Friday 28. Our visitors seem to depend w_History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 1. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6.

state of our provisions obliges us to be careful of our remaining stock

of corn and flour, this was an additional reason for urging our

departure; but Cameahwait requested us to wait till the arrival of

another party of his nation who were expected to-day. Knowing that it

would be in vain to oppose his wish, we consented, and two hunters were

sent out with orders to go further up the southeast fork than they had

hitherto been. At the same time the chief was informed of the low state

of our provisions, and advised to send out his young men to hunt. This

he recommended them to do, and most of them set out: we then sunk our

canoes by means of stones to the bottom of the river, a situation which

better than any other secured them against the effects of the high

waters, and the frequent fires of the plains; the Indians having

promised not to disturb them during our absence, a promise we believe

the more readily, as they are almost too lazy to take the trouble of

raising them for fire-wood. We were desirous of purchasing some more

horses, but they declined selling any until we reached their camp in the

mountains. Soon after starting the Indian hunters discovered a mule

buck, and twelve of their horsemen pursued it, for four miles. We saw

the chase, which was very entertaining, and at length they rode it down

and killed it. This mule buck was the largest deer of any kind we have

seen, being nearly as large as a doe elk. Besides this they brought in

another deer and three goats; but instead of a general distribution of

the meat, and such as we have hitherto seen among all tribes of Indians,

we observed that some families had a large share, while others received

none. On inquiring of Cameahwait the reason of this custom, he said that

meat among them was scarce; that each hunter reserved what he killed for

the use of himself and his own family, none of the rest having any claim

on what he chose to keep. Our hunters returned soon after with two mule

deer and three common deer, three of which we distributed among the

families who had received none of the game of their own hunters. About

three o'clock the expected party consisting of fifty men, women and

children arrived. We now learnt that most of the Indians were on their

way down the valley towards the buffaloe country, and some anxiety to

accompany them appeared to prevail among those who had promised to

assist us in crossing the mountains. We ourselves were not without some

apprehension that they might leave us, but as they continued to say that

they would return with us nothing was said upon the subject. We were,

however, resolved to move early in the morning; and therefore despatched

two men to hunt in the cove and leave the game on the route we should

pass to-morrow.

Saturday 24. As the Indians who arrived yesterday had a number of spare

horses, we thought it probable they might be willing to dispose of them,

and desired the chief to speak to them for that purpose. They declined

giving any positive answer, but requested to see the goods which we

proposed to exchange. We then produced some battle-axes which we had

made at fort Mandan, and a quantity of knives; with both of which they

appeared very much pleased; and we were soon able to purchase three

horses by giving for each an axe, a knife, a hankerchief and a little

paint. To this we were obliged to add a second knife, a shirt, a

handkerchief and a pair of leggings; and such is the estimation in which

those animals are held, that even at this price, which was double that

for a horse, the fellow who sold him took upon himself great merit in

having given away a mule to us. They now said that they had no more

horses for sale, and as we had now nine of our own, two hired horses,

and a mule, we began loading them as heavily as was prudent, and placing

the rest on the shoulders of the Indian women, left our camp at twelve

o'clock. We were all on foot, except Sacajawea, for whom her husband had

purchased a horse with some articles which we gave him for that purpose;

an Indian however had the politeness to offer captain Lewis one of his

horses to ride, which he accepted in order better to direct the march of

the party. We crossed the river below the forks, directing our course

towards the cove by the route already passed, and had just reached the

lower part of the cove when an Indian rode up to captain Lewis to inform

him that one of his men was very sick, and unable to come on. The party

was immediately halted at a run which falls into the creek on the left,

and captain Lewis rode back two miles, and found Wiser severely

afflicted with the colic: by giving him some of the essence of

peppermint and laudanum, he recovered sufficiently to ride the horse of

captain Lewis, who then rejoined the party on foot. When he arrived he

found that the Indians who had been impatiently expecting his return, at

last unloaded their horses and turned them loose, and had now made their

camp for the night. It would have been fruitless to remonstrate, and not

prudent to excite any irritation, and therefore, although the sun was

still high, and we had made only six miles, we thought it best to remain

with them: after we had encamped there fell a slight shower of rain. One

of the men caught several fine trout; but Drewyer had been sent out to

hunt without having killed any thing. We therefore gave a little corn to

those of the Indians who were actually engaged in carrying our baggage,

and who had absolutely nothing to eat. We also advised Cameahwait, as we

could not supply all his people with provisions, to recommend to all who

were not assisting us, to go on before us to their camp. This he did:

but in the morning,

Sunday 25, a few only followed his advice, the rest accompanying us at

some distance on each side. We set out at sunrise and after going

seventeen miles halted for dinner within two miles of the narrow pass in

the mountains. The Indians who were on the sides of our party had

started some antelopes, but were obliged after a pursuit of several

hours to abandon the chase: our hunters had in the meantime brought in

three deer, the greater part of which was distributed among the Indians.

Whilst at dinner we learnt by means of Sacajawea, that the young men who

left us this morning, carried a request from the chief, that the village

would break up its encampment and meet this party to-morrow, when they

would all go down the Missouri into the buffaloe country. Alarmed at

this new caprice of the Indians which, if not counteracted, threatened

to leave ourselves and our baggage on the mountains, or even if we

reached the waters of the Columbia, prevent our obtaining horses to go

on further, captain Lewis immediately called the three chiefs together.

After smoking a pipe he asked them if they were men of their words, and

if we can rely on their promises. They readily answered in the

affirmative. He then asked, if they had not agreed to assist us in

carrying our baggage over the mountains. To this they also answered yes;

and why then, said he, have you requested your people to meet us

to-morrow, where it will be impossible for us to trade for horses, as

you promised we should. If, he continued, you had not promised to help

us in transporting our goods over the mountains, we should not have

attempted it, but have returned down the river, after which no white men

would ever have come into your country. If you wish the whites to be

your friends, and to bring you arms and protect you from your enemies,

you should never promise what you do not mean to perform: when I first

met you, you doubted what I said, yet you afterwards saw that I told

you the truth. How therefore can you doubt what I now tell you; you see

that I have divided amongst you the meat which my hunters kill, and I

promise to give all who assist us a share of whatever we have to eat. If

therefore you intend to keep your promise, send one of the young men

immediately to order the people to remain at the village till we arrive.

The two inferior chiefs then said, that they had wished to keep their

words and to assist us; that they had not sent for the people, but on

the contrary had disapproved of the measure which was done wholly by the

first chief. Cameahwait remained silent for some time: at last he said

that he knew he had done wrong, but that seeing his people all in want

of provisions, he had wished to hasten their departure for the country

where their wants might be supplied. He however now declared, that

having passed his word he would never violate it, and counter orders

were immediately sent to the village by a young man, to whom we gave a

handkerchief in order to ensure despatch and fidelity.

This difficulty being now adjusted, our march was resumed with an

unusual degree of alacrity on the part of the Indians. We passed a spot,

where six years ago the Shoshonees* suffered a very severe defeat from

the Minnetarees; and late in the evening we reached the upper part of

the cove where the creek enters the mountains. The part of the cove on

the northeast side of the creek has lately been burnt, most probably as

a signal on some occasion. Here we were joined by our hunters with a

single deer, which captain Lewis gave, as a proof of his sincerity, to

the women and children, and remained supperless himself. As we came

along we observed several large hares, some ducks, and many of the cock

of the plains: in the low grounds of the cove were also considerable

quantities of wild onions.

Monday 26. The morning was excessively cold, and the ice in our vessels

was nearly a quarter of an inch in thickness: we set out at sunrise, and

soon reached the fountain of the Missouri, where we halted for a few

minutes, and then crossing the dividing ridge reached the fine spring

where captain Lewis had slept on the 12th in his first excursion to the

Shoshonee camp. The grass on the hill sides is perfectly dry and parched

by the sun, but near the spring was a fine green grass: we therefore

halted for dinner and turned our horses to graze. To each of the Indians

who were engaged in carrying our baggage was distributed a pint of corn,

which they parched, then pounded, and made a sort of soup. One of the

women who had been leading two of our pack horses halted at a rivulet

about a mile behind, and sent on the two horses by a female friend: on

inquiring of Cameahwait the cause of her detention, he answered with

great appearance of unconcern, that she had just stopped to lie in, but

would soon overtake us. In fact we were astonished to see her in about

an hour's time come on with her new born infant and pass us on her way

to the camp, apparently in perfect health.

This wonderful facility with which the Indian women bring forth their

children, seems rather some benevolent gift of nature, in exempting them

from pains which their savage state would render doubly grievous, than

any result of habit. If as has been imagined, a pure dry air or a cold

and elevated country are obstacles to easy delivery, every difficulty

incident to that operation might be expected in this part of the

continent; nor can another reason, the habit of carrying heavy burthens

during pregnancy, be at all applicable to the Shoshonee women, who

rarely carry any burdens, since their nation possesses an abundance of

horses. We have indeed been several times informed by those conversant

with Indian manners, and who asserted their knowledge of the fact, that

Indian women pregnant by white men experience more difficulty in

child-birth than when the father is an Indian. If this account be true,

it may contribute to strengthen the belief, that the easy delivery of

the Indian women is wholly constitutional.

The tops of the high irregular mountains to the westward are still

entirely covered with snow; and the coolness which the air acquires in

passing them, is a very agreeable relief from the heat, which has dried

up the herbage on the sides of the hills. While we stopped, the women

were busily employed in collecting the root of a plant with which they

feed their children, who like their mothers are nearly half starved and

in a wretched condition. It is a species of fennel which grows in the

moist grounds; the radix is of the knob kind, of a long ovate form,

terminating in a single radicle, the whole being three or four inches

long, and the thickest part about the size of a man's little finger:

when fresh, it is white, firm, and crisp; and when dried and pounded

makes a fine white meal. Its flavour is not unlike that of aniseed,

though less pungent. From one to four of these knobbed roots are

attached to a single stem which rises to the height of three or four

feet, and is jointed, smooth, cylindric, and has several small

peduncles, one at each joint above the sheathing leaf. Its colour is a

deep green, as is also that of the leaf, which is sheathing, sessile,

and _polipartite_, the divisions being long and narrow. The flowers,

which are now in bloom, are small and numerous, with white and

umbellifferous petals: there are no root leaves. As soon as the seeds

have matured, the roots of the present year as well as the stem decline,

and are renewed in the succeeding spring from the little knot which

unites the roots. The sunflower is also abundant here, and the seeds,

which are now ripe, are gathered in considerable quantities, and after

being pounded and rubbed between smooth stones, form a kind of meal,

which is a favourite dish among the Indians.

After dinner we continued our route and were soon met by a party of

young men on horseback, who turned with us and went to the village. As

soon as we were within sight of it, Cameahwait requested that we would

discharge our guns; the men were therefore drawn up in a single rank,

and gave a running fire of two rounds, to the great satisfaction of the

Indians. We then proceeded to the encampment where we arrived about six

o'clock, and were conducted to the leathern lodge in the centre of

thirty-two others made of brush. The baggage was arranged near this

tent, which captain Lewis occupied, and surrounded by those of the men

so as to secure it from pillage. This camp was in a beautiful smooth

meadow near the river, and about three miles above their camp when we

first visited the Indians. We here found Colter, who had been sent by

captain Clarke with a note apprising us that there were no hopes of a

passage by water, and that the most practicable route seemed to be that

mentioned by his guide, towards the north. Whatever road we meant to

take, it was now necessary to provide ourselves with horses; we

therefore informed Cameahwait of our intention of going to the great

river beyond the mountains, and that we would wish to purchase twenty

more horses: he said the Minnetarees had stolen a great number of their

horses this spring, but he still hoped they could spare us that number.

