Lewis: April 28, 1806
Chief Yellept presented Captain Clark with an elegant white horse, and Clark reciprocated with a sword, ammunition, and other items. Preparing for travel across plains without game or villages, the captains had Frazier purchase ten fat dogs for provisions. Yellept urged the party to stay longer, having invited the neighboring Chymnahpos to visit, but agreed to provide canoes so the horses could be ferried across the river. Using a Shoshone captive and Sacagawea as interpreters, the party conversed with the Walla Wallas and treated several sick people, distributing eye-water for widespread sore eyes. That evening, about 550 Indians gathered to sing and dance until 10 p.m.
Monday April 28th 1806. This morning early Yellept brought a very eligant
white horse to our camp and presented him to Capt. C. signifying his wish
to get a kettle but on being informed that we had already disposed of
every kettle we could possibly spear he said he was content with whatever
he thought proper to give him. Capt. C. gave him his swoard a hundred
balls and powder and some sail articles with which he appeared perfectly
satisfyed. it was necessary before we entered on our rout through the
plains where we were to meet with no lodges or resident indians that we
should lay in a stock of provision and not depend altogether on the gun.
we directed Frazier to whom we have intrusted the duty of makeing those
purchases to lay in as many fat dogs as he could procure; he soon obtained
ten. being anxious to depart we requested the Cheif to furnish us with
canoes to pass the river, but he insisted on our remaining with him this
day at least, that he would be much pleased if we would conset to remain
two or three, but he would not let us have canoes to leave him today. that
he had sent for the Chym nap’-pos his neighbours to come down and join his
people this evening and dance for us. we urged the necessity of our going
on immediately in order that we might the sooner return to them with the
articles which they wished but this had no effect, he said that the time
he asked could not make any considerable difference. I at length urged
that there was no wind blowing and that the river was consequently in good
order to pass our horses and if he would furnish us with canoes for that
purpose we would remain all night at our present encampment, to this
proposition he assented and soon produced us a couple of canoes by means
of which we passed our horses over the river safely and bubbled them as
usual. we found a Shoshone woman, prisoner among these people by means of
whome and Sahcahgarweah we found the means of conversing with the
Wollahwollahs. we conversed with them for several hours and fully
satisfyed all their enquiries with rispect to ourselves and the objects of
our pursuit. they were much pleased. they brought several diseased persons
to us for whom they requested some medical aid. one had his knee
contracted by the rheumatism, another with a broken arm &c to all of
which we administered much to the gratification of those poor wretches. we
gave them some eye-water which I beleive will render them more essential
service than any other article in the medical way which we had it in our
power to bestoe on them. soar eyes seem to be a universal complaint amonge
these people; I have no doubt but the fine sand of these plains and river
contribute much to this disorder. ulsers and irruptions of the skin on
various parts of the body are also common diseases among them. a little
before sunset the Chymnahpos arrived; they were about 100 men and a few
women; they joined the Wallahwollahs who were about the same number and
formed a half circle arround our camp where they waited very patiently to
see our party dance. the fiddle was played and the men amused themselves
with dancing about an hour. we then requested the Indians to dance which
they very cheerfully complyed with; they continued their dance untill 10
at night. the whole assemblage of indians about 550 men women and children
sung and danced at the same time. most of them stood in the same place and
merely jumped up to the time of their music. some of the men who were
esteemed most brave entered the space arrond which the main body were
formed in solid column, and danced in a circular manner sidewise. at 10
P.M. the dance concluded and the natives retired; they were much gratifyed
with seeing some of our party join them in their dance.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday April 28th 1806. This morning early Yellept brought a very elegant white horse to our camp and presented him to Capt. C. (Capt. Clark), signifying his wish to get a kettle. But on being informed that we had already given away every kettle we could possibly spare, he said he was content with whatever Capt. Clark thought proper to give him. Capt. Clark gave him his sword, a hundred balls and powder, and some small articles, with which he appeared perfectly satisfied.
It was necessary, before we entered on our route through the plains where we were to meet with no lodges or resident Indians, that we should lay in a stock of provisions and not depend altogether on the gun. We directed Frazier, to whom we have entrusted the duty of making those purchases, to lay in as many fat dogs as he could procure; he soon obtained ten.
Being anxious to depart, we requested the Chief to furnish us with canoes to cross the river, but he insisted on our remaining with him this day at least. He said he would be much pleased if we would consent to remain two or three days, but he would not let us have canoes to leave him today. He said that he had sent for the Chymnappos, his neighbors, to come down and join his people this evening and dance for us. We urged the necessity of our going on immediately so that we might the sooner return to them with the articles which they wished, but this had no effect. He said that the time he asked could not make any considerable difference.
I at length urged that there was no wind blowing and that the river was consequently in good condition for crossing our horses, and that if he would furnish us with canoes for that purpose, we would remain all night at our present encampment. To this proposition he assented and soon produced for us a couple of canoes, by means of which we passed our horses over the river safely and hobbled them as usual.
We found a Shoshone woman, a prisoner among these people, by means of whom and Sahcahgarweah (Sacagawea) we found the means of conversing with the Wollahwollahs (Walla Wallas). We conversed with them for several hours and fully satisfied all their inquiries with respect to ourselves and the objects of our journey. They were much pleased. They brought several diseased persons to us for whom they requested some medical aid. One had his knee contracted by rheumatism, another had a broken arm, and so on, to all of whom we administered, much to the gratification of those poor wretches. We gave them some eye-water, which I believe will render them more essential service than any other article in the medical way which we had it in our power to bestow on them. Sore eyes seem to be a universal complaint among these people; I have no doubt that the fine sand of these plains and river contributes much to this disorder. Ulcers and eruptions of the skin on various parts of the body are also common diseases among them.
A little before sunset the Chymnahpos arrived; they were about 100 men and a few women. They joined the Wallahwollahs, who were about the same number, and formed a half circle around our camp, where they waited very patiently to see our party dance. The fiddle was played and the men amused themselves with dancing for about an hour. We then requested the Indians to dance, which they very cheerfully complied with; they continued their dance until 10 at night. The whole assemblage of Indians, about 550 men, women, and children, sang and danced at the same time. Most of them stood in the same place and merely jumped up to the time of their music. Some of the men who were esteemed most brave entered the space around which the main body were formed in a solid column and danced in a circular manner sidewise. At 10 P.M. the dance concluded and the natives retired; they were much gratified with seeing some of our party join them in their dance.
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