University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XVII.

August 27. We were now occupied in determining our
route and procuring horses from the Indians. The old guide
who had been sent on by captain Clarke, now confirmed, by
means of our interpreter, what he had already asserted, of
a road up Berry creek which would lead to Indian establishments
on another branch of the Columbia: his reports however
were contradicted by all the Shoshonees. This representation
we ascribed to a wish on their part to keep us with
them during the winter, as well for the protection we might
afford against their enemies, as for the purpose of consuming
our merchandise amongst them; and as the old man promised
to conduct us himself, that route seemed to be the most eligible.
We were able to procure some horses, though not
enough for all our purposes. This traffic, and our inquiries and
councils with the Indians, consumed the remainder of the day.

August 28. The purchase of horses was resumed, and our
stock raised to twenty-two. Having now crossed more than
once the country which separates the head waters of the
Missouri from those of the Columbia, we can designate the
easiest and most expeditious route for a portage: it is as
follows:

From the forks of the river north 60° west, five miles
to the point of a hill on the right: then south 80° west, ten
miles to a spot where the creek is ten miles wide, and the
highlands approach within two hundred yards; southwest
five miles to a narrow part of the bottom; then turning
south 70° west, two miles to a creek on the right: thence
south 80° west, three miles to a rocky point opposite to a
thicket of pines on the left: from that place west, three
miles to the gap where is the fountain of the Missouri: on
leaving this fountain south 80° west, six miles across the
dividing ridge, to a run from the right passing several small
streams north 80° west, four miles over hilly ground to the
east fork of Lewis's river, which is here forty yards wide.

Thursday 29. Captain Clarke joined us this morning,
and we continued our bargains for horses. The late misfortunes
of the Shoshonees make the price higher than
common, so that one horse cost a pistol, one hundred balls,
some powder and a knife; another was changed for a musket,
and in this way we obtained twenty-nine. The horses
themselves are young and vigorous, but they are very poor,
and most of them have sore backs in consequence of the
roughness of the Shoshonee saddle. We are therefore
afraid of loading them too heavily and are anxious to obtain
one at least for each man, to carry the baggage, or the man
himself, or in the last resource to serve as food; but with
all our exertions we could not provide all our men with
horses. We, have however, been fortunate in obtaining for
the last three days a sufficient supply of flesh, our hunters
having killed two or three deer every day.

Friday 30. The weather was fine, and having now made
all our purchases, we loaded our horses, and prepared to
start. The greater part of the band who had delayed their
journey on our account, were also ready to depart. We
then took our leave of the Shoshonees, who set out on their
visit to the Missouri at the same time that we accompanied
by the old guide, his four sons, and another Indian, began

the descent of the river, along the same road which captain
Clarke had previously pursued. After riding twelve miles
we encamped on the south bank of the river, and as the
hunters had brought in three deer early in the morning we
did not feel the want of provisions.

Saturday 31. At sunrise we resumed our journey, and
halted for three hours on Salmon creek to let the horses
graze. We then proceeded to the stream called Berry
creek eighteen miles from the camp of last night: as we
passed along, the vallies and prairies were on fire in several
places, in order to collect the bands of the Shoshonees and
the Flatheads, for their journey to the Missouri. The weather
was warm and sultry, but the only inconvenience which
we apprehend is a dearth of food, of which we had to-day
an abundance, having procured a deer, a goose, one duck
and a prairie fowl. On reaching Tower creek we left the
former track of captain Clarke, and began to explore the
new route, which is our last hope of getting out of the mountains.
For four miles the road, which is tolerably plain,
led us along Berry creek to some old Indian lodges where
we encamped for the night; the next day,

Sunday, September 1, 1803, we followed the same road
which here left the creek and turned to the northwest
across the hills. During all day we were riding over these
hills, from which are many drains and small streams running
into the river to the left, and at the distance of eighteen
miles, came to a large creek called Fish creek emptying
into the Columbia which is about six miles from us. It
had rained in the course of the day, and commenced raining
again towards evening. We therefore determined not
to leave the low grounds to night, and after going up Fish
creek four miles formed our encampment. The country
over which we passed is well watered, but poor and rugged
or stony, except the bottoms of Fish creek, and even these
are narrow. Two men were sent to purchase fish of the
Indians at the mouth of the creek, and with the dried fish

which they obtained, and a deer and a few salmon killed
by the party, we were still well supplied. Two bear also
were wounded but we could procure neither of them.

Monday 2. This morning all the Indians left us, except
the old guide, who now conducted us up Fish creek: at
one mile and a half we passed a branch of the river coming
in through a low ground covered with pine on the left, and
two and a half miles further is a second branch from the
right; after continuing our route along the hills covered
with pine, and a low ground of the same growth, we arrived
at the distance of three and a half miles at the forks of the
creek. The road which we were following now turned up
the east side of these forks, and as our guide informed us led
to the Missouri. We were therefore left without any track;
but as no time was to be lost we began to cut our road up
the west branch of the creek. This we effected with much
difficulty; the thickets of trees and brush through which we
were obliged to cut our way required great labour; the road
itself was over the steep and rocky sides of the hills where
the horses could not move without danger of slipping down,
while their feet were bruised by the rocks and stumps of
trees. Accustomed as these animals were to this kind of
life they suffered severely, several of them fell to some distance
down the sides of the hills, some turned over with the
baggage, one was crippled, and two gave out exhausted
with fatigue. After crossing the creek several times we
at last made five miles, with great fatigue and labour, and
encamped on the left side of the creek in a small stony low
ground. It was not, however, till after dark that the whole
party was collected, and then, as it rained, and we killed
nothing, we passed an uncomfortable night. The party had
been too busily occupied with the horses to make any hunting
excursion, and though as we came along Fish creek we
saw many beaver dams we saw none of the animals themselves.
In the morning,

Tuesday 3, the horses were very stiff and weary. We sent
back two men for the load of the horse which had been crippled
yesterday, and which we had been forced to leave two
miles behind. On their return we set out at eight o'clock, and
proceeded up the creek, making a passage through the brush
and timber along its borders. The country is generally supplied
with pine, and in the low grounds is a great abundance
of fir trees, and under bushes. The mountains are high and
rugged, and those to the east of us, covered with snow.
With all our precautions the horses were very much injured
in passing over the ridges and steep points of the hills, and
to add to the difficulty, at the distance of eleven miles, the
high mountains closed the creek, so that we were obliged
to leave the creek to the right, and cross the mountain abruptly.
The ascent was here so steep, that several of the
horses slipped and hurt themselves, but at last we succeeded
in crossing the mountain, and encamped on a small branch
of Fish creek. We had now made fourteen miles in a direction
nearly north from the river; but this distance,
though short, was very fatiguing, and rendered still more
disagreeable by the rain which began at three o'clock.
At dusk it commenced snowing, and continued till the ground
was covered to the depth of two inches, when it changed
into a sleet. We here met with a serious misfortune the
last of our thermometers being broken by accident. After
making a scanty supper on a little corn and a few pheasants
killed in the course of the day, we laid down to sleep,
and next morning,