In order not to loose the present favourable moment, and to keep the

Indians as cheerful as possible, the violins were brought out and our

men danced to the great diversion of the Indians. This mirth was the

more welcome because our situation was not precisely that which would

most dispose us for gayety, for we have only a little parched corn to

eat, and our means of subsistence or of success, depend on the wavering

temper of the natives, who may change their minds to-morrow.

The Shoshonees are a small tribe of the nation called Snake Indians, a

vague denomination, which embraces at once the inhabitants of the

southern parts of the Rocky mountains and of the plains on each side.

The Shoshonees with whom we now are, amount to about one hundred

warriors, and three times that number of women and children. Within

their own recollection they formerly lived in the plains, but they have

been driven into the mountains by the Pawkees, or the roving Indians of

the Sascatchawain, and are now obliged to visit occasionally, and by

stealth, the country of their ancestors. Their lives are indeed

migratory. From the middle of May to the beginning of September, they

reside on the waters of the Columbia, where they consider themselves

perfectly secure from the Pawkees who have never yet found their way to

that retreat. During this time they subsist chiefly on salmon, and as

that fish disappears on the approach of autumn, they are obliged to seek

subsistence elsewhere. They then cross the ridge to the waters of the

Missouri, down which they proceed slowly and cautiously, till they are

joined near the three forks by other bands, either of their own nation

or of the Flatheads, with whom they associate against the common enemy.

Being now strong in numbers, they venture to hunt buffaloe in the plains

eastward of the mountains, near which they spend the winter, till the

return of the salmon invites them to the Columbia. But such is their

terror of the Pawkees, that as long as they can obtain the scantiest

subsistence, they do not leave the interior of the mountains; and as

soon as they collect a large stock of dried meat, they again retreat,

and thus alternately obtaining their food at the hazard of their lives,

and hiding themselves to consume it. In this loose and wandering

existence they suffer the extremes of want; for two thirds of the year

they are forced to live in the mountains, passing whole weeks without

meat, and with nothing to eat but a few fish and roots. Nor can any

thing be imagined more wretched than their condition at the present

time, when the salmon is fast retiring, when roots are becoming scarce,

and they have not yet acquired strength to hazard an encounter with

their enemies. So insensible are they however to these calamities, that

the Shoshonees are not only cheerful but even gay; and their character,

which is more interesting than that of any Indians we have seen, has in

it much of the dignity of misfortune. In their intercourse with

strangers they are frank and communicative, in their dealings perfectly

fair, nor have we had during our stay with them, any reason to suspect

that the display of all our new and valuable wealth, has tempted them

into a single act of dishonesty. While they have generally shared with

us the little they possess, they have always abstained from begging any

thing from us. With their liveliness of temper, they are fond of gaudy

dresses, and of all sorts of amusements, particularly to games of

hazard; and like most Indians fond of boasting of their own warlike

exploits, whether real or fictitious. In their conduct towards

ourselves, they were kind and obliging, and though on one occasion they

seemed willing to neglect us, yet we scarcely knew how to blame the

treatment by which we suffered, when we recollected how few civilized

chiefs would have hazarded the comforts or the subsistence of their

people for the sake of a few strangers. This manliness of character may

cause or it may be formed by the nature of their government, which is

perfectly free from any restraint. Each individual is his own master,

and the only control to which his conduct is subjected, is the advice of

a chief supported by his influence over the opinions of the rest of the

tribe. The chief himself is in fact no more than the most confidential

person among the warriors, a rank neither distinguished by any external

honor, nor invested by any ceremony, but gradually acquired from the

good wishes of his companions and by superior merit. Such an officer has

therefore strictly no power; he may recommend or advise or influence,

but his commands have no effect on those who incline to disobey, and who

may at any time withdraw from their voluntary allegiance. His shadowy

authority which cannot survive the confidence which supports it, often

decays with the personal vigour of the chief, or is transferred to some

more fortunate or favourite hero.

In their domestic economy, the man is equally sovereign. The man is the

sole proprietor of his wives and daughters, and can barter them away, or

dispose of them in any manner he may think proper. The children are

seldom corrected; the boys, particularly, soon become their own

masters; they are never whipped, for they say that it breaks their

spirit, and that after being flogged they never recover their

independence of mind, even when they grow to manhood. A plurality of

wives is very common; but these are not generally sisters, as among the

Minnetarees and Mandans, but are purchased of different fathers. The

infant daughters are often betrothed by the father to men who are grown,

either for themselves or for their sons, for whom they are desirous of

providing wives. The compensation to the father is usually made in

horses or mules; and the girl remains with her parents till the age of

puberty, which is thirteen or fourteen, when she is surrendered to her

husband. At the same time the father often makes a present to the

husband equal to what he had formerly received as the price of his

daughter, though this return is optional with her parent. Sacajawea had

been contracted in this way before she was taken prisoner, and when we

brought her back, her betrothed was still living. Although he was double

the age of Sacajawea, and had two other wives, he claimed her, but on

finding that she had a child by her new husband, Chaboneau, he

relinquished his pretensions and said he did not want her.

The chastity of the women does not appear to be held in much estimation.

The husband will for a trifling present lend his wife for a night to a

stranger, and the loan may be protracted by increasing the value of the

present. Yet strange as it may seem, notwithstanding this facility, any

connexion of this kind not authorized by the husband, is considered

highly offensive and quite as disgraceful to his character as the same

licentiousness in civilized societies. The Shoshonees are not so

importunate in volunteering the services of their wives as we found the

Sioux were; and indeed we observed among them some women who appeared to

be held in more respect than those of any nation we had seen. But the

mass of the females are condemned, as among all savage nations, to the

lowest and most laborious drudgery. When the tribe is stationary, they

collect the roots, and cook; they build the huts, dress the skins and

make clothing; collect the wood, and assist in taking care of the horses

on the route; they load the horses and have the charge of all the

baggage. The only business of the man is to fight; he therefore takes on

himself the care of his horse, the companion of his warfare; but he will

descend to no other labour than to hunt and to fish. He would consider

himself degraded by being compelled to walk any distance; and were he so

poor as to possess only two horses, he would ride the best of them, and

leave the other for his wives and children and their baggage; and if he

has too many wives or too much baggage for the horse, the wives have no

alternative but to follow him on foot; they are not however often

reduced to those extremities, for their stock of horses is very ample.

Notwithstanding their losses this spring they still have at least seven

hundred, among which are about forty colts, and half that number of

mules. There are no horses here which can be considered as wild; we have

seen two only on this side of the Muscleshell river which were without

owners, and even those although shy, showed every mark of having been

once in the possession of man. The original stock was procured from the

Spaniards, but they now raise their own. The horses are generally very

fine, of a good size, vigorous and patient of fatigue as well as hunger.

Each warrior has one or two tied to a stake near his hut both day and

night, so as to be always prepared for action. The mules are obtained in

the course of trade from the Spaniards, with whose brands several of

them are marked, or stolen from them by the frontier Indians. They are

the finest animals of that kind we have ever seen, and at this distance

from the Spanish colonies are very highly valued. The worst are

considered as worth the price of two horses, and a good mule cannot be

obtained for less than three and sometimes four horses.

We also saw a bridle bit, stirrups and several other articles which,

like the mules, came from the Spanish colonies. The Shoshonees say that

they can reach those settlements in ten days' march by the route of the

Yellowstone river; but we readily perceive that the Spaniards are by no

means favourites. They complain that the Spaniards refuse to let them

have fire arms under pretence that these dangerous weapons will only

induce them to kill each other. In the meantime, say the Shoshonees, we

are left to the mercy of the Minnetarees, who having arms, plunder them

of their horses, and put them to death without mercy. "But this should

not be," said Cameahwait fiercely, "if we had guns, instead of hiding

ourselves in the mountains and living like the bears on roots and

berries, we would then go down and live in the buffaloe country in spite

of our enemies, whom we never fear when we meet on equal terms."

As war is the chief occupation, bravery is the first virtue among the

Shoshonees. None can hope to be distinguished without having given

proofs of it, nor can there be any preferment, or influence among the

nation, without some warlike achievement. Those important events which

give reputation to a warrior, and which entitle him to a new name, are

killing a white bear, stealing individually the horses of the enemy,

leading out a party who happen to be successful either in plundering

horses or destroying the enemy, and lastly scalping a warrior. These

acts seem of nearly equal dignity, but the last, that of taking an

enemy's scalp, is an honour quite independent of the act of vanquishing

him. To kill your adversary is of no importance unless the scalp is

brought from the field of battle, and were a warrior to slay any number

of his enemies in action, and others were to obtain the scalps or first

touch the dead, they would have all the honours, since they have borne

off the trophy.

Although thus oppressed by the Minnetarees, the Shoshonees are still a

very military people. Their cold and rugged country inures them to

fatigue; their long abstinence makes them support the dangers of

mountain warfare, and worn down as we saw them, by want of sustenance,

have a look of fierce and adventurous courage. The Shoshonee warrior

always fights on horseback; he possesses a few bad guns, which are

reserved exclusively for war, but his common arms are the bow and arrow,

a shield, a lance and a weapon called by the Chippeways, by whom it was

formerly used, the poggamoggon. The bow is made of cedar or pine covered

on the outer side with sinews and glue. It is about two and a half feet

long, and does not differ in shape from those used by the Sioux, Mandans

and Minnetarees. Sometimes, however, the bow is made of a single piece

of the horn of an elk, covered on the back like those of wood with

sinews and glue, and occasionally ornamented by a strand wrought of

porcupine quills and sinews, which is wrapped round the horn near its

two ends. The bows made of the horns of the bighorn, are still more

prized, and are formed by cementing with glue flat pieces of the horn

together, covering the back with sinews and glue, and loading the whole

with an unusual quantity of ornaments. The arrows resemble those of the

other Indians except in being more slender than any we have seen. They

are contained, with the implements for striking fire, in a narrow quiver

formed of different kinds of skin, though that of the otter seems to be

preferred. It is just long enough to protect the arrows from the

weather, and is worn on the back by means of a strap passing over the

right shoulder and under the left arm. The shield is a circular piece of

buffaloe hide about two feet four or five inches in diameter, ornamented

with feathers, and a fringe round it of dressed leather, and adorned or

deformed with paintings of strange figures. The buffaloe hide is

perfectly proof against any arrow, but in the minds of the Shoshonees,

its power to protect them is chiefly derived from the virtues which are

communicated to it by the old men and jugglers. To make a shield is

indeed one of their most important ceremonies: it begins by a feast to

which all the warriors, old men and jugglers are invited. After the

repast a hole is dug in the ground about eighteen inches in depth and of

the same diameter as the intended shield: into this hole red hot stones

are thrown and water poured over them, till they emit a very strong* hot

steam. The buffaloe skin, which must be the entire hide of a male two

years old, and never suffered to dry since it was taken from the animal,

is now laid across the hole, with the fleshy side to the ground, and

stretched in every direction by as many as can take hold of it. As the

skin becomes heated, the hair separates and is taken off by the hand;

till at last the skin is contracted into the compass designed for the

shield. It is then taken off and placed on a hide prepared into

parchment, and then pounded during the rest of the festival by the bare

heels of those who are invited to it. This operation sometimes continues

for several days, after which it is delivered to the proprietor, and

declared by the old men and jugglers to be a security against arrows;

and provided the feast has been satisfactory, against even the bullets

of their enemies. Such is the delusion, that many of the Indians

implicitly believe that this ceremony has given to the shield

supernatural powers, and that they have no longer to fear any weapons of

their enemies.

