Overland to Walla Walla, council with Yelleppit — John Ordway: April 20, 1806

John Ordway · Celilo Falls and The Dalles portage · Thwaites Vol. Quaife 1916

That night's camp, per the NPS campsite reconstruction (Bergantino): right bank, near Horsethief Lake, WA

went to tradeing for horses &C. Several of our men went out to
hunt their horses but could not find all of them we expect the
Indians loosed their Spanil [spancels] and took them away expect-
ing a reward to git them again, so we hired the Indians to hunt
them, found all except one who the man we bought him of Gam-
bled him away with Some [men] of an other nation & they had
taken him away, all the Indians we have Seen play a game &
risque all the property they have at different games, the game
that these Savages play is by setting in a circle & have a Small
Smooth bone in their hands & Sing crossing their hands to fix it
in a hidden manner from the other Side who gass [guess] the hand
that has it in then counts one a Stick Stuck in the ground for
tallies & So on untill one Side or the other wins the propertey
Stacked up. this game1 is played with activity, and they appear
merry & peaceable. Cap* Lewis took the property from the man
that gambled away our horse, we Sold old Robes Elk Skins &C.
&C. for white beeds. these Savages have but little pounded
Salmon in their village as they trade it to Several other nations &C.
the Indians would not give us any thing worth mentioning for our
canoes so we split & burnt one of them this evening, we tyed up
our horses &C. we bought 2 more dogs & some chappalell &C.