Wednesday 4, found every thing frozen, and the ground
covered with snow. We were obliged to wait some time
in order to thaw the covers of the baggage, after which we
began our journey at eight o'clock. We crossed a high
mountain which forms the dividing ridge between the waters
of the creek we had been ascending, and those running
to the north and west. We had not gone more than six
miles over the snow, when we reached the head of a stream

from the right, which directed its course more to the westward.
We descended the steep sides of the hills along its
border, and at the distance of three miles found a small
branch coming in from the eastward. We saw several of
the argalia, but they were too shy to be killed, and we
therefore made a dinner from a deer shot by one of the hunters.
Then we pursued the course of the stream for three
miles, till it emptied itself into a river from the east. In
the wide valley at their junction, we discovered a large encampment
of Indians: when we had reached them and alighted
from our horses, we were received with great cordiality.
A council was immediately assembled, white robes
were thrown over our soldiers, and the pipe of peace introduced.
After this ceremony, as it was too late to go any
further, we encamped, and continued smoking and conversing
with the chiefs till a late hour. The next morning,

Thursday 5, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and
informed them who we were, and the purpose for which we
visited their country. All this was however conveyed to
them through so many different languages, that it was not
comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded
to the more intelligible language of presents, and made four
chiefs by giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to
each. We received in turn from the principal chief, a present
consisting of the skins of a braro, an otter, and two antelopes,
and were treated by the women to some dried roots
and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and succeeded
in exchanging seven, purchasing eleven, for which
we gave a few articles of merchandise.

This encampment consists of thirty-three tents, in which
were about four hundred souls, among whom eighty were
men. They are called Ootlashoots, and represent themselves
as one band of a nation called Tushepaws, a numerous
people of four hundred and fifty tents, residing
on the heads of the Missouri and Columbia rivers, and
some of them lower down the latter river. In person these

Indians are stout, and their complexion lighter than that
common among Indians. The hair of the men is worn in
queues of otter skin, falling in front over the shoulders.
A shirt of dressed skin covers the body to the knee, and on
this is worn occasionally a robe. To these were added
leggings and moccasins. The women suffer their hair to
fall in disorder over the face and shoulders, and their
chief article of covering is a long shirt of skin, reaching
down to the ancles, and tied round the waist. In other respects,
as also in the few ornaments which they possess, their
appearance is similar to that of the Shoshonees; there is
however a difference between the language of these people
which is still farther increased by the very extraordinary
pronunciation of the Ootlashoots. Their words have all a
remarkably guttural sound, and there is nothing which
seems to represent the tone of their speaking more exactly
than the clucking of a fowl, or the noise of a parrot. This
peculiarity renders their voices scarcely audible, except at
a short distance, and when many of them are talking, forms
a strange confusion of sounds. The common conversation we
overheard, consisted of low guttural sounds occasionally
broken by a loud word or two, after which it would relapse
and scarcely be distinguished. They seem kind and friendly
and willingly shared with us berries and roots, which formed
their only stock of provisions. Their only wealth is their
horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this party
had with them at least five hundred.

Friday 6. We continued this morning with the Ootlashoots,
from whom we purchased two more horses, and procured
a vocabulary of their language. The Ootlashoots set
off about two o'clock to join the different bands who were
collecting at the three forks of the Missouri. We ourselves
proceeded at the same time, and taking a direction N. 30 W.
crossed within the distance of one mile and a half, a small
river from the right, and a creek coming in from the north.
This river is the main stream, and when it reaches the end

of the valley, where the mountains close in upon it, is joined
by the river on which we encamped last evening, as well as
by the creek just mentioned. To the river thus formed we
gave the name of captain Clarke, he being the first white
man who had ever visited its waters. At the end of five
miles on this course we had crossed the valley, and reached
the top of a mountain covered with pine; this we descended
along the steep sides and ravines for a mile and a half, when
we came to a spot on the river, where the Ootlashoots had
encamped a few days before. We then followed the course
of the river, which is from twenty-five to thirty yards wide,
shallow, stony, and the low grounds on its borders narrow.
Within the distance of three and a half miles, we crossed it
several times, and after passing a run on each side, encamped
on its right bank, after making ten miles during the afternoon.
The horses were turned out to graze, but those we
had lately bought were secured and watched, lest they should
escape, or be stolen by their former owners. Our stock of
flour was now exhausted, and we had but little corn, and as
our hunters had killed nothing except two pheasants, our
supper consisted chiefly of berries.

Saturday, 7. The greater part of the day the weather
was dark and rainy: we continued through the narrow low
grounds along the river, till at the distance of six miles we
came to a large creek from the left, after which the bottoms
widen. Four miles lower is another creek on the same
side, and the valley now extends from one to three miles,
the mountains on the left being high and bald, with snow on
the summits, while the country to the right is open and
hilly. Four miles beyond this is a creek running from the
snow-top'd mountains, and several runs on both sides of the
river. Two miles from this last is another creek on the left.
The afternoon was now far advanced, but not being able to
find a fit place to encamp we continued six miles further
till after dark, when we halted for the night. The river
here is still shallow and stony, but is increased to the width

of fifty yards. The valley through which we passed is of a
poor soil, and its fertility injured by the quantity of stone
scattered over it. We met two horses which had strayed from
the Indians and were now quite wild. No fish was to be seen
in the river, but we obtained a very agreeable supply of two
deer, two cranes, and two pheasants.

Sunday, 8. We set out early: the snow-top'd hills on
the left approach the river near our camp, but we soon
reached a valley four or five miles wide, through which we
followed the course of the river in a direction due north.
We passed three creeks on the right, and several runs emptying
themselves into the opposite side of the river. At the
distance of eleven miles the river turned more towards the
west: we pursued it for twelve miles, and encamped near a
large creek coming in from the right, which, from its being
divided into four different channels, we called Scattering
creek. The valley continues to be a poor stony land, with
scarcely any timber, except some pine trees along the waters
and partially scattered on the hills to the right, which,
as well as those on the left, have snow on them. The plant
which forces itself most on our attention is a species of
prickly pear very common on this part of the river: it grows
in clusters, in an oval form about the size of a pigeon's egg,
and its thorns are so strong and bearded, that when it penetrates
our feet it brings away the pear itself. We saw two
mares and a colt, which, like the horses seen yesterday,
seemed to have lost themselves and become wild. Our game
to-day consisted of two deer, an elk, and a prairie fowl.

