Lewis: May 11, 1806
The expedition hosted a major council with the Chopunnish (Nez Perce) chiefs, including the newly arrived Yoom-park-kar-tim, who received a small medal. Lewis and Clark identified the nation's four principal chiefs and, using a coal-drawn map and a chain of interpreters through French, Minnetare, Shoshone, and Chopunnish, explained U.S. trade plans and goals of peace. They demonstrated a magnet, spyglass, compass, watch, and air-gun. A young man gifted them a mare and colt. Drouillard returned with two deer. The captains treated various native ailments, and Twisted Hair brought back six horses.
Sunday May 11th 1806. The last evening we were much crouded with the
indians in our lodge, the whole floor of which was covered with their
sleeping carcases. we arrose early and took breakfast. at 8 A.M. a Cheif
of great note among these people arrived from his village or lodge on the
S. side of Lewis’s River. this is a stout fellow of good countenance about
40 years of age and has lost the left eye. his name is Yoom-park’-kar-tim.
to this man we gave a medal of the smal kind. those with the likeness of
Mr. Jefferson have all been disposed of except one of the largest size
which we reserve for some great Cheif on the Yellow rock river. we now
pretty fully informed ourselves that Tunnachemootoolt, Neeshneparkkeeook,
Yoomparkkartim and Hohastillpilp were the principal Cheif of the
Chopunnish nation and ranked in the order here mentioned; as all those
cheifs were present in our lodge we thought it a favourable time to repeat
what had been said yesterday and to enter more minutely into the views of
our government with rispect to the inhabitants of this western part of the
continent, their intention of establishing trading houses for their
releif, their wish to restore peace and harmony among the natives, the
strength power and wealth of our nation &c. to this end we drew a map
of the country with a coal on a mat in their way and by the assistance of
the snake boy and our interpretters were enabled to make ourselves
understood by them altho it had to pass through the French, Minnetare,
Shoshone and Chopunnish languages. the interpretation being tedious it
ocupyed nearly half the day before we had communicated to them what we
wished. they appeared highly pleased. after this council was over we
amused ourselves with shewing them the power of magnetism, the spye glass,
compass, watch, air-gun and sundry other articles equally novel and
incomprehensible to them. they informed us that after we had left the
Minnetares last spring that three of their people had visited that nation
and that they had informed them of us and had told them that we had such
things in our possession but that they could not place confidence in the
information untill they had now witnessed it themselves.A young
man, son of a conspicuous Cheif among these people who was killed not long
since by the Minnetares of Fort de Prarie, brought and presented us a very
fine mare and colt. he said he had opened his ears to our councils and
would observe them strictly, and that our words had made his heart glad.
he requested that we would accept this mear and colt which he gave in
token of his determination to pursue our advise.about 3 P.M.
Drewyer arrived with 2 deer which he had killed. he informed us that the
snow still continued to cover the plain. many of the natives apply to us
for medical aid which we gave them cheerfully so far as our skill and
store of medicine would enable us. schrofela, ulsers, rheumatism, soar
eyes, and the loss of the uce of their limbs are the most common cases
among them. the latter case is not very common but we have seen thee
instances of it among the Chopunnish. it is a very extraordinary
complaint. a Cheif of considerable note at this place has been afflicted
with it for three years, he is incapable of moving a single limb but lies
like a corps in whatever position he is placed, yet he eats heartily,
digests his food perfectly, injoys his understanding, his pulse are good,
and has retained his flesh almost perfectly, in short were it not that he
appears a little pale from having lain so long in the shade he might well
be taken for a man in good health. I suspect that their confinement to a
diet of roots may give rise to all those disorders except the rheumatism
& soar eyes, and to the latter of these, the state of debility
incident to a vegetable diet may measureably contribute.The
Chopunnish notwithstanding they live in the crouded manner before
mentioned are much more clenly in their persons and habitations than any
nation we have seen since we left the Ottoes on the river Platte.The
Twisted hair brought us six of our horses.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Sunday, May 11th, 1806. Last evening we were very crowded with the Indians in our lodge, the whole floor of which was covered with their sleeping bodies. We arose early and took breakfast. At 8 A.M. a chief of great note among these people arrived from his village or lodge on the south side of Lewis's River. This is a stout fellow of good countenance, about 40 years of age, and has lost his left eye. His name is Yoom-park'-kar-tim. To this man we gave a medal of the small kind. Those with the likeness of Mr. Jefferson have all been given out except one of the largest size, which we are keeping for some great chief on the Yellow Rock River. We have now pretty fully informed ourselves that Tunnachemootoolt, Neeshneparkkeeook, Yoomparkkartim, and Hohastillpilp were the principal chiefs of the Chopunnish nation and ranked in the order here mentioned. As all those chiefs were present in our lodge, we thought it a favorable time to repeat what had been said yesterday and to enter more minutely into the views of our government with respect to the inhabitants of this western part of the continent: their intention of establishing trading houses for their relief, their wish to restore peace and harmony among the natives, the strength, power, and wealth of our nation, etc. To this end we drew a map of the country with a piece of coal on a mat in their fashion, and with the help of the Snake boy and our interpreters we were able to make ourselves understood by them, although it had to pass through the French, Minnetare, Shoshone, and Chopunnish languages. The interpretation was tedious and occupied nearly half the day before we had communicated to them what we wished. They appeared highly pleased. After this council was over, we amused ourselves by showing them the power of magnetism, the spyglass, compass, watch, air-gun, and several other articles equally novel and incomprehensible to them. They informed us that after we had left the Minnetares last spring, three of their people had visited that nation, who had told them about us and said that we had such things in our possession, but that they could not believe the information until they had now witnessed it themselves.
A young man, son of a prominent chief among these people who was killed not long ago by the Minnetares of Fort de Prairie, brought and presented us with a very fine mare and colt. He said he had opened his ears to our councils and would observe them strictly, and that our words had made his heart glad. He requested that we accept this mare and colt, which he gave as a token of his determination to follow our advice.
About 3 P.M. Drewyer arrived with two deer which he had killed. He informed us that the snow still continued to cover the plain. Many of the natives apply to us for medical aid, which we give them cheerfully as far as our skill and store of medicine will allow. Scrofula, ulcers, rheumatism, sore eyes, and the loss of the use of their limbs are the most common cases among them. The latter case is not very common, but we have seen three instances of it among the Chopunnish. It is a very extraordinary complaint. A chief of considerable note at this place has been afflicted with it for three years; he is incapable of moving a single limb but lies like a corpse in whatever position he is placed, yet he eats heartily, digests his food perfectly, enjoys his understanding, has a good pulse, and has retained his flesh almost perfectly. In short, were it not that he appears a little pale from having lain so long in the shade, he might well be taken for a man in good health. I suspect that their confinement to a diet of roots may give rise to all these disorders except the rheumatism and sore eyes, and to the latter of these, the state of debility associated with a vegetable diet may in some measure contribute.
The Chopunnish, despite living in the crowded manner mentioned before, are much more clean in their persons and dwellings than any nation we have seen since we left the Ottoes on the River Platte.
The Twisted Hair brought us six of our horses.
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