Lewis: April 21, 1806
After a tense morning at a hostile village, Lewis dealt with theft and a strayed horse. One horse had broken loose overnight; Windsor recovered it by 9 A.M. Lewis caught a man stealing an iron socket, beat him, and warned the Indians he would shoot future thieves. Spare poles, paddles, and a canoe were burned to deny them to the locals. The party departed after 10 A.M. and reached the Eneeshur village, where Clark had failed to buy horses and gone hungry. They portaged, ate dog, traded for replacement horses, and camped four miles above with their guide.
Monday April 21st 1806. Notwithstanding all the precautions I had taken
with rispect to the horses one of them had broken his cord of 5 strands of
Elkskin and had gone off spanseled. I sent several men in surch of the
horse with orders to return at 10 A.M. with or without the horse being
determined to remain no longer with these villains. they stole another
tomahawk from us this morning I surched many of them but could not find
it. I ordered all the spare poles, paddles and the ballance of our canoe
put on the fire as the morning was cold and also that not a particle
should be left for the benefit of the indians. I detected a fellow in
stealing an iron socket of a canoe pole and gave him several severe blows
and mad the men kick him out of camp. I now informed the indians that I
would shoot the first of them that attempted to steal an article from us.
that we were not affraid to fight them, that I had it in my power at that
moment to kill them all and set fire to their houses, but it was not my
wish to treat them with severity provided they would let my property
alone. that I would take their horses if I could find out the persons who
had stolen the tommahawks, but that I had reather loose the property
altogether than take the hose of an inosent person. the chiefs were
present hung their heads and said nothing. at 9 A.M. Windsor returned with
the lost horse, the others who were in surch of the horse soon after
returned also. the Indian who promised to accompany me as far as the
Chopunnish country produced me two horses one of which he politely gave me
the liberty of packing. we took breakfast and departed a few minutes after
10 OClock. having nine horses loaded and one which Bratton rode not being
able as yet to march; the two canoes I had dispatched early this morning.
at 1 P.M. I arrived at the Enesher Village where I found Capt Clark and
party; he had not purchased a single horse. he informed me that these
people were quite as unfriendly as their neighbours the Skillutes, and
that he had subsisted since he left me on a couple of platters of pounded
roots and fish which an old man had the politeness to offer him. his party
fared much better on dogs which he purchased from those people. the man
resided here from whom I had purchased the horse which ran off from me
yesterday. I had given him a large kettle and a knife in exchange for that
horse which I informed him should be taken from him unles he produced me
the lost horse or one of equal value in his stead, the latter he prefered
and produced me a very good horse which I very cheerfully received. we
soon made the portage with our canoes and baggage and halted about 1/2 a
mile above the Village where we graized our horses and took dinner on some
dogs which we purchased of these people. after dinner we proceeded on
about four miles to a village of 9 mat lodges of the Enesher a little
below the entrance of Clark’s river and encamped; one of the canoes joined
us the other not observing us halt continued on. we obtained two dogs and
a small quantity of fuel of these people for which we were obliged to give
a higher price than usual. our guide continued with us, he appears to be
an honest sincere fellow. he tells us that the indians a little above will
treat us with much more hospitality than those we are now with. we
purchased another horse this evening but his back is in such a horid state
that we can put but little on him; we obtained him for a trifle, at least
for articles which might be procured in the U States for 10 shillings
Virga Cory.- we took the precaution of piquting and spanseling our horses
this evening near our camp.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday April 21st 1806. Despite all the precautions I had taken with respect to the horses, one of them had broken his cord of 5 strands of elkskin and had gone off hobbled. I sent several men in search of the horse with orders to return at 10 A.M. with or without the horse, being determined to remain no longer with these villains. They stole another tomahawk from us this morning; I searched many of them but could not find it. I ordered all the spare poles, paddles, and the rest of our canoe put on the fire, as the morning was cold, and also that not a particle should be left for the benefit of the Indians. I caught a fellow stealing an iron socket of a canoe pole and gave him several severe blows and made the men kick him out of camp. I now informed the Indians that I would shoot the first of them that attempted to steal an article from us; that we were not afraid to fight them; that I had it in my power at that moment to kill them all and set fire to their houses, but that it was not my wish to treat them with severity provided they would let my property alone. I told them I would take their horses if I could find out the persons who had stolen the tomahawks, but that I would rather lose the property altogether than take the horse of an innocent person. The chiefs, who were present, hung their heads and said nothing.
At 9 A.M. Windsor returned with the lost horse, and the others who were in search of the horse soon after returned also. The Indian who promised to accompany me as far as the Chopunnish country produced two horses, one of which he politely gave me the liberty of packing. We took breakfast and departed a few minutes after 10 o'clock, having nine horses loaded and one which Bratton rode, not being able as yet to march; the two canoes I had dispatched early this morning.
At 1 P.M. I arrived at the Enesher Village where I found Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) and party; he had not purchased a single horse. He informed me that these people were quite as unfriendly as their neighbors the Skillutes, and that he had subsisted since he left me on a couple of platters of pounded roots and fish which an old man had the politeness to offer him. His party fared much better on dogs which he purchased from those people. The man resided here from whom I had purchased the horse that ran off from me yesterday. I had given him a large kettle and a knife in exchange for that horse, which I informed him should be taken from him unless he produced me the lost horse or one of equal value in its stead. He preferred the latter and produced me a very good horse, which I very cheerfully received.
We soon made the portage with our canoes and baggage and halted about 1/2 a mile above the village, where we grazed our horses and took dinner on some dogs which we purchased from these people. After dinner we proceeded on about four miles to a village of 9 mat lodges of the Enesher, a little below the entrance of Clark's River, and camped; one of the canoes joined us, the other, not observing us halt, continued on. We obtained two dogs and a small quantity of fuel from these people, for which we were obliged to give a higher price than usual. Our guide continued with us; he appears to be an honest, sincere fellow. He tells us that the Indians a little above will treat us with much more hospitality than those we are now with. We purchased another horse this evening, but his back is in such a horrid state that we can put but little on him; we obtained him for a trifle, at least for articles which might be procured in the U.S. for 10 shillings Virginia currency. We took the precaution of picketing and hobbling our horses this evening near our camp.
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