In Going
Through The Lowlands Of This Stream, He Met An Animal Which He Thought
Was A Wolf, But Which Was More Likely A Wolverine, Or Carcajou.
The Journal Says:
-
"It proved to be some brownish yellow animal, standing near its burrow,
which, when he came nigh, crouched, and seemed as if about to spring on him.
Captain Lewis fired, and the beast disappeared in its burrow.
From the track, and the general appearance of the animal, he supposed
it to be of the tiger kind. He then went on; but, as if the beasts
of the forest had conspired against him, three buffalo bulls,
which were feeding with a large herd at the distance of half a mile,
left their companions, and ran at full speed towards him.
He turned round, and, unwilling to give up the field, advanced to meet them:
when they were within a hundred yards they stopped, looked at him for
some time, and then retreated as they came. He now pursued his route
in the dark, reflecting on the strange adventures and sights of the day,
which crowded on his mind so rapidly, that he should have been inclined
to believe it all enchantment if the thorns of the prickly pear,
piercing his feet, had not dispelled at every moment the illusion.
He at last reached the party, who had been very anxious for his safety,
and who had already decided on the route which each should take
in the morning to look for him. Being much fatigued, he supped,
and slept well during the night."
On awaking the next morning, Captain Lewis found a large rattlesnake
coiled on the trunk of a tree under which he had been sleeping.
He killed it, and found it like those he had seen before,
differing from those of the Atlantic States, not in its colors,
but in the form and arrangement of them. Information was
received that Captain Clark had arrived five miles below,
at a rapid which he did not think it prudent to ascend,
and that he was waiting there for the party above to rejoin him.
After the departure of Captain Lewis, Captain Clark had remained
a day at Maria's River, to complete the deposit of such articles
as they could dispense with, and started on the twelfth of June.
Four days later, Captain Clark left the river, having sent
his messenger to Captain Lewis, and began to search for a
proper portage to convey the pirogue and canoes across to
the Columbia River, leaving most of the men to hunt, make wheels
and draw the canoes up a creek which they named Portage Creek,
as it was to be the base of their future operations.
The stream is now known as Belt Mountain Creek. But the explorers
soon found that although the pirogue was to be left behind,
the way was too difficult for a portage even for canoes.
The journal says: -
"We found great difficulty and some danger in even ascending
the creek thus far, in consequence of the rapids and rocks
of the channel of the creek, which just above where we brought
the canoes has a fall of five feet, with high steep bluffs beyond it.
We were very fortunate in finding, just below Portage Creek,
a cottonwood tree about twenty-two inches in diameter, large enough
to make the carriage-wheels.
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