May 12, 1806
Monday May 12th 1806.
This morning a great number of indians collected about us as usual. we
took an early breakfast and Capt. C. began to administer eyewater to a
croud of at least 50 applicants. The Indians held a council among
themselves this morning with rispect to the subjects on which we had
spoken to them yesterday. the result as we learnt was favourable. they
placed confidence in the information they had received and resolved to
pusue our advise. after this council was over the principal Cheif or
the broken Arm, took the flour of the roots of cows and thickened the
scope in the kettles and baskets of all his people, this being ended he
made a harangue the purport of which was making known the deliberations
of their council and impressing the necessity of unanimity among them
and a strict attention to the resolutions which had been agreed on in
councill; he concluded by inviting all such men as had resolved to
abide by the decrees of the council to come and eat and requested such
as would not be so bound to shew themselves by not partaking of the
feast. I was told by one of our men who was present, that there was not
a dissenting voice on this great national question, but all swallowed
their objections if any they had, very cheerfully with their mush.
during the time of this loud and animated harangue of the Cheif the
women cryed wrung their hands, toar their hair and appeared to be in
the utmost distress. after this cerimony was over the Cheifs and
considerate men came in a body to where we were seated at a little
distance from our tent, and two young men at the instance of the
nation, presented us each with a fine horse. we caused the cheifs to be
seated and gave them each a flag a pound of powder and fifty balls. we
also gave powder and ball to the two young men who had presented the
horses. Neeshneeparkkeeook gave Drewyer a good horse. The band of
Ten-nach-e-moo-toolt have six guns which they acquired from the
Minnetaries and appear anxious to obtain arms and amunition. after they
had received those presents the Cheifs requested we would retire to the
tent whither they accompanied us, they now informed us that they wished
to give an answer to what we had said to them the preceeding day, but
also informed us that there were many of their people waiting in great
pain at that moment for the aid of our medecine. it was agreed between
Capt. C. and myself that he should attend the sick as he was their
favorite phisician while I would here and answer the Cheifs. The father
of Hohastillpilp was the orrator on this occasion. he observed that
they had listened with attention to our advise and that the whole
nation were resolved to follow it, that they had only one heart and one
tongue on this subject. he said they were fully sensible of the
advantages of peace and that the ardent desire which they had to
cultivate peace with their neighbours had induced his nation early last
summer to send a pipe by 3 of their brave men to the Shoshonees on the
S. side of Lewis's river in the Plains of Columbia, that these people
had murdered these men, which had given rise to the war expedition
against that nation last fall; that their warriors had fallen in with
the shoshonees at that time and had killed 42 of them with the loss of
3 only on their part; that this had satisfyed the blood of their
disceased friends and that they would never again make war against the
Shoshonees, but were willing to receive them as friends. that they
valued the lives of their young men too much to wish them to be engaged
in war. That as we had not yet seen the black foot Indians and the
Minnetares of Fort de Prarie they did not think it safe to venture over
to the Plains of the Missouri, where they would fondly go provided
those nations would not kill them. that when we had established our
forts on the Missouri as we had promised, they would come over and
trade for arms Amunition &c. and live about us. that it would give them
much pleasure to be at peace with these nations altho they had shed
much of their blood. he said that the whitemen might be assured of
their warmest attatchment and that they would alwas give them every
assistance in their power; that they were poor but their hearts were
good. he said that some of their young men would go over with us to the
Missouri and bring them the news as we wished, and that if we could
make a peace between themselves and their enimies on the other side of
the mountain their nation would go over to the Missouri in the latter
end of the summer. on the subject of one of their cheifs accompanying
us to the Land of the whitemen they could not yet determine, but that
they would let us know before we left them. that the snow was yet so
deep in the mountain if we attempted to pass we would certainly perish,
and advised us to remain untill after the next full moon when the said
the snow would disappear and we could find grass for our horses.— when
the oald man had concluded I again spoke to them at some length with
which they appeared highly gratifyed. after smoking the pipe which was
about 2 P.M. they gave us another fat horse to kill which was
thankfully received by the party. Capt C. now joined us having just
made an end of his medical distrabution. we gave a phiol of eyewater to
the Broken Arm, and requested that he would wash the eyes of such as
might apply for that purpose, and that when it was exhausted we would
replenish the phiol. he was much pleased with this present. we now gave
the Twisted hair one gun and a hundred balls and 2 lbs. of powder in
part for his attention to our horses and promised the other gun and a
similar quantity of powder and lead when we received the ballance of
our horses. this gun we had purchased of the indians below for 2
Elkskins. this evening three other of our original stock of horses were
produced, they were in fine order as well as those received yesterday.
