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Peek Inside...Entries For June 25:
1805:
1806:
Captain Clark (current)
Captain Clark:
June 25, 1806
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Last evening the Indians entertained us with setting the fir trees on fire. They have a great number of dry limbs near their bodies, which, when set on fire, create a very sudden and immense blaze from top to bottom of those tall trees. They are a beautiful object in this situation at night. This exhibition reminded me of a display of fireworks. The natives told us that their object in setting those trees on fire was to bring fair weather for our journey.
We collected our horses and set out at an early hour this morning. One of our guides complained of being unwell, a symptom which I did not much like, as such complaints with an Indian are generally the prelude to his abandoning any enterprise with which he is not well pleased. We left 4 of those Indians at our encampment. They promised to pursue us in a few hours. At 11 A.M. we arrived at the branch of Hungry Creek, where we found Joe and R. Fields. They had not killed anything. Here we halted and dined, and our guides overtook us.
At this place the squaw collected a parcel of roots of which the Shoshones eat. It is a small knob root a good deal in flavor and consistency like the Jerusalem artichoke.
After dinner we continued our route to Hungry Creek and encamped about 1 1/2 miles below our encampment of the 16th inst. The Indians all continue with us and, I believe, are disposed to be faithful to their engagements.
Reprinted by permission of the American Studies Programs at the University of Virginia.
The complete text can also be downloaded for printing from their website.