The paggamoggon is an instrument, consisting of a handle twenty-two

inches long, made of wood, covered with dressed leather about the size

of a whip-handle: at one end is a thong of two inches in length, which

is tied to a round stone weighing two pounds and held in a cover of

leather: at the other end is a loop of the same material, which is

passed round the wrist so as to secure the hold of the instrument, with

which they strike a very severe blow.

Besides these, they have a kind of armour something like a coat of mail,

which is formed by a great many folds of dressed antelope skins, united

by means of a mixture of glue and sand. With this they cover their own

bodies and those of their horses, and find it impervious to the arrow.

The caparison of their horses is a halter and a saddle: the first

is either a rope of six or seven strands of buffaloe hair platted

or twisted together, about the size of a man's finger and of great

strength; or merely a thong of raw hide, made pliant by pounding and

rubbing; though the first kind is much preferred. The halter is very

long, and is never taken from the neck of the horse when in constant

use. One end of it is first tied round the neck in a knot and then

brought down to the under jaw, round which it is formed into a simple

noose, passing through the mouth: it is then drawn up on the right side

and held by the rider in his left hand, while the rest trails after him

to some distance. At other times the knot is formed at a little distance

from one of the ends, so as to let that end serve as a bridle, while the

other trails on the ground. With these cords dangling along side of them

the horse is put to his full speed without fear of falling, and when he

is turned to graze the noose is merely taken from his mouth. The saddle

in formed like the pack-saddles used by the French and Spaniards, of two

flat thin boards which fit the sides of the horse, and are kept together

by two cross pieces, one before and the other behind, which rise to

a considerable height, ending sometimes in a flat point extending

outwards, and always making the saddle deep and narrow. Under this a

piece of buffaloe skin, with the hair on, is placed so as to prevent the

rubbing of the boards, and when they mount they throw a piece of skin

or robe over the saddle, which has no permanent cover. When stirrups

are used, they consist of wood covered with leather; but stirrups and

saddles are conveniences reserved for old men and women. The young

warriors rarely use any thing except a small leather pad stuffed with

hair, and secured by a girth made of a leathern thong. In this way they

ride with great expertness, and they have a particular dexterity in

catching the horse when he is running at large. If he will not

immediately submit when they wish to take him, they make a noose in the

rope, and although the horse may be at a distance, or even running,

rarely fail to fix it on his neck; and such is the docility of the

animal, that however unruly he may seem, he surrenders as soon as he

feels the rope on him. This cord is so useful in this way that it is

never dispensed with, even when they use the Spanish bridle, which they

prefer, and always procure when they have it in their power. The horse

becomes almost an object of attachment: a favourite is frequently

painted and his ears cut into various shapes: the mane and tail, which

are never drawn nor trimmed, are decorated with feathers of birds, and

sometimes a warrior suspends at the breast of his horse the finest

ornaments he possesses.

Thus armed and mounted the Shoshonee is a formidable enemy, even with

the feeble weapons which he is still obliged to use. When they attack at

full speed they bend forward and cover their bodies with the shield,

while with the right hand they shoot under the horses neck.

The only articles of metal which the Shoshonees possess are a few bad

knives, some brass kettles, some bracelets or armbands of iron and

brass, a few buttons worn as ornaments in their hair, one or two spears

about a foot in length, and some heads for arrows made of iron and

brass. All these they had obtained in trading with the Crow or Rocky

mountain Indians, who live on the Yellowstone. The few bridle-bits and

stirrups they procured from the Spanish colonies.

The instrument which supplies the place of a knife among them, is a

piece of flint with no regular form, and the sharp part of it not more

than one or two inches long: the edge of this is renewed, and the flint

itself is formed into heads for arrows, by means of the point of a deer

or elk horn, an instrument which they use with great art and ingenuity.

There are no axes or hatchets; all the wood being cut with flint or

elk-horn, the latter of which is always used as a wedge in splitting

wood. Their utensils consist, besides the brass kettles, of pots in the

form of a jar, made either of earth, or of a stone found in the hills

between Madison and Jefferson rivers, which, though soft and white in

its natural state, becomes very hard and black after exposure to the

fire. The horns of the buffaloe and the bighorn supply them with spoons.

The fire is always kindled by means of a blunt arrow, and a piece of

well-seasoned wood of a soft spongy kind, such as the willow or

cottonwood.

The Shoshonees are of a diminutive stature, with thick flat feet and

ankles, crooked legs, and are, generally speaking, worse formed than any

nation of Indians we have seen. Their complexion resembles that of the

Sioux, and is darker than that of the Minnetarees, Mandans, or Shawnees.

The hair in both sexes is suffered to fall loosely over the face and

down the shoulders: some men, however, divide it by means of thongs of

dressed leather or otter skin into two equal queues, which hang over the

ears and are drawn in front of the body; but at the present moment, when

the nation is afflicted by the loss of so many relations killed in war,

most of them have the hair cut quite short in the neck, and Cameahwait

has the hair cut short all over his head, this being the customary

mourning for a deceased kindred.

The dress of the men consists of a robe, a tippet, a shirt, long

leggings and moccasins. The robe is formed most commonly of the skins of

antelope, bighorn, or deer, though when it can be procured, the buffaloe

hide is preferred. Sometimes too they are made of beaver, moonax, and

small wolves, and frequently during the summer of elk skin. These are

dressed with the hair on, and reach about as low as the middle of the

leg. They are worn loosely over the shoulders, the sides being at

pleasure either left open or drawn together by the hand, and in cold

weather kept close by a girdle round the waist. This robe answers the

purpose of a cloak during the day, and at night is their only covering.

The tippet is the most elegant article of Indian dress we have ever

seen. The neck or collar of it is a strip about four or five inches

wide, cut from the back of the otter skin, the nose and eyes forming one

extremity, and the tail another. This being dressed with the fur on,

they attach to one edge of it, from one hundred to two hundred and

fifty little rolls of ermine skin, beginning at the ear, and proceeding

towards the tail. These ermine skins are the same kind of narrow strips

from the back of that animal, which are sewed round a small cord of

twisted silkgrass thick enough to make the skin taper towards the tail

which hangs from the end, and are generally about the size of a large

quill. These are tied at the head into little bundles, of two, three or

more according to the caprice of the wearer, and then suspended from the

collar, and a broad fringe of ermine skin is fixed so as to cover the

parts where they unite, which might have a coarse appearance. Little

tassels of fringe of the same materials are also fastened to the

extremities of the tail, so as to show its black colour to greater

advantage. The centre of the collar is further ornamented with the

shells of the pearl oyster. Thus adorned, the collar is worn close round

the neck, and the little rolls fall down over the shoulders nearly

to the waist, so as to form a sort of short cloak, which has a very

handsome appearance. These tippets are very highly esteemed, and are

given or disposed of on important occasions only. The ermine is the fur

known to the northwest traders by the name of the white weasel, but is

the genuine ermine; and by encouraging the Indians to take them, might

no doubt be rendered a valuable branch of trade. These animals must be

very abundant, for the tippets are in great numbers, and the

construction of each requires at least one hundred skins.

The shirt is a covering of dressed skin without the hair, and formed

of the hide of the antelope, deer, bighorn, or elk, though the last

is more rarely used than any other for this purpose. It fits the body

loosely, and reaches half way down the thigh. The aperture at the top

is wide enough to admit the head, and has no collar, but is either left

square, or most frequently terminates in the tail of the animal, which

is left entire, so as to fold outwards, though sometimes the edges are

cut into a fringe, and ornamented with quills of the porcupine. The

seams of the shirt are on the sides, and are richly fringed and adorned

with porcupine quills, till within five or six inches of the sleeve,

where it is left open, as is also the under side of the sleeve from the

shoulder to the elbow, where it fits closely round the arm as low as

the wrist, and has no fringe like the sides, and the under part of the

sleeve above the elbow. It is kept up by wide shoulder straps, on which

the manufacturer displays his taste by the variety of figures wrought

with porcupine quills of different colours, and sometimes by beads when

they can be obtained. The lower end of the shirt retains the natural

shape of the fore legs and neck of the skin, with the addition of a

slight fringe; the hair too is left on the tail and near the hoofs, part

of which last is retained and split into a fringe.

The leggings are generally made of antelope skins, dressed without the

hair, and with the legs, tail and neck hanging to them. Each legging is

formed of a skin nearly entire, and reaches from the ancle to the upper

part of the thigh, and the legs of the skin are tucked before and behind

under a girdle round the waist. It fits closely to the leg, the tail

being worn upwards, and the neck highly ornamented with fringe and

porcupine quills, drags on the ground behind the heels. As the legs of

the animal are tied round the girdle, the wide part of the skin is drawn

so high as to conceal the parts usually kept from view, in which respect

their dress is much more decent than that of any nation of Indians on

the Missouri. The seams of the leggings down the sides, are also fringed

and ornamented, and occasionally decorated with tufts of hair taken

from enemies whom they have slain. In making all these dresses, their

only thread is the sinew taken from the backs and loins of deer, elk,

buffaloe, or any other animal.

The moccasin is of the deer, elk, or buffaloe skin, dressed without the

hair, though in winter they use the buffaloe skin with the hairy side

inward, as do most of the Indians who inhabit the buffaloe country. Like

the Mandan moccasin, it is made with a single seam on the outer edge,

and sewed up behind, a hole being left at the instep to admit the foot.

It is variously ornamented with figures wrought with porcupine quills,

and sometimes the young men most fond of dress, cover it with the skin

of a polecat, and trail at their heels the tail of the animal.

The dress of the women consists of the same articles as that of their

husbands. The robe though smaller is worn in the same way: the moccasins

are precisely similar. The shirt or chemise reaches half way down the

leg, is in the same form, except that there is no shoulder-strap, the

seam coming quite up to the shoulder; though for women who give suck

both sides are open, almost down to the waist. It is also ornamented in

the same way with the addition of little patches of red cloth, edged

round with beads at the skirts. The chief ornament is over the breast,

where there are curious figures made with the usual luxury of porcupine

quills. Like the men they have a girdle round the waist, and when either

sex wishes to disengage the arm, it is drawn up through the hole near

the shoulder, and the lower part of the sleeve thrown behind the body.

Children alone wear beads round their necks; grown persons of both sexes

prefer them suspended in little bunches from the ear, and sometimes

intermixed with triangular pieces of the shell of the pearl oyster.

Sometimes the men tie them in the same way to the hair of the forepart

of the head, and increase the beauty of it by adding the wings and tails

of birds, and particularly the feathers of the great eagle or calumet

bird, of which they are extremely fond. The collars are formed either

of sea shells procured from their relations to the southwest, or of the

sweet-scented grass which grows in the neighbourhood, and which they

twist or plait together, to the thickness of a man's finger, and then

cover with porcupine quills of various colours. The first of these is

worn indiscriminately by both sexes, the second principally confined

to the men, while a string of elk's tusks is a collar almost peculiar

to the women and children. Another collar worn by the men is a string

of round bones like the joints of a fish's back, but the collar most

preferred, because most honourable, is one of the claws of the brown

bear. To kill one of these animals is as distinguished an achievement as

to have put to death an enemy, and in fact with their weapons is a more

dangerous trial of courage. These claws are suspended on a thong of

dressed leather, and being ornamented with beads, are worn round the

neck by the warriors with great pride. The men also frequently wear the

skin of a fox, or a strip of otter skin round the head in the form of a

bandeau.

In short, the dress of the Shoshonees is as convenient and decent as

that of any Indians we have seen.

They have many more children than might have been expected, considering

their precarious means of support and their wandering life. This

inconvenience is however balanced by the wonderful facility with which

their females undergo the operations of child-birth. In the most

advanced state of pregnancy they continue their usual occupations, which

are scarcely interrupted longer than the mere time of bringing the child

into the world.

