Nez Perce camps, reuniting with horses — John Ordway: May 5, 1806
Setting out hungry, the party traveled about three miles up the river to the forks at the mouth of the Kooskooskee, then continued past several small villages where they tried unsuccessfully to buy dogs. An Indian gave Captain Clark a good horse. They eventually purchased two dogs at a village opposite Cottonwood Creek, dined, and camped at Colter's Creek near Pah-map village, where food was scarce except for root cakes. The captains treated sick natives with medicine, and through a chain of six interpreters explained their mission and future fur trade plans.
morning, we Set out having nothing to eat and proced on up the
river about 3 miles [when we] came to the forks at the mouth of the
kooskooskee river.6 followed up Sd river Saw a great number of
1 This was Pataha Creek, according to Coues.
* In Garfield County, a short distance east of Pataha City. Coues.
3 The “Small branch” was modern Alpowa Creek; the village at its mouth,
where the party dined, was on or near the site of modern Silcott, Wash.
4 A culinary item of some interest is recorded by Lewis in connection with
this meal. From the natives two lean dogs and some half-cured bread made
of a root resembling the sweet potato were procured; from these ingredients a
“soope” was concocted, and this, evidently, constituted the dinner menu.
6 In Whitman County, Wash., on the north side of Snake River, 4§ miles
below the mouth of the Kooskooskee.
6 At this point the explorers crossed the state boundary between Washing-
ton and Idaho, and found themselves across the Kooskooskee River from
Lewiston, Idaho, a short distance above the camp of Oct. 10, 1805.
1806] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 353
horses on the high plains passed 2 small villages where we tryed to
purchase Some dogs, they did not incline to Sell any as they have
but fiew. an Indian gave Cap4 Clark a good horse we then pro-
ceeded on about noon we came to another Small village oppo-
site the mouth of cottonwood creek where we bought 2 dogs and
dined & proceed on to Colters Creek & pah-map village where we
Camped.1 at this village the dogs are verry poor, and these
natives have but little to eat except roots which the women are
engaged pounding and make it in cakes and put it up over the fire
to dry to take with them for provision across the rockey moun-
tains, this villages is all in one joining for about 100 yards long
and have different fires & d’ores but live much compackd and agree-
able together, we could not purchase any thing to eat except a
fiew of those roots or bread which they vallue high in the evening
several of the natives which was diseased & Sick came to our
officers to be healed who gave & applyed meddicine. the natives
promised to reward us by giving us a good horse tommorrow for us
to eat as they wished us to Stay two or 3 days with them.2 find-
ing a man of the Snake nation a prisoner here our officers told the
chiefs by intreptation of thro 6 tongues what our business was and
that our tradors would come about the head of the missourie and
trade with them for furs &C.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
In the morning, we set out having nothing to eat and proceeded on up the river about 3 miles, when we came to the forks at the mouth of the Kooskooskee River. We followed up said river and saw a great number of horses on the high plains. We passed 2 small villages where we tried to purchase some dogs, but they did not incline to sell any as they have but few. An Indian gave Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) a good horse, and we then proceeded on. About noon we came to another small village opposite the mouth of Cottonwood Creek where we bought 2 dogs and dined, and proceeded on to Colters Creek and Pah-map village where we camped.
At this village the dogs are very poor, and these natives have but little to eat except roots, which the women are engaged in pounding and making into cakes and putting up over the fire to dry, to take with them for provisions across the Rocky Mountains. This village is all in one, joining for about 100 yards long, and they have different fires and doors but live much compacted and agreeably together. We could not purchase anything to eat except a few of those roots or bread, which they value highly. In the evening several of the natives who were diseased and sick came to our officers to be healed, who gave and applied medicine. The natives promised to reward us by giving us a good horse tomorrow for us to eat, as they wished us to stay two or three days with them. Finding a man of the Snake nation a prisoner here, our officers told the chiefs, by interpretation through 6 tongues, what our business was, and that our traders would come about the head of the Missouri and trade with them for furs, etc.
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