University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

Monday May 5th. 1806.

Collected our horses and set out at 7 A.M. at 4 1/2 miles we
arrived at the entrance of the Kooskooske, up the N. Eastern
side of which we continued our march 12 Ms. to a large lodge
of 10 families having passed two other large mat lodges the
one at 5 and the other at 8 ms. from the mouth of the Kooskooske
but not being able to obtain any provision at either
of those lodges continued our march to the third where we
arrived at 1 P.M. & with much difficulty obtained 2 dogs and
a small quan[ti]ty of root bread and dryed roots. at the second
lodge we passed an indian man [who] gave Capt. C. a very
eligant grey mare for which he requested a phial of eyewater
which was accordingly given him. while we were encamped
last fall at the entrance of the Chopunnish river Capt. C. [with
much seremony washed & rubd.] gave an indian man some volitile

linniment to rub his k[n]ee and thye for a pain of which he
complained [and was well, but had not walked for many months],
the fellow soon after recovered and has never ceased to extol
the virtues of our medicines and the skill of my friend Capt. C.
as a phisician. this occurrence added to the benefit which
many of them experienced from the eyewater we gave them
about the same time has given them an exalted opinion of our
medicine. my friend Capt. C. is their favorite phisician and
has already received many applications. in our present situation
I think it pardonable to continue this deseption for they
will not give us any provision without compensation in merchandize
and our stock is now reduced to a mere handfull.
We take care to give them no article which can possibly injure
them. we fou[n]d our Chopunnish guide at this lodge with
his family. the indians brought us Capt. Clark's horse from
the oposite side of the river and delivered him to us while
here[7] . this horse had by some accedent seperated from our
other horses above and had agreeably to indian information
been in this neighbourhood for some weeks. while at dinner
an indian fellow verry impertinently threw a poor half starved
pappy nearly into my plait by way of derision for our eating
dogs and laughed very heartily at his own impertinence; I was
so provoked at his insolence that I caught the puppy and
th[r]ew it with great violence at him and stru[c]k him in the
breast and face, siezed my tomahawk and shewed him by signs
if he repeated his insolence I Would tommahawk him, the
fellow withdrew apparently much mortifyed and I continued
my repast on dog without farther molestation. after dinner we
continued our rout 4 miles to the entrance of Colter's Creek
about 1/2 a mile above the rapid where we sunk the 1st. canoe
as we decended the river last fall[8] . we encamped on the lower
side of this creek at a little distance from two lodges of the
Chopunnish nation having traveled 20 1/2 Ms. today. one of these
lodges contained eight families the other was much the largest
we have yet seen. it is 156 feet long and about 15 wide built
of mats and straw. in the form of the roof of a house having
a number of small doors on each side, is closed at the ends and
without divisions in the intermediate space this lodge contained
at least 30 families.[9] their fires are kindled in a row
in the center of the house and about 10 feet assunder. all the
lodges of these people are formed in this manner. we arrived
here extreemly hungry and much fatiegued, but no articles of
merchandize in our possession would induce them to let us
have any article of provision except a small quantity of bread
of cows and some of those roots dryed. we had several applications
to assist their sick which we refused unless they would
let us have some dogs or horses to eat. a man [Chief] whose
wife had an absess formed on the small of her back promised
a horse in the morning provided we would administer to her
accordingly Capt. C. opened the absess introduced a tent and
dressed it with basilicon; [Capt. C soon had more than 50 applications]
I prepared some dozes of the flour of sulpher and creem
of tarter which were given with directions to be taken on each
morning. a little girl and sundry other patients were offered
for cure but we postponed our operations untill morning; they
produced us several dogs but they were so poor that they were
unfit for use. This is the residence of one of 4 principal
Cheifs of the nation whom they call Neesh-ne,-park-ke-ook or
the cut nose from the circumstance of his nose being cut by the
snake indians with a launce in battle. to this man we gave
a medal of the small size with the likeness of the President.
he may be a great cheif but his countenance has but little
inteligence and his influence among his people seems but inconsiderable.
a number of indians beside the inhabitants of these
lodges geathered about us this evening and encamped in the
timbered bottom on the creek near us. we met with a snake
indian man at this place through whome we spoke at some
length to the natives this evening with rispect to the objects
which had induced us to visit their country. this address was
induced at this moment by the suggestions of an old man who
observed to the natives that he thought we were bad men and
had come most probably in order to kill them. this impression
if really entertained I beleive we effaced; they appeared well
satisfyed with what we said to them, and being hungry and
tired we retired to rest at 11 OClock. We-ark-koomt rejoined
us this evening. this man has been of infinite service to us
on several former occasions and through him we now offered
our address to the natives.