The old men are few in number and do not appear to be treated with much

tenderness or respect.

The tobacco used by the Shoshonees is not cultivated among them, but

obtained from the Indians of the Rocky mountains, and from some of the

bands of their own nation who live south of them; it is the same plant

which is in use among the Minnetarees, Mandans, and Ricaras.

Their chief intercourse with other nations seems to consist in their

association with other Snake Indians, and with the Flatheads when they

go eastward to hunt buffaloe, and in the occasional visits made by the

Flatheads to the waters of the Columbia for the purpose of fishing.

Their intercourse with the Spaniards is much more rare, and it furnishes

them with a few articles, such as mules, and some bridles, and other

ornaments for horses, which, as well as some of their kitchen utensils,

are also furnished by the bands of Snake Indians from the Yellowstone.

The pearl ornaments which they esteem so highly come from other bands,

whom they represent as their friends and relations, living to the

southwest beyond the barren plains on the other side of the mountains:

these relations they say inhabit a good country, abounding with elk,

deer, bear, and antelope, where horses and mules are much more abundant

than they are here, or to use their own expression, as numerous as the

grass of the plains.

The names of the Indians varies in the course of their life: originally

given in childhood, from the mere necessity of distinguishing objects,

or from some accidental resemblance to external objects, the young

warrior is impatient to change it by some achievement of his own. Any

important event, the stealing of horses, the scalping an enemy, or

killing a brown bear, entitles him at once to a new name which he then

selects for himself, and it is confirmed by the nation. Sometimes the

two names subsist together: thus, the chief Cameahwait, which means,

"one who never walks," has the war name of Tooettecone, or "black gun,"

which he acquired when he first signalized himself. As each new action

gives a warrior a right to change his name, many of them have had

several in the course of their lives. To give to a friend his own name

is an act of high courtesy, and a pledge like that of pulling off the

moccasin of sincerity and hospitality. The chief in this way gave his

name to captain Clarke when he first arrived, and he was afterwards

known among the Shoshonees by the name of Cameahwait.

The diseases incident to this state of life may be supposed to be few,

and chiefly the result of accidents. We were particularly anxious to

ascertain whether they had any knowledge of the venereal disorder. After

inquiring by means of the interpreter and his wife, we learnt that they

sometimes suffered from it, and that they most usually die with it; nor

could we discover what was their remedy. It is possible that this

disease may have reached them in their circuitous communications with

the whites through the intermediate Indians; but the situation of the

Shoshonees is so insulated, that it is not probable that it could have

reached them in that way, and the existence of such a disorder among the

Rocky mountains seems rather a proof of its being aboriginal.

CHAPTER XVII.

The party, after procuring horses from the Shoshonees, proceed on

their journey through the mountains--The difficulties and dangers

of the route--A council held with another band of the Shoshonees,

of whom some account is given--They are reduced to the necessity of

killing their horses for food--Captain Clarke with a small party

precedes the main body in quest of food, and is hospitably received

by the Pierced-nose Indians--Arrival of the main body amongst this

tribe, with whom a council is held--They resolve to perform the

remainder of their journey in canoes--Sickness of the party--They

descend the Kooskooskee to its junction with Lewis river, after

passing several dangerous rapids--Short description of the manners

and dress of the Pierced-nose Indians.

August 27. We were now occupied in determining our route and procuring

horses from the Indians. The old guide who had been sent on by captain

Clarke, now confirmed, by means of our interpreter, what he had

already asserted, of a road up Berry creek which would lead to Indian

establishments on another branch of the Columbia: his reports however

were contradicted by all the Shoshonees. This representation we ascribed

to a wish on their part to keep us with them during the winter, as well

for the protection we might afford against their enemies, as for the

purpose of consuming our merchandise amongst them; and as the old

man promised to conduct us himself, that route seemed to be the most

eligible. We were able to procure some horses, though not enough for

all our purposes. This traffic, and our inquiries and councils with the

Indians, consumed the remainder of the day.

August 28. The purchase of horses was resumed, and our stock raised

to twenty-two. Having now crossed more than once the country which

separates the head waters of the Missouri from those of the Columbia, we

can designate the easiest and most expeditious route for a portage; it

is as follows:

From the forks of the river north 60° west, five miles to the point of

a hill on the right: then south 80° west, ten miles to a spot where the

creek is ten miles wide, and the highlands approach within two hundred

yards; southwest five miles to a narrow part of the bottom; then turning

south 70° west, two miles to a creek on the right: thence south 80°

west, three miles to a rocky point opposite to a thicket of pines on the

left; from that place west, three miles to the gap where is the fountain

of the Missouri: on leaving this fountain south 80° west, six miles

across the dividing ridge, to a run from the right passing several small

streams north 80° west, four miles over hilly ground to the east fork of

Lewis's river, which is here forty yards wide.

Thursday 29. Captain Clarke joined us this morning, and we continued our

bargains for horses. The late misfortunes of the Shoshonees make the

price higher than common, so that one horse cost a pistol, one hundred

balls, some powder and a knife; another was changed for a musket, and in

this way we obtained twenty-nine. The horses themselves are young and

vigorous, but they are very poor, and most of them have sore backs in

consequence of the roughness of the Shoshonee saddle. We are therefore

afraid of loading them too heavily and are anxious to obtain one at

least for each man to carry the baggage, or the man himself, or in the

last resource to serve as food; but with all our exertions we could not

provide all our men with horses. We have, however, been fortunate in

obtaining for the last three days a sufficient supply of flesh, our

hunters having killed two or three deer every day.

Friday 30. The weather was fine, and having now made all our purchases,

we loaded our horses, and prepared to start. The greater part of the

band who had delayed their journey on our account, were also ready to

depart. We then took our leave of the Shoshonees, who set out on their

visit to the Missouri at the same time that we accompanied by the old

guide, his four sons, and another Indian, began the descent of the

river, along the same road which captain Clarke had previously pursued.

After riding twelve miles we encamped on the south bank of the river,

and as the hunters had brought in three deer early in the morning we did

not feel the want of provisions.

Saturday 31. At sunrise we resumed our journey, and halted for three

hours on Salmon creek to let the horses graze. We then proceeded to the

stream called Berry creek eighteen miles from the camp of last night:

as we passed along, the vallies and prairies were on fire in several

places, in order to collect the bands of the Shoshonees and the

Flatheads, for their journey to the Missouri. The weather was warm and

sultry, but the only inconvenience which we apprehend is a dearth of

food, of which we had to-day an abundance, having procured a deer, a

goose, one duck and a prairie fowl. On reaching Tower creek we left the

former track of captain Clarke, and began to explore the new route,

which is our last hope of getting out of the mountains. For four miles

the road, which is tolerably plain, led us along Berry creek to some old

Indian lodges where we encamped for the night; the next day,

Sunday, September 1, 1805, we followed the same road which here left

the creek and turned to the northwest across the hills. During all day

we were riding over these hills, from which are many drains and small

streams running into the river to the left, and at the distance of

eighteen miles, came to a large creek called Fish creek emptying into

the Columbia which is about six miles from us. It had rained in the

course of the day, and commenced raining again towards evening. We

therefore determined not to leave the low grounds to night, and after

going up Fish creek four miles formed our encampment. The country over

which we passed is well watered, but poor and rugged or stony, except

the bottoms of Fish creek, and even these are narrow. Two men were sent

to purchase fish of the Indians at the mouth of the creek, and with the

dried fish which they obtained, and a deer and a few salmon killed by

the party, we were still well supplied. Two bear also were wounded but

we could procure neither of them.

Monday 2. This morning all the Indians left us, except the old guide,

who now conducted us up Fish creek: at one mile and a half we passed a

branch of the river coming in through a low ground covered with pine on

the left, and two and a half miles further is a second branch from the

right; after continuing our route along the hills covered with pine, and

a low ground of the same growth, we arrived at the distance of three and

a half miles at the forks of the creek. The road which we were following

now turned up the east side of these forks, and as our guide informed us

led to the Missouri. We were therefore left without any track; but as no

time was to be lost we began to cut our road up the west branch of the

creek. This we effected with much difficulty; the thickets of trees

and brush through which we were obliged to cut our way required great

labour; the road itself was over the steep and rocky sides of the hills

where the horses could not move without danger of slipping down, while

their feet were bruised by the rocks and stumps of trees. Accustomed as

these animals were to this kind of life they suffered severely, several

of them fell to some distance down the sides of the hills, some turned

over with the baggage, one was crippled, and two gave out exhausted with

fatigue. After crossing the creek several times we at last made five

miles, with great fatigue and labour, and encamped on the left side of

the creek in a small stony low ground. It was not, however, till after

dark that the whole party was collected, and then, as it rained, and we

killed nothing, we passed an uncomfortable night. The party had been

too busily occupied with the horses to make any hunting excursion, and

though as we came along Fish creek we saw many beaver dams we saw none

of the animals themselves. In the morning,

Tuesday 3, the horses were very stiff and weary. We sent back two men

for the load of the horse which had been crippled yesterday, and which

we had been forced to leave two miles behind. On their return, we set

out at eight o'clock, and proceeded up the creek, making a passage

through the brush and timber along its borders. The country is generally

supplied with pine, and in the low grounds is a great abundance of fir

trees, and under bushes. The mountains are high and rugged, and those to

the east of us, covered with snow. With all our precautions the horses

were very much injured in passing over the ridges and steep points of

the hills, and to add to the difficulty, at the distance of eleven

miles, the high mountains closed the creek, so that we were obliged

to leave the creek to the right, and cross the mountain abruptly. The

ascent was here so steep that several of the horses slipped and hurt

themselves, but at last we succeeded in crossing the mountain, and

encamped on a small branch of Fish creek. We had now made fourteen miles

in a direction nearly north from the river; but this distance, though

short, was very fatiguing, and rendered still more disagreeable by the

rain which began at three o'clock. At dusk it commenced snowing, and

continued till the ground was covered to the depth of two inches, when

it changed into a sleet. We here met with a serious misfortune the last

of our thermometers being broken by accident. After making a scanty

supper on a little corn and a few pheasants killed in the course of the

day, we laid down to sleep, and next morning,

Wednesday 4, found every thing frozen, and the ground covered with snow.

We were obliged to wait some time in order to thaw the covers of the

baggage, after which we began our journey at eight o'clock. We crossed a

high mountain which joins the dividing ridge between the waters of the

creek we had been ascending, and those running to the north and west.

We had not gone more than six miles over the snow, when we reached the

head of a stream from the right, which directed its course more to the

westward. We descended the steep sides of the hills along its border,

and at the distance of three miles found a small branch coming in from

the eastward. We saw several of the argalia, but they were too shy to be

killed, and we therefore made a dinner from a deer shot by one of the

hunters. Then we pursued the course of the stream for three miles, till

it emptied itself into a river from the east. In the wide valley at

their junction, we discovered a large encampment of Indians: when we had

reached them and alighted from our horses, we were received with great

cordiality. A council was immediately assembled, white robes were

thrown over our soldiers, and the pipe of peace introduced. After

this ceremony, as it was too late to go any further, we encamped, and

continued smoking and conversing with the chiefs till a late hour. The

next morning,

Thursday 5, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and informed them who

we were, and the purpose for which we visited their country. All this

was however conveyed to them through so many different languages, that

it was not comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded to

the more intelligible language of presents, and made four chiefs by

giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to each. We received in

turn from the principal chief, a present consisting of the skins of a

braro, an otter, and two antelopes, and were treated by the women to

some dried roots and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and

succeeded in exchanging seven, purchasing eleven, for which we gave a

few articles of merchandise.

