It was now early in May, and the expedition, travelling eastward along
Touchet Creek, were in the country of their friends, the Chopunnish. On
the third, they were agreeably surprised to meet Weahkootnut, whom
they had named Bighorn from the fact that he wore a horn of that animal
suspended from his left arm. This man was the first chief of a large
band of Chopunnish, and when the expedition passed that way, on their
path to the Pacific, the last autumn, he was very obliging and useful to
them, guiding them down the Snake, or Lewis River. He had now heard
that the white men were on their return, and he had come over across the
hills to meet them. As we may suppose, the meeting was very cordial, and
Weahkootnut turned back with his white friends and accompanied them to
the mouth of the Kooskooskee, a stream of which our readers have heard
before; it is now known as the Clearwater.
Captain Lewis told Weahkootnut that his people were hungry, their
slender stock of provisions being about exhausted. The chief told them
that they would soon come to a Chopunnish house where they could get
food. But the journal has this entry:--
“We found the house which Weahkootnut had mentioned, where we halted
for breakfast. It contained six families, so miserably poor that all
we could obtain from them were two lean dogs and a few large cakes of
half-cured bread, made of a root resembling the sweet potato, of all
which we contrived to form a kind of soup. The soil of the plain is
good, but it has no timber. The range of southwest mountains is about
fifteen miles above us, but continues to lower, and is still covered
with snow to its base. After giving passage to Lewis’ (Snake) River,
near their northeastern extremity, they terminate in a high level plain
between that river and the Kooskooskee. The salmon not having yet called
them to the rivers, the greater part of the Chopunnish are now dispersed
in villages through this plain, for the purpose of collecting quamash
and cows, which here grow in great abundance, the soil being extremely
fertile, in many places covered with long-leaved pine, larch, and
balsam-fir, which contribute to render it less thirsty than the open,
unsheltered plains.”
By the word “cows,” in this sentence, we must understand that the
story-teller meant cowas, a root eaten by the Indians and white
explorers in that distant region. It is a knobbed, irregular root, and
when cooked resembles the ginseng. At this place the party met some of
the Indians whom Captain Clark had treated for slight diseases, when
they passed that way, the previous autumn. They bad sounded the praises
of the white men and their medicine, and others were now waiting to
be treated in the same manner. The Indians were glad to pay for their
treatment, and the white men were not sorry to find this easy method of
adding to their stock of food, which was very scanty at this time. The
journal sagely adds, “We cautiously abstain from giving them any
but harmless medicines; and as we cannot possibly do harm, our
prescriptions, though unsanctioned by the faculty, may be useful, and
are entitled to some remuneration.” Very famous and accomplished doctors
might say the same thing of their practice. But the explorers did
not meet with pleasant acquaintances only; in the very next entry is
recorded this disagreeable incident:
“Four miles beyond this house we came to another large one, containing
ten families, where we halted and made our dinner on two dogs and
a small quantity of roots, which we did not procure without much
difficulty. Whilst we were eating, an Indian standing by, looking with
great derision at our eating dogs, threw a poor half-starved puppy
almost into Captain Lewis’ plate, laughing heartily at the humor of it.
Captain Lewis took up the animal and flung it with great force into the
fellow’s face; and seizing his tomahawk, threatened to cut him down if
he dared to repeat such insolence. He immediately withdrew, apparently
much mortified, and we continued our repast of dog very quietly. Here we
met our old Chopunnish guide, with his family; and soon afterward one
of our horses, which had been separated from the rest in charge of
Twisted-hair, and had been in this neighborhood for several weeks, was
caught and restored to us.”
Later in that day the party came to a Chopunnish house which was one
hundred and fifty-six feet long and fifteen feet wide. Thirty families
were living in this big house, each family having its fire by itself
burning on the earthen floor, along through the middle of the great
structure. The journal says:--
“We arrived very hungry and weary, but could not purchase any
provisions, except a small quantity of the roots and bread of the
cows. They had, however, heard of our medical skill, and made many
applications for assistance, but we refused to do anything unless they
gave us either dogs or horses to eat. We soon had nearly fifty patients.
