John Ordway: August 17, 1805
After cold nights and a frosty morning, the party set out early and soon met Shoshone Indians on horseback who reported that Captain Lewis was waiting at the forks. Reaching Lewis's camp around 10 a.m., they found about 20 friendly Shoshones who had crossed the mountains with him. Lewis described crossing the Continental Divide to the headwaters of the Columbia, only 40 miles away. The captains decided to cache the canoes, made camp on a treeless prairie, gave gifts and medals to two chiefs, and arranged to use the tribe's horses to haul baggage over the mountains.
been cold this Several nights under 2 blankets or Robes, over us.
a little white frost the air chilley & cold, we took an eairly
breakfast and set out proceeded on a Short distance heared
Some Indians Singing on Shore on L. Side directly came up
Several of the Snake nation a horseback, they told us that
Cap* Lewis and party was at the forks waiting our arival. Cap*
Clark the Intrepter & wife went with them back & forth the
Shore2 to see us come up with the canoes, we hailed the canoes
over a great nomber of Shole places and arived at Cap* Lewis
Camp ab* 10 oClock A. M. a little below the forks,3 their was 20
odd of the Snake nation Indians Camped here which came over
the Mountains with Cap* Lewis they appeared verry friendly
Cap* Lewis informed us that he had been over the dividing ridge
or mountain to the headwaters of the Columbian River & that it is
only about 40 miles from this place, they drank at the head
Spring of the Missourie & went only about a mile and drank at the
head Spring of the Columbian River4 which ran west, they Saw
one Indian comming towards them on horse back a considerable
distance from the band. Cap* Lewis wavered a blanket as a
token of friendship, he lay close on his horse & Spyed 2 of the
party makeing towards him who had been a hunting a little off
the road, the Indian turned his horse and ran him untill he got
to his band & told the news, the next they met was 3 Squaws
digging roots. 2 of them ran off Some distance the other being
1 Fourteen miles by water, 6§ miles by land. The camp was half a mile
above the mouth of Clark Canon Creek.
2 At this point there is evidently an omission of a portion of the thought
intended to be conveyed. Whitehouse wrote as follows: “Capt. Clark our
intrepter & wife went with the natives rode their horses to the forks, they
kept rideing back & forward to see us comeing up with the canoes.”
8 This was the point of junction of Horse Prairie Creek, which the party
was about to ascend, with Beaver Head River. The former is in reality a
tributary of the latter, a fact not clearly appreciated by Lewis and Clark.
They regarded (incorrectly) Horse Prairie Creek as the true source of the Mis-
souri.
4 Lewis had crossed the divide to the Lemhi River, which drains into the
Salmon, and this in turn into the Snake. The Indians had been encountered
in camp on the Lemhi.
268 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 17
old stood hir ground. Cap’ Lewis set down and gave hir Some
Small presents. She then called the other 2 which came up and
piloted them to their Camp which was on a branch of the Colum-
bian River they were on their way over to this Side to hunt &.
C. they had Some Salmon which they caught in the main
River they tell us that their is no timber on the head waters for
canoes, they also tell us that their is no game, but we do not
believe them, they are poor. Cap1 Lewis gave them what
little presents he had with him and they came about 20 odd with
their horses with him across the Mu 2 chiefs among them,
when Cap* Lewis first came near them they appeared frightened
untill he & them with him lay down their arms & made motions
of friendship, when they met the natives took them round the
neck as a great token of friendship, they were uneasy & afraid
that they were taken in when they came to the forks & found that
we were not there as they had mentioned, but when they Saw
us they were glad, and were verry friendly to lend us their horses
to pack meat &. C. we conclude to leave the canoes at this place,
So we unloaded and formed a Camp a little below the forks on a
Smooth prarie on L. S. no timber, we have to cook with Small
willow &. C. high hills on the point between the 2 Rivers, &
around this valley a fiew Scattering pitch pine on them, this
valley Smooth & pleasant, the natives horses appear good and
in tollarable order, but they are verry poor nothing to be seen
among it them but their horses & 2 or 3 guns, but no ammunition,
they are dressed tollarably well in antelope & Mountain Rams
Skins well dressed, a fiew beeds hung in their ears with mussel
Shells & C their hair Short the most of them, we expect they
git their horses from the Spanis[h] and what other little art articles
they have, but they have no knives tommahawks nor no weapons of
war except their bow & arrows, it is only by their ace* 8 day
travel to the South to the Spanish country, our officers Captains
Lewis & Clark told the head chief1 of them that they wanted to by
their horses to take our baggage over the Mountains, the Chief
said they would let us have the use of their horses & promised to
assist us over over as much as lay in their power. So they gave
them out considerable of different kinds of marchandize. gave
the chief a meddel made another chief & gave him a meddle also,
gave the head chief a uniform coat cv. Shirt & arm bands &.C. &C.
‘The Shoshoni chief, Cameahwait, proved’to be the brother of Sacajawea.
