Bitterroot River at Ross Hole
the air verry cold our fingers aked with the cold.
Joseph Whitehouse
I was the first white man who ever wer on the waters of this river.
William Clark
Photo date: September 8, 2008
Ross Hole
Lost Trail Pass
we assended a mountain & took a Divideing ridge which we kept for Several Miles & fell on the head of a Creek which appeared to run the Course we wished to go,
-William Clark-
Looking north with Ross Hole, the day's camp, upper center.
Photo date: September 8, 2009
Some modern objects have been removed.
Ross Hole
proceeded down a small valley about a mile wide, with a rich black soil; in which there are a great quantity of sweet roots and herbs,
such as sweet myrrh, angelica and several other, that the natives make use of, and the names of which I am unacquainted.
-Patrick Gass-
Looking east.
Photo date: September 8, 2009
Some modern objects have been removed.
Salish camp
pitched our Camp near the creek on the right of the Indian Lodges
-John Ordway-
Salish Men
those people recved us friendly, threw white robes over our Sholders & Smoked in the pipes of peace, we
Encamped with them & found them friendly but nothing but berries to eate a part of which they gave us
William Clark
St. Ignatius Mission, Montana, July 4th, 1903
Lewis and Clark Meet the Salish
The corp had just spent two days crossing the divide between the North Fork Salmon and Bitterroot rivers. At times, they had to cut their way through the brush and fallen timber. During the night, it snowed and rained. The day was cold, and at times they walked through snow as deep as their moccasins.
When the Corp arrived at what is called today Ross Hole, they were met by a large band of the Salish. The Salish knew that the that travelers were tired and hungry. According to Salish oral history, the white skin of the men was interpreted as a sign of being cold. The short hair of the Corps indicated that they were in mourning as that was the custom of the Salish. The Corps were given buffalo robes to either sit on or wrap around themselves. According to Salish oral history, dried meat and camas bulbs were offered along with berries.
The robes and food were given as gifts of friendship. Oral history recounts that the Corps did not recognize the dried meat or camas bulbs as edible food and it was not eaten. The Corps did not understand that the robes were gifts and left them on the ground.
Learn more about the Salish:
- Read more: What We See by Debra Magpie Earling in Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes, Alvin M. Josephy, Jr. Ed.
- Read more: Lewis and Clark in the Bitterroot Valley, The Discovery Writers