A chief brought his wife with an abscess on her back, and promised
to furnish us with a horse to-morrow if we would relieve her. Captain
Clark, therefore, opened the abscess, introduced a tent, and dressed it
with basilicon. We also prepared and distributed some doses of flour of
sulphur and cream of tartar, with directions for its use. For these we
obtained several dogs, but too poor for use, and therefore postponed
our medical operations till the morning. In the mean time a number of
Indians, besides the residents of the village, gathered about us or
camped in the woody bottom of the creek.”
It will be recollected that when the expedition was in this region (on
the Kooskooskee), during the previous September, on their way westward,
they left their horses with Chief Twisted-hair, travelling overland
from that point. They were now looking for that chief, and the journal
says:--
“About two o’clock we collected our horses and set out, accompanied by
Weahkoonut, with ten or twelve men and a man who said he was the brother
of Twisted-hair. At four miles we came to a single house of three
families, but could not procure provisions of any kind; and five miles
further we halted for the night near another house, built like the rest,
of sticks, mats, and dried hay, and containing six families. It was now
so difficult to procure anything to eat that our chief dependence was
on the horse which we received yesterday for medicine; but to our great
disappointment he broke the rope by which he was confined, made his
escape, and left us supperless in the rain.”
Next day they met an Indian who brought them two canisters of powder,
which they at once knew to be some of that which they had buried last
autumn. The Indian said that his dog had dug it up in the meadow by the
river, and he had restored it to its rightful owners. As a reward for
his honesty, the captains gave him a flint and steel for striking fire;
and they regretted that their own poverty prevented them from being more
liberal to the man.
They observed that the Rocky Mountains, now in full sight, were still
covered with snow, and the prospect of crossing them was not very rosy.
Their Chopunnish guide told them that it would be impossible to cross
the mountains before the next full moon, which would be about the first
of June. The journal adds: “To us, who are desirous of reaching the
plains of the Missouri--if for no other reason, for the purpose of
enjoying a good meal--this intelligence was by no means welcome, and
gave no relish to the remainder of the horse killed at Colter’s Creek,
which formed our supper, as part of which had already been our dinner.”
Next day, accordingly, the hunters turned out early in the morning, and
before noon returned with four deer and a duck, which, with the
remains of horse-beef on hand, gave them a much more plentiful stock
of provisions than had lately fallen to their lot. During the previous
winter, they were told, the Indians suffered very much for lack of food,
game of all sorts being scarce. They were forced to boil and eat the
moss growing on the trees, and they cut down the pine-trees for the sake
of the small nut to be found in the pine-cones. Here they were met by
an old friend, Neeshnepahkeeook and the Shoshonee, who had acted as
interpreter for them. The journal says:--
“We gave Neeshnepahkeeook and his people some of our game and
horse-beef, besides the entrails of the deer, and four fawns which we
found inside of two of them. They did not eat any of them perfectly raw,
but the entrails had very little cooking; the fawns were boiled whole,
and the hide, hair, and entrails all consumed. The Shoshonee was
offended at not having as much venison as he wished, and refused to
interpret; but as we took no notice of him, he became very officious in
the course of a few hours, and made many efforts to reinstate himself in
our favor. The brother of Twisted-hair, and Neeshnepahkeeook, now drew
a sketch, which we preserved, of all the waters west of the Rocky
Mountains.”
