Joseph Whitehouse: August 17, 1805
On a clear, frosty morning after a cold night, the party set out and soon encountered Shoshone Indians who reported that Captain Lewis was waiting at the forks. Captain Clark, the interpreter, and Sacagawea rode ahead with the natives while the others hauled the canoes upriver to Lewis's camp, where about 20 Shoshone were gathered peacefully. Lewis described crossing to the Columbia headwaters and his first cautious meetings with the band. The captains decided to cache the canoes, traded merchandise for horses, and made camp on a treeless prairie. Hunters killed three deer and two goats.
CLEAR cold morning. we lay last night with 2
d blankets or Robes over us & lay cold. Some frost
this morning. we took an eairly breakfast and Set
out. proceeded on a Short distance. heared a nomber of
Indians a Singing on L. Side. directly their came Several
of the Snake nation. Came to us & told us that Cap‘ Lewis
& party was at the forks. Cap! Clark our Intrepter & wife
went with the natives rode their horses to the forks. they
kept rideing back & forward to See us comeing up with the
canoes. we were obledged to hale the canoes a great part
of the way untill we got to Cap: Lewises Camp a little below
the forks their was 20 odd of the Snake nation Camped with
Cap: Lewis. they appeared harmeless & friendly. Cap! Lewis
informed us that he had been over the mountain on the head
waters of Columbian River and that this band was Camped on
S‘ waters and Creek or Small River on their way across to this
place a hunting. the first they Saw was one Spy they had
Some distance a head on horse back. Cap! Lewis Swung &
held up a blanket as a token of friendship, but as it hapened
2 of the men were a hunting one on each Side of him, which
frightned him as he Suposed they wished to take [him] pris-
oner [he] turned about his horse & rode verry S[p]eedy out
of his road & made no halt untill he got to the band, & told
his people the news. they met 3 Squaws on the Side of the
mountain a digging roots 2 of them ran off, the other being
old Stood hir ground. Cap! Lewis came or went up to hir &
gave hir Some Small presents, and Shewed everry mark of
[ 136 ] .
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S. JOURNAL
freiendship. She then called up the other 2 and they piloted
Cap! Lewis & party to the band, which received them with a
great deal of fear at first. app[e]ared frightened until they lay
down their guns and made Some tokens & motions of friend-
ship. the natives then put their arms around their or our
peoples necks & appeared glad to See them and used them
friendly. they had Some Salmon which they had brought with
them from the main river. it is only about 40 miles over the
moun! to the head waters of the other R. the[y] drank at the
head waters or Spring of the Missourie and went only ab! a
mile and drank out of the head Spring of the Columbian
River which ran west. the natives tell us that their is no
timber large enofe for canoes on the head waters &c. Cap!
Lewis got 20 [o]dd of the band to come over with their
horses, only 3 women with them. we conclude to leave the
canoes at this place and git horses of the natives to take our
baggage over the mountains. So we unloaded the canoes and
formed a Camp on a Smooth prarie on L. Side. the grass
high, but no timber we could git no timber to burn but
small dry willow Sticks about as big as a mans finger &c. a
high hill in the point or between the forks of the River. high
hills around this valley. the hunters killed 3 deer & 2 goats
this day. Cap! Lewis informes us that the game is verry
Scarse on the mountain, & that they were without any thing of
account to eat for 2 or three days, but the natives tell us that
their is pleanty of fish on the columbian River Such as Salmon
&c. our officers told the natives that we wanted to git their
horses to take our baggage over the Mountain & wanted to
buy Some from them also So they Gave them considerable
of marchandize divided it among them all. they consented to
let us have their horses & assist us over the m‘ they tell us
that it is only about 8 days travvel a South course to the
Spanish country, but these Indians git but little trade amongst
them &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Clear cold morning. We lay last night with 2 blankets or robes over us and lay cold. Some frost this morning. We took an early breakfast and set out. Proceeded on a short distance. Heard a number of Indians singing on the larboard side. Directly there came several of the Snake nation. They came to us and told us that Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and party was at the forks. Captain Clark, our interpreter, and wife went with the natives, rode their horses to the forks. They kept riding back and forward to see us coming up with the canoes. We were obliged to haul the canoes a great part of the way until we got to Captain Lewis's camp a little below the forks. There were 20 odd of the Snake nation camped with Captain Lewis. They appeared harmless and friendly.
Captain Lewis informed us that he had been over the mountain on the headwaters of the Columbian River, and that this band was camped on its waters and a creek or small river on their way across to this place a-hunting. The first they saw was one spy they had some distance ahead on horseback. Captain Lewis swung and held up a blanket as a token of friendship, but as it happened, 2 of the men were hunting, one on each side of him, which frightened him, as he supposed they wished to take him prisoner. He turned about his horse and rode very speedily out of his road and made no halt until he got to the band, and told his people the news. They met 3 squaws on the side of the mountain digging roots; 2 of them ran off, the other, being old, stood her ground. Captain Lewis came or went up to her and gave her some small presents, and showed every mark of friendship. She then called up the other 2, and they piloted Captain Lewis and party to the band, which received them with a great deal of fear at first. They appeared frightened until they laid down their guns and made some tokens and motions of friendship. The natives then put their arms around their, or our, people's necks and appeared glad to see them and treated them friendly. They had some salmon which they had brought with them from the main river.
It is only about 40 miles over the mountain to the headwaters of the other river. They drank at the headwaters or spring of the Missouri and went only about a mile and drank out of the head spring of the Columbian River, which ran west. The natives tell us that there is no timber large enough for canoes on the headwaters, etc. Captain Lewis got 20 odd of the band to come over with their horses, only 3 women with them. We conclude to leave the canoes at this place and get horses from the natives to take our baggage over the mountains. So we unloaded the canoes and formed a camp on a smooth prairie on the larboard side. The grass was high, but no timber. We could get no timber to burn but small dry willow sticks about as big as a man's finger, etc. A high hill is in the point or between the forks of the river. High hills surround this valley. The hunters killed 3 deer and 2 goats this day.
Captain Lewis informs us that the game is very scarce on the mountain, and that they were without anything of account to eat for 2 or three days, but the natives tell us that there is plenty of fish on the Columbian River, such as salmon, etc. Our officers told the natives that we wanted to get their horses to take our baggage over the mountain and wanted to buy some from them also. So they gave them considerable merchandise, divided it among them all. They consented to let us have their horses and assist us over the mountain. They tell us that it is only about 8 days' travel on a south course to the Spanish country, but these Indians get but little trade among them, etc.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
