"This Information Was Far From Being Satisfactory, For There Was
No Timber Here That Would Answer The Purpose Of Building
Canoes, -
indeed not more than just sufficient for fuel; and even that consisted
of the narrow-leaved cottonwood, the red
And the narrow-leaved willow,
chokecherry, service-berry, and a few currant bushes, such as are common
on the Missouri. The prospect of going on by land is more pleasant,
for there are great numbers of horses feeding in every direction round
the camp, which will enable us to transport our stores, if necessary,
over the mountains."
While Captain Lewis was thus engaged, his companions in the canoes were
slowly and laboriously ascending the river on the other side of the divide.
The character of the stream was much as it had been for several days,
and the men were in the water three-fourths of the time, dragging the boats
over the shoals. They had but little success in killing game, but caught,
as they had done for some days before, numbers of fine trout.
"August 14. In order to give time for the boats to reach
the forks of Jefferson River," proceeds the narrative,
"Captain Lewis determined to remain where he was, and obtain
all the information he could collect in regard to the country.
Having nothing to eat but a little flour and parched meal,
with the berries of the Indians, he sent out Drewyer and Shields,
who borrowed horses from the natives, to hunt for a few hours.
About the same time the young warriors set out for the same purpose.
There are but few elk or black tailed deer in this neighborhood;
and as the common red deer secrete themselves in the bushes
when alarmed, they are soon safe from the arrows, which are but feeble
weapons against any animals which the huntsmen cannot previously
run down with their horses. The chief game of the Shoshonees,
therefore, is the antelope, which, when pursued, retreats to
the open plains, where the horses have full room for the chase.
But such is its extraordinary fleetness and wind, that a single
horse has no possible chance of outrunning it or tiring it down,
and the hunters are therefore obliged to resort to stratagem.
"About twenty Indians, mounted on fine horses, and armed with bows and arrows,
left the camp. In a short time they descried a herd of ten antelope:
they immediately separated into little squads of two or three, and formed
a scattered circle round the herd for five or six miles, keeping at a
wary distance, so as not to alarm them till they were perfectly enclosed,
and selecting, as far as possible, some commanding eminence as a stand.
Having gained their positions, a small party rode towards the animals,
and with wonderful dexterity the huntsmen preserved their seats,
and the horses their footing, as they ran at full speed over the hills,
down the steep ravines, and along the borders of the precipices.
They were soon outstripped by the antelopes, which, on gaining the other
extremity of the circle, were driven back and pursued by the fresh hunters.
They turned and flew, rather than ran, in another direction; but there, too,
they found new enemies.
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