We Now Discovered
That A Violent Quarrel Had Arisen Between These Chiefs,
On The Subject, As We Afterward Understood, Of
Our horses.
But as we could not learn the cause, and were desirous
of terminating the dispute, we interposed, and
Told them
we should go on to the first water and camp. We therefore
set out, followed by all the Indians, and having reached,
at two miles' distance, a small stream running to the right,
we camped with the two chiefs and their little bands,
forming separate camps at a distance from each other.
They all appeared to be in an ill humor; and as we had already heard
reports that the Indians had discovered and carried off our saddles,
and that the horses were very much scattered, we began to be uneasy,
lest there should be too much foundation for the report.
We were therefore anxious to reconcile the two chiefs as soon
as possible, and desired the Shoshonee to interpret for us while we
attempted a mediation, but be peremptorily refused to speak a word.
He observed that it was a quarrel between the two chiefs,
and he had therefore no right to interfere; nor could all
our representations, that by merely repeating what we said he could
not possibly be considered as meddling between the chiefs,
induce him to take any part in it.
"Soon afterward Drewyer returned from hunting, and was sent to invite
Twisted-hair to come and smoke with us. He accepted the invitation,
and as we were smoking the pipe over our fire he informed us that according
to his promise on leaving us at the falls of the Columbia, he had
collected our horses and taken charge of them as soon as he reached home.
But about this time Neeshnepahkeeook and Turmachemootoolt (Broken-arm), who,
as we passed, were on a war-party against the Shoshonees on the south
branch of Lewis' River, returned; and becoming jealous of him,
because the horses had been confided to his care, were constantly
quarrelling with him. At length, being an old man and unwilling to live
in perpetual dispute with these two chiefs, he had given up the care
of the horses, which had consequently become very much scattered.
The greater part of them were, however, still in the neighborhood;
some in the forks between the Chopunnish and Kooskooskee,
and three or four at the village of Broken Arm, about half a day's
march higher up the river. He added, that on the rise of the river
in the spring, the earth had fallen from the door of the cache,
and exposed the saddles, some of which had probably been lost;
but that, as soon as be was acquainted with the situation of them,
he had them buried in another deposit, where they now were.
He promised that, if we would stay the next day at his house,
a few miles distant, he would collect such of the horses as were
in the neighborhood, and send his young men for those in the forks,
over the Kooskooskee. He moreover advised us to visit Broken Arm,
who was a chief of great eminence, and he would himself guide us
to his dwelling.
"We told him that we would follow his advice in every respect;
that we had confided our horses to his care, and expected
he would deliver them to us, on which we should cheerfully
give him the two guns and the ammunition we had promised him.
With this he seemed very much pleased, and declared
he would use every exertion to restore the horses.
We now sent for Neesbnepahkeeook, or Cut Nose, and, after smoking
for some time, began by expressing to the two chiefs
our regret at seeing a misunderstanding between them.
Neeshnepahkeeook replied that Twisted Hair was a bad old man,
and wore two faces; for, instead of taking care of our horses,
he had suffered his young men to hunt with them, so that they
had been very much injured, and it was for this reason
that Broken Arm and himself had forbidden him to use them.
Twisted Hair made no reply to this speech, and we then told
Neeshnepahkeeook of our arrangement for the next day.
He appeared to be very well satisfied, and said he would
himself go with us to Broken Arm, who expected to see us,
and had TWO BAD HORSES FOR US; by which expression we understood
that Broken Arm intended to make us a present of two horses."
Next day, the party reached the house of Twisted-hair, and began
to look for their horses and saddles. The journal gives this
account of the search: -
"Late in the afternoon, Twisted-hair returned with about half the saddles
we had left in the autumn, and some powder and lead which were buried
at the same place. Soon after, the Indians brought us twenty-one
of our horses, the greater part of which were in excellent order,
though some had not yet recovered from hard usage, and three had sore backs.
We were, however, very glad to procure them in any condition.
Several Indians came down from the village of Tunnachemootoolt
and passed the night with us. Cut-nose and Twisted-hair seem now
perfectly reconciled, for they both slept in the house of the latter.
The man who had imposed himself upon us as a brother of Twisted-hair
also came and renewed his advances, but we now found that he was
an impertinent, proud fellow, of no respectability in the nation,
and we therefore felt no inclination to cultivate his intimacy.
Our camp was in an open plain, and soon became very uncomfortable,
for the wind was high and cold, and the rain and hail, which began
about seven o'clock, changed in two hours to a heavy fall of snow,
which continued till after six o'clock [May 10th], the next morning,
when it ceased, after covering the ground eight inches deep
and leaving the air keen and cold.
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