Lost Trail Pass, meeting Flathead Salish at Ross’s Hole — Joseph Whitehouse: September 5, 1805
On a clear, cold morning with frost on standing water, the captains raised the large flag and held a council with the Flathead nation. Through a chain of six languages, they delivered their standard message and explained they wished to buy horses. Four leaders were named chiefs and given medals, shirts, flags, and other gifts. The officers purchased twelve horses for small amounts of merchandise, swapped seven lame horses with extra goods, and bought about a dozen pack saddles. Hunters returned in the evening with two young deer and a badger.
a clear cold morning. the Standing water froze a little last
night. we hoisted our large flag this morning. Several men
went out a hunting. about 10 oClock our officers held a
Council with the flat head nation and told them nearly the
Same as they told other nations, only told them that we wanted
a fiew horses from them, and we would give them Some
marchandize in return. Gave 4 of their principal men meddles
made them chiefs gave each of them a Shirt and a nomber of
other articles also 2 flags &c. then told them that we could
not Stop long with them and that we were ready to purchase
their horses, and that we could not talk with them as much as
we wish, for all that we Say has to go through 6 languages
before it gits to them and it is hard to make them understand
all what we Say. these Savages has the Strangest language of
any we have ever Seen. they appear to us to have an Emped-
diment in their Speech or a brogue or bur on their tongue but
they are the likelyest and honestst Savages we have ever yet
Seen. our officers lay out Some marchandize in different
piles to trade with the natives for horses. our officers bought
twelve horses and gave a Small quantity of marchandize for
each horse. we swapped 7 horses which were lame &c. Gave
Some Small articles to boot. we bought 1o or a Dozen pack
Saddles from the natives. our hunters all came to Camp
towards evening. one of them had killed 2 young Deer and
one brarow.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A clear, cold morning. The standing water froze a little last night. We hoisted our large flag this morning. Several men went out hunting. About 10 o'clock our officers held a council with the Flathead nation and told them nearly the same as they told other nations, only they told them that we wanted a few horses from them, and we would give them some merchandise in return. They gave 4 of their principal men medals, made them chiefs, gave each of them a shirt and a number of other articles, also 2 flags, etc. Then they told them that we could not stop long with them and that we were ready to purchase their horses, and that we could not talk with them as much as we wished, for all that we say has to go through 6 languages before it gets to them, and it is hard to make them understand all that we say.
These natives have the strangest language of any we have ever seen. They appear to us to have an impediment in their speech, or a brogue or burr on their tongue, but they are the most likely and honest natives we have yet seen. Our officers laid out some merchandise in different piles to trade with the natives for horses. Our officers bought twelve horses and gave a small quantity of merchandise for each horse. We swapped 7 horses that were lame, etc., and gave some small articles to boot. We bought 10 or a dozen pack saddles from the natives. Our hunters all came to camp toward evening. One of them had killed 2 young deer and one badger.
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