Clark: June 4, 1806
Around noon, three Nez Perce chiefs left camp to return to their villages after Lewis and Clark renewed earlier promises and invited them to travel to the Missouri. The chiefs declined to leave until late summer, planning to winter east of the Rocky Mountains. They gave no firm answer to requests that young men accompany Captain Lewis toward Maria's River to help mediate with the Blackfeet, or accompany Clark via the Shoshones to promote peace. The Broken Arm invited the captains to his village. Shields returned in the evening with two deer.
Wednesday June 4th 1806 about noon the 3 chiefs left us and returned to
their villages. While they were with us we repeeted the promisces we had
formerly made them and envited them to the Missouri with us, they declined
going untill the latter end of the Summer, and Said it was their intintion
to Spend the insiewing winter on the East Side of the Rocky Mountains,
they gave us no positive answer to a request which we made, that two or
three of their young men Should accompany Capt L. to the falls of Missouri
and there wait his return from the upper part of Maria’s river where it
was probable he Should meet with Some of the bands of the Blakfoot Indians
and Minitarres of Fort dePrarie, that in Such Case Capt L. would indeavor
to bring about a good understanding between those indians and themselves,
which when effected they would be informed of it through the young men
thus Sent with him. and that on the contrary Should he not be fortunate
enough to meet with those people, nor to provaile on them to be at peace
they would equally be informed through those young men, and they might
Still remain on their guard with respect to them, untill the Whites had it
more in their Power to give them more effectual relief. I also urged the
necessaty of Sending one or two of their Considerate men to accompany me
by way of the Shoshonees on the head of Jeffersons river and about the
three forks of the Missouri which whome there is most probably Some of the
Chiefs of those bands of Shoshones with whome they are at war, and by
which means a message Sent to that nation & good understanding brought
about between the Shoshones and the Chopunnish Nations which appears to be
the wish of both Nations. The Broken Arm envited us to his Village and
Said he wished to Speak to us before we Set out, and that he had Some
roots to give us for our journey over the mountains; I promised to visit
him as he wished the day after tomorrow-. Shields returned this evining
from the Quawmash grounds with two Deer which he had killed
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday, June 4th, 1806. About noon the three chiefs left us and returned to their villages. While they were with us, we repeated the promises we had formerly made them and invited them to come to the Missouri with us. They declined going until the latter end of the summer, and said it was their intention to spend the coming winter on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. They gave us no positive answer to a request we made: that two or three of their young men should accompany Capt L. (Capt. Lewis) to the falls of the Missouri and there wait for his return from the upper part of Maria's river, where it was probable he would meet with some of the bands of the Blackfoot Indians and Minitarres of Fort dePrarie. In such a case, Capt L. would endeavor to bring about a good understanding between those Indians and themselves, which, when accomplished, they would be informed of through the young men thus sent with him. On the contrary, should he not be fortunate enough to meet with those people, nor to prevail on them to be at peace, they would equally be informed through those young men, and they might still remain on their guard with respect to them, until the Whites had it more in their power to give them more effectual relief.
I also urged the necessity of sending one or two of their thoughtful men to accompany me by way of the Shoshones on the head of Jefferson's river and around the three forks of the Missouri, where there are most probably some of the chiefs of those bands of Shoshones with whom they are at war. By this means a message could be sent to that nation, and a good understanding brought about between the Shoshones and the Chopunnish Nations, which appears to be the wish of both nations.
The Broken Arm invited us to his village and said he wished to speak to us before we set out, and that he had some roots to give us for our journey over the mountains. I promised to visit him as he wished the day after tomorrow. Shields returned this evening from the Quawmash grounds with two deer that he had killed.
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