Lewis: May 5, 1806
The expedition traveled 20.5 miles up the Kooskooske River, struggling to obtain food from Nez Perce lodges and acquiring only two dogs and some root bread. Captain Clark, regarded as a skilled physician by the natives, treated several patients including a woman with an abscess in exchange for a horse. Lewis angrily threw a puppy at an Indian who mocked their dog-eating. They camped near Colter's Creek by a massive 156-foot lodge housing 30 families, met Chief Cut Nose and presented him a medal, and addressed natives' suspicions through a Snake Indian interpreter.
Monday May 5th 1806. Collected our horses and set out at 7 A.M. at 41/2
miles we arrived at the entrance of the Kooskooske, up the N. Eastern side
of which we continued our march 12 ms. to a large lodge of 10 families
having passed two other large mat lodges the one at 5 and the other at 8
Ms. from the mouth of the Kooskooske but not being able to obtain any
provision at either of those lodges continued our march to the third where
we arrived at 1 P.M. & with much difficulty obtained 2 dogs and a
small quanty of root bread and dryed roots. at the second lodge we passed
an indian man gave Capt. C. a very eligant grey mare for which he
requested a phial of eye-water which was accordingly given him. while we
were encamped last fall at the entrance of the Chopunnish river Capt. C.
gave an indian man some volitile linniment to rub his kee and thye for a
pain of which he complained, the fellow soon after recovered and has never
ceased to extol the virtues of our medecines and the skill of my friend
Capt C. as a phisician. this occurrence added to the benefit which many of
them experienced from the eyewater we gave them about the same time has
given them an exalted opinion of our medicine. my friend Capt. C. is their
favorite phisician and has already received many applications. in our
present situation I think it pardonable to continue this deseption for
they will not give us any provision without compensation in merchandize
and our stock is now reduced to a mere handfull. we take care to give them
no article which can possibly oinjure them. we foud our Chopunnish guide
at this lodge with his family. the indians brought us Capt. Clark’s horse
from the oposite side of the river and delivered him to us while here.
this horse had by some accedent seperated from our other horses above and
had agreeably to indian information been in this neighbourhood for some
weeks. while at dinner an indian fellow verry impertinently threw a poor
half starved puppy nearly into my plait by way of derision for our eating
dogs and laughed very heartily at his own impertinence; I was so provoked
at his insolence that I caught the puppy and thew it with great violence
at him and struk him in the breast and face, siezed my tomahawk and shewed
him by signs if he repeated his insolence I would tommahawk him, the
fellow withdrew apparently much mortifyed and I continued my repast on dog
without further molestation. after dinner we continued our rout 4 miles to
the entrance of Colter’s Creek about 1/2 a mile above the rapid where we
sunk the 1st canoe as we decended the river last fall. we encamped on the
lower side of this creek at a little distance from two lodges of the
Chopunnish nation having traveled 201/2 ms. today. one of these lodges
contained eight families, the other was much the largest we have yet seen.
it is 156 feet long and about 15 wide built of mats and straw. in the form
of the roof of a house having a number of small doors on each side, is
closed at the ends and without divisions in the intermediate space this
lodge contained at least 30 families. their fires are kindled in a row in
the center of the house and about 10 feet assunder.
all the lodges of these people are formed in this manner. we arrived here
extreemly hungry and much fatiegued, but no articles of merchandize in our
possession would induce them to let us have any article of provision
except a small quantity of bread of cows and some of those roots dryed. we
had several applications to assist their sick which we refused unless they
would let us have some dogs or horses to eat. a man whose wife had an
absess formed on the small of her back promised a horse in the morning
provided we would administer to her accordingly Capt. C. opened the absess
introduced a tent and dressed it with basilicon; I prepared some dozes of
the flour of sulpher and creem of tarter which were given with directions
to be taken on each morning. a little girl and sundry other patients were
offered for cure but we posponed our operations untill morning; they
produced us several dogs but they were so poor that they were unfit for
use. This is the residence of one of 4 principal Cheifs of the nation whom
they call Neesh-ne,-park-ke-ook or the cut nose from the circumstance of
his nose being cut by the snake indians with a launce in battle. to this
man we gave a medal of the small size with the likeness of the President.
he may be a great cheif but his countenance has but little inteligence and
his influence among his people seems but inconsiderable. a number of
indians beside the inhabitants of these lodges geathered about us this
evening and encamped in the timbered bottom on the creek near us. we met
with a snake indian man at this place through whome we spoke at some
length to the natives this evening with rispect to the objects which had
induced us to visit their country. this address was induced at this moment
by the suggestions of an old man who observed to the natives that he
thought we were bad men and had come most probably in order to kill them.
