Clark: April 17, 1806

April 17th 1806. I rose early and took a position near the village and displayed the articles I had for sale. Great numbers of Indians came from different directions, some from below, some from above, and others across the country from the Tapteet (Yakima) river. See description of the Nations, etc. I obtained a sketch of the Columbia, as also of Clarks river. See sketch.

I made a bargain with the chief, who has more horses than all the rest of the village combined, for 2 horses. Soon after, he canceled his bargain, and we again bargained for 3 horses. They were brought forward, but only one was fit for service; the others had such intolerable backs as to render them entirely unfit for service. Since I would not take all 3, he would not sell the good one to me, and so we were off the bargain.

I then packed up and was about to set out for the Falls when one Indian sold me 2 horses, and another sold me one horse, and some others said they wished to trade, which caused me to decide to remain here one more night. Many of the natives from above came and said they would trade, but asked a higher price than I thought I could give, or rather more than this nation asked. Great numbers of men. I had to purchase 3 dogs for the men to eat and some shappallell.

I sent Crusat (Cruzatte), Wiser, Willard, and McNeal back to Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis), informing him of my ill success, and advising him to proceed on to this place as soon as possible, and of my intention of proceeding on to the falls to purchase horses if possible. Several Indians arrived late this evening. Capt. Lewis sent me a note by Shannon informing me that he would set out early tomorrow morning, etc., etc.

I slept in the house of the 2nd chief, and they did not have anything except fish to eat, and no wood for fire. These people have a number of buffalo robes. They have a great number of skimming nets.

Thursday 17th of April 1806. I rose early after a bad night's rest, and took my merchandise to a rock which afforded an eligible situation for my purpose, at a short distance from the houses. I divided the articles of merchandise into parcels of such items as I thought best calculated to please the Indians, and in each parcel I put as many articles as we could afford to give. I thus exposed them to view, informing the Indians that each parcel was intended for a horse. They tantalized me the greater part of the day, saying that they had sent out for their horses and would trade as soon as they came.

Several parcels of merchandise were laid aside, for which they told me they would bring horses. I made a bargain with the chief for 2 horses; about an hour later, he canceled the bargain, and we again bargained for 3 horses, which were brought forward. Only one of the 3 could possibly be used; the other two had such intolerable backs as to render them entirely unfit for service. I refused to take two of them, which displeased him, and he refused to part with the 3rd.

I then packed up the articles and was about to set out for the village above when a man came and sold me two horses, and another man sold me one horse. Several others informed me that they would trade with me if I would remain until their horses could be driven up. This induced me to stay at this village another day. Many of the natives from different villages on the Columbia above offered to trade, but asked for such things as we did not have, and double as much of the articles which I had as we could afford to give. This was a very unfavorable circumstance, as my dependence for procuring a sufficiency of horses rested on success above, where I had reason to believe there was a greater abundance of those animals, and I was in hopes of getting them on better terms.

I purchased 3 dogs for the party with me to eat, and some Chap-pa-lell for myself. Before procuring the 3 horses, I dispatched Crusat (Cruzatte), Willard, McNeal, and Peter Wiser to Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) at the Rock fort camp with a note informing him of my ill success in procuring horses, and advising him to proceed on to this place as soon as possible. I told him that I would in the meantime proceed on to the Enesher (Eneeshur) nation above the Great Falls and try to purchase some horses from those people.

Soon after I had dispatched this party, the chief of the Eneshers and 15 or 20 of his people visited me and appeared anxious to see the articles I offered for the horses. Several of them agreed to let me have horses if I would add sundry articles to those I offered, which I agreed to, and they laid those bundles by and informed me they would deliver the horses in the morning. I proposed going with them to their town. The chief informed me that their horses were all out in the plains with their women gathering roots, and that they would send out and bring the horses to this place tomorrow. This intelligence was flattering, though I doubted the sincerity of these people, who had several times disappointed me in a similar way. However, I determined to remain until tomorrow.

In the meantime, we industriously employed ourselves with the great multitude of Indians of different nations about us, trying to purchase horses. Shabono (Charbonneau) purchased a very fine mare, for which he gave ermine, elk's teeth, a belt, and some other articles of no great value. No other purchase was made in the course of this day.

In the evening, I received a note from Capt L (Capt. Lewis) by Shannon, informing me that he would set out early tomorrow morning and would proceed up to the basin 2 miles below the Skillute village, and advising me to give double the prices which we had first agreed on for each horse. I observed at every house scooping nets with which they take the salmon.

I was invited into the house of the 2nd chief, where I decided to sleep. This man was poor—nothing to eat but dried fish, and no wood to burn. Although the night was cold, they could not raise as much wood as would make a fire.