They Readily Answered In The Affirmative.
He Then Asked If They Had Not Agreed To Assist Us In Carrying Our Baggage Over
The Mountains.
To this they also answered yes.
`Why, then,' said he, `have
you requested your people to meet us to-morrow where it will be impossible
for us to trade for horses, as you promised we should? If,' he continued,
`you had not promised to help us in transporting our goods over the mountains,
we should not have attempted it, but have returned down the river;
after which no white men would ever have come into your country. If you
wish the whites to be your friends, to bring you arms, and to protect you
from your enemies, you should never promise what you do not mean to perform.
When I first met you, you doubted what I said, yet you afterward saw that I
told you the truth. How, therefore, can you doubt what I now tell you?
You see that I divide amongst you the meat which my hunters kill, and I
promise to give all who assist us a share of whatever we have to eat.
If, therefore, you intend to keep your promise, send one of the young men
immediately, to order the people to remain at the village till we arrive.'
The two inferior chiefs then said that they had wished to keep their word
and to assist us; that they had not sent for the people, but on the contrary
had disapproved of that measure, which was done wholly by the first chief.
Cameahwait remained silent for some time; at last he said that he knew
he had done wrong, but that, seeing his people all in want of provisions,
he had wished to hasten their departure for the country where their wants
might be supplied. He, however, now declared that, having passed his word,
he would never violate it, and counter-orders were immediately sent
to the village by a young man, to whom we gave a handkerchief in order
to ensure despatch and fidelity. . . .
"This difficulty being now adjusted, our march was resumed with an
unusual degree of alacrity on the part of the Indians. We passed
a spot where, six years ago, the Shoshonees had suffered a very severe
defeat from the Minnetarees; and late in the evening we reached
the upper part of the cove, where the creek enters the mountains.
The part of the cove on the northeast side of the creek has
lately been burned, most probably as a signal on some occasion.
Here we were joined by our hunters with a single deer,
which Captain Lewis gave, as a proof of his sincerity,
to the women and children, and remained supperless himself.
As we came along we observed several large hares, some ducks,
and many of the cock of the plains: in the low grounds of the cove
were also considerable quantities of wild onions."
Arriving at the Shoshonee village on the Lemhi, Captain Lewis
found a note from Captain Clark, sent back by a runner,
informing him of the difficulty and impossibility of a water
route to the Columbia.
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