this impression if really entertained I beleive we effaced; they appeared
well satisfyed with what we said to them, and being hungry and tired we
retired to rest at 11 oClock.We-ark-koomt rejoined us this evening.
this man has been of infinite service to us on several former occasions
and through him we now offered our address to the natives.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday May 5th 1806. We collected our horses and set out at 7 A.M. At 4½ miles we arrived at the entrance of the Kooskooske, up the northeastern side of which we continued our march 12 miles to a large lodge of 10 families, having passed two other large mat lodges, the one at 5 and the other at 8 miles from the mouth of the Kooskooske. But not being able to obtain any provisions at either of those lodges, we continued our march to the third, where we arrived at 1 P.M. and with much difficulty obtained 2 dogs and a small quantity of root bread and dried roots. At the second lodge we passed, an Indian man gave Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) a very elegant grey mare, for which he requested a vial of eye-water, which was accordingly given to him.
While we were encamped last fall at the entrance of the Chopunnish river, Capt. C. gave an Indian man some volatile liniment to rub his knee and thigh for a pain of which he complained. The fellow soon after recovered and has never ceased to extol the virtues of our medicines and the skill of my friend Capt. C. as a physician. This occurrence, added to the benefit which many of them experienced from the eyewater we gave them about the same time, has given them an exalted opinion of our medicine. My friend Capt. C. is their favorite physician and has already received many applications. In our present situation I think it pardonable to continue this deception, for they will not give us any provisions without compensation in merchandise, and our stock is now reduced to a mere handful. We take care to give them no article which can possibly injure them.
We found our Chopunnish guide at this lodge with his family. The Indians brought us Capt. Clark's horse from the opposite side of the river and delivered him to us while here. This horse had by some accident separated from our other horses above and had, agreeably to Indian information, been in this neighborhood for some weeks.
While at dinner, an Indian fellow very impertinently threw a poor half-starved puppy nearly into my plate by way of derision for our eating dogs, and laughed very heartily at his own impertinence. I was so provoked at his insolence that I caught the puppy and threw it with great violence at him and struck him in the breast and face, seized my tomahawk, and showed him by signs that if he repeated his insolence I would tomahawk him. The fellow withdrew apparently much mortified, and I continued my repast on dog without further molestation.
After dinner we continued our route 4 miles to the entrance of Colter's Creek, about ½ a mile above the rapid where we sank the 1st canoe as we descended the river last fall. We encamped on the lower side of this creek at a little distance from two lodges of the Chopunnish nation, having traveled 20½ miles today. One of these lodges contained eight families; the other was much the largest we have yet seen. It is 156 feet long and about 15 wide, built of mats and straw, in the form of the roof of a house, having a number of small doors on each side, is closed at the ends and without divisions in the intermediate space. This lodge contained at least 30 families. Their fires are kindled in a row in the center of the house and about 10 feet apart. All the lodges of these people are formed in this manner.
We arrived here extremely hungry and much fatigued, but no articles of merchandise in our possession would induce them to let us have any article of provisions except a small quantity of bread of cows and some of those roots dried. We had several applications to assist their sick, which we refused unless they would let us have some dogs or horses to eat. A man whose wife had an abscess formed on the small of her back promised a horse in the morning provided we would administer to her. Accordingly, Capt. C. opened the abscess, introduced a tent, and dressed it with basilicon. I prepared some doses of the flour of sulphur and cream of tartar, which were given with directions to be taken each morning. A little girl and sundry other patients were offered for cure, but we postponed our operations until morning. They produced us several dogs, but they were so poor that they were unfit for use.
This is the residence of one of 4 principal chiefs of the nation, whom they call Neesh-ne-park-ke-ook, or the Cut Nose, from the circumstance of his nose being cut by the Snake Indians with a lance in battle. To this man we gave a medal of the small size with the likeness of the President. He may be a great chief, but his countenance has but little intelligence, and his influence among his people seems but inconsiderable.
A number of Indians besides the inhabitants of these lodges gathered about us this evening and encamped in the timbered bottom on the creek near us. We met with a Snake Indian man at this place through whom we spoke at some length to the natives this evening with respect to the objects which had induced us to visit their country. This address was prompted at this moment by the suggestions of an old man who observed to the natives that he thought we were bad men and had come most probably in order to kill them. This impression, if really entertained, I believe we effaced. They appeared well satisfied with what we said to them, and being hungry and tired, we retired to rest at 11 o'clock. We-ark-koomt rejoined us this evening. This man has been of infinite service to us on several former occasions, and through him we now offered our address to the natives.
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