ed for several days, and not much
progress was made down-stream. Having camped, on the twenty-seventh of
September, in the Kooskooskee River, at a place where plenty of good
timber was found, preparations for building five canoes were begun. From
this time to the fifth of October, all the men capable of labor were
employed in preparing the canoes. The health of the party gradually
recruited, though they still suffered severely from want of food; and,
as the hunters had but little success in procuring game, they were
obliged on the second to kill one of their horses. Indians from
different quarters frequently visited them, but all that could be
obtained from them was a little fish and some dried roots. This diet was
not only unnutritious, but in many cases it caused dysentery and nausea.

Chapter XV -- Down the Pacific Slope

The early days of October were spent in making preparations for the
descent of the river,--the Kooskooskee. Here they made their canoes, and
they called their stopping-place Canoe Camp. This was at the junction
of the north fork of the river with the main stream; and all below that
point is called the Lower Kooskooskee, while that above is known as the
upper river. The latitude of the camp, according to the journal of the
explorers, was 46'0 34' 56" north. Here they buried in a cache their
saddles, horse-gear, and a small supply of powder and musket balls for
possible emergencies. The Kooskooskee, it should be borne in mind, is
now better known as the Clearwater; it empties into the Snake River, and
that into the Columbia. As far as the explorers knew the water-course
down which they were to navigate, they called it Clark's River, in honor
of Captain Clark. But modern geographers have displaced the name of that
eminent explorer and map-maker and have divided the stream, or streams,
with other nomenclature.

On the eighth of October the party set out on their long water journey
in five canoes, one of which was a small craft intended to go on ahead
and pilot the way (which, of course, was unknown) for the four larger
ones, in which travelled the main party with their luggage. They met
with disaster very soon after their start, one of the canoes having
struck a rock, which made a hole in its side and caused the sinking
of the craft. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but the voyage was
interrupted. The party went ashore and did not resume their journey
until their luggage was dried and the canoe