They now met Twisted-hair, in whose care they had left their horses and
saddles the previous fall, and this was the result of their inquiries:--
“Between three and four o’clock in the afternoon we set out, in company
with Neeshuepahkeeook and other Indians, the brother of Twisted-hair
having left us. Our route was up a high steep hill to a level plain
with little wood, through which we passed in a direction parallel to the
(Kooskooskee) River for four miles, when we met Twisted-hair and six of
his people. To this chief we had confided our horses and a part of
our saddles last autumn, and we therefore formed very unfavorable
conjectures on finding that he received us with great coldness. Shortly
afterward he began to speak in a very loud, angry manner, and was
answered by Neeshnepahkeeook. We now discovered that a violent quarrel
had arisen between these chiefs, on the subject, as we afterward
understood, of our horses. But as we could not learn the cause, and were
desirous of terminating the dispute, we interposed, and told them we
should go on to the first water and camp. We therefore set out, followed
by all the Indians, and having reached, at two miles’ distance, a small
stream running to the right, we camped with the two chiefs and their
little bands, forming separate camps at a distance from each other. They
all appeared to be in an ill humor; and as we had already heard reports
that the Indians had discovered and carried off our saddles, and that
the horses were very much scattered, we began to be uneasy, lest there
should be too much foundation for the report. We were therefore anxious
to reconcile the two chiefs as soon as possible, and desired the
Shoshonee to interpret for us while we attempted a mediation, but be
peremptorily refused to speak a word. He observed that it was a quarrel
between the two chiefs, and he had therefore no right to interfere; nor
could all our representations, that by merely repeating what we said he
could not possibly be considered as meddling between the chiefs, induce
him to take any part in it.
“Soon afterward Drewyer returned from hunting, and was sent to invite
Twisted-hair to come and smoke with us. He accepted the invitation, and
as we were smoking the pipe over our fire he informed us that according
to his promise on leaving us at the falls of the Columbia, he had
collected our horses and taken charge of them as soon as he reached
home. But about this time Neeshnepahkeeook and Turmachemootoolt
(Broken-arm), who, as we passed, were on a war-party against the
Shoshonees on the south branch of Lewis’ River, returned; and becoming
jealous of him, because the horses had been confided to his care,
were constantly quarrelling with him. At length, being an old man and
unwilling to live in perpetual dispute with these two chiefs, he had
given up the care of the horses, which had consequently become very
much scattered. The greater part of them were, however, still in the
neighborhood; some in the forks between the Chopunnish and Kooskooskee,
and three or four at the village of Broken Arm, about half a day’s march
higher up the river. He added, that on the rise of the river in the
spring, the earth had fallen from the door of the cache, and exposed the
saddles, some of which had probably been lost; but that, as soon as he
was acquainted with the situation of them, he had them buried in another
deposit, where they now were. He promised that, if we would stay the
next day at his house, a few miles distant, he would collect such of the
horses as were in the neighborhood, and send his young men for those in
the forks, over the Kooskooskee. He moreover advised us to visit Broken
Arm, who was a chief of great eminence, and he would himself guide us to
his dwelling.
“We told him that we would follow his advice in every respect; that we
had confided our horses to his care, and expected he would deliver
them to us, on which we should cheerfully give him the two guns and the
ammunition we had promised him. With this he seemed very much pleased,
and declared he would use every exertion to restore the horses. We now
sent for Neesbnepahkeeook, or Cut Nose, and, after smoking for some
time, began by expressing to the two chiefs our regret at seeing a
misunderstanding between them. Neeshnepahkeeook replied that Twisted
Hair was a bad old man, and wore two faces; for, instead of taking care
of our horses, he had suffered his young men to hunt with them, so that
they had been very much injured, and it was for this reason that Broken
Arm and himself had forbidden him to use them. Twisted Hair made
no reply to this speech, and we then told Neeshnepahkeeook of our
arrangement for the next day. He appeared to be very well satisfied, and
said he would himself go with us to Broken Arm, who expected to see us,
and had TWO BAD HORSES FOR US; by which expression we understood that
Broken Arm intended to make us a present of two horses.”
Next day, the party reached the house of Twisted-hair, and began to
look for their horses and saddles. The journal gives this account of the
search:--
“Late in the afternoon, Twisted-hair returned with about half the
saddles we had left in the autumn, and some powder and lead which were
buried at the same place. Soon after, the Indians brought us twenty-one
of our horses, the greater part of which were in excellent order, though
some had not yet recovered from hard usage, and three had sore backs.
