbia between the great falls and rapids. we have never met with this animal ourselves but have Seen maney of their Skins in the possession of the nativs dressed with the wool on them and also Seen and have the blankets which they manufacture of the wool of this Sheep. from the Skin the animal appears to be about the Size of the common Sheep; of a white colour. the wool is fine on most parts of the body, but not so long as that of the domestic Sheep; the wool is also Curled and thick. on the back and more particularly on the top of the neck the wool is intermixed with a Considerable proportion of long Streight hair. there is no wool on a Small part of the body behind the Sholders on each Side of the brisquit which is covered with a Short fine hairs as in the domestic Sheep. from the Signs which the Indians make in discribing this animale they have herect pointed horns, tho one of our Engages Lapage, assures us that he Saw them in the Black hills where the Little Missouri river passes them, and that they were in every respect like our domestic Sheep, and like them the mail had lunated horns bent backwards and twisted.
Wednesday a fine Day dispatched a perogu and Collected Stone for our Chimnys, Some wind from the S. W. arrange our different articles- maney Indians visit us to day, G D hurd his hand verry bad- all the party in high Spirits- The river Clear of ice, & riseing a little
Saw Cotton wood, Sweet Willow, white oake, ash and the broad leafed ash the Growth which resembles the bark &c. these form the groth of the bottom lands, whilst the Hills are almost exclusively Covered with the various Species of fir heretofore discribed. the black alder appears on Maney parts of the hills Sides as on the bottoms. before we Set out from the 2 houses where we brackfast we Sent on two Canoes with the best hunters, with orders to pro ceed as fast as they Could to Deer island and there to hunt and wait our arrival. we wish to halt at that place and repare 2 of our Canoes if possible. the Indians that visited us this evining remained but a Short time, they passed over to an Island and encamped. the night as well as the day proved Cold wet and excessively disagreeable. we Came 20 miles in the Course of this day.
The after part of this day was worm & the Misquitors troublesome. Saw but five Buffalow a number of Elk & Deer & 5 bear & 2 Antilopes to day. the river beginning to rise, and Current more rapid than yesterday, in maney places I saw Spruces on the hills Sides Stard. this evening.
at Sunset finding that Capt Lewis would not arrive this evening as I expected, I packed up all the articles which I had exposed, at a Situation I had pitched on to Encamp, and at which place we had bought as maney fishing poles as made a fire to Cook a dog which I had purchased for the men to eate, and returned to the lodge which I had Slept in last night. great number gathered around me to Smoke, I gave them two pipes, and then lay my self down with the men to Sleep, haveing our merchendize under our heads and guns &c in our arms, as we always have in Similar Situations
The Country along the rocky mountains for Several hundred Miles in length and about 50 in width is leavel extremely fertile and in many parts Covered with a tall and opult. growth of the long leafed pine. near the Watercourses the hills are lofty tho are covered with a good Soil and not remarkably Stoney and possess more timber than the leavel country. the bottom lands on the Water courses are reather narrow and confined tho fertile and Seldom inundated. this Country would form an extensive Settlement; the Climate appears quit as mild as that of a Similar latitude on the Atlantic Coast; & it cannot be otherwise than healthy; it possesses a fine dry pure air. the grass and maney plants are now upwards of Knee high.
Side call themselves E-chee-lute not withstanding those people live only 6 miles apart, but fiew words of each others language- the language of those above having great Similarity with those tribes of flat heads we have passed- all have the Clucking tone anexed which is predomint. above, all flatten the heads of their female children near the falls, and maney above follow the Same Custom The language of the Che-luc-it-to-quar a fiew miles below is different from both in a Small degree.
Their amusements appear but fiew as their Situation requires the utmost exertion to prcure food they are generally employed in that pursute, all the Summer & fall fishing for the Salmon, the winter hunting the deer on Snow Shoes in the plains and takeing care of ther emence numbers of horses, & in the Spring cross the mountains to the Missouri to get Buffalow robes and meet &c. at which time they frequent meet with their enemies & lose their horses & maney of ther people
I proceeded on to Camp & on my way was over taken by 3 Indians one gave us Sturgeon & Wapto roots to eate I met Several parties on way all of them appeared to know me & was distant, found all well at Camp, maney Indians about one of which had on a robe made of 2 Sea Orter Skins.
Hood and like the quick Sand River brings down from thence Vast bodies of Sand the Mountains through which the river passes nearly to Cataract River are high broken rocky, particularly Covered with fir and white Cedar, and in maney places very romantic scenes. Some handsom Cascades are Seen on either Side tumbling from the Stupendious rocks of the mountains into the river.
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