Nez Perce camps, reuniting with horses — Patrick Gass: May 2, 1806
Three Walla-Walla men caught up with the party to return a steel trap accidentally left at the previous camp opposite the mouth of the Walla-Walla River, an act of honesty the author found remarkable. After recovering a missing horse, the group traveled fifteen miles up the creek and camped on its north fork, with timbered, snow-covered hills visible about ten miles to the right. Hunters killed a beaver and an otter, the three Indians stayed with the party, and three steel traps were set for the night.
three of the Wal-la-wal-las came up with us, and brought a
steel trap that had been left at our camp on the north side of
the Columbia, opposite the mouth of Wal-la-wal-la river: per-
haps one of the greatest instances of honesty ever known
among Indians. Some hunters went on ahead, and haying
collected our horses, we found one missing; some of the men
went to look for him, and brought him back. We then con-
tinued our journey up this branch; and saw to our right a
range of high hills covered with timber and snow, not more
than ten miles distant. We went fifteen miles and encamped
on the north fork, the creek having forked about two miles
below our encampment. The south fork is the largest, and
from its course is supposed to issue from those snow-topped
hills on our right. In the evening our hunters joined us, and
had killed only one beaver and an otter. The three Indians
remained with us all day ; and at night we set three steel traps,
there being a great many beaver signs on this branch.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Three of the Wal-la-wal-las caught up with us, and brought a steel trap that had been left at our camp on the north side of the Columbia, opposite the mouth of the Wal-la-wal-la river: perhaps one of the greatest instances of honesty ever known among Indians. Some hunters went on ahead, and having collected our horses, we found one missing; some of the men went to look for him, and brought him back.
We then continued our journey up this branch, and saw to our right a range of high hills covered with timber and snow, not more than ten miles distant. We went fifteen miles and camped on the north fork, the creek having forked about two miles below our camp. The south fork is the larger, and from its course is supposed to issue from those snow-topped hills on our right.
In the evening our hunters joined us, having killed only one beaver and an otter. The three Indians remained with us all day; and at night we set three steel traps, there being a great many beaver signs on this branch.
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