Monday, 9. We resumed our journey through the valley,
and leaving the road on our right crossed the Scattering
creek, and halted at the distance of twelve miles on a small
run from the east, where we breakfasted on the remains of
yesterday's hunt: we here took a meridian altitude, which
gave the latitude of 46° 41′ 38″ 9‴: we then continued, and at
the distance of four miles passed over to the left bank of the
river, where we found a large road through the valley. At

this place is a handsome stream of very clear water, a hundred
yards wide with low banks, and a bed formed entirely of
gravel: it has every appearance of being navigable, but as it
contains no salmon, we presume there must be some fall below
which obstructs their passage. Our guide could not inform
us where this river discharged its waters; he said that
as far as he knew its course it ran along the mountains to
the north, and that not far from our present position it was
joined by another stream nearly as large as itself, which
rises in the mountains to the east near the Missouri, and
flows through an extensive valley or open prairie. Through
this prairie is the great Indian road to the waters of the
Missouri; and so direct is the route, that in four days' journey
from this place we might reach the Missouri about
thirty miles above what we called the Gates of the Rocky
mountains, or the spot where the valley of that river widens
into an extensive plain on entering the chain of mountains.
At ten miles from our camp is a small creek falling in from
the eastward, five miles below which we halted at a large
stream which empties itself on the west side of the river.
It is a fine bold creek of clear water about twenty yards wide,
and we called it Traveller's-rest creek; for as our guide told
us that we should here leave the river, we determined to
remain for the purpose of making celestial observations and
collecting some food, as the country through which we are
to pass has no game for a great distance.

The valley of the river through which we have been passing
is generally a prairie from five to six miles in width,
and with a cold gravelly white soil. The timber which it
possesses is almost exclusively pine, chiefly of the long-leafed
kind, with some spruce, and a species of fir resembling
the Scotch fir: near the water courses are also seen a
few narrow-leafed cottonwood trees, and the only underbrush
is the redwood, honeysuckle, and rosebushes. Our
game was four deer, three geese, four ducks, and three
prairie fowls: one of the hunters brought in a red-headed

woodpecker of the large kind common in the United States,
but the first of the kind we have seen since leaving the Illinois.

Tuesday, 10. The morning being fair all the hunters
were sent out, and the rest of the party employed in repairing
their clothes: two of them were sent to the junction of
the river from the east, along which the Indians go to the
Missouri: it is about seven miles below Traveller's-rest creek;
the country at the forks is seven or eight miles wide, level
and open, but with little timber: its course is to the north,
and we incline to believe that this is the river which the
Minnetarees had described to us as running from south to
north along the west side of the Rocky mountains, not far
from the sources of Medicine river: there is moreover reason
to suppose, that after going as far northward as the
head-waters of that river it turns to the westward and joins
the Tacootchetessee. Towards evening one of the hunters
returned with three Indians, whom he had met in his excursion
up Traveller's-rest creek: as soon as they saw him
they prepared to attack him with arrows, but he quieted
them by laying down his gun and advancing towards them,
and soon persuaded them to come to the camp. Our Shoshonee
guide could not speak the language of these people,
but by the universal language of signs and gesticulations,
which is perfectly intelligible among the Indians, he found
that these were three Tushepaw Flatheads in pursuit of
two men, supposed to be Shoshonees, who had stolen twenty-three
of their horses: we gave them some boiled venison
and a few presents; such as a fishhook, a steel to strike fire,
and a little powder; but they seemed better pleased with a
piece of riband which we tied in the hair of each of them.
They were however in such haste, lest their horses should
be carried off, that two of them set off after sunset in quest
of the robbers: the third however was persuaded to remain
with us and conduct us to his relations: these he said were
numerous, and resided on the Columbia in the plain below

the mountains. From that place he added, the river was
navigable to the ocean; that some of his relations had been
there last fall and seen an old white man who resided there
by himself, and who gave them some handkerchiefs like
those we have. The distance from this place is five sleeps or
days' journey. When our hunters had all joined us we found
our provisions consisted of four deer, a beaver, and three
grouse.

The observation of to-day gave 46° 48′ 28″ as the latitude
of Travellers-rest creek.

Wednesday 11. Two of our horses having strayed away
we were detained all the morning before they were caught.
In the meantime our Tushepaw Indian became impatient
of the delay, and set out to return home alone. As usual
we had dispatched four of our best hunters ahead, and as
we hoped with their aid and our present stock of provisions
to subsist on the route, we proceeded at three o'clock up the
right side of the creek, and encamped under some old Indian
huts at the distance of seven miles. The road was
plain and good: the valley is however narrower than that
which we left and bordered by high and rugged hills to the
right, while the mountains on the left were covered with
snow. The day was fair and warm, the wind from the
northwest.

Thursday 12. There was a white frost this morning.
We proceeded at seven o'clock and soon passed a stream falling
in on the right, near which was an old Indian camp with
a bath or sweating-house covered with earth. At two miles
distance we ascended a high, and thence continued through
a hilly and thickly timbered country for nine miles, when we
came to the forks of the creek, where the road branches
up each fork. We followed the western route, and finding
that the creek made a considerable bend at the distance of
four miles, crossed a high mountain in order to avoid the
circuit. The road had been very bad during the first part
of the day, but the passage of the mountain, which was

eight miles across, was very painful to the horses, as we
were obliged to go over steep stony sides of hills and along
the hollows and ravines, rendered more disagreeble by the
fallen timber, chiefly pine, spruce pine and fir. We at
length reached the creek, having made twenty-three miles
of a route so difficult that some of the party did not join us
before ten o'clock. We found the account of the scantiness
of game but too true, as we were not able to procure any
thing during the whole of yesterday, and to-day we killed
only a single pheasant. Along the road we observed many
of the pine trees pealed off, which is done by the Indians to
procure the inner bark for food in the spring.

Friday 13. Two of the horses strayed away during the
night, and one of them being captain Lewis's, he remained
with four men to search for them while we proceeded up
the creek: at the distance of two miles we came to several
springs issuing from large rocks of a coarse hard grit,
and nearly boiling hot. These seem to be much frequented
as there are several paths made by elk, deer and other animals,
and near one of the springs a hole or Indian bath, and
roads leading in different directions. These embarrassed
our guide, who mistaking the road took us three miles out
of the proper course over an exceedingly bad route. We
then fell into the right road, and proceeded on very well,
when having made five miles we stopped to refresh the horses.
Captain Lewis here joined us, but not having been
able to find his horse, two men were sent back to continue
the search. We then proceeded along the same kind of
country which we passed yesterday, and after crossing a
mountain and leaving the sources of the Travellers-rest
creek on the left, reached after five miles riding a small
creek which also came in from the left hand, passing
through open glades, some of which were half a mile wide.
The road which had been as usual rugged and stony, became
firm, plain and level after quitting the head of Travellers-rest.
We followed the course of this new creek

for two miles and encamped at a spot where the mountains
close on each side. Other mountains covered with snow
are in view to the southeast and southwest. We were
somewhat more fortunate to-day in killing a deer and several
pheasants which were of the common species, except
that the tail was black.

