July 27, 1806
July 27th 1806 Sunday.
This morning at day light the indians got up and crouded around the
fire, J. Fields who was on post had carelessly laid his gun down behid
him near where his brother was sleeping, one of the indians the fellow
to whom I had given the medal last evening sliped behind him and took
his gun and that of his brothers unperceived by him, at the same
instant two others advanced and seized the guns of Drewyer and myself,
J. Fields seing this turned about to look for his gun and saw the
fellow just runing off with her and his brothers he called to his
brother who instantly jumped up and pursued the indian with him whom
they overtook at the distance of 50 or 60 paces from the camp sized
their guns and rested them from him and R Fields as he seized his gun
stabed the indian to the heart with his knife the fellow ran about 15
steps and fell dead; of this I did not know untill afterwards, having
recovered their guns they ran back instantly to the camp; Drewyer who
was awake saw the indian take hold of his gun and instantly jumped up
and sized her and rested her from him but the indian still retained his
pouch, his jumping up and crying damn you let go my gun awakened me I
jumped up and asked what was the matter which I quickly learned when I
saw drewyer in a scuffle with the indian for his gun. I reached to
seize my gun but found her gone, I then drew a pistol from my holster
and terning myself about saw the indian making off with my gun I ran at
him with my pistol and bid him lay down my gun which he was in the act
of doing when the Fieldses returned and drew up their guns to shoot him
which I forbid as he did not appear to be about to make any resistance
or commit any offensive act, he droped the gun and walked slowly off, I
picked her up instantly, Drewyer having about this time recovered his
gun and pouch asked me if he might not kill the fellow which I also
forbid as the indian did not appear to wish to kill us, as soon as they
found us all in possession of our arms they ran and indeavored to drive
off all the horses I now hollowed to the men and told them to fire on
them if they attempted to drive off our horses, they accordingly
pursued the main party who were drying the horses up the river and I
pursued the man who had taken my gun who with another was driving off a
part of the horses which were to the left of the camp, I pursued them
so closely that they could not take twelve of their own horses but
continued to drive one of mine with some others; at the distance of
three hundred paces they entered one of those steep nitches in the
bluff with the horses before them being nearly out of breath I could
pursue no further, I called to them as I had done several times before
that I would shoot them if they did not give me my horse and raised my
gun, one of them jumped behind a rock and spoke to the other who turned
arround and stoped at the distance of 30 steps from me and I shot him
through the belly, he fell to his knees and on his wright elbow from
which position he partly raised himself up and fired at me, and turning
himself about crawled in behind a rock which was a few feet from him.
he overshot me, being bearheaded I felt the wind of his bullet very
distinctly. not having my shotpouch I could not reload my peice and as
there were two of them behind good shelters from me I did not think it
prudent to rush on them with my pistol which had I discharged I had not
the means of reloading untill I reached camp; I therefore returned
leasurely towards camp, on my way I met with Drewyer who having heared
the report of the guns had returned in surch of me and left the Fieldes
to pursue the indians, I desired him to haisten to the camp with me and
assist in catching as many of the indian horses as were necessary and
to call to the Fieldes if he could make them hear to come back that we
still had a sufficient number of horses, this he did but they were too
far to hear him. we reached the camp and began to catch the horses and
saddle them and put on the packs. the reason I had not my pouch with me
was that I had not time to return about 50 yards to camp after geting
my gun before I was obliged to pursue the indians or suffer them to
collect and drive off all the horses. we had caught and saddled the
horses and began to arrange the packs when the Fieldses returned with
four of our horses; we left one of our horses and took four of the best
of those of the indian's; while the men were preparing the horses I put
four sheilds and two bows and quivers of arrows which had been left on
the fire, with sundry other articles; they left all their baggage at
our mercy. they had but 2 guns and one of them they left the others
were armed with bows and arrows and eyedaggs. the gun we took with us.
