Camp Chopunnish (Long Camp), waiting for snow to melt — John Ordway: June 2, 1806
The party traveled down the river, passed two villages, and reached camp around noon to find the river running very high. They swam the horses across and used an Indian canoe to cross themselves. Men at camp reported that a large canoe had upset and sunk against trees days earlier; the men survived but lost blankets and trade goods. Hunters brought in 12 deer, and a sick castrated horse was shot. That evening, the head Chopunnish chief arrived with George Drouillard and returned a tomahawk Captain Clark had lost the previous fall.
turned down the river passd 2 more villages about 12 oClock we
arived at our Camp, found the river verry high indeed. Swam
the horses across and got across in an Indian canoe as our men in-
formed us that as Some of our men were crossing several days past
our large canoe ran against Some trees as they were going to Shore
and the canoe upset and Sank emediately. the men got Safe
to Shore but lost three blankets one blanket cappo and Several
articles, they had for trade &C. they had killed a horse soon
after we went away to eat which the natives gave us for that pur-
pose Soon after our hunters killed and brought to Camp 12 Deer.
Some of our castrated horses are nearly well and one is Sick and
like to dye. So Some of our men went and Shot him &C. to-
wards evening the head chief of the cho-pennish nation came to
our Camp with George Drewyer and brought and gave up a tom-
mahawk1 which Cap4 Clark lost last fall which the chief kept for
us.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We turned down the river and passed 2 more villages. About 12 o'clock we arrived at our camp, and found the river very high indeed. We swam the horses across and got across ourselves in an Indian canoe. Our men informed us that several days ago, as some of our men were crossing, our large canoe ran against some trees as they were going to shore, and the canoe upset and sank immediately. The men got safe to shore but lost three blankets, one blanket capote, and several articles they had for trade, etc. They had killed a horse soon after we went away to eat, which the natives gave us for that purpose. Soon after, our hunters killed and brought to camp 12 deer.
Some of our castrated horses are nearly well, and one is sick and likely to die, so some of our men went and shot him, etc. Towards evening the head chief of the Cho-pennish (Chopunnish) nation came to our camp with George Drewyer (Drouillard) and brought and gave up a tomahawk which Capt. Clark lost last fall, which the chief had kept for us.
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