Lewis: September 10, 1805
On a fair morning, hunters were dispatched, including two sent to scout where the river meets an eastern fork the party named Valley Plain River. Lewis speculated about its northward course based on Minetare reports of a large river west of the Medicine River's sources. That evening, a hunter returned with three Flathead men encountered up Travellers Rest Creek. Communicating by sign language, the party learned two suspected Snake men had stolen 23 horses. Two Flatheads left after receiving gifts; the third agreed to guide the expedition to his relatives on the Columbia, a six-day journey.
Tuesday September 10th 1805. The morning being fair I sent out all the
hunters, and directed two of them to procede down the river as far as it’s
junction with the Eastern fork which heads near the missouri, and return
this evening. this fork of the river we determined to name the Valley
plain river. I think it most probable that this river continues it’s
course along the rocky Mts. Northwardly as far or perhaps beyond the
scources of Medecine river and then turning to the West falls into the
Tacootchetessee. The Minetares informed us that there was a large river
west of, and at no great distance from the sources of Medecine river,
which passed along the Rocky Mountains from S. to N.this evening one of
our hunters returned accompanyed by three men of the Flathead nation whom
he had met in his excurtion up travellers rest Creek. on first meeting him
the Indians were allarmed and prepared for battle with their bows and
arrows, but he soon relieved their fears by laying down his gun and
advancing towards them. the Indians were mounted on very fine horses of
which the Flatheads have a great abundance; that is, each man in the
nation possesses from 20 to a hundred head. our guide could not speake the
language of these people but soon engaged them in conversation by signs or
jesticulation, the common language of all the Aborigines of North America,
it is one understood by all of them and appears to be sufficiently copious
to convey with a degree of certainty the outlines of what they wish to
communicate. in this manner we learnt from these people that two men which
they supposed to be of the Snake nation had stolen 23 horses from them and
that they were in pursuit of the theaves. they told us they were in great
hast, we gave them some boiled venison, of which the eat sparingly. the
sun was now set, two of them departed after receiving a few small articles
which we gave them, and the third remained, having agreed to continue with
us as a guide, and to introduce us to his relations whom he informed us
were numerous and resided in the plain below the mountains on the columbia
river, from whence he said the water was good and capable of being
navigated to the sea; that some of his relation were at the sea last fall
and saw an old whiteman who resided there by himself and who had given
them some handkerchiefs such as he saw in our possession.he said it
would require five sleeps wich is six days travel, to reach his relations.
the Flatheads are a very light coloured people of large stature and comely
form.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday, September 10th, 1805. Since the morning was fair, I sent out all the hunters, and directed two of them to proceed down the river as far as its junction with the Eastern fork, which heads near the Missouri, and to return this evening. We decided to name this fork of the river the Valley Plain River. I think it most probable that this river continues its course along the Rocky Mountains northward as far as, or perhaps beyond, the sources of Medicine River, and then turning to the west falls into the Tacootchetessee. The Minetares informed us that there was a large river west of, and at no great distance from, the sources of Medicine River, which passed along the Rocky Mountains from south to north.
This evening one of our hunters returned, accompanied by three men of the Flathead nation whom he had met during his excursion up Travellers Rest Creek. On first meeting him, the Indians were alarmed and prepared for battle with their bows and arrows, but he soon relieved their fears by laying down his gun and advancing toward them. The Indians were mounted on very fine horses, of which the Flatheads have a great abundance; that is, each man in the nation possesses from 20 to a hundred head. Our guide could not speak the language of these people, but he soon engaged them in conversation by signs or gesticulation, the common language of all the Aborigines of North America. It is understood by all of them and appears to be sufficiently extensive to convey, with a degree of certainty, the outlines of what they wish to communicate.
In this manner we learned from these people that two men, whom they supposed to be of the Snake nation, had stolen 23 horses from them, and that they were in pursuit of the thieves. They told us they were in great haste. We gave them some boiled venison, of which they ate sparingly. The sun was now set. Two of them departed after receiving a few small articles which we gave them, and the third remained, having agreed to continue with us as a guide and to introduce us to his relations, whom he informed us were numerous and resided in the plain below the mountains on the Columbia River. From there, he said, the water was good and capable of being navigated to the sea; that some of his relations had been at the sea last fall and saw an old white man who resided there by himself and who had given them some handkerchiefs such as he saw in our possession. He said it would require five sleeps, which is six days' travel, to reach his relations. The Flatheads are a very light-colored people of large stature and comely form.
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