We were, however, very glad to procure them in any condition. Several
Indians came down from the village of Tunnachemootoolt and passed the
night with us. Cut-nose and Twisted-hair seem now perfectly reconciled,
for they both slept in the house of the latter. The man who had imposed
himself upon us as a brother of Twisted-hair also came and renewed his
advances, but we now found that he was an impertinent, proud fellow, of
no respectability in the nation, and we therefore felt no inclination to
cultivate his intimacy. Our camp was in an open plain, and soon became
very uncomfortable, for the wind was high and cold, and the rain and
hail, which began about seven o’clock, changed in two hours to a heavy
fall of snow, which continued till after six o’clock (May 10th), the
next morning, when it ceased, after covering the ground eight inches
deep and leaving the air keen and cold. We soon collected our horses,
and after a scanty breakfast of roots set out on a course S. 35'0 E.”
They were now following the general course of the Kooskooskee, or
Clearwater, as the stream is called, and their route lay in what is now
Nez Perce County, Idaho. They have passed the site of the present city
of Lewiston, named for Captain Lewis. They have arrived in a region
inhabited by the friendly Chopunnish, or Nez Perce, several villages
of which nation were scattered around the camp of the white men. The
narrative says:
“We soon collected the men of consideration, and after smoking,
explained how destitute we were of provisions. The chief spoke to the
people, who immediately brought two bushels of dried quamash-roots, some
cakes of the roots of cows, and a dried salmon-trout; we thanked them
for this supply, but observed that, not being accustomed to live on
roots alone, we feared that such diet might make our men sick, and
therefore proposed to exchange one of our good horses, which was rather
poor, for one that was fatter, and which we might kill. The hospitality
of the chief was offended at the idea of an exchange; he observed
that his people had an abundance of young horses, and that if we
were disposed to use that food we might have as many as we wanted.
Accordingly, they soon gave us two fat young horses, without asking
anything in return, an act of liberal hospitality much greater than any
we have witnessed since crossing the Rocky Mountains, if it be not in
fact the only really hospitable treatment we have received in this part
of the world. We killed one of the horses, and then telling the natives
that we were fatigued and hungry, and that as soon as we were refreshed
we would communicate freely with them, began to prepare our repast.
“During this time a principal chief, called Hohastillpilp, came from
his village, about six miles distant, with a party of fifty men, for the
purpose of visiting us. We invited him into our circle, and he alighted
and smoked with us, while his retinue, with five elegant horses,
continued mounted at a short distance. While this was going on, the
chief had a large leathern tent spread for us, and desired that we
would make it our home so long as we remained at his village. We removed
there, and having made a fire, and cooked our supper of horseflesh
and roots, collected all the distinguished men present, and spent
the evening in making known who we were, what were the objects of
our journey, and in answering their inquiries. To each of the chiefs
Tunnachemootoolt and Hohastillpilp we gave a small medal, explaining
their use and importance as honorary distinctions both among the whites
and the red men. Our men were well pleased at once more having made a
hearty meal. They had generally been in the habit of crowding into the
houses of the Indians, to purchase provisions on the best terms they
could; for the inhospitality of the country was such, that often, in
the extreme of hunger, they were obliged to treat the natives with
but little ceremony; but this Twisted Hair had told us was very
disagreeable. Finding that these people are so kind and liberal, we
ordered our men to treat them with the greatest respect, and not
to throng round their fires, so that they now agree perfectly well
together. After the council the Indians felt no disposition to retire,
and our tent was filled with them all night.”
As the expedition was here in a populous country, among many bands of
Indians, it was thought wise to have a powwow with the head men
and explain to them what were the intentions of the United States
Government. But, owing to the crooked course which their talk must needs
take, it was very difficult to learn if the Indians finally understood
what was said. Here is the journal’s account of the way in which the
powwow was conducted:--
“We collected the chiefs and warriors, and having drawn a map of
the relative situation of our country on a mat with a piece of coal,
detailed the nature and power of the American nation, its desire to
preserve harmony between all its red brethren, and its intention of
establishing trading-houses for their relief and support. It was not
without difficulty, nor till after nearly half the day was spent, that
we were able to convey all this information to the Chopunnish, much of
which might have been lost or distorted in its circuitous route through
a variety of languages; for in the first place, we spoke in English
to one of our men, who translated it into French to Chaboneau; he
interpreted it to his wife in the Minnetaree language; she then put it
into Shoshonee, and the young Shoshonee prisoner explained it to the
Chopunnish in their own dialect. At last we succeeded in communicating
the impression we wished, and then adjourned the council; after which
we amused them by showing the wonders of the compass, spy-glass, magnet,
watch, and air-gun, each of which attracted its share of admiration.”