Saturday 14. The day was very cloudy with rain and hail
in the vallies, while on the top of the mountains some snow
fell. We proceeded early, and continuing along the right
side of Glade creek crossed a high mountain, and at the distance
of six miles reached the place where it is joined by
another branch of equal size from the right. Near the
forks the Tushepaws have had an encampment which is
but recently abandoned, for the grass is entirely destroyed
by horses, and two fish weirs across the creek are still remaining;
no fish were however to be seen. We here passed
over to the left side of the creek and began the ascent of a
very high and steep mountain nine miles across. On reaching
the other side we found a large branch from the left,
which seems to rise in the snowy mountains to the south
and southeast. We continued along the creek two miles
further, when night coming on we encamped opposite a
small island at the mouth of a branch on the right side of
the river. The mountains which we crossed to-day were
much more difficult than those of yesterday; the last was
particularly fatiguing, being steep and stony, broken by fallen
timber, and thickly overgrown by pine, spruce, fir, hacmatack
and tamarac. Although we had made only seventeen
miles we were all very weary. The whole stock of
animal food was now exhausted, and we therefore killed a
colt, on which we made a hearty supper. From this incident
we called the last creek we had passed from the south
Colt-killed creek. The river itself is eighty yards wide,
with a swift current, and a stony channel. Its Indian name
is Kooskooskee.

Sunday 15. At an early hour we proceeded along the
right side of the Kooskooskee over steep rocky points of
land, till at the distance of four miles we reached an old Indian
fishing place: the road here turned to the right of
the water, and began to ascend a mountain: but the fire and
wind had prostrated or dried almost all the timber on the
south side, and the ascents were so steep that we were forced
to wind in every direction round the high knobs which constantly
impeded our progress. Several of the horses lost
their foot-hold and slipped: one of them which was loaded
with a desk and small trunk, rolled over and over for forty
yards, till his fall was stopped by a tree. The desk was
broken; but the poor animal escaped without much injury.
After clambering in this way for four miles, we came to a
high snowy part of the mountain where was a spring of
water, at which we halted two hours to refresh our horses.

On leaving the spring the road continued as bad as it was
below, and the timber more abundant. At four miles we
reached the top of the mountain, and foreseeing no chance
of meeting with water, we encamped on the northern side
of the mountain, near an old bank of snow, three feet deep.
Some of this we melted, and supped on the remains of the
colt killed yesterday. Our only game to-day was two pheasants,
and the horses on which we calculated as a last resource
begin to fail us, for two of them were so poor, and
worn out with fatigue, that we were obliged to leave them
behind. All around us are high rugged mountains, among
which is a lofty range from southeast to northwest, whose
tops are without timber, and in some places covered with
snow. The night was cloudy and very cold, and three hours
before daybreak,

Monday 16, it began to snow, and continued all day,
so that by evening it was six or eight inches deep. This
covered the track so completely, that we were obliged constantly
to halt and examine, lest we should lose the route.

In many places we had nothing to guide us except the branches
of the trees which, being low, have been rubbed by the
burdens of the Indian horses. The road was, like that of
yesterday, along steep hill sides, obstructed with fallen timber,
and a growth of eight different species of pine, so thickly
strewed that the snow falls from them as we pass, and
keeps us continually wet to the skin, and so cold, that we
are anxious lest our feet should be frozen, as we have
only thin moccasins to defend them.

At noon we halted to let the horses feed on some long
grass on the south side of the mountains, and endeavoured
by making fires to keep ourselves warm. As soon as the
horses were refreshed, captain Clarke went ahead with one
man, and at the distance of six miles reached a stream from
the right, and prepared fires by the time of our arrival at
dusk. We here encamped in a piece of low ground, thickly
timbered, but scarcely large enough to permit us to lie
level. We had now made thirteen miles. We were all very
wet, cold, and hungry: but although before setting out this
morning, we had seen four deer, yet we could not procure
any of them, and were obliged to kill a second colt for our
supper.

Tuesday 17. Our horses became so much scattered during
the night, that we were detained till one o'clock before
they were all collected. We then continued our route
over high rough knobs, and several drains and springs,
and along a ridge of country separating the waters of two
small rivers. The road was still difficult, and several of
the horses fell and injured themselves very much, so that
we were unable to advance more than ten miles to a small
stream, on which we encamped.

We had killed a few pheasants, but these being insufficient
for our subsistence, we killed another of the colts.
This want of provisions, and the extreme fatigue to which
we were subjected, and the dreary prospects before us, began
to dispirit the men. It was therefore agreed that captain

Clarke should go on ahead with six hunters, and endeavour
to kill something for the support of the party. He
therefore set out,

Wednesday 18, early in the morning in hopes of finding
a level country from which he might send back some game.
His route lay S. 85° W. along the same high dividing ridge,
and the road was still very bad; but he moved on rapidly, and
at the distance of twenty miles was rejoiced on discovering
far off an extensive plain towards the west and southwest,
bounded by a high mountain. He halted an hour to let
the horses eat a little grass on the hill sides, and then
went on twelve and a half miles till he reached a bold
creek, running to the left, on which he encamped. To
this stream he gave the very appropriate name of Hungry
creek; for having procured no game, they had nothing
to eat.

In the meantime we were detained till after eight
o'clock by the loss of one of our horses which had strayed
away and could not be found. We then proceeded, but
having soon finished the remainder of the colt killed yesterday,
felt the want of provisions, which was more sensible
from our meeting with no water, till towards nightfall
we found some in a ravine among the hills. By pushing on
our horses almost to their utmost strength, we made eighteen
miles.

We then melted some snow, and supped on a little portable
soup, a few canisters of which, with about twenty
weight of bears oil, are our only remaining means
of subsistence. Our guns are scarcely of any service, for
there is no living creature in these mountains, except a
few small pheasants, a small species of gray squirrel, and
a blue bird of the vulture kind about the size of a turtle dove
or jay, and even these are difficult to shoot.

Thursday 19. Captain Clarke proceeded up the creek,
along which the road was more steep and stony than any he
had yet passed. At six miles distance he reached a small

plain, in which he fortunately found a horse, on which he
breakfasted, and hung the rest on a tree for the party in
the rear. Two miles beyond this he left the creek, and
crossed three high mountains, rendered almost impassable
from the steepness of the ascent and the quantity of fallen
timber. After clambering over these ridges and mountains,
and passing the heads of some branches of Hungry creek,
he came to a large creek running westward. This he followed
for four miles, then turned to the right down the
mountain, till he came to a small creek to the left. Here
he halted, having made twenty-two miles on his course,
south eighty degrees west, though the winding route over
the mountains almost doubled the distance. On descending
the last mountain, the heat became much more sensible
after the extreme cold he had experienced for several
days past. Besides the breakfast in the morning, two
pheasants were their only food during the day, and the
only kinds of birds they saw were the blue jay, a small
white-headed hawk, a larger hawk, crows, and ravens.

