University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

Tuesday May 27th. 1806

Early this morning we sent Reubin Feilds in surch of the
horse which the indians had given us to kill. at 10 in the
morning he returned with the horse and we killed and butchered
him;[19] he was large and in good order. Hohâstillpilp told us
that most of the horses we saw runing at large in this neighbourhood
belonged to himself and his people, and whenever we
were in want of meat he requested that we would kill any of
them we wished; this is a piece of liberallity which would do
honour to such as bo[a]st of civilization; indeed I doubt
whether there are not a great number of our countrymen who
would see us fast many days before their compassion would
excite them to a similar act of liberallity. Sergt. Pryor and the
party ordered to the indian Village set out early this morning.
in the evening he returned with Gibson and Sheilds. the
others remained at the village all night; they brought a good
store of roots and bread. we also sent Sergt. ordway and 2
men this morning over to Lewis's river for salmon, which the
indians inform us may be procured in abundance at that place,
and that it is but half a days ride, nearly south. Drewyer,
Cruzatte, and Labuish returned at 4 P. M. with five deer
which they had killed at some distance up Collins's Creek on
this side; that stream still continues so high that they could
not pass it. Charbono's son is much better today, tho' the
swelling on the side of his neck I beleive will terminate in an
ugly imposthume a little below the ear. the indians were so
anxious that the sick Cheif should be sweated under our inspection
that they requested we would make a second atte[m]pt
today; accordingly the hole was somewhat enlarged and his
father a very good looking old man, went into the hole with
him and sustained him in a proper position during the operation;
we could not make him sweat as copiously as we wished.
after the operation he complained of considerable pain, we gave
him 30 drops of laudanum which soon composed him and he
rested very well. this is at least a strong mark of parental
affection. they all appear extreemly attentive to this sick

man nor do they appear to relax in their asciduity towards him
notwithstand[ing] he has been sick and helpless upwards of
three years. the Chopunnish appear to be very attentive and
kind to their aged people and treat their women with more
rispect than the nations of the Missouri. There is a speceis
of Burrowing squirel common in these plains which in their
habits somewhat resemble those of the missouri but are a distinct
speceis.[20] this little animal measures one fo[o]t five and
1/2 inches from the nose to the extremity of the tail, of which
the tail occupys 2-1/4 inches only; in the girth it is 11 In.
the body is proportionably long, the neck and legs short; the
ears are short, obtusely pointed, and lie close to the head; the
aperture of the ear is larger proportionably than most animals
which burrow. the eyes are of moderate size, the puple black
and iris of a dark sooty brown. the teeth are like those of the
squirel as is it's whole contour. the whiskers are full, long and
black; it also has some long black hairs above the eyes. it
has five toes on each foot; the two inner toes of the fore feet
are remarkably short, and have short blont nails. the remaining
toes on those feet are long, black, slightly curved and
sharply pointed. the outer and inner toes of the hind feet
are not short yet they are by no means as long as the three
toes in the center of the foot which are remarkably long but
the nails are not as long as those of the fore feet tho' of the
same form and colour. the hair of the tail tho' thickly inserted
on every part rispects the two sides only. this gives it
a flat appearance and a long oval form. the tips of the hair
which form the outer edges of the tail are white. the base of
the hairs are either black or a fox red. the under disk of the
tail is an iron grey, the upper a redish brown. the lower part
of the jaws, under part of the neck, legs and feet from the
body down and belley are of a light brick red. the nose as
high as the eyes is of a darker brick red. the upper part of
the head neck and body are of a curious brownish grey colour
with a cast of the brick red. the longer hair of these parts
being of a redish white colour at their extremities, fall together
in such manner as to give it the appearance of being speckled
at a little distance. these animals form large ascociations as
those of the Missouri, occupying with their burroughs one or
sometimes 200 acres of land. the burrows are seperate and
are each occupyed perhaps by ten or 12 of those animals.
there is a little mound in front of the hole formed of the earth
thrown out of the burrow and frequently there are three or
four distinct holes forming what I term one burrow with their
mouths arround the base of this little mound which seems to
be occupyed as a watch-tower in common by the inhabitants
of those several holes. these mounds are sometimes as much
as 2 feet high and 4 feet in diameter, and are irregularly distributed
over the tract they occupy at the distance of from ten
to thirty or 40 yds. when you approach a burrow the squirrels,
one or more, usually set erect on these mounds and make
a kind of shrill whistleing nois, something like tweet, tweet,
tweet, &c. they do not live on grass as those of the missouri
but on roots. one which I examined had in his mouth two
small bulbs of a speceis of grass, which resemble very much
what is sometimes called the grass-nut. the intestins of those
little animals are remarkably large for it's size. fur short and
very fine. the grass in their villages is not cut down as in
those of the plains of the missouri. I preserved the skins of
several of these animals with the heads feet and legs entire.
The Black woodpecker[21] which I have frequently mentioned
and which is found in most parts of the roky Mountains as
well as the Western and S. W. mountains, I had never an
opportunity of examining untill a few days since when we
killed and preserved several of them. this bird is about the
size of the lark woodpecker or the turtle dove, tho' it's wings
are longer than either of those birds. the beak is black, one
inch long, reather wide at the base, somewhat curved, and sharply
pointed; the chaps are of equal length. around the base of
the beak including the eye and a small part of the throat is of
a fine crimson red. the neck and as low as the croop in front
is of an iron grey. the belly and breast is a curious mixture
of white and blood reed which has much the appearance of
having been artificially painted or stained of that colour. the
red reather predominates. the top of the head back, sides,
upper surface of the wings and tail are black, with a g[l]ossey
tint of green in a certain exposure to the light. the under
side of the wings and tail are of a sooty black. it has ten
feathers in the tail, sharply pointed, and those in the centre
reather longest, being 2-1/2 inches in length. the tongue is
barbed, pointed, and of an elastic cartelaginous substance.
the eye is moderately large, puple black and iris of a dark
yellowish brown. this bird in it's actions when flying resembles
the small redheaded woodpecke[r] common to the Atlantic
states; it's note also somewhat resembles that bird. the
pointed tail seems to assist it in seting with more eas or retaining
it its resting position against the perpendicular side of a
tree. the legs and feet are black and covered with wide imbricated
scales. it has four toes on each foot of which two
are in rear and two in front; the nails are much curved long
and remarkably keen or sharply pointed. it feeds on bugs
worms and a variety of insects.[22]