The simple-minded Indians, who seemed to think that the white men could
heal all manner of diseases, crowded around them next day, begging for
medicines and treatment. These were freely given, eye-water being most
in demand. There was a general medical powwow. The journal adds:--
“Shortly after, the chiefs and warriors held a council among themselves,
to decide on an answer to our speech, and the result was, as we were
informed, that they had full confidence in what we had told them, and
were resolved to follow our advice. This determination having been made,
the principal chief, Tunnachemootoolt, took a quantity of flour of
the roots of cow-weed (cowas), and going round to all the kettles and
baskets in which his people were cooking, thickened the soup into a
kind of mush. He then began an harangue, setting forth the result of the
deliberations among the chiefs, and after exhorting them to unanimity,
concluded with an invitation to all who acquiesced in the proceedings
of the council to come and eat; while those who were of a different
mind were requested to show their dissent by not partaking of the feast.
During this animated harangue, the women, who were probably uneasy at
the prospect of forming this proposed new connection with strangers,
tore their hair, and wrung their hands with the greatest appearance of
distress. But the concluding appeal of the orator effectually stopped
the mouths of every malecontent, and the proceedings were ratified, and
the mush devoured with the most zealous unanimity.
“The chiefs and warriors then came in a body to visit us as we were
seated near our tent; and at their instance, two young men, one of whom
was a son of Tunnachemootoolt, and the other the youth whose father
had been killed by the Pahkees, presented to us each a fine horse. We
invited the chiefs to be seated, and gave every one of them a flag, a
pound of powder, and fifty balls, and a present of the same kind to the
young men from whom we had received the horses. They then invited us
into the tent, and said that they now wished to answer what we had
told them yesterday, but that many of their people were at that moment
waiting in great pain for our medical assistance.”
It was agreed, therefore, that Captain Clark, who seems to have been
their favorite physician, should attend to the sick and lame, while
Captain Lewis should conduct a council with the chiefs and listen to
what they had to say. The upshot of the powwow was that the Chopunnish
said they had sent three of their warriors with a pipe to make peace
with the Shoshonees, last summer, as they had been advised to do by the
white men. The Shoshonees, unmindful of the sacredness of this
embassy, had killed the young warriors and had invited the battle which
immediately took place, in which the Chopunnish killed forty-two of the
Shoshonees, to get even for the wanton killing of their three young men.
The white men now wanted some of the Chopunnish to accompany them to
the plains of the Missouri, but the Indians were not willing to go until
they were assured that they would not be waylaid and slain by their
enemies of the other side of the mountains. The Chopunnish would think
over the proposal that some of their young men should go over the range
with the white men; a decision on this point should be reached before
the white men left the country. Anyhow, the white men might be sure
that the Indians would do their best to oblige their visitors. Their
conclusion was, “For, although we are poor, our hearts are good.” The
story of this conference thus concludes:--
“As soon as this speech was concluded, Captain Lewis replied at some
length; with this they appeared highly gratified, and after smoking the
pipe, made us a present of another fat horse for food. We, in turn, gave
Broken-arm a phial of eye-water, with directions to wash the eyes of all
who should apply for it; and as we promised to fill it again when it
was exhausted, he seemed very much pleased with our liberality. To
Twisted-hair, who had last night collected six more horses, we gave a
gun, one hundred balls, and two pounds of powder, and told him he should
have the same quantity when we received the remainder of our horses. In
the course of the day three more of them were brought in, and a fresh
exchange of small presents put the Indians in excellent humor. On our
expressing a wish to cross the river and form a camp, in order to hunt
and fish till the snows had melted, they recommended a position a few
miles distant, and promised to furnish us to-morrow with a canoe to
cross. We invited Twisted-hair to settle near our camp, for he has
several young sons, one of whom we hope to engage as a guide, and he
promised to do so. Having now settled all their affairs, the Indians
divided themselves into two parties, and began to play the game of
hiding a bone, already described as common to all the natives of this
country, which they continued playing for beads and other ornaments.”
