Overland to Walla Walla, council with Yelleppit — John Ordway: April 29, 1806
The expedition borrowed a canoe from local Indians and crossed the Columbia River to its south side, ferrying baggage and rounding up horses. Following their guide's advice that water was far off, they moved only a mile to camp on the Walla Walla River near a large Walla Walla village, where natives caught salmon trout and suckers in willow weirs. The party traded for camas roots, shappalell, and dogs. Captain Lewis named a chief and gave him a medal, receiving a fine horse in return; another chief gifted Clark a horse. The Walla Walla proved exceptionally friendly. One man left a steel trap behind across the river.
across the plains, and a little Shappalell & other roots &C. we
borrowed a canoe from the Indians and crossed over the Columbia
to the South Side above the mouth of the river which we took
to [be] a byo where we passd down last fall, and got all our bag-
gage across the river and got up our horses, our guide telling
us that it was a long distance to water, & further than we could
go this day. So we mooved over 1 mile on the bank of the river
which is named the wal-a-wal-a River near a large village of the
wal-a-wal-a nation where we Camped1 again. these Savages
have wers [weirs] made of willows across this little river where
they catch large quantityes of Salmon trout, Suckers, &C. we
bought a little Commass roots, Shappalell and a fiew more dogs
&. C. the most of the Savages moved across the river also, &
they have a vast Site of horses. Cap* Lewis made a chief gave
him a meddle, he gave a fine horse in return as a present,
another chief who Cap* Clark made yesterday brought up an-
other fine horse and made him a present of. we purchased
another by giving a Small quantity of powder and ball, these
natives are the kindest and the most friendly to us than any
we have yet Seen, they have lately been at war with the Snake
nation and many of them were kild one of our men lift a steel
trap on the other side.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
across the plains, and a little Shappalell and other roots, etc. We borrowed a canoe from the Indians and crossed over the Columbia to the south side above the mouth of the river, which we took to be a bayou where we passed down last fall, and got all our baggage across the river and brought up our horses. Our guide told us that it was a long distance to water, and further than we could go this day. So we moved over one mile on the bank of the river, which is named the Wal-a-wal-a River, near a large village of the Wal-a-wal-a nation, where we camped again.
These natives have weirs made of willows across this little river, where they catch large quantities of salmon trout, suckers, etc. We bought a little commass roots, Shappalell, and a few more dogs, etc. Most of the natives moved across the river also, and they have a vast number of horses.
Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) made a chief and gave him a medal; he gave a fine horse in return as a present. Another chief, whom Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) made yesterday, brought up another fine horse and made him a present of it. We purchased another by giving a small quantity of powder and ball. These natives are the kindest and most friendly to us of any we have yet seen. They have lately been at war with the Snake nation, and many of them were killed. One of our men left a steel trap on the other side.
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