Camp Chopunnish (Long Camp), waiting for snow to melt — Patrick Gass: May 15, 1806
The party set up camp shelters to weather the stormy conditions, some using small sails and others building grass-covered frames. The surrounding plains resembled a meadow and provided ample forage for the horses. The expedition expected to remain here about a month before attempting to cross the mountains. Local Cho-no-nish natives visited camp, including one wearing a scalp and finger trophies from Shoshone enemies, evidence of long-running warfare between the tribes. Two hunters returned with only some grouse, while four others remained out. Gass also noted that Indians from the Mandans westward typically used bows, arrows, and war-mallets.
ers went out early. The rest of the party were engaged
making places of shelter, to defend them from the stormy
weather. Some had small sails to cover their little hovels,
and others had to make frames and cover them with grass.
Around our camp the plains have the appearance of a mea-
dow before it is mowed, and affords abundance of food for
our horses. Here we expect to remain a month before we
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 233
can cross the mountains. The natives staid all day at our
camp; and one of them had round his neck the scalp of an
Indian, with six thumbs and four fingers of the other Indians
he had killed in battle, of the Sho-sho-ne, or Snake nation.
The nation here the Cho-no-nish, is very numerous, as well as
the other. These nations have been long at war and destroyed
a great many of each other in a few years past.
From the Mandan nation to the Pacific ocean, the arms of
the Indians are generally bows and arrows, and the war-mallet.
The war-mallet is a club with a large head of wood or stone;
those of stone are generally covered with leather, and fastened
to the end of the club with thongs or straps of leather and
the sinews of animals.*
In the afternoon two of our hunters came in and had
killed nothing but some grouse; four more continued out.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The hunters went out early. The rest of the party were busy making shelters to protect themselves from the stormy weather. Some had small sails to cover their little huts, and others had to make frames and cover them with grass. Around our camp the plains look like a meadow before it has been mowed, and they provide plenty of food for our horses. We expect to remain here a month before we can cross the mountains.
The natives stayed all day at our camp, and one of them had hanging around his neck the scalp of an Indian, along with six thumbs and four fingers from other Indians he had killed in battle, of the Sho-sho-ne, or Snake nation. The nation here, the Cho-no-nish, is very numerous, as is the other. These nations have been at war for a long time and have destroyed a great many of each other in the past few years.
From the Mandan nation to the Pacific Ocean, the weapons of the Indians are generally bows and arrows, and the war-mallet. The war-mallet is a club with a large head made of wood or stone; those of stone are generally covered with leather and fastened to the end of the club with thongs or straps of leather and the sinews of animals.*
In the afternoon two of our hunters came in, having killed nothing but some grouse; four more remained out.
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