We followed soon after sunrise. At six miles the ridge
terminated and we had before us the cheering prospect of
the large plain to the southwest. On leaving the ridge we
again ascended and went down several mountains, and six
miles further came to Hungry creek where it was fifteen
yards wide, and received the waters of a branch from the
north. We went up it on a course nearly due west, and at
three miles crossed a second branch flowing from the same
quarter. The country is thickly covered with pine timber,
of which we have enumerated eight distinct species. Three
miles beyond this last branch of Hungry creek we encamped,
after a fatiguing route of eighteen miles. The
road along the creek is a narrow rocky path near the borders
of very high precipices, from which a fall seems almost
inevitable destruction. One of our horses slipped and
rolling over with his load down the hill side, which was
nearly perpendicular and strewed with large irregular

rocks, nearly a hundred yards, and did not stop till he fell
into the creek: we all expected he was killed, but to our
astonishment, on taking off his load, he rose, and seemed
but little injured, and in twenty minutes proceeded with his
load. Having no other provision we took some portable
soup, our only refreshment during the day. This abstinence,
joined with fatigue, has a visible effect on our health.
The men are growing weak and losing their flesh very fast:
several are afflicted with the dysentery, and erruptions of
the skin are very common.

Friday 20. Captain Clarke went on through a country
as rugged as usual, till on passing a low mountain he
came at the distance of four miles to the forks of a large
creek. Down this he kept on a course south 60° west for
two miles, then turning to the right, continued over a dividing
ridge where were the heads of several little streams,
and at twelve miles distance descended the last of the rocky
mountains and reached the level country. A beautiful
open plain partially supplied with pine now presented itself.
He continued for five miles when he discovered three
Indian boys, who, on observing the party, ran off and hid
themselves in the grass. Captain Clarke immediately
alighted, and giving his horse and gun to one of the men
went after the boys. He soon relieved their apprehensions
and sent them forward to the village about a mile off with
presents of small pieces of riband. Soon after the boys
had reached home, a man came out to meet the party, with
great caution, but he conducted them to a large tent in the
village, and all the inhabitants gathered round to view with
a mixture of fear and pleasure these wonderful strangers.
The conductor now informed captain Clarke by signs, that
the spacious tent was the residence of the great chief, who
had set out three days ago with all the warriors to attack
some of their enemies towards the southwest; that he would
not return before fifteen or eighteen days, and that in the
meantime there were only a few men left to guard the women

and children. They now set before them a small
piece of buffaloe meat, some dried salmon, berries, and several
kinds of roots. Among these last is one which is
round and much like an onion in appearance and sweet to
the taste: it is called quamash, and is eaten either in its
natural state, or boiled into a kind of soup or made into a
cake, which is then called pasheco. After the long abstinence
this was a sumptuous treat; we returned the kindness
of the people by a few small presents, and then went on in
company with one of the chiefs to a second village in the
same plain, at the distance of two miles. Here the party
was treated with great kindness and passed the night. The
hunters were sent out, but though they saw some tracks
of deer were not able to procure any thing.

We were detained till ten o'clock before we could collect
our scattered horses; we then proceeded for two miles,
when to our great joy we found the horse which captain
Clarke had killed, and a note apprising us of his intention of
going to the plains towards the southwest, and collect provisions
by the time we reached him. At one o'clock we
halted on a small stream, and made a hearty meal of horse
flesh. On examination it now appeared that one of the
horses was missing, and the man in whose charge he had
been, was directed to return and search for him. He came
back in about two hours without having been able to find
the horse; but as the load was too valuable to be lost, two
of the best wooodsmen were directed to continue the
search while we proceeded. Our general course was south
25° west through a thick forest of large pine, which has
fallen in many places, and very much obstructs the road.
After making about fifteen miles we encamped on a ridge
where we could find but little grass and no water. We succeeded,
however, in procuring a little from a distance, and
supped on the remainder of the horse.

On descending the heights of the mountains the soil
becomes gradually more fertile, and the land through which

we passed this evening, is of an excellent quality. It has
a dark gray soil, though very broken, and with large masses
of gray free-stone above the ground in many places.
Among the vegetable productions we distinguished the
alder, honeysuckle, and huckleberry, common in the
United States, and a species of honeysuckle, known only
westward of the Rocky mountains, which rises to the
height of about four feet, and bears a white berry. There
is also a plant resembling the chokecherry, which grows
in thick clumps eight or ten feet high, and bears a black
berry with a single stone of a sweetish taste. The arbor
vitæ too, is very common, and grows to a great size, being
from two to six feet in diameter.

Saturday 21. The free use of food, to which he had not
been accustomed, made captain Clarke very sick both yesterday
evening and during the whole of to-day. He therefore
sent out all the hunters and remained himself at the
village, as well on account of his sickness as for the purpose
of avoiding suspicion and collecting information from
the Indians as to the route.

The two villages consist of about thirty double tents,
and the inhabitants call themselves Chopunnish or Pierced-nose.
The chief drew a chart of the river, and explained,
that a greater chief than himself, who governed this village
and was called the Twisted-hair, was now fishing at the
distance of half a day's ride down the river: his chart made
the Kooskooskee fork a little below his camp, a second fork
below, still further on a large branch flowed in on each
side, below which the river passed the mountains: here was
a great fall of water, near which lived white people, from
whom were procured the white beads and brass ornaments
worn by the women.

A chief of another band made a visit this morning, and
smoked with captain Clarke. The hunters returned without
having been able to kill any thing; captain Clarke purchased
as much dried salmon, roots and berries as he could,

with the few articles he chanced to have in his pockets, and
having sent them by one of the men and a hired Indian back to
captain Lewis, he went on towards the camp of the Twisted-hair.
It was four o'clock before he set out, and the night
soon came on; but having met an Indian coming from the
river, they engaged him by a present of a neckcloth, to guide
them to the Twisted-hair's camp. For twelve miles they
proceeded through the plain before they reached the river
hills, which are very high and steep. The whole valley from
these hills to the Rocky mountain is a beautiful level country,
with a rich soil covered with grass: there is, however,
but little timber, and the ground is badly watered: the plain
is so much lower than the surrounding hills, or so much
sheltered by them, that the weather is quite warm, while
the cold of the mountains was extreme. From the top of
the river-hills they proceeded down for three miles till they
reached the water side, between eleven and twelve o'clock
at night: here we found a small camp of five squaws and
three children, the chief himself being encamped, with two
others, on a small island in the river: the guide called to
him and he soon came over. Captain Clarke gave him a
medal, and they smoked together till one o'clock.

We could not set out till eleven o'clock, because being
obliged in the evening to loosen our horses to enable them
to find subsistence, it is always difficult to collect them in
the morning. At that hour we continued along the ridge
on which we had slept, and at a mile and a half reached a
large creek running to our left, just above its junction with
one of its branches. We proceeded down the low grounds of
this creek, which are level, wide, and heavily timbered, but
turned to the right at the distance of two and a half miles,
and began to pass the broken and hilly country; but the
thick timber had fallen in so many places that we could
scarcely make our way. After going five miles we passed
the creek on which captain Clarke had encamped during the
night of the 19th, and continued five miles further over the

same kind of road, till we came to the forks of a large creek.
We crossed the northern branch of this stream, and proceeded
down it on the west side for a mile: here we found a
small plain where there was tolerable grass for the horses,
and therefore remained during the night, having made fifteen
miles on a course S. 30° W.

