The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 9, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 9, 1806

Friday 9th May 1806

The hunters Set out very early agreeable to their derections. we were detained untill 9 A.M. for our horses which were much Scattered at which time we Collected our horses and Set out and proceeded on through a butifull open rich Country for 6 miles to the Camp of the twisted hair. this Campment is formed of two Lodges built in the usial form of mats and Straw. the largest and principal Lodge is Calculated for 2 fires only and Contains about ____ persons. the Second lodge is Small & appears to be intended for the Sick women who always retire to a Seperate lodge when they have the ____ this Custom is Common to all the nations on this river as well as among all other Indian nations with whom I am acquainted. at the distance of 2 miles we passd. a lodge of 2 fires on a fork of the road which leads to the right Situated on a Small branch which falls into Musquetor Creek. before 2 P M all our hunters joined us haveing killed only one deer which was lost in the river and a pheasent. Soon after we halted at the lodge of the twisted hair he Set out with two boys and Willard with a pack horse down to the river near the place we made the Canoes for our Saddles and a Cannister of powder and Some lead buried there, also a part of our horses which resorted near that place. late in the evening they returned with 21 of our horse and about half of our Saddles with the powder and ball. The greater part of the horses were in fine order, tho five of them had been rode & worsted in Such a manner last fall by the Inds. that they had not recovered and are in very low order, and 3 with Sore backs. we had all the recovered horses Cought & hobbled. we precured Some pounded roots of which a Supe was made thick on which we Suped. the wind blew hard from the S. W. accompanied with rain untill from 7 oClock untill 9 P.M. when it began to Snow and Continued all night. Several Indians Came from the village of the Chief with whome we had left a flag and Continued with us all night. they slept in the house of the twisted hair and two of them along Side of us.