Clark: April 28, 1806

Monday April 28th 1806. This morning early the great chief Yelleppit brought a very elegant white horse to our camp and presented him to me, signifying his wish to get a kettle. But being informed that we had already disposed of every kettle we could possibly spare, he said he was content with whatever I thought proper to give him. I gave him my sword, 100 balls and powder, and some small articles, with which he appeared perfectly satisfied.

It was necessary, before we entered on our route through the plains where we were to meet with no lodges or resident Indians, that we should lay in a stock of provisions and not depend altogether on the gun. We directed R. Frazer, to whom we have entrusted the duty of making the purchases, to lay in as many fat dogs as he could procure; he soon obtained 10.

Being anxious to depart, we requested the chief to furnish us with canoes to pass the river, but he insisted on our remaining with him this day at least, saying that he would be much pleased if we would consent to remain two or three days, and that he would not let us have canoes to leave him this day. He said he had sent for the Chimnapums, his neighbors, to come down and join his people this evening and dance for us. We urged the necessity of our proceeding on immediately in order that we might the sooner return to them with the articles they wished brought to them, but this had no effect. He said that the time he asked could not make any considerable difference. I at length urged that there was no wind blowing and that the river was consequently in good order to pass our horses, and if he would furnish us with canoes for that purpose we would remain all night at our present encampment. To this proposition he assented and soon produced a canoe.

I saw a man who had his knee contracted, who had previously applied to me for some medicine, that if he would furnish another canoe I would give him some medicine. He readily consented and went himself with his canoe, by means of which we passed our horses over the river safely and hobbled them as usual.

We found a Shoshone woman, prisoner among these people, by means of whom and Sacagawea (Sah-cah-gah-weah), Charbonneau's (Shabono's) wife, we found means of conversing with the Walla Wallas (Wallahwallahs). We conversed with them for several hours and fully satisfied all their inquiries with respect to ourselves and the object of our pursuit. They were much pleased. They brought several disordered persons to us for whom they requested some medical aid. One had his knee contracted by rheumatism (the one just mentioned above), another with a broken arm, etc. To all of these we administered, much to the gratification of those poor wretches. We gave them some eye water, which I believe will render them more essential service than any other article in the medical way which we had it in our power to bestow on them. Sore eyes seem to be a universal complaint among these people; I have no doubt that the fine sands of those plains and the river contribute much to the disorder.

The man who had his arm broken had it loosely bound in a piece of leather without anything to support it. I dressed the arm, which was broken short above the wrist, and supported it with broad sticks to keep it in place, put it in a sling, and furnished him with some lint, bandages, etc., to dress it in the future.

A little before sunset the Chimnapums arrived; they were about 100 men and a few women. They joined the Walla Wallas, who were about 150 men, and formed a half circle around our camp, where they waited very patiently to see our party dance. The fiddle was played and the men amused themselves with dancing for about an hour. We then requested the Indians to dance, which they very cheerfully complied with; they continued their dance until 10 at night. The whole assemblage of Indians, about 350 men, women, and children, sang and danced at the same time. Most of them danced in the same place they stood and merely jumped up to the time of their music. Some of the men who were esteemed most brave entered the space around which the main body were formed in solid column and danced in a circular manner sideways. At 10 P.M. the dance ended and the natives retired; they were much gratified in seeing some of our party join them in their dance.

One of their party who made himself the most conspicuous character in the dance and songs, we were told, was a medicine man and could foretell things. He had told of our coming into their country and was now about to consult his god the moon if what we said was the truth, etc., etc.