Cut-Nose And Twisted-Hair Seem Now
Perfectly Reconciled, For They Both Slept In The House Of The Latter.
The
Man who had imposed himself upon us as a brother of Twisted-hair
also came and renewed his advances, but
We now found that he was
an impertinent, proud fellow, of no respectability in the nation,
and we therefore felt no inclination to cultivate his intimacy.
Our camp was in an open plain, and soon became very uncomfortable,
for the wind was high and cold, and the rain and hail, which began
about seven o'clock, changed in two hours to a heavy fall of snow,
which continued till after six o'clock [May 10th], the next morning,
when it ceased, after covering the ground eight inches deep
and leaving the air keen and cold. We soon collected our horses,
and after a scanty breakfast of roots set out on a course S. 35'0 E."
They were now following the general course of the Kooskooskee,
or Clearwater, as the stream is called, and their route lay in what is
now Nez Perce County, Idaho. They have passed the site of the present
city of Lewiston, named for Captain Lewis. They have arrived in a region
inhabited by the friendly Chopunnish, or Nez Perce, several villages
of which nation were scattered around the camp of the white men.
The narrative says:
"We soon collected the men of consideration, and after smoking,
explained how destitute we were of provisions. The chief spoke to
the people, who immediately brought two bushels of dried quamash-roots,
some cakes of the roots of cows, and a dried salmon-trout; we thanked
them for this supply, but observed that, not being accustomed to live
on roots alone, we feared that such diet might make our men sick,
and therefore proposed to exchange one of our good horses, which was
rather poor, for one that was fatter, and which we might kill.
The hospitality of the chief was offended at the idea of an exchange;
he observed that his people had an abundance of young horses,
and that if we were disposed to use that food we might have as many
as we wanted. Accordingly, they soon gave us two fat young horses,
without asking anything in return, an act of liberal hospitality much
greater than any we have witnessed since crossing the Rocky Mountains,
if it be not in fact the only really hospitable treatment we have
received in this part of the world. We killed one of the horses,
and then telling the natives that we were fatigued and hungry,
and that as soon as we were refreshed we would communicate freely
with them, began to prepare our repast.
"During this time a principal chief, called Hohastillpilp,
came from his village, about six miles distant, with a party
of fifty men, for the purpose of visiting us. We invited him into
our circle, and he alighted and smoked with us, while his retinue,
with five elegant horses, continued mounted at a short distance.
While this was going on, the chief had a large leathern tent
spread for us, and desired that we would make it our home
so long as we remained at his village.
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