Lost Trail Pass, meeting Flathead Salish at Ross’s Hole — John Ordway: September 5, 1805
A hard white frost greeted the camp, with water freezing slightly and ravenous Indian dogs chewing through several pairs of moccasins. The captains met in council with a band of Flathead Indians, naming four chiefs and presenting medals, flags, and small gifts while explaining the expedition's purpose. They purchased twelve horses, swapping worn-out animals and obtaining pack saddles and cords. The Flatheads' unusual speech, requiring translation through six languages, led the men to speculate they might be Welsh Indians. Hunters returned at evening with one deer.
water froze a little, the Indian dogs are so ravinous that they
eat several pair of the mens Moccasons. a hard white frost this
morning. Several men went out to hunt our officers purchased
Several horses of the natives after Counsiling with them, they are
a band of the Flat head natives, our officers made four chiefs
1 The camp was in a park or “hole,” in southern Ravalli County, Mont.
For a description of the locality see Wheeler, II, 62.
282 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Sept. 6
gave them meddles 2 flags Some other Small presents and told
them our business and that we were friends to all the red people
&. C. which they appeared verry friendly to us. they have a great
stock of horses but have no provision only roots and berrys, at
this time but are on their way to the Meddison River or Missourie
whire they can kill pleanty of buffalow. our officers bought 12
horses from them and gave a Small quantity of Marchandize for
each horse, our officers took down Some of their language found
it verry troublesome Speaking to them as all they Say to them has
to go through Six languages, and hard to make them understand,
these natives have the Stranges language of any we have ever yet
seen, they appear to us as though they had an Impedement in
their Speech or brogue on their tongue, we think perhaps that
they are the welch Indians, &. C. they are verry friendly to us.
they Swaped to us some of their good horses and took our worn
out horses, and appeared to wish to help us as much as lay in their
power.1 accommodated us with pack Saddles and chords by our
giving them any small article in return towards evening our
hunters came in had kild 1 deer.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Water froze a little. The Indian dogs are so ravenous that they ate several pairs of the men's moccasins. A hard white frost this morning. Several men went out to hunt. Our officers purchased several horses from the natives after counciling with them. They are a band of the Flathead natives. Our officers made four chiefs, gave them medals, two flags, and some other small presents, and told them our business and that we were friends to all the red people, etc., to which they appeared very friendly to us. They have a great stock of horses but have no provisions, only roots and berries at this time, but are on their way to the Madison River or Missouri where they can kill plenty of buffalo.
Our officers bought 12 horses from them and gave a small quantity of merchandise for each horse. Our officers took down some of their language and found it very troublesome speaking to them, as all that they say to them has to go through six languages, and it is hard to make them understand. These natives have the strangest language of any we have yet seen. They appear to us as though they had an impediment in their speech or a brogue on their tongue. We think perhaps that they are the Welsh Indians, etc. They are very friendly to us. They swapped to us some of their good horses and took our worn out horses, and appeared to wish to help us as much as lay in their power. They accommodated us with pack saddles and cords for our giving them any small article in return. Toward evening our hunters came in, having killed 1 deer.
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