Camp Chopunnish (Long Camp), waiting for snow to melt — John Ordway: May 21, 1806
Some of the expedition members traveled about five miles to a Native village on the south side, situated on a hillside near a spring run. There they traded for white roots, shappalell, and other provisions. Throughout the day, women in the village were heard crying loudly at intervals. Upon inquiring, Ordway learned they were mourning sons lost in battle, explaining that it was customary for relatives, particularly the older women, to lament loudly for a long time after a death. The party spent the night in the village.
more of the party went up to a village about 5 miles on South
Side on the Side of a hill & Spring run we purchased some white
roots Shappalell &C. Some of the women in the village were cry-
ing aloud at different times in the course of the day. I Signed the
reason of their lamenting & they gave me to understand that they
had lost Some of their Sons in battle and that was the custom
among them when their relation died they mourn and lement a
long time after the aged women only make a loud noise, we
stayed in the village all night.
taken at different times. There is no break in the narrative journal, which
begins on page three of the book.
1 This root, a species of ginseng, is identified by Cones (111. 1000) as “the well
known Peucedanum Cous.”
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 359
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
More of the party went up to a village about 5 miles on the south side, on the side of a hill and spring run. We purchased some white roots, shappalell, etc. Some of the women in the village were crying aloud at different times in the course of the day. I signed the reason of their lamenting, and they gave me to understand that they had lost some of their sons in battle, and that it was the custom among them when their relation died to mourn and lament a long time after. The aged women only make a loud noise. We stayed in the village all night.
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