The arbor vitæ increases in size and quantity as we advance:
some of the trees we passed to-day being capable of
forming periogues at least forty-five feet in length. We
were so fortunate also as to kill a few pheasants and a prairie
wolf, which, with the remainder of the horse, supplied
us with one meal, the last of our provisions, our food for
the morrow being wholly dependent on the chance of our
guns.

Sunday, 22. Captain Clarke passed over to the island
with the Twisted-hair, who seemed to be cheerful and sincere
in his conduct. The river at this place is about one
hundred and sixty yards wide, but interrupted by shoals, and
the low grounds on its borders are narrow. The hunters
brought in three deer; after which captain Clarke left his
party, and accompanied by the Twisted-hair and his son,
rode back to the village, where he arrived about sunset: they
then walked up together to the second village, where we had
just arrived. We had intended to set out early, but one of
the men having neglected to hobble his horse he strayed
away, and we were obliged to wait till nearly twelve o'clock.
We then proceeded on a western course for two and a half
miles, when we met the hunters sent by captain Clarke
from the village, seven and a half miles distant, with provisions.
This supply was most seasonable, as we had tasted
nothing since last night, and the fish, and roots, and berries,
in addition to a crow which we killed on the route, completely
satisfied our hunger. After this refreshment we proceeded
in much better spirits, and at a few miles were overtaken
by the two men who had been sent back after a horse
on the 20th. They were perfectly exhausted with the fatigue

of walking and the want of food; but as we had two
spare horses they were mounted and brought on to the village.

They had set out about three o'clock in the afternoon of the
20th with one horse between them: after crossing the mountain
they came to the place where we had eaten the horse.
Here they encamped, and having no food made a fire and
roasted the head of the horse, which even our appetites had
spared, and supped on the ears, skin, lips, &c. of the animal.
The next morning, 21st, they found the track of the horse,
and pursuing it recovered the saddle bags, and at length
about eleven o'clock, the horse himself. Being now both
mounted, they set out to return and slept at a small stream:
during the day they had nothing at all except two pheasants,
which were so torn to pieces by the shot, that the head and
legs were the only parts fit for food. In this situation they
found the next morning, 22d, that during the night their
horses had run away from them or been stolen by the Indians.
They searched for them until nine o'clock, when seeing
that they could not recover them and fearful of starving if
they remained where they were, they set out on foot to join
us, carrying the saddle-bags alternately. They walked as
fast as they could during the day, till they reached us in a
deplorable state of weakness and inanition.

As we approached the village, most of the women, though
apprised of our being expected, fled with their children into
the neighbouring woods. The men, however, received us
without any apprehension, and gave us a plentiful supply
of provisions. The plains were now crowded with Indians,
who came to see the persons of the whites, and the strange
things they brought with them: but as our guide was perfectly
a stranger to their language we could converse by
signs only. Our inquiries were chiefly directed to the situation
of the country, the courses of the rivers, and the
Indian villages, of all which we received information from
several of the Indians, and as their accounts varied but
little from each other, we were induced to place confidence

in them. Among others, the Twisted-hair drew a chart
of the river on a white elk skin. According to this, the
Kooskooskee forks a few miles from this place; two days
towards the south is another and larger fork on which the
Shoshonee or Snake Indians fish: five days' journey further
is a large river from the northwest into which Clarke's
river empties itself: from the mouth of that river to the
falls is five days' journey further: on all the forks as well
as on the main river great numbers of Indians reside, and
at the falls are establishments of whites. This was the
story of the Twisted-hair.

Monday 23. The chiefs and warriors were all assembled
this morning, and we explained to them where we
came from, the objects of our visiting them, and our pacific
intentions towards all the Indians. This being conveyed
by signs, might not have been perfectly comprehended,
but appeared to give perfect satisfaction. We now gave
a medal to two of the chiefs, a shirt in addition to the medal
already received by the Twisted-hair, and delivered a
flag and a handkerchief for the grand chief on his return.
To these were added a knife, a handkerchief and a small
piece of tobacco for each chief. The inhabitants did not
give us any provisions gratuitously. We therefore purchased
a quantity of fish, berries (chiefly red haws) and
roots; and in the afternoon went on to the second village.
The Twisted-hair introduced us into his own tent, which
consisted however of nothing more than pine bushes and
bark, and gave us some dried salmon boiled. We continued
our purchases, and obtained as much provision as our horses
could carry in their present weak condition as far as
the river. The men exchanged a few old canisters for
dressed elk skins, of which they made shirts: great crowds
of the natives are round us all night, but we have not yet
missed any thing except a knife and a few other articles
stolen yesterday from a shot pouch. At dark we had a
hard wind from the southwest accompanied with rain which
lasted half an hour, but in the morning,

Tuesday 24, the weather was fair. We sent back Colter
in search of the horses lost in the mountains, and having
collected the rest set out at ten o'clock along the same
route already passed by captain Clarke towards the river.
All round the village the women are busily employed in
gathering and dressing the pasheco root, of which large
quantities are heaped up in piles over the plain. We now
felt severely the consequence of eating heartily after our
late privations: captain Lewis and two of the men were
taken very ill last evening, and to-day he could scarcely
sit on his horse, while others were obliged to be put on
horseback, and some from extreme weakness and pain,
were forced to lie down along side of the road for some
time. At sunset we reached the island where the hunters
had been left on the 22d. They had been unsuccessful, having
killed only two deer since that time, and two of them
are very sick. A little below this island is a larger one on
which we encamped, and administered Rush's pills to the
sick.

Wednesday 25. The weather was very hot, and oppressive
to the party, most of whom are now complaining of sickness.
Our situation indeed, rendered it necessary to husband
our remaining strength, and it was determined to proceed
down the river in canoes. Captain Clarke therefore
set out with the Twisted-hair and two young men, in
quest of timber for canoes. As he went down the river
he crossed at the distance of a mile a creek from the right,
which from the rocks that obstructed its passage, he called
Rockdam river. The hills along the river are high and
steep: the low grounds are narrow, and the navigation of
the river embarrassed by two rapids. At the distance of
three miles further he reached two nearly equal forks of
the river, one of which flowed in from the north. Here he
rested for an hour, and cooked a few salmon which one of
the Indians caught with a gig. Here too, he was joined by
two canoes of Indians from below: they were long, steady,

and loaded with the furniture and provisions of two families.
He now crossed the south fork, and returned to the
camp on the south side, through a narrow pine bottom the
greater part of the way, in which was found much fine timber
for canoes. One of the Indian boats with two men, set out
at the same time, and such was their dexterity in managing
the pole, that they reached camp within fifteen minutes
after him, although they had to drag the canoe over three
rapids. He found captain Lewis, and several of the men
still very sick; and distributed to such as were in need of it,
salts and tartar emetic.