we have now six horses out only, as our old guide Toby and his son each
took a horse of ours when they returned last fall. these horses are
said to be on the opposite side of the river at no great distance from
this place. we gave the young men who had delivered us the two horses
this morning some ribbon, blue wampum and vermillion, one of them gave
me a hansome pare of legings and the Broken Arm gave Capt. C. his
shirt, in return for which we gave him a linin shirt.— we informed the
indians of our wish to pass the river and form a camp at some proper
place to fish, hunt, and graize our horses untill the snows of the
mountains would permit us to pass. they recommended a position a few
miles distant from hence on the opposite side of the river, but
informed us that there was no canoe at this place by means of which we
could pass our baggage over the river, but promised to send a man early
in the morning for one which they said would meet us at the river by
noon the next day. The indians formed themselves this evening into two
large parties and began to gamble for their beads and other ornaments.
the game at which they played was that of hiding a stick in their hands
which they frequently changed acompanying their opperations with a
song. this game seems common to all the nations in this country, and
dose not differ from that before discribed of the Shoshonees on the S.
E. branch of Lewis's river. we are anxious to procure some guides to
accompany us on the different routs we mean to take from Travellers
rest; for this purpose we have turned our attention to the Twisted hair
who has several sons grown who are well acquainted as well as himself
with the various roads in those mountains. we invited the old fellow to
remove his family and live near us while we remained; he appeared
gratifyed with this expression of our confidence and promissed to do
so.— shot at a mark with the indians, struck the mark with 2 balls.
distn. 220 yds.
Monday 12th May 1806
a fine Morning great number of Indians flock about us as usial. after
brackfast I began to administer eye water and in a fiew minits had near
40 applicants with Sore eyes, and maney others with other Complaints
most Common Rhumatic disorders & weaknesses in the back and loins
perticularly the womin. the Indians had a grand Council this morning
after which we were presented each with a horse by two young men at the
instance of the nation. we caused the chiefs to be Seated and gave then
each a flag a pint of Powder and 50 balls to the two young men who had
presented the horses we also gave powder and ball. The broken arm or
Tun na the mootoolt pulled off his leather Shirt and gave me. I in
return gave him a Shirt. we retired into the Lodge and the natives
Spoke to the following purpote, i e they had listened to our advice and
that the whole nation were deturmined to follow it, that they had only
one heart and one tongue on this Subject. explained the Cause of the
War with the Shoshones. they wished to be at peace with all nations &
Some of their Men would accompany us to the Missouri &c. &c. as a great
number of men women & Children were wateing and requesting medical
assistance maney of them with the most Simple Complaints which Could be
easily releived, independent of maney with disorders intirely out of
the power of Medison all requesting Some thing, we agreed that I Should
administer and Capt L— to here and answer the Indians. I was closely
employed until 12 P.M. administering eye water to about 40 grown
persons. Some Simple Cooling Medicenes to the disabled Chief, to
Several women with rhumatic effections & a man who had a Swelled hip
&c. &c-. in the evening three of our horses were brought all in fine
order. we have now only Six remaining out. we gave to each a Chief a
pint of Powder and 50 Balls a Small flag and to the two young men who
delivered us the horses we gave also powder & Ball and Some blue wompom
& ribin. all appeared much pleased-. Those people are much affraid of
the black foot indians, and the Big bellies of Fort deprarie
establishment. those indians kill great numbers of this nation whenever
they pass over to hunt on the Missouri. one of our men bought a horse
for a fiew Small articles of an Indian. The Indians brought up a fat
horse and requested us to kill and eate it as they had nothing else to
offer us to eate. The Cut nose made a present of a horse to Drewyer at
the Same time the two horses were offered to Capt. Lewis & my self. The
horses of those people are large well formed and active. Generally in
fine order. Sore backs Caused by rideing them either with out Saddles,
or with pads which does not prevent the wate of the rider pressing
imedeately on the back bone, and weathers of the horse. the Indians
formed two partis and plaied for their heeds. we gave the twisted hair
a gun, powder & 100 ball in part for takeing care of our horses &c.
and wish him to Camp near us untill we Crossed the Mountains which he
agreeed to do, and was much pleased we have turned our attentions
towards the twisted hair who has Several Sons grown who are well
acquainted as well as himself with the various roads through the rocky
Mountains and will answer very well as guides to us through those
Mountains-In the Council to day the father of Hohastillpelp Said the
Chopunnish were fully Convinced of the advantages of peace and ardently
wished to cultivate peace with their neighbours. early last Summer 3 of
their brave men were Sent with a pipe to the Shoshones on the S E. fork
of Lewis's river in the Plains of Columbia, their pipe was disreguarded
and their 3 men murdered, which had given rise to the War expedition
against that nation last fall; that their warriers had fallen in with
and killed 42 of the Shoshones with the loss of 3 men only on their
part; that this had Satisfied the blood of the deceased friends and
they would never again make war against the Shoshones, but were willing
to receve them as friends-. That as we had not Seen the Indians towards
Fort de prere they did not think it Safe to venture over to the Plains
of the Missouri, where they would fondly go provided those nations
would not kill them. I gave a vial of eye water to the Broken arm for
to wash the eyes of all who applied to him and told him when it was out
we would replenish it again
