On the third of July, accordingly, Captain Lewis, with nine of his men and five Indians, proceeded down the valley lying between the Rocky and the Bitter Root ranges of mountains, his general course being due northwest of Clark's fork of the Columbia River.

Crossing several small streams that make into this river, they finally reached and crossed the Missoula River from west to east, below the confluence of the St.Mary's and Hell-gate rivers, or creeks; for these streams hardly deserve the name of rivers.

The party camped for the night within a few miles of the site of the present city of Missoula, Montana.

Here they were forced to part from their good friends and allies, the Indians, who had crossed the range with them.

These men were afraid that they would be cut off by their foes, the Pahkees, and they wanted to find and join some band of the Indian nation with whom they were on terms of friendship.