they
could spare or could not take, hid their canoes, and on August 24th
bade the old Missouri good-by--for that year at least.

"They now went over west of the Divide, to the main village, to trade
for more horses. They cut up their oars and broke up their remaining
boxes and made pack saddles to carry their goods.

"Meantime, Clark and eleven men, all the good carpenters, had started on
August 18th to cross the Divide and explore down for a route on the
stream which we now know took them to the Salmon River. They traveled
two days, to the Indian camp. Now the _Journal_ takes page after page,
describing these Indians.

"Now it was Clark's turn to go ahead and find a way by horse or boat
down to the Columbia. His notes tell of his troubles:

"'August 20th Tuesday 1805 'So-So-ne' the Snake Indians Set out at
half past 6 oClock and proceeded on (met many parties of Indians)
thro' a hilley Countrey to the Camp of the Indians on a branch of
the Columbia River, before we entered this Camp a Serimonious hault
was requested by the Chief and I smoked with all that Came around,
for Several pipes, we then proceeded on to the Camp & I was
introduced into the only Lodge they had which was pitched in the
Center for my party all the other Lodges made of bushes, after a
fiew Indian Seremonies I informed the Indians (of) the object of
our journey our good intentions toward them my Consirn for their
distressed Situation, what we had done for them in makeing a piece
with the Minitarras Mandans Rickara &c. for them. and requested
them all to take over their horses & assist Capt Lewis across &c.
also informing them the o(b)ject of my journey down the river, and
requested a guide to accompany me, all of which was repeited by the
Chief to the whole village.

"'Those pore people Could only raise a Sammon & a little dried
Choke Cherries for us half the men of the tribe with the Chief
turned out to hunt the antilopes, at 3 oClock after giveing a fiew
Small articles as presents I set out accompanied by an old man as
a Guide I endevered to procure as much information from thos people
as possible without much Suckcess they being but little acquainted
or effecting to be So. I left one man to purchase a horse and
overtake me and proceeded on thro a wide rich bottom on a beaten
Roade 8 miles Crossed the river and encamped on a Small run, this