Tuesday 27th: May 1806
A cloudy morning Serjt. Pryor and party set out at 7 A. M.
Serjt. Ordway and two men are ordered to cross this river and
proceed on through the plains to Lewis's [river] and precure
some salmon on that river, and return tomorrow if possible
he set out at 8 A. M. we sent Rub: Field in serch of the
horse which the indians had given us to kill. at 10 A. M. he
returned with the horse and he was killed and butchered; he
was large and in good order. Hohâstillipilp told us that most
of the horses which we saw runing in those plains in this
neighbourhood at large belonged to himself and his people,
and whenever we were in want of meet, he requested that we
would kill any of them we wished; this is a piece of liberallity
which would do honour to such as bost of civilization. Serjt.
Pryor, Gibson & Shields returned from the village with a good
stock of roots and bread. Shabono Lapage & Yourk whome
we had sent to purchase roots for ourselves remained at the
village all night. Drewyer, Labiech & Crusat return at 4
P. M. with 5 Deer which they had killed at some distance up
Collin's Creek on this side, that stream still continue so high
that they could not pass it. Shabono's child is much better
to day; tho' the swelling on the side of his neck I believe will
termonate in an ugly imposthume a little below the ear. The
Indians were so anxious that the sick Chief (who has lost the
use of his limbs) should be sweted under our inspection they
requested me to make a 2
d. attempt to day; accordingly the
hole was enlargened and his father a very good looking old
man performed all the drugery &
c. we could not make him
swet as copously as we wished, being compelled to keep him
erect in the hole by means of cords. after the oppiration he
complained of considerable pain, I gave him 30 drops of
Laudnom which soon composed him and he rested very well.
I observe the strongest marks of parental affection. they all
appear extreemly attentive to this sick man, nor do they appear
to relax in their ascituity towards him notwithstanding he has
been sick and helpless for near 5 years. The Chopunnish
appeare to be very attentive & kind to their aged people and
treat their women with more respect than the nativs on the
Missouri.
There is a Species of Whistleing Squirel common in these
plains which in their habit somewhat resembles those of the
Missouri but are a distinct species. this little animale measures
1 foot 5 inches & a half from the nose to the extremity of the
tail, of which the tail occupies 2 1/4 inches only; in the girth it
is 11 inches the body is perpotionably long, the neck and
legs short; the ears are short, obtusely pointed, and lye close
to the head; the aperture of the ear is larger proportionably
than that [of] most animals which burrow. the eyes are of
moderate size, the puple black and iris of a dark dusky brown.
the teeth are like those of the squirel as is it's whole contour.
the whiskers are full, long and black; it has also some long
black hars above the eye. it has five toes on each foot; the
2 inner toes of the fore feet are remarkably short, and have
short blunt nails. the remaining toes on these feet are long
slightly curved, black 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 hars of the
tail tho thickly inserted on every part respects the two sides
only. this givs it a flat appearance and a long oval form.
the tips of the hair which forms the outer edges of the tail are
white. the bace of the hair are either black or a fox red. the
under disk of the tail is an iron gray, the upper a redish
brown. the lower part of the jaws, under part of the neck, legs
and feet from the body down and belly 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 gray colour with a cast of the brick red. the longer
hairs of these parts being of a redish white colour at their
extremities fall together in such a manner as to give it the
appearance of being spekled at a little distance. these animals
form large asco[i]ations 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
10 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 call one burrow, around the base of the mound, which seams
to be occupied as a watch tower in common by the inhabitents
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 30 or forty yards. When you approach a burrow the
Squirels one, or more, usially set erect on their 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 examoned had in his
mouth two small bulbs of a species of grass, which resembles
very much what is sometimes called the Grass Nut. the
intestins of these little animals are remarkably large for it's
size; fur short and very fine. the grass in their village is not
cut down as in these of the plains of the Missouri. I preserved
the skins of several of these animals with the heads feet
and legs entire. The
Black Wood pecker which is found in
most parts of the rocky mountains as well as the western and
S W. mountains, I had never [had] an oppertunity of examineing,
untill a fiew 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 these
birds. the beak is black, one inch long reather wide at the
base, somewhat cirved, and sharply pointed; the chaps are
of equal length. around the bace of the beak including the
eye and a small part of the throat is of a crimson red. the
neck and as low as the croop in front is of an iron gray.
the belly and breast is of a curious mixture of white and blood
red which has much the appearance of haveing been artificially
painted or stained of that colour, the red reather prodominates.
the top of the head, back, sides, upper surface of the wings
and tail are black, the under side of the wings and tail are
black. it has ten feathers in the tail, sharply pointed, and
those in the center reather longest, being 2 1/2 inches in length.
the tongue is barbed, pointed, and of an elastic cartalaginous
substance. the eye is moderately large, puple black and iris
of a dark yellowish brown. this bird in it's actions when flying
resemble the small redish woodpecker common to the atlantic
states; it's note also somewhat resembles that bird. the
pointed tail seems to assist it in sitting with more ease or retaining
it, in it's resting position against the perpendicular side
of a tree. the legs and feet are black, and covered with 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.
