Columbia near The Dalles, trading for horses — Patrick Gass: April 15, 1806
The expedition's officers tried to buy horses from local Indians but couldn't agree on a price, so the party moved on about four miles to another village at the mouth of the Catarack River. There they obtained Shap-e-leel, a palatable root bread baked in the sun, but again failed to purchase horses. Continuing on, they passed a village that had been dismantled and rebuilt nearby, possibly to escape the region's abundant fleas. Around three in the afternoon they reached Rock Camp, and hunters killed a deer that evening.
Officers attempted to purchase some horses, but could not
agree with the Indians on the price; so we proceeded on
about 4 miles to another village, at the mouth of Catarack
river. Here we got some Shap-e-leel, a kind of bread the
natives make of roots, and bake in the sun; and which is
strong and palatable. Here another trial was made to get
some horses, but without success; and we again proceeded
on; passed a place where there was a village in good order
last fall when we went down; but has been lately torn down,
and again erected at a short distance from the old ground
where it formerly stood. The reason of this removal I can-
not conjecture, unless to avoid the fleas, which are more
numerous in this country than any insects I ever saw.* About
three o’clock in the afternoon we came to Rock Camp, where
we staid two days as we went down. Some hunters went out
in the evening and killed a deer.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The officers attempted to purchase some horses, but could not agree with the Indians on the price; so we proceeded on about 4 miles to another village, at the mouth of Catarack river. Here we got some Shap-e-leel, a kind of bread the natives make of roots and bake in the sun, which is strong and palatable. Here another attempt was made to get some horses, but without success, and we again proceeded on. We passed a place where there was a village in good order last fall when we went down, but it has been lately torn down and again built at a short distance from the old ground where it formerly stood. The reason for this removal I cannot guess, unless it was to avoid the fleas, which are more numerous in this country than any insects I ever saw.* About three o'clock in the afternoon we came to Rock Camp, where we stayed two days as we went down. Some hunters went out in the evening and killed a deer.
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