Clark: October 26, 1805

October 26th 1805 Saturday. A fine morning. Sent out six men to hunt deer and collect rosin to pitch our canoes. Had all our articles put out to dry. Canoes drawn out and repaired from the injuries received in dragging them over the rocks. Every article in the canoe was wet, which nearly sank yesterday.

In the evening, 2 chiefs and 15 men came over in a single canoe. Those chiefs proved to be the two great chiefs of the tribes above. One gave me a dressed elk skin, and gave us some deer meat and 2 cakes of white bread made of white roots. We gave to each chief a medal of the small size, a red silk handkerchief, and a knife; to the first, an arm band, a piece of paint, and a comb; to his son, a piece of ribbon tied to a tin gorget, and 2 hams of venison. They determined to stay with us all night. We had a fire made for them, and one man played on the violin, which pleased them much. My servant danced. Our hunters killed five deer, 4 very large gray squirrels, a goose, and a pheasant. One man gigged a salmon trout, which we had fried in a little bear's oil that a chief gave us yesterday, and I think it the finest fish I ever tasted. Saw great numbers of white cranes flying in different directions very high. The river has risen nearly 8 inches today and has every appearance of a tide, from what cause I can't say. Our hunters saw elk and bear signs today in the white oak woods. The country to the larboard (left) is broken, thinly timbered with pine and white oak. A mountain, which I must call Timm or Falls Mountain, rises very high and bears to S.W., the course it has borne since we first saw it. Our men danced tonight. Dried all our wet articles and repaired our canoes.

The fleas, which my self and the men got on them in passing through the plains where the Indians had lately lived in lodges on the larboard side at the falls, are very troublesome, and with every exertion the men can't get rid of them, particularly as they have no clothes to change from those which they wore. Those Indians are at war with the Snake Indians on the river which falls in a few miles above this, and have lately had a battle with them; their loss I cannot learn.

October 26th Saturday 1805. A fine morning. Sent six men out to hunt deer and collect rosin to pitch the canoes, which have become very leaky from frequently hauling them over rocks, etc., as well as striking rocks frequently in passing down. All our articles we have exposed to the sun to dry, and the canoes drawn out and turned up. Many of our stores are entirely spoiled by being repeatedly wet. A number of Indians came to the opposite side of the river in the fore part of the day and showed that they were anxious to cross to us. We did not think proper to cross them in our canoes and did not send for them. In the evening, two chiefs and 15 men came over in a small canoe. Those two chiefs proved to be the two principal chiefs of the tribes above at the falls, and above, who were out hunting at the time we passed their bands. One of those chiefs made Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and myself each a small present of deer meat and small cakes of white bread made of roots. We gave to each chief a medal of the small size, a red silk handkerchief, arm band, knife, and a piece of paint, and acknowledged them as chiefs. As we thought it necessary at this time to treat those people very friendly and ingratiate ourselves with them, to ensure us a kind and friendly reception on our return, we gave small presents to several, and half a deer to them to eat. We also had a fire made for those people to sit around in the middle of our camp, and Peter Crusat (Cruzatte) played on the violin, which pleased those natives exceedingly. The two chiefs and several men determined to stay all night (York danced for the Indians) with us. All the others returned, leaving the horses for those who stayed, on the opposite side. Our hunters returned in the evening, having killed five deer, four very large gray squirrels, and a grouse. One of the guard at the river gigged a salmon trout, which we had fried in a little bear's oil which the chief we passed below the narrows gave us. This I thought one of the most delicious fish I have ever tasted. Great numbers of white cranes flying in different directions very high. The river rose 8 inches today; from what cause I cannot say certainly, as the tides cannot affect the river here since there is a falls below. I conjecture that the rise is owing to the winds, which have set up the river for 24 hours past. Our hunters inform us that the country back is broken, stony, and thinly timbered with pine and white oak. They saw elk and bear sign in the mountains. Dried all our wet articles and repaired our canoes today, and the party amused themselves at night dancing. The fleas, which the party got on them at the upper and great falls, are very troublesome and difficult to get rid of, particularly as the men have not a change of clothes to put on. They strip off their clothes and kill the fleas, during which time they remain naked.

The nations in the vicinity of this place are at war with the Snake Indians, who they say are numerous and live on the river we passed above the falls, on the same side on which we have camped. The nearest town is about four days' march. They pointed nearly S.E. and informed us that they had a battle with those Indians lately; their loss I could not ascertain.