"Gibson, one of the party, was so badly hurt by falling on a sharp point
of wood that he was unable to sit on his horse, and they were obliged to form
a sort of litter for him, so that he could lie nearly at full length.
The wound became so painful, however, after proceeding a short distance,
that he could not bear the motion, and they left him with two men,
while Captain Clark went to search for timber large enough to form canoes.
He succeeded in finding some trees of sufficient size for small canoes,
two of which he determined to construct, and by lashing them together hoped
to make them answer the purpose of conveying the party down the river,
while a few of his men should conduct the horses to the Mandans. All hands,
therefore, were set busily to work, and they were employed in this
labor for several days. In the mean time no less than twenty-four
of their horses were missing, and they strongly suspected had been stolen
by the Indians, for they were unable to find them, notwithstanding they
made the most diligent search."
"July 23. A piece of a robe and a moccasin," says the journal,
"were discovered this morning not far from the camp.
The moccasin was worn out in the sole, and yet wet, and had
every appearance of having been left but a few hours before.
This was conclusive that the Indians had taken our horses, and were
still prowling about for the remainder, which fortunately escaped
last night by being in a small prairie surrounded by thick timber.
At length Labiche, one of our best trackers, returned from a
very wide circuit, and informed Captain Clark that he had traced
the horses bending their course rather down the river towards
the open plains, and from their tracks, must have been going
very rapidly.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 329 of 362
Words from 100587 to 100911
of 110166