This encampment consists of thirty-three tents, in which were about four

hundred souls, among whom eighty were men. They are called Ootlashoots,

and represent themselves as one band of a nation called Tushepaws, a

numerous people of four hundred and fifty tents, residing on the heads

of the Missouri and Columbia rivers, and some of them lower down the

latter river. In person these Indians are stout, and their complexion

lighter than that common among Indians. The hair of the men is worn

in queues of otter skin, falling in front over the shoulders. A shirt

of dressed skin covers the body to the knee, and on this is worn

occasionally a robe. To these were added leggings and moccasins. The

women suffer their hair to fall in disorder over the face and shoulders,

and their chief article of covering is a long shirt of skin, reaching

down to the ancles, and tied round the waist. In other respects, as also

in the few ornaments which they possess, their appearance is similar

to that of the Shoshonees; there is however a difference between the

language of these people which is still farther increased by the very

extraordinary pronunciation of the Ootlashoots. Their words have all a

remarkably guttural sound, and there is nothing which seems to represent

the tone of their speaking more exactly than the clucking of a fowl, or

the noise of a parrot. This peculiarity renders their voices scarcely

audible, except at a short distance, and when many of them are talking,

forms a strange confusion of sounds. The common conversation we

overheard, consisted of low guttural sounds occasionally broken by

a loud word or two, after which it would relapse and scarcely be

distinguished. They seem kind and friendly and willingly shared with us

berries and roots, which formed their only stock of provisions. Their

only wealth is their horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that

this party had with them at least five hundred.

Friday 6. We continued this morning with the Ootlashoots, from whom we

purchased two more horses, and procured a vocabulary of their language.

The Ootlashoots set off about two o'clock to join the different bands

who were collecting at the three forks of the Missouri. We ourselves

proceeded at the same time, and taking a direction N. 30 W. crossed

within the distance of one mile and a half, a small river from the

right, and a creek coming in from the north. This river is the main

stream, and when it reaches the end of the valley, where the mountains

close in upon it, is joined by the river on which we encamped last

evening, as well as by the creek just mentioned. To the river thus

formed we gave the name of captain Clarke, he being the first white man

who had ever visited its waters. At the end of five miles on this course

we had crossed the valley, and reached the top of a mountain covered

with pine; this we descended along the steep sides and ravines for

a mile and a half, when we came to a spot on the river, where the

Ootlashoots had encamped a few days before. We then followed the course

of the river, which is from twenty-five to thirty yards wide, shallow,

stony, and the low grounds on its borders narrow. Within the distance of

three and a half miles, we crossed it several times, and after passing a

run on each side, encamped on its right bank, after making ten miles

during the afternoon. The horses were turned out to graze, but those we

had lately bought were secured and watched, lest they should escape, or

be stolen by their former owners. Our stock of flour was now exhausted,

and we had but little corn, and as our hunters had killed nothing except

two pheasants, our supper consisted chiefly of berries.

Saturday, 7. The greater part of the day the weather was dark and rainy:

we continued through the narrow low grounds along the river, till at

the distance of six miles we came to a large creek from the left, after

which the bottoms widen. Four miles lower is another creek on the same

side, and the valley now extends from one to three miles, the mountains

on the left being high and bald, with snow on the summits, while the

country to the right is open and hilly. Four miles beyond this is a

creek running from the snow-top'd mountains, and several runs on both

sides of the river. Two miles from this last is another creek on the

left. The afternoon was now far advanced, but not being able to find a

fit place to encamp we continued six miles further till after dark, when

we halted for the night. The river here is still shallow and stony, but

is increased to the width of fifty yards. The valley through which we

passed is of a poor soil, and its fertility injured by the quantity of

stone scattered over it. We met two horses which had strayed from the

Indians and were now quite wild. No fish was to be seen in the river,

but we obtained a very agreeable supply of two deer, two cranes, and two

pheasants.

Sunday, 8. We set out early: the snow-top'd hills on the left approach

the river near our camp, but we soon reached a valley four or five miles

wide, through which we followed the course of the river in a direction

due north. We passed three creeks on the right, and several runs

emptying themselves into the opposite side of the river. At the distance

of eleven miles the river turned more towards the west: we pursued it

for twelve miles, and encamped near a large creek coming in from the

right, which, from its being divided into four different channels, we

called Scattering creek. The valley continues to be a poor stony land,

with scarcely any timber, except some pine trees along the waters and

partially scattered on the hills to the right, which, as well as those

on the left, have snow on them. The plant which forces itself most on

our attention is a species of prickly pear very common on this part of

the river: it grows in clusters, in an oval form about the size of a

pigeon's egg, and its thorns are so strong and bearded, that when it

penetrates our feet it brings away the pear itself. We saw two mares

and a colt, which, like the horses seen yesterday, seemed to have lost

themselves and become wild. Our game to-day consisted of two deer, an

elk, and a prairie fowl.

Monday, 9. We resumed our journey through the valley, and leaving

the road on our right crossed the Scattering creek, and halted at

the distance of twelve miles on a small run from the east, where we

breakfasted on the remains of yesterday's hunt: we here took a meridian

altitude, which gave the latitude of 46° 41' 38" 9"': we then continued,

and at the distance of four miles passed over to the left bank of the

river, where we found a large road through the valley. At this place is

a handsome stream of very clear water, a hundred yards wide with low

banks, and a bed formed entirely of gravel: it has every appearance of

being navigable, but as it contains no salmon, we presume there must

be some fall below which obstructs their passage. Our guide could not

inform us where this river discharged its waters; he said that as far as

he knew its course it ran along the mountains to the north, and that not

far from our present position it was joined by another stream nearly

as large as itself, which rises in the mountains to the east near the

Missouri, and flows through an extensive valley or open prairie. Through

this prairie is the great Indian road to the waters of the Missouri; and

so direct is the route, that in four days' journey from this place we

might reach the Missouri about thirty miles above what we called the

Gates of the Rocky mountains, or the spot where the valley of that river

widens into an extensive plain on entering the chain of mountains. At

ten miles from our camp is a small creek falling in from the eastward,

five miles below which we halted at a large stream which empties itself

on the west side of the river. It is a fine bold creek of clear water

about twenty yards wide, and we called it _Traveller's-rest_ creek; for

as our guide told us that we should here leave the river, we determined

to remain for the purpose of making celestial observations and

collecting some food, as the country through which we are to pass has no

game for a great distance.

The valley of the river through which we have been passing is generally

a prairie from five to six miles in width, and with a cold gravelly

white soil. The timber which it possesses is almost exclusively pine,

chiefly of the long-leafed kind, with some spruce, and a species of fir

resembling the Scotch fir: near the water courses are also seen a few

narrow-leafed cottonwood trees, and the only underbrush is the redwood,

honeysuckle, and rosebushes. Our game was four deer, three geese,

four ducks, and three prairie fowls; one of the hunters brought in a

red-headed woodpecker of the large kind common in the United States,

but the first of the kind we have seen since leaving the Illinois.

Tuesday, 10. The morning being fair all the hunters were sent out,

and the rest of the party employed in repairing their clothes: two

of them were sent to the junction of the river from the east, along

which the Indians go to the Missouri: it is about seven miles below

Traveller's-rest creek; the country at the forks is seven or eight miles

wide, level and open, but with little timber; its course is to the

north, and we incline to believe that this is the river which the

Minnetarees had described to us as running from south to north along the

west side of the Rocky mountains, not far from the sources of Medicine

river: there is moreover reason to suppose, that after going as far

northward as the head-waters of that river it turns to the westward and

joins the Tacootchetessee. Towards evening one of the hunters returned

with three Indians, whom he had met in his excursion up Traveller's-rest

creek: as soon as they saw him they prepared to attack him with arrows,

but he quieted them by laying down his gun and advancing towards them,

and soon persuaded them to come to the camp. Our Shoshonee guide could

not speak the language of these people, but by the universal language

of signs and gesticulations, which is perfectly intelligible among the

Indians, he found that these were three Tushepaw Flatheads in pursuit of

two men, supposed to be Shoshonees, who had stolen twenty-three of their

horses: we gave them some boiled venison and a few presents; such as a

fishhook, a steel to strike fire, and a little powder; but they seemed

better pleased with a piece of riband which we tied in the hair of each

of them. They were however in such haste, lest their horses should be

carried off, that two of them set off after sunset in quest of the

robbers: the third however was persuaded to remain with us and conduct

us to his relations: these he said were numerous, and resided on the

Columbia in the plain below the mountains. From that place he added,

the river was navigable to the ocean; that some of his relations had

been there last fall and seen an old white man who resided there by

himself, and who gave them some handkerchiefs like those we have. The

distance from this place is five sleeps or days' journey. When our

hunters had all joined us we found our provisions consisted of four

deer, a beaver, and three grouse.

The observation of to-day gave 46° 48' 28" as the latitude of

Travellers-rest creek.

Wednesday 11. Two of our horses having strayed away we were detained all

the morning before they were caught. In the meantime our Tushepaw Indian

became impatient of the delay, and set out to return home alone. As

usual we had dispatched four of our best hunters ahead, and as we hoped

with their aid and our present stock of provisions to subsist on the

route, we proceeded at three o'clock up the right side of the creek, and

encamped under some old Indian huts at the distance of seven miles. The

road was plain and good; the valley is however narrower than that which

we left and bordered by high and rugged hills to the right, while the

mountains on the left were covered with snow. The day was fair and warm,

the wind from the northwest.

Thursday 12. There was a white frost this morning. We proceeded at seven

o'clock and soon passed a stream falling in on the right, near which was

an old Indian camp with a bath or sweating-house covered with earth. At

two miles distance we ascended a high, and thence continued through a

hilly and thickly timbered country for nine miles, when we came to the

forks of the creek, where the road branches up each fork. We followed

the western route, and finding that the creek made a considerable bend

at the distance of four miles, crossed a high mountain in order to avoid

the circuit. The road had been very bad during the first part of the

day, but the passage of the mountain, which was eight miles across,

was very painful to the horses, as we were obliged to go over steep

stony sides of hills and along the hollows and ravines, rendered more

disagreeable* by the fallen timber, chiefly pine, spruce pine and fir.

We at length reached the creek, having made twenty-three miles of a

route so difficult that some of the party did not join us before ten

o'clock. We found the account of the scantiness of game but too true, as

we were not able to procure any thing during the whole of yesterday, and

to-day we killed only a single pheasant. Along the road we observed many

of the pine trees pealed off, which is done by the Indians to procure

the inner bark for food in the spring.

Friday 13. Two of the horses strayed away during the night, and one of

them being captain Lewis's, he remained with four men to search for them

while we proceeded up the creek: at the distance of two miles we came

to several springs issuing from large rocks of a coarse hard grit,

and nearly boiling hot. Those seem to be much frequented as there are

several paths made by elk, deer and other animals, and near one of

the springs a hole or Indian bath, and roads leading in different

directions. These embarrassed our guide, who mistaking the road took us

three miles out of the proper course over an exceedingly bad route. We

then fell into the right road, and proceeded on very well, when having

made five miles we stopped to refresh the horses. Captain Lewis here

joined us, but not having been able to find his horse two men were sent

back to continue the search. We then proceeded along the same kind of

country which we passed yesterday, and after crossing a mountain and

leaving the sources of the Travellers-rest creek on the left, reached

after five miles riding a small creek which also came in from the left

hand, passing through open glades, some of which were half a mile wide.