I also retook the flagg but left the medal about the neck of the dead
man that they might be informed who we were. we took some of their
buffaloe meat and set out ascending the bluffs by the same rout we had
decended last evening leaving the ballance of nine of their horses
which we did not want. the Feildses told me that three of the indians
whom they pursued swam the river one of them on my horse. and that two
others ascended the hill and escaped from them with a part of their
horses, two I had pursued into the nitch one lay dead near the camp and
the eighth we could not account for but suppose that he ran off early
in the contest. having ascended the hill we took our course through a
beatiful level plain a little to the S of East. my design was to hasten
to the entrance of Maria's river as quick as possible in the hope of
meeting with the canoes and party at that place having no doubt but
that they would pursue us with a large party and as there was a band
near the broken mountains or probably between them and the mouth of
that river we might expect them to receive inteligence from us and
arrive at that place nearly as soon as we could, no time was therefore
to be lost and we pushed our horses as hard as they would bear. at 8
miles we passed a large branch 40 yds. wide which I called battle
river. at 3 P.M. we arrived at rose river about 5 miles above where we h
ad passed it as we went out, having traveled by my estimate compared
with our former distances and couses about 63 ms. here we halted an
hour and a half took some refreshment and suffered our horses to
graize; the day proved warm but the late rains had supplyed the little
reservors in the plains with water and had put them in fine order for
traveling, our whole rout so far was as level as a bowling green with
but little stone and few prickly pears. after dinner we pursued the
bottoms of rose river but finding inconvenient to pass the river so
often we again ascended the hills on the S. W. side and took the open
plains; by dark we had traveled about 17 miles further, we now halted
to rest ourselves and horses about 2 hours, we killed a buffaloe cow
and took a small quantity of the meat. after refreshing ourselves we
again set out by moon light and traveled leasurely, heavy thunderclouds
lowered arround us on every quarter but that from which the moon gave
us light. we continued to pass immence herds of buffaloe all night as
we had done in the latter part of the day. we traveled untill 2 OCk in
the morning having come by my estimate after dark about 20 ms. we now
turned out our horses and laid ourselves down to rest in the plain very
much fatiegued as may be readily conceived. my indian horse carried me
very well in short much better than my own would have done and leaves
me with but little reason to complain of the robery.
Sunday 27th July 1806
I marked my name with red paint on a Cotton tree near my Camp, and Set
out at an early hour and proceeded on very well the river is much wider
from 4 to 600 yards much divided by Islands and Sand bars, passed a
large dry Creek at 15 miles and halted at the enterance of River 50
yards wide on the Lard Side I call R. Labeech killed 4 Buffalow and
Saved as much of their flesh as we could Carry took brackfast. The
Buffalow and Elk is estonishingly noumerous on the banks of the river
on each Side, particularly the Elk which lay on almost every point in
large gang and are So jintle that we frequently pass within 20 or 30
paces of them without their being the least alarmd. the buffalow are
Generally at a greater distance from the river, and keep a continueing
bellowing in every direction, much more beaver Sign than above the
bighorn. I Saw Several of those animals on the bank to day. the
antilopes are Scerce as also the bighorns and the deer by no means So
plenty as they were near the Rocky mountains. when we pass the Big horn
I take my leave of the view of the tremendious chain of Rocky Mountains
white with Snow in view of which I have been Since the 1st of May last.
about Sunset I Shot a very large fat buck elk from the Canoe near which
I encamped, and was near being bit by a rattle Snake. Shields killed a
Deer & a antilope to day for the Skins which the party is in want of
for Clothes. this river below the big horn river resembles the Missouri
in almost every perticular except that it's islands are more noumerous
& Current more rapid, it's banks are generally low and falling in the
bottoms on the Stard. Side low and exteneive and Covered with timber
near the river such as Cotton wood willow of the different Species rose
bushes and Grapevines together with the red berry or Buffalow Grees
bushes & a species of shoemake with dark brown back of those bottoms
the Country rises gradually to about 100 feet and has Some pine. back
is leavel plains. on the Lard Side the river runs under the clifts and
Bluffs of high which is from 70 to 150 feet in hight and near the river
is Some Scattering low pine back the plains become leavel and
extencive. the Clifts are Composed of a light gritty Stone which is not
very hard. and the round stone which is mixed with the Sand and formes
bars is much Smaller than they appeared from above the bighorn, and may
here be termed Gravel. the Colour of the water is a yellowish white and
less muddy than the Missouri below the mouth of this river.