Thursday 26. Having resolved to go down to some spot
calculated for building canoes, we set out early this morning
and proceeded five miles, and encamped on low ground
on the south, opposite the forks of the river. But so weak
were the men that several were taken sick in coming down;
the weather being oppressively hot. Two chiefs and their
families followed us, and encamped with a great number
of horses near us: and soon after our arrival we were joined
by two Indians, who came down the north fork on a
raft. We purchased some fresh salmon, and having distributed
axes, and portioned off the labour of the party, began,

Friday 27, at an early hour, the preparations for making
five canoes. But few of the men, however, were able
to work, and of these several were soon taken ill, as the
day proved very hot. The hunters too, returned without
any game, and seriously indisposed, so that nearly the
whole party was now ill. We procured some fresh salmon;
and Colter, who now returned with one of the horses,
brought half a deer, which was very nourishing to the invalids:
several Indians from a camp below, came up to
see us.

Saturday 28. The men continue ill, though some of
those first attacked are recovering. Their general complaint
is a heaviness at the stomach, and a lax, which is
rendered more painful by the heat of the weather, and the

diet of fish and roots, to which they are confined, as no game
is to be procured. A number of Indians collect about us
in the course of the day to gaze at the strange appearance
of every thing belonging to us.

Sunday 29. The morning was cool, the wind from the
southwest; but in the afternoon the heat returned. The
men continue ill; but all those who are able to work are occupied
at the canoes. The spirits of the party were much
recruited by three deer brought in by the hunters; and the
next day,

Monday 30th, the sick began to recruit their strength,
the morning being fair and pleasant. The Indians pass in
great numbers up and down the river, and we observe large
quantities of small duck going down this morning.

Tuesday, October 1, 1805. The morning was cool, the wind
easterly, but the latter part of the day was warm. We were
visited by several Indians from the tribes below, and others
from the main south fork. To two of the most distinguished
men, we made presents of a ring and broach, and to five others
a piece of riband, a little tobacco, and the fifth part of a neckcloth.
We now dried our clothes and other articles, and
selected some articles such as the Indians admire, in order
to purchase some provisions, as we have nothing left except
a little dried fish, which operates as a complete purgative.

Wednesday 2. The day is very warm. Two men were
sent to the village with a quantity of these articles to purchase
food. We are now reduced to roots, which produce
violent pains in the stomach. Our work continued as usual,
and many of the party are convalescent. The hunters returned
in the afternoon with nothing but a small prairie-wolf,
so that our provisions being exhausted, we killed one of the
horses to eat, and provide soup for the sick.

Thursday 3. The fine cool morning and easterly wind
had an agreeable effect upon the party, most of whom

are now able to work. The Indians from below left us,
and we were visited by others from different quarters.

Friday 4. Again we had a cool east wind from the mountains.
The men were now much better, and captain Lewis
himself so far recovered as to walk about a little. Three
Indians arrived to-day from the Great river to the south.
The two men also returned from the village with roots
and fish, and as the flesh of the horse killed yesterday was
exhausted, we were confined to that diet, although unwholesome
as well as unpleasant. The afternoon was warm.

Saturday 5. The wind easterly, and the weather cool.
The canoes being nearly finished it became necessary to dispose
of our horses. They were therefore collected to the
number of thirty-eight, and being branded and marked were
delivered to three Indians, the two brothers and the son of
a chief, whop romises to accompany us down the river. To
each of these men we gave a knife and some small articles,
and they agreed to take good care of the horses till our return.
The hunters with all their diligence are unable to
kill any thing, the hills being high and rugged, and the
woods too dry to hunt deer, which is the only game in the
country. We therefore continue to eat dried fish and roots,
which are purchased from the squaws, by means of small
presents, but chiefly white beads, of which they are extravagantly
fond. Some of these roots seem to possess very
active properties, for after supping on them this evening,
we were swelled to such a degree as to be scarcely able to
breathe for several hours. Towards night we lanched two
canoes which proved to be very good.

Sunday 6. This morning is again cool, and the wind easterly.
The general course of the winds seems to resemble
that which we observed on the east side of the mountain.
While on the head waters of the Missouri, we had every
morning a cool wind from the west. At this place a cool
breeze springs up during the latter part of the night, or near

daybreak, and continues till seven or eight o'clock, when it
subsides, and the latter part of the day is warm. Captain
Lewis is not so well as he was, and captain Clarke was
also taken ill. We had all our saddles buried in a cache
near the river, about half a mile below, and deposited at the
same time a canister of powder, and a bag of balls. The
time which could be spared from our labours on the canoes,
was devoted to some astronomical observations. The latitude
of our camp as deduced from the mean of two observations
is 46° 34″ 56‴ 3‴ north.

Monday 7. This morning all the canoes were put in the
water and loaded, the oars fixed, and every preparation
made for setting out but when we were all ready, the two
chiefs who had promised to accompany us, were not to be
found, and at the same time we missed a pipe tomahawk.
We therefore proceeded without them. Below the forks
this river is called the Kooskooskee, and is a clear rapid
stream, with a number of shoals and difficult places. For
some miles the hills are steep, the low grounds narrow, but
then succeeds an open country with a few trees scattered
along the river. At the distance of nine miles is a small
creek on the left. We passed in the course of the day ten
rapids, in descending which, one of the canoes struck a rock,
and sprung a leak: we however continued for nineteen miles,
and encamped on the left side of the river, opposite to the
mouth of a small run. Here the canoe was unloaded and
repaired, and two lead canisters of powder deposited; several
camps of Indians were on the sides of the river, but we
had little intercourse with any of them.

Tuesday 8. We set out at nine o'clock. At eight and
a half miles we passed an island: four and a half miles lower
a second island, opposite a small creek on the left side of
the river. Five miles lower is another island on the left: a
mile and a half below which is a fourth. At a short distance
from this is a large creek from the right, to which we gave
the name of Colter's creek, from Colter one of the men.

We had left this creek about a mile and a half, and were
passing the last of fifteen rapids which we had been fortunate
enough to escape, when one of the canoes struck, and a hole
being made in her side, she immediately filled and sunk. The
men, several of whom could not swim, clung to the boat till
one of our canoes could be unloaded, and with the assistance
of an Indian boat, they were all brought to shore. All
the goods were so much wet, that we were obliged to halt
for the night, and spread them out to dry. While all this
was exhibited, it was necessary to place two sentinels over
the merchandise, for we found that the Indians, though
kind and disposed to give us every aid during our distress,
could not resist the temptation of pilfering some of the small
articles. We passed during our route of twenty miles today,
several encampments of Indians on the islands, and near
the rapids, which places are chosen as most convenient for
taking salmon. At one of these camps we found our two
chiefs, who after promising to descend the river with us, had
left us; they however willingly came on board after we had
gone through the ceremony of smoking.