As there was so dismal a prospect for crossing the snow-covered
mountains at this season of the year, the captains of the expedition
resolved to establish a camp and remain until the season should be
further advanced. Accordingly, a spot on the north side of the river,
recommended to them by the Indians, was selected, and a move across
the stream was made. A single canoe was borrowed for the transit of the
baggage, and the horses were driven in to swim across, and the passage
was accomplished without loss. The camp was built on the site of an old
Indian house, in a circle about thirty yards in diameter, near the river
and in an advantageous position. As soon as the party were encamped, the
two Chopunnish chiefs came down to the opposite bank, and, with twelve
of their nation, began to sing. This was the custom of these people,
being a token of their friendship on such occasions. The captains sent
a canoe over for the chiefs, and, after smoking for some time,
Hohastillpilp presented Captain with a fine gray horse which he had
brought over for that purpose, and he was perfectly satisfied to receive
in return a handkerchief, two hundred balls, and four pounds of powder.
Here is some curious information concerning the bears which they found
in this region. It must be borne in mind that they were still west of
the Bitter Root Mountains:--
“The hunters killed some pheasants, two squirrels, and a male and a
female bear, the first of which was large, fat, and of a bay color; the
second meagre, grizzly, and of smaller size. They were of the species
(Ursus horribilis) common to the upper part of the Missouri, and might
well be termed the variegated bear, for they are found occasionally of
a black, grizzly, brown, or red color. There is every reason to believe
them to be of precisely the same species. Those of different colors are
killed together, as in the case of these two, and as we found the white
and bay associated together on the Missouri; and some nearly white were
seen in this neighborhood by the hunters. Indeed, it is not common to
find any two bears of the same color; and if the difference in color
were to constitute a distinction of species, the number would increase
to almost twenty. Soon afterward the hunters killed a female bear with
two cubs. The mother was black, with a considerable intermixture of
white hairs and a white spot on the breast. One of the cubs was jet
black, and the other of a light reddish-brown or bay color. The hair
of these variegated bears is much finer, longer, and more abundant than
that of the common black bear; but the most striking differences between
them are that the former are larger and have longer tusks, and longer as
well as blunter talons; that they prey more on other animals; that they
lie neither so long nor so closely in winter quarters; and that they
never climb a tree, however closely pressed by the hunters. These
variegated bears, though specifically the same with those we met on the
Missouri, are by no means so ferocious; probably because the scarcity
of game and the habit of living on roots may have weaned them from the
practices of attacking and devouring animals. Still, however, they are
not so passive as the common black bear, which is also to be found here;
for they have already fought with our hunters, though with less fury
than those on the other side of the mountains.
“A large part of the meat we gave to the Indians, to whom it was a real
luxury, as they scarcely taste flesh once in a month. They immediately
prepared a large fire of dried wood, on which was thrown a number of
smooth stones from the river. As soon as the fire went down and the
stones were heated, they were laid next to each other in a level
position, and covered with a quantity of pine branches, on which were
placed flitches of the meat, and then boughs and flesh alternately for
several courses, leaving a thick layer of pine on the top. On this heap
they then poured a small quantity of water, and covered the whole with
earth to the depth of four inches. After remaining in this state for
about three hours, the meat was taken off, and was really more tender
than that which we had boiled or roasted, though the strong flavor of
the pine rendered it disagreeable to our palates. This repast gave them
much satisfaction; for, though they sometimes kill the black bear, they
attack very reluctantly the fierce variegated bear; and never except
when they can pursue him on horseback over the plains, and shoot him
with arrows.”