Lewis: April 20, 1806
On a frosty Sunday near the Columbia River falls, Lewis described the dress, dwellings, villages, and trade of the Eneshur and Skillute peoples, judging them poor, proud, and untrustworthy. He reported that natives had stolen six tomahawks and a knife overnight; a chief's rebuke failed to recover them. A horse Lewis had purchased was gambled away, so he reclaimed his goods. He bought a gun, two poor horses, two dogs, and shappellel, traded elkskins and canoes for beads, and decided to depart the next morning using horses and two canoes, with Bratton riding due to injury. He warned the natives against further theft and posted guards.
Sunday April 20th 1806. some frost this morning. The Enesher an Skillutes
are much better clad than they were last fall, there men have generally
legings mockersons and large robes; many of them wear shirts of the same
form with those of the Shoshone Chopunnish &c highly ornamented with
porcupine quills. the dress of their women differs very little from those
of the great rapids and above. their children frequently wear robes of the
large grey squirrel skins, those of the men and women are principally deer
skins, some wolf, elk, bighorn and buffaloe; the latter they procure from
the nations who sometimes visit the Missouri. indeed a considerable
poportion of their wearing apparel is purchased from their neighbours to
the N. W. in exchange for pounded fish copper and beads. at present the
principal village of the Eneshur is below the falls on the N. side of the
river. one other village is above the falls on the S. side and another a
few miles above on the N. side. the first consists of 19, the 2cd of 11,
and the 3rd of 5 lodges. their houses like those of the Skillutes have
their floors on the surface of the ground, but are formed of sticks and
covered with mats and straw. they are large and contain usually several
families each for fuel they use straw, small willows and the southern
wood. they use the silk grass in manufacturing their fishing nets and
bags, the bear grass and cedar bark are employed in forming a variety of
articles. they are poor, dirty, proud, haughty, inhospitable, parsimonious
and faithless in every rispect, nothing but our numbers I beleive prevents
their attempting to murder us at this moment.
This morning I was informed that the natives had pilfered six tommahawks
and a knife from the party in the course of the last night. I spoke to the
cheif on this subject. he appeared angry with his people and addressed
them but the property was not restored. one horse which I had purchased
and paid for yesterday and which could not be found when I ordered the
horses into close confinement yesterday I was now informed had been
gambled away by the rascal who had sold it to me and had been taken away
by a man of another nation. I therefore took the goods back from this
fellow. I purchased a gun from the cheif for which I gave him 2 Elkskins.
in the course of the day I obtained two other indifferent horses for which
I gave an extravigant price. I found that I should get no more horses and
therefore resolved to proceed tomorrow morning with those which I had and
to convey the baggage in two small canoes that the horses could not carry.
for this purpose I had a load made up for seven horses, the eighth Bratton
was compelled to ride as he was yet unable to walk. I barted my Elkskins
old irons and 2 canoes for beads. one of the canoes for which they would
give us but little I had cut up for fuel. These people have yet a large
quantity of dryed fish on hand yet they will not let us have any but for
an exorbitant price. we purchased two dogs and some shappellel from them.
I had the horses graized untill evening and then picquited and bubbled
within the limits of our camp. I ordered the indians from our camp this
evening and informed them that if I caught them attempting to perloin any
article from us I would beat them severely. they went off in reather a bad
humour and I directed the party to examine their arms and be on their
guard. they stole two spoons from us in the course of the day. The
Scaddals, Squan-nan-os, Shan-wah-purrs and Shallattas reside to the N. W.
of these people, depend on hunting deer and Elk and trade with these
people for ther pounded fish.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday, April 20th, 1806. Some frost this morning. The Enesher and Skillutes are much better clothed than they were last fall. Their men generally have leggings, moccasins, and large robes; many of them wear shirts of the same style as those of the Shoshone, Chopunnish, etc., highly ornamented with porcupine quills. The dress of their women differs very little from those of the Great Rapids and above. Their children frequently wear robes of large grey squirrel skins; those of the men and women are principally deer skins, with some wolf, elk, bighorn, and buffalo. They obtain the buffalo skins from the nations who sometimes visit the Missouri. Indeed, a considerable portion of their wearing apparel is purchased from their neighbors to the northwest in exchange for pounded fish, copper, and beads. At present, the principal village of the Eneshur is below the falls on the north side of the river. One other village is above the falls on the south side, and another a few miles above on the north side. The first consists of 19 lodges, the second of 11, and the third of 5. Their houses, like those of the Skillutes, have their floors on the surface of the ground, but are formed of sticks and covered with mats and straw. They are large and usually contain several families each. For fuel they use straw, small willows, and southernwood. They use silk grass in making their fishing nets and bags; bear grass and cedar bark are employed in making a variety of articles. They are poor, dirty, proud, haughty, inhospitable, stingy, and untrustworthy in every respect. Nothing but our numbers, I believe, prevents them from attempting to murder us at this moment.
This morning I was informed that the natives had stolen six tomahawks and a knife from the party during the night. I spoke to the chief on this subject. He appeared angry with his people and addressed them, but the property was not returned. One horse, which I had purchased and paid for yesterday and which could not be found when I ordered the horses into close confinement yesterday, I was now informed had been gambled away by the rascal who had sold it to me and had been taken away by a man of another nation. I therefore took the goods back from this fellow. I purchased a gun from the chief, for which I gave him 2 elk skins. In the course of the day I obtained two other poor horses, for which I gave an extravagant price. I found that I would get no more horses, and therefore resolved to set out tomorrow morning with those I had and to carry the baggage in two small canoes that the horses could not carry. For this purpose I had a load made up for seven horses; the eighth, Bratton, was compelled to ride, as he was still unable to walk. I bartered my elk skins, old iron, and 2 canoes for beads. One of the canoes, for which they would give us very little, I had cut up for firewood. These people still have a large quantity of dried fish on hand, yet they will not let us have any except for an exorbitant price. We purchased two dogs and some shappellel from them. I had the horses grazed until evening and then picketed and hobbled within the limits of our camp. I ordered the Indians out of our camp this evening and informed them that if I caught them attempting to steal any article from us, I would beat them severely. They went off in rather a bad humor, and I directed the party to inspect their arms and be on their guard. They stole two spoons from us during the day. The Scaddals, Squan-nan-os, Shan-wah-purrs, and Shallattas live to the northwest of these people; they depend on hunting deer and elk and trade with these people for their pounded fish.
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