Wednesday, 9. The morning was as usual, cool; but as
the weather both yesterday and to-day was cloudy, our
merchandise dried but slowly. The boat, though much injured,
was repaired by ten o'clock so as to be perfectly fit
for service; but we were obliged to remain during the day
till the articles were sufficiently dry to be reloaded: the interval
we employed in purchasing fish for the voyage and
conversing with the Indians. In the afternoon we were surprised
at hearing that our old Shoshonee guide and his son had
left us, and been seen running up the river several miles above.
As he had never given any notice of his intention, nor had even
received his pay for guiding us, we could not imagine the
cause of his desertion, nor did he ever return to explain his
conduct. We requested the chief to send a horseman after
him to request that he would return and receive what we
owed him. From this however he dissuaded us, and said

very frankly, that his nation, the Chopunnish, would take
from the old man any presents that he might have on passing
their camp.

The Indians came about our camp at night, and were
very gay and good-humoured with the men. Among other
exhibitions was that of a squaw who appeared to be crazy:
she sang in a wild incoherent manner, and would offer to the
spectators all the little articles she possessed, scarifying
herself in a horrid manner if any one refused her present:
she seemed to be an object of pity among the Indians, who
suffered her to do as she pleased without interruption.

Thursday, 10. A fine morning. We loaded the canoes
and set off at seven o'clock. At the distance of two and a
half miles we had passed three islands, the last of which is
opposite to a small stream on the right. Within the following
three and a half miles is another island and a creek
on the left, with wide low grounds, containing willow and
cottonwood trees, on which were three tents of Indians.
Two miles lower is the head of a large island, and six and a
half miles further we halted at an encampment of eight
lodges on the left, in order to view a rapid before us: we had
already passed eight, and some of them difficult; but this
was worse than any of them, being a very hazardous ripple
strewed with rocks: we here purchased roots and dined with
the Indians. Among them was a man from the falls, who
says that he saw white people at that place, and is very desirous
of going down with us; an offer which however we
declined. Just above this camp we had passed a tent, near
which was an Indian bathing himself in a small pond or hole
of water, warmed by throwing in hot stones. After finishing
our meal we descended the rapid with no injury, except
to one of our boats which ran against a rock, but in the
course of an hour was brought off with only a small split in
her side. This ripple, from its appearance and difficulty,
we named the Rugged rapid. We went on over five other
rapids of a less dangerous kind, and at the distance of five

miles reached a large fork of the river from the south; and
after coming twenty miles, halted below the junction on
the right side of the river: our arrival soon attracted the
attention of the Indians, who flocked in all directions to see
us. In the evening the Indian from the falls, whom we had
seen at the Rugged rapid, joined us with his son in a small
canoe, and insisted on accompanying us to the falls. Being
again reduced to fish and roots we made an experiment to
vary our food by purchsing a few dogs, and after having
been accustomed to horse-flesh, felt no disrelish to this new
dish. The Chopunnish have great numbers of dogs which
they employ for domestic purposes, but never eat; and our
using the flesh of that animal soon brought us into ridicule
as dog-eaters.

The country at the junction of the two rivers is an open
plain on all sides, broken towards the left by a distant ridge
of highland, thinly covered with timber: this is the only
body of timber which the country possesses; for at the forks
there is not a tree to be seen, and during almost the whole
descent of sixty miles down the Kooskooskee from its forks
there are very few. This southern branch is in fact the
main stream of Lewis's river on which we encamped when
among the Shoshonees. The Indians inform us that it is
navigable for sixty miles; that not far from its mouth it
receives a branch from the south; and a second and
larger branch, two days' march up, and nearly parallel to
the first Chopunnish villages, we met near the mountains.
This branch is called Pawnashte, and is the residence of a
chief, who, according to their expression, has more horses
than he can count. The river has many rapids, near which are
situated many fishing camps; there being ten establishments
of this before reaching the first southern branch; one on
that stream, five between that and the Pawnashte; one on
that river, and two above it; besides many other Indians
who reside high up on the more distant waters of this river.

All these Indians belong to the Chopunnish nation, and live
in tents of an oblong form, covered with flat roofs.

At its mouth Lewis's river is about two hundred and
fifty yards wide, and its water is of a greenish blue colour.
The Kooskooskee, whose waters are clear as crystal, one
hundred and fifty yards in width, and after the union the
river enlarges to the space of three hundred yards: at the
point of the union is an Indian cabin, and in Lewis's river a
small island.

The Chopunnish or Pierced-nose nation, who reside on
the Kooskooskee and Lewis's rivers, are in person stout,
portly, well-looking men: the women are small, with good
features, and generally handsome, though the complexion
of both sexes is darker than that of the Tushepaws. In
dress they resemble that nation, being fond of displaying
their ornaments. The buffaloe or elk-skin robe decorated
with beads, sea-shells, chiefly mother-of-pearl, attached to
an otter-skin collar and hung in the hair, which falls in
front in two queues; feathers, paints of different kinds, principally
white, green, and light blue, all of which they find
in their own country: these are the chief ornaments they
use. In the winter they wear a short shirt of dressed skins,
long painted leggings and moccasins, and a plait of twisted
grass round the neck.

The dress of the women is more simple, consisting of a
long shirt of argalia or ibex skin, reaching down to the ankles
without a girdle: to this are tied little pieces of brass
and shells and other small articles; but the head is not at
all ornamented. The dress of the female is indeed more
modest, and more studiously so than any we have observed,
though the other sex is careless of the indelicacy of exposure.

The Chopunnish have very few amusements, for their
life is painful and laborious; and all their exertions are necessary
to earn even their precarious subsistence. During

the summer and autumn they are busily occupied in fishing
for salmon, and collecting their winter store of roots. In
the winter they hunt the deer on snow shoes over the plains,
and towards spring cross the mountains to the Missouri for
the purpose of trafficking for buffaloe robes. The inconveniences
of that comfortless life are increased by frequent
encounters with their enemies from the west, who drive
them over the mountains with the loss of their horses, and
sometimes the lives of many of the nation. Though originally
the same people, their dialect varies very perceptibly
from that of the Tushepaws: their treatment to us differed
much from the kind and disinterested services of the Shoshonees:
they are indeed selfish and avaricious; they part
very reluctantly with every article of food or clothing; and
while they expect a recompense for every service however
small, do not concern themselves about reciprocating any
presents we may give them.

They are generally healthy—the only disorders which
we have had occasion to remark being of a scrophulous
kind, and for these, as well as for the amusement of those
who are in good health, hot and cold bathing is very commonly
used.

The soil of these prairies is of a light yellow clay intermixed
with small smooth grass: it is barren, and produces
little more than a bearded grass about three inches high,
and a prickly pear, of which we now found three species:
the first is of the broad-leafed kind, common to the
Missouri. The second has the leaf of a globular form, and
is also frequent on the upper part of the Missouri, particularly
after it enters the Rocky mountains. The third is pecular
to this country, and is much more inconvenient than
the other two: it consists of small thick leaves of a circular
form, which grow from the margin of each other as in the
broad-leafed pear of the Missouri: these leaves are armed
with a greater number of thorns, which are stronger, and

appear to be barbed; and as the leaf itself is very slightly
attached to the stem, as soon as one thorn touches the moccasin
it adheres and brings with it the leaf, which is accompanied
by a reenforcement of thorns.