Lewis: May 6, 1806
The party obtained a young horse for food from a sick woman's husband and a second horse as payment for treating a girl with rheumatism, while Captain Clark continued tending the sick woman and treating many natives for sore eyes. Lewis traded horses with We-ark-koomt, gaining a strong sorrel, and met three men of the Skeets-so-mish nation. Lewis renamed the Flathead River as Clark's River in honor of his companion. The group set out at 3 PM, traveled nine miles, and camped with about a dozen natives. Their unbroken horse escaped after dark.
Tuesday May 6th 1806. This morning the husband of the sick woman was as
good as his word, he produced us a young horse in tolerable order which we
immediately killed and butchered. the inhabitants seemed more accomodating
this morning; they sold us some bread. we received a second horse for
medecine and prescription for a little girl with the rheumatism. Capt. C.
dressed the woman again this morning who declared that she had rested
better last night than she had since she had been sick. sore eyes is an
universal complaint with all the natives we have seen on the west side of
the Rocky mountains. Capt. C. was busily engaged for several hours this
morning in administering eye-water to a croud of applicants. we once more
obtained a plentifull meal, much to the comfort of all the party. I
exchanged horses with We-ark’-koomt and gave him a small flag with which
he was much gratifyed. the sorrel I obtained is an eligant strong active
well broke horse perfictly calculated for my purposes. at this place we
met with three men of a nation called the Skeets-so-mish who reside at the
falls of a large river disharging itself into the Columbia on it’s East
side to the North of the entrance of Clark’s river. this river they
informed us headed in a large lake in the mountains and that the falls
below which they resided was at no great distance from the lake. these
people are the same in their dress and appearance with the Chopunnish, tho
their language is intirely different a circumstance which I did not learn
untill we were about to set out and it was then too late to take a
vocabulary. The river here called Clark’s river is that which we have
heretofore called the Flathead river, I have thus named it in honour of my
worthy friend and fellow traveller Capt. Clark. for this stream we know no
indian name and no whiteman but ourselves was ever on it’s principal
branches. the river which Fidler calls the great lake river may possibly
be a branch of it but if so it is but a very inconsiderable branch and may
as probably empty itself into the Skeetssomish as into that river. the
stream which I have heretofore called Clark’s river has it’s three
principal sources in mountains Hood, Jefferson & the Northern side of
the S. W. Mountains and is of course a short river. this river I shall in
future call the To-wannahiooks river it being the name by which it is
called by the Eneshur nation. The Kooskooske river may be safely navigated
at present all the rocks of the shoals and rapids are perfectly covered;
the current is strong, the water clear and cold. this river is rising
fast.The timber of this river which consists principally of the long
leafed pine commences about 2 miles below our present camp on Colter’s
Creek. it was two oclock this evening before we could collect our horses.
at 3 P.M. we set out accompanyed by the brother of the twisted hair and We
arkkoomt. I directed the horse which we had obtained for the purpose of
eating to be led as it was yet unbroke, in performing this duty a quarrel
ensued between Drewyer and Colter. we continued our march this evening
along the river 9 miles to a lodge of 6 families, built of sticks mats
& dryed hay in the same form of those heretofore discribed. we passed
a lodge of 3 families at 4 ms. on the road. no provision of any
discription was to be obtained of these people. a little after dark our
young horse broke the rope by which he was confined and made his escape
much to the chagrine of all who recollected the keenness of their
appetites last evening. the brother of the twisted hair and Wearkkoomt
with 10 or 12 others encamped with us this evening.-
the natives have a considerable salmon fishery up Colter’s Creek. this
stream extends itself to the pirs of the rocky mountain and in much the
greater part of it’s course passes through a well timbered pine country it
is 25 yds. wide and discharges a large body of water. the banks low and
bed formed of pebbles.had a small shower of rain this evening.
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Tuesday May 6th 1806. This morning the husband of the sick woman was as good as his word; he brought us a young horse in fair condition, which we immediately killed and butchered. The inhabitants seemed more accommodating this morning; they sold us some bread. We received a second horse in exchange for medicine and a prescription for a little girl with rheumatism. Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) dressed the woman again this morning, and she declared that she had rested better last night than she had since she became sick. Sore eyes is a universal complaint among all the natives we have seen on the west side of the Rocky Mountains. Capt. C. was busily engaged for several hours this morning administering eye-water to a crowd of applicants. We once more obtained a plentiful meal, much to the comfort of all the party. I exchanged horses with We-ark'-koomt and gave him a small flag, with which he was much gratified. The sorrel I obtained is an elegant, strong, active, well-broken horse, perfectly suited for my purposes.
At this place we met with three men of a nation called the Skeets-so-mish, who reside at the falls of a large river that discharges itself into the Columbia on its east side, to the north of the entrance of Clark's river. They informed us that this river heads in a large lake in the mountains, and that the falls below which they reside are at no great distance from the lake. These people are the same in their dress and appearance as the Chopunnish, though their language is entirely different—a circumstance which I did not learn until we were about to set out, and it was then too late to take a vocabulary.
The river here called Clark's river is the one which we have heretofore called the Flathead river. I have named it thus in honor of my worthy friend and fellow traveler Capt. Clark. For this stream we know no Indian name, and no white man but ourselves has ever been on its principal branches. The river which Fidler calls the Great Lake river may possibly be a branch of it, but if so, it is only a very minor branch, and may just as probably empty itself into the Skeetssomish as into that river. The stream which I have heretofore called Clark's river has its three principal sources in Mounts Hood, Jefferson, and the northern side of the S. W. Mountains, and is therefore a short river. This river I shall in future call the To-wannahiooks river, that being the name by which it is called by the Eneshur nation.
The Kooskooske river may be safely navigated at present; all the rocks of the shoals and rapids are perfectly covered; the current is strong, and the water clear and cold. This river is rising fast. The timber along this river, which consists principally of the long-leafed pine, begins about 2 miles below our present camp on Colter's Creek.
It was two o'clock this evening before we could gather our horses. At 3 P.M. we set out, accompanied by the brother of the Twisted Hair and We-arkkoomt. I directed that the horse we had obtained for eating be led, as it was yet unbroken; in performing this duty a quarrel arose between Drewyer and Colter. We continued our march this evening along the river 9 miles to a lodge of 6 families, built of sticks, mats, and dried hay in the same form as those described before. We passed a lodge of 3 families at 4 miles on the road. No provisions of any kind could be obtained from these people. A little after dark our young horse broke the rope by which he was confined and made his escape, much to the chagrin of all who remembered the keenness of their appetites last evening. The brother of the Twisted Hair and We-arkkoomt, with 10 or 12 others, camped with us this evening.
The natives have a considerable salmon fishery up Colter's Creek. This stream extends to the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, and through most of its course passes through a well-timbered pine country. It is 25 yards wide and discharges a large body of water. Its banks are low and its bed is formed of pebbles. We had a small shower of rain this evening.
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