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. We removed there,
and having made a fire, and cooked our supper of horseflesh
and roots, collected all the distinguished men present,
and spent the evening in making known who we were, what were
the objects of our journey, and in answering their inquiries.
To each of the chiefs Tunnachemootoolt and Hohastillpilp we
gave a small medal, explaining their use and importance as
honorary distinctions both among the whites and the red men.
Our men were well pleased at once more having made a hearty meal.
They had generally been in the habit of crowding into
the houses of the Indians, to purchase provisions on the best
terms they could; for the inhospitality of the country
was such, that often, in the extreme of hunger, they were
obliged to treat the natives with but little ceremony;
but this Twisted Hair had told us was very disagreeable.
Finding that these people are so kind and liberal, we ordered
our men to treat them with the greatest respect, and not to throng
round their fires, so that they now agree perfectly well together.
After the council the Indians felt no disposition to retire,
and our tent was filled with them all night."
As the expedition was here in a populous country, among many bands of Indians,
it was thought wise to have a powwow with the head men and explain to them
what were the intentions of the United States Government. But, owing to
the crooked course which their talk must needs take, it was very
difficult to learn if the Indians finally understood what was said.
Here is the journal's account of the way in which the powwow was conducted: -
"We collected the chiefs and warriors, and having drawn a map
of the relative situation of our country on a mat with a piece
of coal, detailed the nature and power of the American nation,
its desire to preserve harmony between all its red brethren,
and its intention of establishing trading-houses for their relief
and support. It was not without difficulty, nor till after nearly
half the day was spent, that we were able to convey all this
information to the Chopunnish, much of which might have been
lost or distorted in its circuitous route through a variety
of languages; for in the first place, we spoke in English
to one of our men, who translated it into French to Chaboneau;
he interpreted it to his wife in the Minnetaree language;
she then put it into Shoshonee, and the young Shoshonee
prisoner explained it to the Chopunnish in their own dialect.
At last we succeeded in communicating the impression we wished,
and then adjourned the council; after which we amused them
by showing the wonders of the compass, spy-glass, magnet, watch,
and air-gun, each of which attracted its share of admiration."
The simple-minded Indians, who seemed to think that the white men
could heal all manner of diseases, crowded around them next day,
begging for medicines and treatment. These were freely given,
eye-water being most in demand. There was a general medical powwow.
The journal adds: -
"Shortly after, the chiefs and warriors held a council among themselves,
to decide on an answer to our speech, and the result was, as we
were informed, that they had full confidence in what we had told them,
and were resolved to follow our advice. This determination having
been made, the principal chief, Tunnachemootoolt, took a quantity
of flour of the roots of cow-weed [cowas], and going round
to all the kettles and baskets in which his people were cooking,
thickened the soup into a kind of mush.
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