Lewis: June 8, 1806
At their camp, the captains note Drewyer returned empty-handed from hunting after losing his horse overnight. The sick Nez Perce chief, a child, and Bratton are all recovering well. Cutnose arrived with about a dozen warriors, including two Yeletpos from a previously unmet band, and the party traded several horses, gaining better mounts. The men ran footraces with the Indians, played prison base for exercise, and danced to fiddle music. An Indian warned the mountains would be impassable until early July, but the captains resolved to risk departing by mid-June.
Sunday June 8th 1806. Drewyer returned this morning from the chase without
having killed anything. his hose left him last night, he pursued him but
did not overtake him untill he had nearly reached our camp. The sick Cheif
is fast on the recovery, he can bear his weight on his legs, and has
acquired a considerable portion of strength. the child is nearly well;
Bratton has so far recovered that we cannot well consider him an invalid
any longer, he has had a tedious illness which he boar with much fortitude
and firmness.The Cutnose visited us today with ten or twelve
warriors; two of the latter were Y-e-let-pos a band of the Chopunnish
nation residing on the South side of Lewis’s river whom we have not
previously seen. the band with which we have been most conversent call
themselves pel-late-pal-ler. one of the yeletpos exchanged his horse for
an indifferent one of ours and received a tomahawk to boot; this tomahawk
was one for which Capt. C. had given another in exchange with the
Clahclel-lah Chief at the rapids of the Columbia. we also exchanged two
other of our indifferent horses with unsound backs for much better horses
in fine order without any consideration but the horse itself. several foot
rarces were run this evening between the indians and our men. the indians
are very active; one of them proved as fleet as Drewer and R. Fields, our
swiftest runners. when the racing was over the men divided themselves into
two parties and played prison base, by way of exercise which we wish the
men to take previously to entering the mountain; in short those who are
not hunters have had so little to do that they are geting reather lazy and
slouthfull.after dark we had the violin played and danced for the
amusement of ourselves and the indians.one of the indians informed
us that we could not pass the mountains untill the full of the next moon
or about the first of July, that if we attempted it sooner our horses
would be at least three days travel without food on the top of the
mountain; this information is disagreable inasmuch as it causes some doubt
as to the time at which it will be most proper for us to set out. however
as we have no time to loose we will wrisk the chanches and set out as
early as the indians generally think it practicable or the middle of this
month.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday June 8th 1806. Drouillard returned this morning from the hunt without having killed anything. His horse left him last night; he pursued it but did not overtake it until he had nearly reached our camp. The sick chief is rapidly recovering. He can bear his weight on his legs and has gained a considerable amount of strength. The child is nearly well. Bratton has recovered so far that we can no longer really consider him an invalid. He has had a tedious illness, which he bore with much fortitude and firmness.
The Cutnose visited us today with ten or twelve warriors. Two of the warriors were Y-e-let-pos, a band of the Chopunnish nation residing on the south side of Lewis's River, whom we had not previously seen. The band with which we have been most familiar call themselves Pel-late-pal-ler. One of the Yeletpos exchanged his horse for a poor one of ours and received a tomahawk in addition. This tomahawk was one for which Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) had given another in exchange with the Clahclellah chief at the rapids of the Columbia. We also exchanged two other of our poor horses, which had unsound backs, for much better horses in fine condition, without any other consideration but the horse itself.
Several foot races were run this evening between the Indians and our men. The Indians are very active; one of them proved as fast as Drouillard and R. Fields, our swiftest runners. When the racing was over, the men divided themselves into two parties and played prison base, as a form of exercise that we want the men to take before entering the mountains. In short, those who are not hunters have had so little to do that they are getting rather lazy and slothful.
After dark we had the violin played and danced for the amusement of ourselves and the Indians.
One of the Indians informed us that we could not pass the mountains until the full of the next moon, or about the first of July, and that if we attempted it sooner our horses would be at least three days' travel without food on top of the mountain. This information is disagreeable, in that it causes some doubt as to the time at which it will be most proper for us to set out. However, as we have no time to lose, we will risk the chances and set out as early as the Indians generally think it practicable, or by the middle of this month.
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