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.
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