und would be rough in the
extreme, strewn with rocks; besides, snow would soon fall upon the
heights of the mountains, burying the trail many feet deep, and perhaps
rendering it impassable. The greatest cause for uneasiness lay in the
inevitable scarcity of food. Even should a crossing of the mountains be
effected, the men would be obliged to subsist for many days largely or
wholly upon such roots as they could dig by the way. Of the provisions
brought from St. Louis,--flour and canned stuff,--there remained barely
enough to suffice for ten days' emergency rations; and of course they
could not hope to find game upon the barren mountains, particularly at
that season of the year. They were just entering upon their severest
trials.

Captain Clark went ahead to reconnoitre, and found that the Indians had
rather understated the difficulties of the water route. To descend the
Lemhi was entirely out of the question. Clark dispatched a messenger to
Captain Lewis, telling of what he had discovered, and wrote in his
journal (August 24th):--

"The plan I stated to Captain Lewis if he agrees with me we shall adopt
is to precure as many horses (one for each man) if possable and to hire
my present guide who I sent on to him to interegate thro' the Intptr.
and proceed on by land to some navagable part of the Columbia river, or
to the Ocean, depending on what provisions we can Precure by the gun
aded to the small stock we have on hand depending on our horses as the
last resort."

While he was writing so calmly of his plan, he and his men were
suffering from hunger, having only a meagre supply of fish and dried
berries. A day or two later he wrote:--

"These Indians, to whom this life is familiar, seem contented, although
they depend for subsistence on the scanty provisions of the fishery.
But our men, who are used to hardships, but have been accustomed to
have the first wants of Nature regularly supplied, feel very sensibly
their wretched situation; their strength is wasting away; they begin to
express their apprehensions of being without food in a country
perfectly destitute of any means of supporting life, except a few
fish."

Horses were purchased from the Shoshones, and the men were employed in
making pack-saddles. As there was no timber to be obtained near by, the
oars were cut up for boards, and these were fastened into form with
thongs of rawhide. With the best provision that could be made, however,
it was apparent that a