Overland to Walla Walla, council with Yelleppit — John Ordway: April 24, 1806
The party worked to acquire horses so they could abandon their canoes. A horse strayed overnight but was recovered with help from local Wahapari Indians, who were numerous and gambling for beads as seen at villages downstream. The expedition purchased three horses, traded old axes for beads, and obtained shappalell bread. They hired two more horses from Flathead Indians traveling with them. When the men began splitting the unwanted canoes, Indians offered six fathoms of white beads for them. Around 11 a.m. they loaded up, traveled about 12 miles on a sandy road, and camped at a village where they bought dogs.
to purchase horses so as to leave the canoes, one of our horses
strayed away last night, we hired Indians to hunt him. these
Savages are numerous & tribe of wa-hapari,1 who come from a
river to the North of this, a number of them went at playing a
game for beeds and other property in the Same manner as that
below, we purchased 3 horses & exchanged old axes &C. for
beeds. these Savages are tollerable well cloathed in dressed Deer
and mountain sheep skins & buffaloe robes, but live poor at
this time, as they expect the Salmon to run Soon, we git pleanty
of new Shappalell for Small articles, they have a great number
of horses, the most of them are good to ride or pack, the In-
dians found our lost horse, we hired 2 more of Some of the flat
heads who are going with us. the Indians would not purchace
our canoes, as they find we are going to leave them, but when we
went to Split them they gave us 6 fathem of white beeds for
them, about 11 A. M. we loaded up our horses and Set out
proceed on the Sandy road about 12 miles and Camped2 at a
village where we bought a fiew dogs & gathered a flew willows to
cook with &C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We needed to purchase horses so we could leave the canoes behind. One of our horses strayed away last night, and we hired Indians to hunt for him. These natives are numerous and are of the Wa-hapari tribe, who come from a river to the north of this one. A number of them were playing a game for beads and other property in the same manner as those below. We purchased 3 horses and exchanged old axes and other items for beads. These natives are tolerably well clothed in dressed deer and mountain sheep skins and buffalo robes, but they are living poorly at this time, as they expect the salmon to run soon. We get plenty of new shappalell (cous root bread) for small articles. They have a great number of horses, most of which are good to ride or pack. The Indians found our lost horse. We hired 2 more horses from some of the Flatheads who are going with us. The Indians would not purchase our canoes, since they saw we were going to leave them, but when we went to split them apart, they gave us 6 fathoms of white beads for them. About 11 A.M. we loaded up our horses and set out, proceeding along the sandy road about 12 miles, and camped at a village where we bought a few dogs and gathered a few willows to cook with.
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