Lemhi Valley, preparing to cross Bitterroots — John Ordway: August 27, 1805
Hunters rode out while the camp raised a large flag, and Captain Lewis presented flags to the head chief and second chief. Lewis paid the Shoshone women who had helped haul gear over the Continental Divide, then began trading for horses, acquiring eight or nine at roughly three to four dollars' worth of merchandise each, though prices were rising. The interpreter bought one with a red cloak. Hunters returned with four deer and several large salmon-like fish. The natives held a war dance in the evening, accompanied by their women's singing.
men went out a hunting with horses, we hoisted the large flag.
Cap* Lewis gave one to the head chief and one to the next, the
[Indians] hoisted them also. Cap* Lewis settled & paid off the
Indian women who helped us over the divideing mountain, then
began to trade with the natives for horses, our Intrepter bought
one for a red cloak the Indian women are mostly employed gath-
ering and drying seeds & roots for food, they git large quantities
of fine black seed which they grind in to meal between two stones,
they kill but fiew deer but catch considerable quantity of fresh
water Salmon with poles with a Sharpened bone fixed on a pole
for a gig. they Some years go down on the Missourie after buffa-
low and Elk. the country around this place is mountainious and
broken Snow now lying a Short distance to the South of us on
the broken mountains, our hunters all returned towards even-
ing had killed 4 deer and giged 8 or 10 fine fish which we call
salmon, they would weigh 7 or 8 pound each, but differ from
the Salmon caught in the Salt water, but the reason may be there
living so far from the ocean in fresh water Cap* Lewis bought 8
or 9 horses this day. the natives do not wish to part with any
more of their horses without gitting a higher price for them, the
most of those he has bought as yet was for about 3 or 4 dollars
worth of marchandize at the first cost, but we will have to give a
little more to git a fiew more horses, in the evening the natives
had a war dance and danced with their guns those that had any
1 A device of Captain Lewis to keep the natives in good humor until a suffi-
cient number of the much-desired horses could be procured from them.
2 Since their separation at the mouth of Horse Prairie Creek on August 18,
Clark had reconnoitered down Lemhi and Salmon rivers for a distance of fifty
miles. His observations forced him to the regretful conclusion that the party
could not possibly take this route to the ocean. Colter had been sent back
in advance of Clark’s party to apprize Lewis of his discoveries, and to recom-
mend the adoption of a land route concerning which Clark had received informa-
tion from an Indian guide. The abandonment of the river route necessitated
securing a sufficient number of horses to transport the party, and Lewis began
negotiations the following morning for their purchase.
276 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Aug. 28
but they had only three or 4 among them, they were verry merry
but did not dance so regular as the Indians on the Missourie.
their women sang with them, but did not dance any they tell us
that Some of their horses will dance but they have not brought
them out yet. they have different kinds of plays and games they
have a game which they play most like playing butten only they
kick singing and do all by motions they risk all the property
they git for their horses or Some of them but it does not trouble
them they appear to be easy & well contented let the world go
as it may.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The men went out hunting with horses, and we hoisted the large flag. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) gave one to the head chief and one to the next chief, and the [Indians] hoisted them as well. Capt Lewis settled and paid off the Indian women who helped us over the dividing mountain, and then began to trade with the natives for horses. Our interpreter bought one for a red cloak. The Indian women are mostly employed gathering and drying seeds and roots for food. They get large quantities of fine black seed which they grind into meal between two stones. They kill but few deer, but catch a considerable quantity of fresh water salmon with poles, using a sharpened bone fixed on a pole as a gig. Some years they go down on the Missouri after buffalo and elk. The country around this place is mountainous and broken, with snow now lying a short distance to the south of us on the broken mountains.
Our hunters all returned toward evening, having killed 4 deer and gigged 8 or 10 fine fish which we call salmon. They would weigh 7 or 8 pounds each, but differ from the salmon caught in salt water; the reason may be that they live so far from the ocean in fresh water. Capt Lewis bought 8 or 9 horses this day. The natives do not wish to part with any more of their horses without getting a higher price for them. Most of those he has bought so far were for about 3 or 4 dollars worth of merchandise at the first cost, but we will have to give a little more to get a few more horses.
In the evening the natives had a war dance and danced with their guns—those that had any—but they had only three or 4 among them. They were very merry but did not dance as regularly as the Indians on the Missouri. Their women sang with them, but did not dance at all. They tell us that some of their horses will dance, but they have not brought them out yet. They have different kinds of plays and games. They have a game which they play most like playing button, only they kick, sing, and do everything by motions. They risk all the property they get for their horses, or some of them do, but it does not trouble them. They appear to be easy and well contented, letting the world go as it may.
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