Camp Fortunate, Sacagawea reunites with Cameahwait — Joseph Whitehouse: August 22, 1805

A white frost and cold as usual in the morning. Our hunter returned late last night. He had killed a fawn deer, and informed us that he had fallen in among a party of Indians who were troublesome, as they took his gun and rode off. He rode after them and got his gun back out of an Indian's hand. There were several squaws who had a considerable amount of their kinds of food and skins. They went away and left it all. He took it and brought it in with him.

A clear pleasant morning. Three men went to finish hiding the baggage. The men at camp were employed dressing their deer skins and making their moccasins, etc. I am employed making up their leather shirts and overalls.

About 11 o'clock A.M. one tribe of the Snake nation, 50-odd in number, arrived here on horseback, including some women and children. They have now come over the dividing ridge to trade their horses, etc., with us. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) counciled with them, made two of them chiefs, and told them that we had come to open the way and try to make peace among the red people, and that they would be supplied with goods and necessaries if they would catch beaver and otter and save their skins, which the white people were fond of, and would trade with them as soon as times would admit, etc. Capt Lewis traded with them and bought three horses and two mules or half mules, for a little merchandise, etc.

We being out of fresh meat and having but little salt meat, we joined together and made a fish drag out of willows, tied bunches of them together and made it long enough to reach across the river, and caught with it 520 different kinds of fine pan fish. We divided them with the natives. We gave them a mess of boiled corn, which they were fond of. They appear to be very kind and friendly. We traded with them for dressed mountain rams' skins and otter skins, etc.

Our interpreter and his wife came over with them, and they were all scarce off for provisions. They had killed nothing but one or two mountain sheep and rabbits, etc. They all camp with us and are peaceable; they do not attempt to steal anything. They borrow nothing but what they return. They appear to live in fear of other nations who are at war with them, but Capt Lewis tells them that these other nations promise to let them alone, and if they do not, their Great Father will send them arms and ammunition to defend themselves with, but that he would rather that they live in peace, etc.