Fortunately for the explorers they had fallen in with the very same band from
which Sacajawea had been torn by her captors several years before.
1805] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 269
Cap* Lewis Shot the airgun, which they thought a great meddieine
& Shewed them a nomber of strange things to them. 4 deer & 2
antelopes killed by the hunters this day. Cap* Lewis tells us
that the game is verry scarse on the mountain he was about 3
days with [out] meat, the natives gave Cap* Lewis ear bobs to
put in ears and an ornament to Spread over his Shoulders, which
was made of white wezels tails & fastened on an otters Skin,
they fixed off all the men in the Same way who were returning
with Cap* Lewis, they take us round the neck and Sweze us in
token of friendship as they have a practice in Stead of Shakeing
hands.1
1 In addition to the embracing the salutation included the touching of cheeks
together. Lewis describes the ceremony, as first experienced by him, on Au-
gust 13, concluding with this hint concerning certain of its drawbacks: “we wer
all carressed and besmeared with their grease and paint till I was heartily tired
of the national hug.”
CHAPTER X
Crossing the Backbone of the Continent,
August 18 — October 6, 1805
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
It has been cold these several nights, with us under two blankets or robes. There was a little white frost, and the air was chilly and cold. We took an early breakfast and set out, proceeded on a short distance, and heard some Indians singing on shore on the left side. Directly, several of the Snake nation came up on horseback. They told us that Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and his party were at the forks waiting for our arrival. Capt Clark (Capt. Clark), the interpreter, and his wife went with them back and forth along the shore to see us come up with the canoes. We hauled the canoes over a great number of shoal places and arrived at Capt Lewis's camp about 10 o'clock A.M., a little below the forks. There were twenty-odd Indians of the Snake nation camped here who had come over the mountains with Capt Lewis. They appeared very friendly.
Capt Lewis informed us that he had been over the dividing ridge, or mountain, to the headwaters of the Columbian River, and that it is only about 40 miles from this place. They drank at the head spring of the Missouri and went only about a mile farther and drank at the head spring of the Columbian River, which ran west. They saw one Indian coming toward them on horseback a considerable distance from the band. Capt Lewis waved a blanket as a token of friendship. The Indian lay close on his horse and spied two of the party making toward him who had been hunting a little off the road. The Indian turned his horse and ran him until he got to his band and told the news. The next people they met were three squaws digging roots. Two of them ran off some distance, but the other, being old, stood her ground. Capt Lewis sat down and gave her some small presents. She then called the other two, who came up and piloted them to their camp, which was on a branch of the Columbian River. They were on their way over to this side to hunt, etc. They had some salmon which they caught in the main river. They tell us that there is no timber on the headwaters for canoes. They also tell us that there is no game, but we do not believe them; they are poor.
Capt Lewis gave them what little presents he had with him, and about twenty-odd came with their horses with him across the mountains, with two chiefs among them. When Capt Lewis first came near them, they appeared frightened until he and those with him laid down their arms and made motions of friendship. When they met, the natives took them round the neck as a great token of friendship. They were uneasy and afraid that they had been taken in when they came to the forks and found that we were not there as had been mentioned, but when they saw us they were glad, and were very friendly to lend us their horses to pack meat, etc. We concluded to leave the canoes at this place, so we unloaded and formed a camp a little below the forks on a smooth prairie on the left side, with no timber. We have to cook with small willow, etc. There are high hills on the point between the two rivers, and around this valley a few scattering pitch pines on them. This valley is smooth and pleasant. The natives' horses appear good and in tolerable order, but the people are very poor; nothing is to be seen among them but their horses and two or three guns, but no ammunition. They are dressed tolerably well in antelope and mountain ram skins, well dressed, with a few beads hung in their ears with mussel shells, etc. Their hair is short, most of them. We expect they get their horses from the Spanish, along with what other little articles they have, but they have no knives, tomahawks, nor any weapons of war except their bows and arrows. By their account, it is only 8 days' travel to the south to the Spanish country.
Our officers, Captains Lewis and Clark, told the head chief that they wanted to buy their horses to take our baggage over the mountains. The chief said they would let us have the use of their horses and promised to assist us over as much as lay in their power. So they gave out considerable amounts of different kinds of merchandise. They gave the chief a medal, made another chief, and gave him a medal also. They gave the head chief a uniform coat, a shirt, and arm bands, etc., etc. Capt Lewis shot the air gun, which they thought a great medicine, and showed them a number of strange things. 4 deer and 2 antelopes were killed by the hunters this day. Capt Lewis tells us that the game is very scarce on the mountain; he was about 3 days without meat. The natives gave Capt Lewis ear bobs to put in his ears and an ornament to spread over his shoulders, which was made of white weasel tails and fastened on an otter skin. They fixed out all the men in the same way who were returning with Capt Lewis. They take us round the neck and squeeze us in token of friendship, as they have a practice instead of shaking hands.
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