Nez Perce camps, reuniting with horses — John Ordway: May 1, 1806
The expedition continued up the Touchet River, traveling through high plains and timbered bottoms where beaver were abundant. Hunters killed one beaver and later a deer, providing food for camp. Several Native companions departed to take a shortcut to the Columbia. After covering 26 miles, the party camped along the river. Two young Walla Walla men arrived bringing a steel trap left behind at their village, an act of honesty the captains rewarded with a knife, a sun glass, and venison. The Walla Walla expressed interest in future trade for guns, kettles, and goods.
go on a hunting, we Set out as usal & proceeded on up this river,
over high plains and river bottom which is partly covred with
cotton & other timber, the beaver are pleanty. one of the
hunters killd one. no other game to be seen about noon we
halted to dine. Several of the Savages who accompy us leave
us here and take a cross road to the Columbia river, we proceed
on up the branch, over Smooth handsom plains and bottoms.
Saw a timbred country a long distance to the S. E. & Moun*
of Snow. Saw Several deer run out of the groves of timber
along the branch, about Sunset one of the hunters killed a deer.
So we Camped by the branch2 having made 26 miles this day
Soon after we Camped two young men of the wal-a-wal tribe
came up to our Camp & brought us our Steel trap which was
forgot at their village, this is an Instance which we had not
any right to expect from Savages, we gave them one a knife
the other a Sun glass, &.C. and a little vension. the wal-a-wal
tribe of Flat heads have proved themselves the honnestest Sav-
ages we have met with for they had great chance to Steel had
they been disposed, but instead of that they helped us as much
as lay in their power and believe that we will return and trade
with them, as we have told them, they disired us to bring them
guns and ammunition, copper kittles, knives beeds Scarlet but-
tens, and allmost any kind of marchandize as other Savages, &C.
1 On the Touchet, a tributary of the Walla Walla, instead of on the Latter
stream itself. The day’s journey was overland in a northeasterly direction
from the modern town of Wallula to the point where the Indian trail inter-
sected the Touchet River.
■ The “branch” was Touchet River, the valley of which the party had been
ascending all day. The camp was in eastern Walla Walla County between
Prescotl and Waitsburg, according to Coues; he further affirms that a person
familiar with the locality “could almost pitch a tent where Lewis and Clark
sleep tonight.”
CHAPTER XIV
From the Walla Walla to the Headwaters of
the Missouri, May 2 — July 9, 1806
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
go on a hunt. We set out as usual and proceeded on up this river, over high plains and river bottom which is partly covered with cottonwood and other timber. The beaver are plentiful. One of the hunters killed one. No other game was to be seen. About noon we halted to dine. Several of the Savages who accompany us leave us here and take a cross road to the Columbia River. We proceeded on up the branch, over smooth, handsome plains and bottoms. Saw a timbered country a long distance to the S.E. and mountains of snow. Saw several deer run out of the groves of timber along the branch. About sunset one of the hunters killed a deer, so we camped by the branch, having made 26 miles this day.
Soon after we camped, two young men of the Wal-a-wal (Walla Walla) tribe came up to our camp and brought us our steel trap, which was forgotten at their village. This is an instance which we had not any right to expect from Savages. We gave one of them a knife, the other a sun glass, etc., and a little venison. The Wal-a-wal tribe of Flatheads have proved themselves the honestest Savages we have met with, for they had a great chance to steal had they been disposed, but instead of that they helped us as much as lay in their power, and believe that we will return and trade with them, as we have told them. They desired us to bring them guns and ammunition, copper kettles, knives, beads, scarlet buttons, and almost any kind of merchandise, as other Savages do, etc.
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