The road which had been as usual rugged and stony, became firm, plain

and level after quitting the head of Travellers-rest. We followed the

course of this new creek for two miles and encamped at a spot where the

mountains close on each side. Other mountains covered with snow are in

view to the southeast and southwest. We were somewhat more fortunate

to-day in killing a deer and several pheasants which were of the common

species, except that the tail was black.

Saturday 14. The day was very cloudy with rain and hail in the vallies,

while on the top of the mountains some snow fell. We proceeded early,

and continuing along the right side of Glade creek crossed a high

mountain, and at the distance of six miles reached the place where it is

joined by another branch of equal size from the right. Near the forks

the Tushepaws have had an encampment which is but recently abandoned,

for the grass is entirely destroyed by horses, and two fish weirs across

the creek are still remaining; no fish were however to be seen. We here

passed over to the left side of the creek and began the ascent of a very

high and steep mountain nine miles across. On reaching the other side we

found a large branch from the left, which seems to rise in the snowy

mountains to the south and southeast. We continued along the creek two

miles further, when night coming on we encamped opposite a small island

at the mouth of a branch on the right side of the river. The mountains

which we crossed to-day were much more difficult than those of

yesterday; the last was particularly fatiguing, being steep and stony,

broken by fallen timber, and thickly overgrown by pine, spruce, fir,

haematack and tamarac. Although we had made only seventeen miles we were

all very weary. The whole stock of animal food was now exhausted, and

we therefore killed a colt, on which we made a hearty supper. From

this incident we called the last creek we had passed from the south

Colt-killed creek. The river itself is eighty yards wide, with a swift

current, and a stony channel. Its Indian name is Kooskooskee.

Sunday 15. At an early hour we proceeded along the right side of the

Kooskooskee over steep rocky points of land, till at the distance of

four miles we reached an old Indian fishing place: the road here turned

to the right of the water, and began to ascend a mountain: but the fire

and wind had prostrated or dried almost all the timber on the south

side, and the ascents were so steep that we were forced to wind in every

direction round the high knobs which constantly impeded our progress.

Several of the horses lost their foot-hold and slipped: one of them

which was loaded with a desk and small trunk, rolled over and over for

forty yards, till his fall was stopped by a tree. The desk was broken;

but the poor animal escaped without much injury. After clambering in

this way for four miles, we came to a high snowy part of the mountain

where was a spring of water, at which we halted two hours to refresh our

horses.

On leaving the spring the road continued as bad as it was below, and the

timber more abundant. At four miles we reached the top of the mountain,

and foreseeing no chance of meeting with water, we encamped on the

northern side of the mountain, near an old bank of snow, three feet

deep. Some of this we melted, and supped on the remains of the colt

killed yesterday. Our only game to-day was two pheasants, and the horses

on which we calculated as a last resource begin to fail us, for two of

them were so poor, and worn out with fatigue, that we were obliged to

leave them behind. All around us are high rugged mountains, among which

is a lofty range from southeast to northwest, whose tops are without

timber, and in some places covered with snow. The night was cloudy and

very cold, and three hours before daybreak,

Monday 16, it began to snow, and continued all day, so that by evening

it was six or eight inches deep. This covered the track so completely,

that we were obliged constantly to halt and examine, lest we should

lose the route. In many places we had nothing to guide us except the

branches of the trees which, being low, have been rubbed by the burdens

of the Indian horses. The road was, like that of yesterday, along

steep hill sides, obstructed with fallen timber, and a growth of eight

different species of pine, so thickly strewed that the snow falls from

them as we pass, and keeps us continually wet to the skin, and so cold,

that we are anxious lest our feet should be frozen, as we have only thin

moccasins to defend them.

At noon we halted to let the horses feed on some long grass on the south

side of the mountains, and endeavoured by making fires to keep ourselves

warm. As soon as the horses were refreshed, captain Clarke went ahead

with one man, and at the distance of six miles reached a stream from the

right, and prepared fires by the time of our arrival at dusk. We here

encamped in a piece of low ground, thickly timbered, but scarcely large

enough to permit us to lie level. We had now made thirteen miles. We

were all very wet, cold, and hungry: but although before setting out

this morning, we had seen four deer, yet we could not procure any of

them, and were obliged to kill a second colt for our supper.

Tuesday 17. Our horses became so much scattered during the night, that

we were detained till one o'clock before they were all collected. We

then continued our route over high rough knobs, and several drains and

springs, and along a ridge of country separating the waters of two small

rivers. The road was still difficult, and several of the horses fell and

injured themselves very much, so that we were unable to advance more

than ten miles to a small stream, on which we encamped.

We had killed a few pheasants, but these being insufficient for our

subsistence, we killed another of the colts. This want of provisions,

and the extreme fatigue to which we were subjected, and the dreary

prospects before us, began to dispirit the men. It was therefore agreed

that captain Clarke should go on ahead with six hunters, and endeavour

to kill something for the support of the party. He therefore set out,

Wednesday 18, early in the morning in hopes of finding a level country

from which he might send back some game. His route lay S. 85° W., along

the same high dividing ridge, and the road was still very bad; but he

moved on rapidly, and at the distance of twenty miles was rejoiced on

discovering far off an extensive plain towards the west and southwest,

bounded by a high mountain. He halted an hour to let the horses eat a

little grass on the hill sides, and then went on twelve and a half miles

till he reached a bold creek, running to the left, on which he encamped.

To this stream he gave the very appropriate name of Hungry creek; for

having procured no game, they had nothing to eat.

In the meantime we were detained till after eight o'clock by the loss of

one of our horses which had strayed away and could not be found. We then

proceeded, but having soon finished the remainder of the colt killed

yesterday, felt the want of provisions, which was more sensible from our

meeting with no water, till towards nightfall we found some in a ravine

among the hills. By pushing on our horses almost to their utmost

strength, we made eighteen miles.

We then melted some snow, and supped on a little portable soup, a few

canisters of which, with about twenty weight of bears oil, are our only

remaining means of subsistence. Our guns are scarcely of any service,

for there is no living creature in these mountains, except a few small

pheasants, a small species of gray squirrel, and a blue bird of the

vulture kind about the size of a turtle dove or jay, and even these are

difficult to shoot.

Thursday 19. Captain Clarke proceeded up the creek, along which the

road was more steep and stony than any he had yet passed, At six miles

distance he reached a small plain, in which he fortunately found a

horse, on which he breakfasted, and hung the rest on a tree for the

party in the rear. Two miles beyond this he left the creek, and crossed

three high mountains, rendered almost impassable from the steepness of

the ascent and the quantity of fallen timber. After clambering over

these ridges and mountains, and passing the heads of some branches of

Hungry creek, he came to a large creek running westward. This he

followed for four miles, then turned to the right down the mountain,

till he came to a small creek to the left. Here he halted, having made

twenty-two miles on his course, south eighty degrees west, though the

winding route over the mountains almost doubled the distance. On

descending the last mountain, the heat became much more sensible after

the extreme cold he had experienced for several days past. Besides the

breakfast in the morning, two pheasants were their only food during the

day, and the only kinds of birds they saw were the blue jay, a small

white-headed hawk, a larger hawk, crows, and ravens.

We followed soon after sunrise. At six miles the ridge terminated and we

had before us the cheering prospect of the large plain to the southwest.

On leaving the ridge we again ascended and went down several mountains,

and six miles further came to Hungry creek where it was fifteen yards

wide, and received the waters of a branch from the north. We went up it

on a course nearly due west, and at three miles crossed a second branch

flowing from the same quarter. The country is thickly covered with pine

timber, of which we have enumerated eight distinct species. Three miles

beyond this last branch of Hungry creek we encamped, after a fatiguing

route of eighteen miles. The road along the creek is a narrow rocky path

near the borders of very high precipices, from which a fall seems almost

inevitable destruction. One of our horses slipped and rolling over with

his load down the hill side, which was nearly perpendicular and strewed

with large irregular rocks, nearly a hundred yards, and did not stop

till he fell into the creek: we all expected he was killed, but to our

astonishment, on taking off his load, he rose, and seemed but little

injured, and in twenty minutes proceeded with his load. Having no other

provision we took some portable soup, our only refreshment during the

day. This abstinence, joined with fatigue, has a visible effect on our

health. The men are growing weak and losing their flesh very fast:

several are afflicted with the dysentery, and eruptions of the skin are

very common.

Friday 20. Captain Clarke went on through a country as rugged as usual,

till on passing a low mountain he came at the distance of four miles to

the forks of a large creek. Down this he kept on a course south 60° west

for two miles, then turning to the right, continued over a dividing

ridge where were the heads of several little streams, and at twelve

miles distance descended the last of the rocky mountains and reached the

level country. A beautiful open plain partially supplied with pine now

presented itself. He continued for five miles when he discovered three

Indian boys, who, on observing the party, ran off and hid themselves in

the grass. Captain Clarke immediately alighted, and giving his horse

and gun to one of the men went after the boys. He soon relieved their

apprehensions and sent them forward to the village about a mile off with

presents of small pieces of riband. Soon after the boys had reached

home, a man came out to meet the party, with great caution, but he

conducted them to a large tent in the village, and all the inhabitants

gathered round to view with a mixture of fear and pleasure these

wonderful strangers. The conductor now informed captain Clarke by signs,

that the spacious tent was the residence of the great chief, who had set

out three days ago with all the warriors to attack some of their enemies

towards the southwest; that he would not return before fifteen or

eighteen days, and that in the meantime there were only a few men left

to guard the women and children. They now set before them a small piece

of buffaloe meat, some dried salmon, berries, and several kinds of

roots. Among these last is one which is round and much like an onion in

appearance and sweet to the taste: it is called quamash, and is eaten

either in its natural state, or boiled into a kind of soup or made into

a cake, which is then called pasheco. After the long abstinence this was

a sumptuous treat; we returned the kindness of the people by a few small

presents, and then went on in company with one of the chiefs to a second

village in the same plain, at the distance of two miles. Here the party

was treated with great kindness and passed the night. The hunters were

sent out, but though they saw some tracks of deer were not able to

procure any thing.

We were detained till ten o'clock before we could collect our scattered

horses; we then proceeded for two miles, when to our great joy we found

the horse which captain Clarke had killed, and a note apprising us of

his intention of going to the plains towards the southwest, and collect

provisions by the time we reached him. At one o'clock we halted on a

small stream, and made a hearty meal of horse flesh. On examination it

now appeared that one of the horses was missing, and the man in whose

charge he had been, was directed to return and search for him. He came

back in about two hours without having been able to find the horse; but

as the load was too valuable to be lost, two of the best woodsmen were

directed to continue the search while we proceeded. Our general course

was south 25° west through a thick forest of large pine, which has

fallen in many places, and very much obstructs the road. After making

about fifteen miles we encamped on a ridge where we could find but

little grass and no water. We succeeded, however, in procuring a little

from a distance, and supped on the remainder of the horse.

On descending the heights of the mountains the soil becomes gradually

more fertile, and the land through which we passed this evening, is of

an excellent quality. It has a dark gray soil, though very broken, and

with large masses of gray free-stone above the ground in many places.

Among the vegetable productions we distinguished the alder, honeysuckle,

and huckleberry, common in the United States, and a species of

honeysuckle, known only westward of the Rocky mountains, which rises to

the height of about four feet, and bears a white berry. There is also a

plant resembling the chokecherry, which grows in thick clumps eight or

ten feet high, and bears a black berry with a single stone of a sweetish

taste. The arbor vitæ too, is very common, and grows to a great size,

being from two to six feet in diameter.

Saturday 21. The free use of food, to which he had not been accustomed,

made captain Clarke very sick both yesterday evening and during the

whole of to-day. He therefore sent out all the hunters and remained

himself at the village, as well on account of his sickness as for the

purpose of avoiding suspicion and collecting information from the

Indians as to the route.

