Clark: May 11, 1806
Camped among the Chopunnish (Nez Perce), the captains met with the principal chiefs, including the newly arrived One-Eyed Chief Yoomparkkartim, who received a small medal. Speaking through a chain of interpreters, they explained their mission, U.S. trade plans, and hopes for peace, illustrating their points with a coal-drawn map. A young man gifted them a mare and colt, and Twisted Hair returned six horses. The party treated many sick Indians, including a paralyzed chief, and entertained the gathering with the spyglass, compass, magnet, and air gun. Drouillard returned with two deer, reporting deep snow still covering the plains.
Sunday 11th May 1806 Some little rain last night. we were Crouded in the
Lodge with Indians who continued all night and this morning Great numbers
were around us. The One Eyed Chief Yoom-park-kar-tim arived and we gave
him a medal of the Small Size and Spoke to the Indians through a Snake boy
Shabono and his wife. we informed them who we were, where we Came from
& our intentions towards them, which pleased them very much. a young
man Son to the great Chief who was killed not long Sence by the Indians
from the N. E. brought an elegant mare and Coalt and Gave us. and Said he
had opend. his ears to what we had Said and his heart was glad and
requested us to take this mare and Coalt as a token of his deturmination
to pursue our Councels &c. The twisted hair brough Six of our horses
all in fine order. Great numbers of Indians apply to us for medical aide
which we gave them Cherfully So far as our Skill and Store of Medicine
would enable us. Schrofla, ulsers, rhumitism, Sore eyes, and the loss of
the use of their Limbs are the most common cases among them. the latter
Case is not very common but We have Seen 3 instances of it among the
Chopunnish. a very extroadinery complnt. about 3 P.M. Geo. drewyer arived
with 2 deer which he had killed. he informed us that the Snow Still
Continued to cover the plains. We are now pretty well informed that
Tunnachemootoolt, Hohastillpilp, Neshneparkkeeook, and Yoomparkkartim were
the principal Chiefs of the Chopunnish Nation and ranked in the order here
mentioned; as all those chiefs were present in our lodge we thought it a
favourable time to repeet what had been said and to enter more minutely
into the views of our government with respect to the inhabitents of this
Western part of the Continent, their intention of establishing tradeing
houses for their relief, their wish to restore peace and harmony among the
nativs, the Strength welth and powers of our Nation &c. to this end we
drew a map of the Country with a coal on a mat in their way, and by the
assistance of the Snake boy and our intrepeters were enabled to make
ourselves under stood by them altho it had to pass through French,
Minnetare, Shoshone and Chopunnish languages. the interpretation being
tegious it occupied the greater part of the day, before we had
communicated to them what we wished. they appeared highly pleased. after
this Council was over we amused ourselves with Shewing them the power of
Magnetism, the Spye glass, compass, watch, air gun and Sundery other
articles equally novel and incomprehensible to them. they informed us that
after we left the Menetares last Spring that 3 of their people had visited
that nation, and that they had informed them of us, and had told them that
we had Such things in our possession but that they Could not place
Confidence in the information untill they had now witnessed it themselves
In the evening a man was brought in a robe by four Indians and laid down
near me. they informed me that this man was a Chief of Considerable note
who has been in the Situation I see him for 5 years. this man is incapable
of moveing a single limb but lies like a corps in whatever position he is
placed, yet he eats hartily, dejests his food perfectly, enjoys his under
standing, his pulse are good, and has retained his flesh almost perfectly;
in Short were it not that he appears a little pale from having been So
long in the Shade, he might well be taken for a man in good health. I
Suspect that their Confinement to a deet of roots may give rise to all the
disordes of the Nativs of this quarter except the Rhumitism & Sore
eyes, and to the latter of those, the State of debility incident to a
vegitable diet may measureably contribute.-. The Chopunnish not
withstanding they live in the Crouded manner before mentioned are much
more clenly in their persons and habitations than any nation we have Seen
Sence we left the Illinois. These nativs take their fish in the following
manner to wit. a Stand Small Stage or warf consisting of Sticks and
projecting about 10 feet into the river and about 3 feet above the water
