him that the difficulties were
only commencing, and what he saw before him too clearly convinced him of
the Indian's veracity. He therefore determined to abandon this route,
and returned to the upper part of the last creek we had passed, and
reaching it an hour after dark encamped for the night: on this creek he
had seen in the morning an Indian road coming in from the north.
Disappointed in finding a route by water, captain Clarke now questioned
his guide more particularly as to the direction of this road which he
seemed to understand perfectly. He drew a map on the sand, and
represented this road as well as that we passed yesterday on Berry creek
as both leading towards two forks of the same great river, where resided
a nation called Tushepaws, who having no salmon on their river, came by
these roads to the fish weirs on Lewis's river. He had himself been
among these Tushepaws, and having once accompanied them on a fishing
party to another river he had there seen Indians who had come across the
rocky mountains. After a great deal of conversation, or rather signs,
and a second and more particular map from his guide, captain Clarke felt
persuaded that his guide knew of a road from the Shoshonee village they
had left, to the great river to the north, without coming so low down as
this on a route impracticable for horses. He was desirous of hastening
his return, and therefore set out early,

Saturday 24, and after descending the creek to the river, stopped to
breakfast on berries in the meadow above the second creek. He then went
on, but unfortunately fell from a rock and injured his leg very much; he
however walked on as rapidly as he could, and at four in the afternoon
rejoined his men. During his absence they had killed one of the mountain
cocks, a few pheasants, and some small fish, on which with haws and
serviceberries they had subsisted. Captain Clarke immediately sent
forward a man on horseback with a note to captain Lewis, apprising him
of the result of his inquiries, and late in the afternoon set out with
the rest of the party and encamped at the distance of two miles. The men
were much disheartened at the bad prospect of escaping from the
mountains, and having nothing to eat but a few berries which have made
several of them sick, they all passed a disagreeable night, which was
rendered more uncomfortable by a heavy dew.

Sunday 25. The want of provisions urged captain Clarke to return as soon
as possible; he th