The two villages consist of about thirty double tents, and the

inhabitants call themselves Chopunnish or Pierced-nose. The chief drew

a chart of the river, and explained, that a greater chief than himself,

who governed this village and was called the Twisted-hair, was now

fishing at the distance of half a day's ride down the river: his chart

made the Kooskooskee fork a little below his camp, a second fork below,

still further on a large branch flowed in on each side, below which the

river passed the mountains: here was a great fall of water, near which

lived white people, from whom were procured the white beads and brass

ornaments worn by the women.

A chief of another band made a visit this morning, and smoked with

captain Clarke. The hunters returned without having been able to kill

any thing; captain Clarke purchased as much dried salmon, roots, and

berries as he could, with the few articles he chanced to have in his

pockets, and having sent them by one of the men and a hired Indian back

to captain Lewis, he went on towards the camp of the Twisted-hair. It

was four o'clock before he set out, and the night soon came on; but

having met an Indian coming from the river, they engaged him by a

present of a neckcloth, to guide them to the Twisted-hair's camp. For

twelve miles they proceeded through the plain before they reached the

river hills, which are very high and steep. The whole valley from these

hills to the Rocky mountain is a beautiful level country, with a rich

soil covered with grass: there is, however, but little timber, and the

ground is badly watered: the plain is so much lower than the surrounding

hills, or so much sheltered by them, that the weather is quite warm,

while the cold of the mountains was extreme. From the top of the river

hills they proceeded down for three miles till they reached the water

side, between eleven and twelve o'clock at night: here we found a small

camp of five squaws and three children, the chief himself being

encamped, with two others, on a small island in the river: the guide

called to him and he soon came over. Captain Clarke gave him a medal,

and they smoked together till one o'clock.

We could not set out till eleven o'clock, because being obliged in the

evening to loosen our horses to enable them to find subsistence, it

is always difficult to collect them in the morning. At that hour we

continued along the ridge on which we had slept, and at a mile and a

half reached a large creek running to our left, just above its junction

with one of its branches. We proceeded down the low grounds of this

creek, which are level, wide, and heavily timbered, but turned to the

right at the distance of two and a half miles, and began to pass the

broken and hilly country; but the thick timber had fallen in so many

places that we could scarcely make our way. After going five miles

we passed the creek on which captain Clarke had encamped during the

night of the 19th, and continued five miles further over the same kind

of road, till we came to the forks of a large creek. We crossed the

northern branch of this stream, and proceeded down it on the west side

for a mile: here we found a small plain where there was tolerable grass

for the horses, and therefore remained during the night, having made

fifteen miles on a course S. 30° W.

The arbor vitæ increases in size and quantity as we advance: some of

the trees we passed to-day being capable of forming periogues at least

forty-five feet in length. We were so fortunate also as to kill a few

pheasants and a prairie wolf, which, with the remainder of the horse,

supplied us with one meal, the last of our provisions, our food for the

morrow being wholly dependent on the chance of our guns.

Sunday, 22. Captain Clarke passed over to the island with the

Twisted-hair, who seemed to be cheerful and sincere in his conduct.

The river at this place is about one hundred and sixty yards wide, but

interrupted by shoals, and the low grounds on its borders are narrow.

The hunters brought in three deer; after which Captain Clarke left his

party, and accompanied by the Twisted-hair and his son, rode back to the

village, where he arrived about sunset: they then walked up together to

the second village, where we had just arrived. We had intended to set

out early, but one of the men having neglected to hobble his horse he

strayed away, and we were obliged to wait till nearly twelve o'clock. We

then proceeded on a western course for two and a half miles, when we met

the hunters sent by Captain Clarke from the village, seven and a half

miles distant, with provisions. This supply was most seasonable, as

we had tasted nothing since last night, and the fish, and roots, and

berries, in addition to a crow which we killed on the route, completely

satisfied our hunger. After this refreshment we proceeded in much better

spirits, and at a few miles were overtaken by the two men who had been

sent back after a horse on the 20th. They were perfectly exhausted with

the fatigue of walking and the want of food; but as we had two spare

horses they were mounted and brought on to the village.

They had set out about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 20th with

one horse between them: after crossing the mountain they came to the

place where we had eaten the horse. Here they encamped, and having no

food made a fire and roasted the head of the horse, which even our

appetites had spared, and supped on the ears, skin, lips, &c. of the

animal. The next morning, 21st, they found the track of the horse,

and pursuing it recovered the saddle-bags, and at length about eleven

o'clock, the horse himself. Being now both mounted, they set out to

return and slept at a small stream: during the day they had nothing at

all except two pheasants, which were so torn to pieces by the shot, that

the head and legs were the only parts fit for food. In this situation

they found the next morning, 22d, that during the night their horses had

run away from them or been stolen by the Indians. They searched for them

until nine o'clock, when seeing that they could not recover them and

fearful of starving if they remained where they were, they set out on

foot to join us, carrying the saddle-bags alternately. They walked as

fast as they could during the day, till they reached us in a deplorable

state of weakness and inanition.

As we approached the village, most of the women, though apprised of our

being expected, fled with their children into the neighbouring woods.

The men, however, received us without any apprehension, and gave us

a plentiful supply of provisions. The plains were now crowded with

Indians, who came to see the persons of the whites and the strange

things they brought with them: but as our guide was perfectly a stranger

to their language we could converse by signs only. Our inquiries were

chiefly directed to the situation of the country, the courses of the

rivers, and the Indian villages, of all which we received information

from several of the Indians, and as their accounts varied but little

from each other, we were induced to place confidence in them. Among

others, the Twisted-hair drew a chart of the river on a white elk skin.

According to this, the Kooskooskee forks a few miles from this place;

two days towards the south is another and larger fork on which the

Shoshonee or Snake Indians fish: five days' journey further is a large

river from the northwest into which Clarke's river empties itself: from

the mouth of that river to the falls is five days' journey further: on

all the forks as well as on the main river great numbers of Indians

reside, and at the falls are establishments of whites. This was the

story of the Twisted-hair.

Monday 23. The chiefs and warriors were all assembled this morning, and

we explained to them where we came from, the objects of our visiting

them, and our pacific intentions towards all the Indians. This being

conveyed by signs, might not have been perfectly comprehended, but

appeared to give perfect satisfaction. We now gave a medal to two of

the chiefs, a shirt in addition to the medal already received by the

Twisted-hair, and delivered a flag and a handkerchief for the grand

chief on his return. To these were added a knife, a handkerchief and a

small piece of tobacco for each chief. The inhabitants did not give us

any provisions gratuitously. We therefore purchased a quantity of fish,

berries (chiefly red haws) and roots; and in the afternoon went on to

the second village. The Twisted-hair introduced us into his own tent,

which consisted however of nothing more than pine bushes and bark,

and gave us some dried salmon boiled. We continued our purchases, and

obtained as much provision as our horses could carry in their present

weak condition as far as the river. The men exchanged a few old

canisters for dressed elk skins, of which they made shirts: great crowds

of the natives are round us all night, but we have not yet missed any

thing except a knife and a few other articles stolen yesterday from a

shot pouch. At dark we had a hard wind from the southwest accompanied

with rain which lasted half an hour, but in the morning,

Tuesday 24, the weather was fair. We sent back Colter in search of the

horses lost in the mountains, and having collected the rest set out

at ten o'clock along the same route already passed by captain Clarke

towards the river. All round the village the women are busily employed

in gathering and dressing the pasheco root, of which large quantities

are heaped up in piles over the plain. We now felt severely the

consequence of eating heartily after our late privations: captain Lewis

and two of the men were taken very ill last evening, and to-day he

could scarcely sit on his horse, while others were obliged to be put

on horseback, and some from extreme weakness and pain, were forced to

lie down along side of the road for some time. At sunset we reached

the island where the hunters had been left on the 22d. They had been

unsuccessful, having killed only two deer since that time, and two of

them are very sick. A little below this island is a larger one on which

we encamped, and administered Rush's pills to the sick.

Wednesday 25. The weather was very hot, and oppressive to the party,

most of whom are now complaining of sickness. Our situation indeed,

rendered it necessary to husband our remaining strength, and it was

determined to proceed down the river in canoes. Captain Clarke therefore

set out with the Twisted-hair and two young men, in quest of timber for

canoes. As he went down the river he crossed at the distance of a mile a

creek from the right, which from the rocks that obstructed its passage,

he called Rockdam river. The hills along the river are high and steep:

the low grounds are narrow, and the navigation of the river embarrassed

by two rapids. At the distance of three miles further he reached two

nearly equal forks of the river, one of which flowed in from the north.

Here he rested for an hour, and cooked a few salmon which one of the

Indians caught with a gig. Here too, he was joined by two canoes of

Indians from below: they were long, steady, and loaded with the

furniture and provisions of two families. He now crossed the south fork,

and returned to the camp on the south side, through a narrow pine bottom

the greater part of the way, in which was found much fine timber for

canoes. One of the Indian boats with two men, set out at the same time,

and such was their dexterity in managing the pole, that they reached

camp within fifteen minutes after him, although they had to drag the

canoe over three rapids. He found captain Lewis, and several of the men

still very sick; and distributed to such as were in need of it, salts

and tartar emetic.

Thursday 26. Having resolved to go down to some spot calculated for

building canoes, we set out early this morning and proceeded five miles,

and encamped on low ground on the south, opposite the forks of the

river. But so weak were the men that several were taken sick in coming

down; the weather being oppressively hot. Two chiefs and their families

followed us, and encamped with a great number of horses near us: and

soon after our arrival we were joined by two Indians, who came down

the north fork on a raft. We purchased some fresh salmon, and having

distributed axes, and portioned off the labour of the party, began,

Friday 27, at an early hour, the preparations for making five canoes.

But few of the men, however, were able to work, and of these several

were soon taken ill, as the day proved very hot. The hunters too,

returned without any game, and seriously indisposed, so that nearly the

whole party was now ill. We procured some fresh salmon; and Colter, who

now returned with one of the horses, brought half a deer, which was very

nourishing to the invalids: several Indians from a camp below, came up

to see us.

Saturday 28. The men continue ill, though some of those first attacked

are recovering. Their general complaint is a heaviness at the stomach,

and a lax, which is rendered more painful by the heat of the weather,

and the diet of fish and roots, to which they are confined, as no game

is to be procured. A number of Indians collect about us in the course of

the day to gaze at the strange appearance of every thing belonging to

us.

Sunday 29. The morning was cool, the wind from the southwest; but in the

afternoon the heat returned. The men continue ill; but all those who are

able to work are occupied at the canoes. The spirits of the party were

much recruited by three deer brought in by the hunters; and the next

day,

Monday 30th, the sick began to recruit their strength, the morning being

fair and pleasant. The Indians pass in great numbers up and down the

river, and we observe large quantities of small duck going down this

morning.

Tuesday, October 1, 1805. The morning was cool, the wind easterly, but

the latter part of the day was warm. We were visited by several Indians

from the tribes below, and others from the main south fork. To two of

the most distinguished men, we made presents of a ring and broach,

and to five others a piece of riband, a little tobacco, and the fifth

part of a neckcloth. We now dried our clothes and other articles, and

selected some articles such as the Indians admire, in order to purchase

some provisions, as we have nothing left except a little dried fish,

which operates as a complete purgative.

Wednesday 2. The day is very warm. Two men were sent to the village with

a quantity of these articles to purchase food. We are now reduced to

roots, which produce violent pains in the stomach. Our work continued

as usual, and many of the party are convalescent. The hunters returned

in the afternoon with nothing but a small prairie-wolf, so that our

provisions being exhausted, we killed one of the horses to eat, and

provide soup for the sick.