on the extremity of this the fisherman stands with his guilt or a Skooping
Net which differ but little in their form those Commonly used in our
Country it is formed thus with those nets they take the Suckers and also
the Salmon trout and I am told the Salmon also.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday 11th May 1806. A little rain last night. We were crowded in the lodge with Indians who stayed all night, and this morning great numbers were around us. The One-Eyed Chief Yoom-park-kar-tim arrived, and we gave him a medal of the small size and spoke to the Indians through a Snake boy, Shabono (Charbonneau) and his wife. We informed them who we were, where we came from, and our intentions toward them, which pleased them very much. A young man, son to the great chief who was killed not long since by the Indians from the northeast, brought an elegant mare and colt and gave them to us. He said he had opened his ears to what we had said and his heart was glad, and he requested us to take this mare and colt as a token of his determination to follow our counsels, etc. The Twisted Hair brought six of our horses, all in fine order. Great numbers of Indians applied to us for medical aid, which we gave them cheerfully so far as our skill and store of medicine would enable us. Scrofula, ulcers, rheumatism, sore eyes, and the loss of the use of their limbs are the most common cases among them. The latter case is not very common, but we have seen three instances of it among the Chopunnish. A very extraordinary complaint.
About 3 p.m. Geo. Drewyer (George Drouillard) arrived with two deer he had killed. He informed us that the snow still continued to cover the plains. We are now pretty well informed that Tunnachemootoolt, Hohastillpilp, Neshneparkkeeook, and Yoomparkkartim were the principal chiefs of the Chopunnish Nation and ranked in the order mentioned here. As all of these chiefs were present in our lodge, we thought it a favorable time to repeat what had been said and to enter more thoroughly into the views of our government with respect to the inhabitants of this western part of the continent: their intention of establishing trading houses for their relief, their wish to restore peace and harmony among the natives, and the strength, wealth, and power of our nation, etc. To this end we drew a map of the country with a coal on a mat in their fashion, and with the assistance of the Snake boy and our interpreters were able to make ourselves understood by them, although it had to pass through French, Minnetare, Shoshone, and Chopunnish languages. The interpretation being tedious, it occupied the greater part of the day before we had communicated to them what we wished. They appeared highly pleased. After this council was over, we amused ourselves by showing them the power of magnetism, the spyglass, compass, watch, air gun, and sundry other articles equally novel and incomprehensible to them. They informed us that after we left the Menetares (Minnetares) last spring, three of their people had visited that nation, and they had informed them of us and had told them we had such things in our possession, but they could not place confidence in the information until they had now witnessed it themselves.
In the evening, a man was brought in a robe by four Indians and laid down near me. They informed me that this man was a chief of considerable note who has been in the condition I saw him in for five years. This man is incapable of moving a single limb but lies like a corpse in whatever position he is placed, yet he eats heartily, digests his food perfectly, enjoys his understanding, his pulse is good, and he has retained his flesh almost perfectly. In short, were it not that he appears a little pale from having been so long in the shade, he might well be taken for a man in good health. I suspect that their confinement to a diet of roots may give rise to all the disorders of the natives of this quarter except the rheumatism and sore eyes, and to the latter of those, the state of debility incident to a vegetable diet may also contribute.
The Chopunnish, notwithstanding that they live in the crowded manner mentioned before, are much more cleanly in their persons and habitations than any nation we have seen since we left the Illinois. These natives take their fish in the following manner: a small stage or wharf, consisting of sticks and projecting about 10 feet into the river and about 3 feet above the water; on the end of this the fisherman stands with his gig or a scooping net, which differs little in form from those commonly used in our country. It is formed thus. With these nets they take the suckers, and also the salmon trout, and I am told the salmon as well.
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