To the Chopunnish to have our horses in readiness;
and thus we should have a stock of horses sufficient both to transport
our baggage and supply us with food, as we now perceived that they
would form our only certain dependance for subsistence."
On the third of April this entry is made: -
"A considerable number of Indians crowded about us to-day,
many of whom came from the upper part of the river.
These poor wretches confirm the reports of scarcity among the
nations above; which, indeed, their appearance sufficiently proved,
for they seemed almost starved, and greedily picked the bones
and refuse meat thrown away by us.
"In the evening Captain Clark returned from an excursion. On setting
out yesterday at half-past eleven o'clock, he directed his course along
the south side of the [Columbia] river, where, at the distance of eight miles,
he passed a village of the Nechacohee tribe, belonging to the Eloot nation.
The village itself is small, and being situated behind Diamond Island,
was concealed from our view as we passed both times along the northern shore.
He continued till three o'clock, when he landed at the single house already
mentioned as the only remains of a village of twenty-four straw huts.
Along the shore were great numbers of small canoes for gathering wappatoo,
which were left by the Shahalas, who visit the place annually.
The present inhabitants of the house are part of the Neerchokioo tribe of
the same [Shahala] nation.