Thursday 3. The fine cool morning and easterly wind had an agreeable

effect upon the party, most of whom are now able to work. The Indians

from below left us, and we were visited by others from different

quarters.

Friday 4. Again we had a cool east wind from the mountains. The men were

now much better, and captain Lewis himself so far recovered as to walk

about a little. Three Indians arrived to-day from the Great river to the

south. The two men also returned from the village with roots and fish,

and as the flesh of the horse killed yesterday was exhausted, we were

confined to that diet, although unwholesome as well as unpleasant. The

afternoon was warm.

Saturday 5. The wind easterly, and the weather cool. The canoes being

nearly finished it became necessary to dispose of our horses. They were

therefore collected to the number of thirty-eight, and being branded and

marked were delivered to three Indians, the two brothers and the son of

a chief, who promises to accompany us down the river. To each of those

men we gave a knife and some small articles, and they agreed to take

good care of the horses till our return. The hunters with all their

diligence are unable to kill any thing, the hills being high and rugged,

and the woods too dry to hunt deer, which is the only game in the

country. We therefore continue to eat dried fish and roots, which are

purchased from the squaws, by means of small presents, but chiefly white

beads, of which they are extravagantly fond. Some of these roots seem to

possess very active properties, for after supping on them this evening,

we were swelled to such a degree as to be scarcely able to breathe for

several hours. Towards night we lanched two canoes which proved to be

very good.

Sunday 6. This morning is again cool, and the wind easterly. The general

course of the winds seems to resemble that which we observed on the east

side of the mountain. While on the head waters of the Missouri, we had

every morning a cool wind from the west. At this place a cool breeze

springs up during the latter part of the night, or near daybreak, and

continues till seven or eight o'clock, when it subsides, and the latter

part of the day is warm. Captain Lewis is not so well as he was, and

captain Clarke was also taken ill. We had all our saddles buried in a

cache near the river, about half a mile below, and deposited at the same

time a canister of powder, and a bag of balls. The time which could be

spared from our labours on the canoes, was devoted to some astronomical

observations. The latitude of our camp as deduced from the mean of two

observations is 46° 34' 56" 3"' north.

Monday 7. This morning all the canoes were put in the water and loaded,

the oars fixed, and every preparation made for setting out but when we

were all ready, the two chiefs who had promised to accompany us, were

not to be found, and at the same time we missed a pipe tomahawk. We

therefore proceeded without them. Below the forks this river is called

the Kooskooskee, and is a clear rapid stream, with a number of shoals

and difficult places. For some miles the hills are steep, the low

grounds narrow, but then succeeds an open country with a few trees

scattered along the river. At the distance of nine miles is a small

creek on the left. We passed in the course of the day ten rapids, in

descending which, one of the canoes struck a rock, and sprung a leak:

we however continued for nineteen miles, and encamped on the left side

of the river, opposite to the mouth of a small run. Here the canoe was

unloaded and repaired, and two lead canisters of powder deposited;

several camps of Indians were on the sides of the river, but we had

little intercourse with any of them.

Tuesday 8. We set out at nine o'clock. At eight and a half miles we

passed an island: four and a half miles lower a second island, opposite

a small creek on the left side of the river. Five miles lower is another

island on the left: a mile and a half below which is a fourth. At a

short distance from this is a large creek from the right, to which we

gave the name of Colter's creek, from Colter one of the men. We had

left this creek about a mile and a half, and were passing the last of

fifteen rapids which we had been fortunate enough to escape, when one of

the canoes struck, and a hole being made in her side, she immediately

filled and sunk. The men, several of whom could not swim, clung to the

boat till one of our canoes could be unloaded, and with the assistance

of an Indian boat, they were all brought to shore. All the goods were so

much wet, that we were obliged to halt for the night, and spread them

out to dry. While all this was exhibited, it was necessary to place two

sentinels over the merchandise, for we found that the Indians, though

kind and disposed to give us every aid during our distress, could not

resist the temptation of pilfering some of the small articles. We passed

during our route of twenty miles to-day, several encampments of Indians

on the islands, and near the rapids, which places are chosen as most

convenient for taking salmon. At one of these camps we found our two

chiefs, who after promising to descend the river with us, had left us;

they however willingly came on board after we had gone through the

ceremony of smoking.

Wednesday, 9. The morning was as usual, cool; but as the weather both

yesterday and to-day was cloudy, our merchandise dried but slowly. The

boat, though much injured, was repaired by ten o'clock so as to be

perfectly fit for service; but we were obliged to remain during the day

till the articles were sufficiently dry to be reloaded: the interval

we employed in purchasing fish for the voyage and conversing with the

Indians. In the afternoon we were surprised at hearing that our old

Shoshonee guide and his son had left us, and been seen running up the

river several miles above. As he had never given any notice of his

intention, nor had even received his pay for guiding us, we could not

imagine the cause of his desertion, nor did he ever return to explain

his conduct. We requested the chief to send a horseman after him to

request that he would return and receive what we owed him. From this

however he dissuaded us, and said very frankly, that his nation, the

Chopunnish, would take from the old man any presents that he might have

on passing their camp.

The Indians came about our camp at night, and were very gay and

good-humoured with the men. Among other exhibitions was that of a squaw

who appeared to be crazy: she sang in a wild incoherent manner, and

would offer to the spectators all the little articles she possessed,

scarifying herself in a horrid manner if any one refused her present:

she seemed to be an object of pity among the Indians, who suffered her

to do as she pleased without interruption.

Thursday, 10. A fine morning. We loaded the canoes and set off at seven

o'clock. At the distance of two and a half miles we had passed three

islands, the last of which is opposite to a small stream on the right.

Within the following three and a half miles is another island and

a creek on the left, with wide low grounds, containing willow and

cottonwood trees, on which were three tents of Indians. Two miles

lower is the head of a large island, and six and a half miles further

we halted at an encampment of eight lodges on the left, in order to

view a rapid before us: we had already passed eight, and some of them

difficult; but this was worse than any of them, being a very hazardous

ripple strewed with rocks: we here purchased roots and dined with the

Indians. Among them was a man from the falls, who says that he saw white

people at that place and is very desirous of going down with us; an

offer which however we declined. Just above this camp we had passed a

tent, near which was an Indian bathing himself in a small pond or hole

of water, warmed by throwing in hot stones. After finishing our meal we

descended the rapid with no injury, except to one of our boats which

ran against a rock, but in the course of an hour was brought off with

only a small split in her side. This ripple, from its appearance and

difficulty, we named the Rugged rapid. We went on over five other rapids

of a less dangerous kind, and at the distance of five miles reached a

large fork of the river from the south; and after coming twenty miles,

halted below the junction on the right side of the river: our arrival

soon attracted the attention of the Indians, who flocked in all

directions to see us. In the evening the Indian from the falls, whom we

had seen at the Rugged rapid, joined us with his son in a small canoe,

and insisted on accompanying us to the falls. Being again reduced to

fish and roots we made an experiment to vary our food by purchasing*

a few dogs, and after having been accustomed to horse-flesh, felt no

disrelish to this new dish. The Chopunnish have great numbers of dogs

which they employ for domestic purposes, but never eat; and our using

the flesh of that animal soon brought us into ridicule as dog-eaters.

The country at the junction of the two rivers is an open plain on all

sides, broken towards the left by a distant ridge of highland, thinly

covered with timber: this is the only body of timber which the country

possesses; for at the forks there is not a tree to be seen, and during

almost the whole descent of sixty miles down the Kooskooskee from its

forks there are very few. This southern branch is in fact the main

stream of Lewis's river on which we encamped when among the Shoshonees.

The Indians inform us that it is navigable for sixty miles; that not far

from its mouth it receives a branch from the south; and a second and

larger branch, two days' march up, and nearly parallel to the first

Chopunnish villages, we met near the mountains. This branch is called

Pawnashte, and is the residence of a chief, who, according to their

expression, has more horses than he can count. The river has many

rapids, near which are situated many fishing camps; there being ten

establishments of this before reaching the first southern branch; one

on that stream, five between that and the Pawnashte; one on that river,

and two above it; besides many other Indians who reside high up on the

more distant waters of this river. All these Indians belong to the

Chopunnish nation, and live in tents of an oblong form, covered with

flat roofs.

At its mouth Lewis's river is about two hundred and fifty yards wide,

and its water is of a greenish blue colour. The Kooskooskee, whose

waters are clear as crystal, one hundred and fifty yards in width, and

after the union the river enlarges to the space of three hundred yards:

at the point of the union is an Indian cabin, and in Lewis's river a

small island.

The Chopunnish or Pierced-nose nation, who reside on the Kooskooskee

and Lewis's rivers, are in person stout, portly, well-looking men: the

women are small, with good features, and generally handsome, though the

complexion of both sexes is darker than that of the Tushepaws. In dress

they resemble that nation, being fond of displaying their ornaments. The

buffaloe or elk-skin robe decorated with beads, sea-shells, chiefly

mother-of-pearl, attached to an otter-skin collar and hung in the hair,

which falls in front in two queues; feathers, paints of different kinds,

principally white, green, and light blue, all of which they find in

their own country: these are the chief ornaments they use. In the winter

they wear a short shirt of dressed skins, long painted leggings and

moccasins, and a plait of twisted grass round the neck.

The dress of the women is more simple, consisting of a long shirt of

argalia or ibex skin, reaching down to the ankles without a girdle:

to this are tied little pieces of brass and shells and other small

articles; but the head is not at all ornamented. The dress of the female

is indeed more modest, and more studiously so than any we have observed,

though the other sex is careless of the indelicacy of exposure.

The Chopunnish have very few amusements, for their life is painful and

laborious; and all their exertions are necessary to earn even their

precarious subsistence. During the summer and autumn they are busily

occupied in fishing for salmon, and collecting their winter store

of roots. In the winter they hunt the deer on snow shoes over the

plains, and towards spring cross the mountains to the Missouri for the

purpose of trafficking for buffaloe robes. The inconveniences of that

comfortless life are increased by frequent encounters with their enemies

from the west, who drive them over the mountains with the loss of their

horses, and sometimes the lives of many of the nation. Though originally

the same people, their dialect varies very perceptibly from that of

the Tushepaws: their treatment to us differed much from the kind and

disinterested services of the Shoshonees: they are indeed selfish and

avaricious; they part very reluctantly with every article of food or

clothing; and while they expect a recompense for every service however

small, do not concern themselves about reciprocating any presents we may

give them.

They are generally healthy--the only disorders which we have had

occasion to remark being of a scrophulous kind, and for these, as well

as for the amusement of those who are in good health, hot and cold

bathing is very commonly used.

The soil of these prairies is of a light yellow clay intermixed with

small smooth grass: it is barren, and produces little more than a

bearded grass about three inches high, and a prickly pear, of which we

now found three species: the first is of the broad-leafed kind, common

to the Missouri. The second has the leaf of a globular form, and is also

frequent on the upper part of the Missouri, particularly after it enters

the Rocky mountains. The third is pecular to this country, and is much

more inconvenient than the other two: it consists of small thick leaves

of a circular form, which grow from the margin of each other as in the

broad-leafed pear of the Missouri: these leaves are armed with a greater

number of thorns, which are stronger, and appear to be barbed; and as

the leaf itself is very slightly attached to the stem, as soon as one

thorn touches the moccasin it adheres and brings with it the leaf, which

is accompanied by a reenforecement of thorns.

END OF VOLUME 1.

History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. 1. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed During the Years 1804-5-6. · 第 24 / 24 章

Friday 28. Our visitors seem to depend wholly on us for food, and as the