Nez Perce villages on Clearwater — Patrick Gass: September 25, 1805
The party traveled west over a ridge with a small prairie on top, where a hunter met them with roots, berries, and fish obtained from a Flathead band Captain Clark had reached on September 20th. The roots were made into a nourishing bread resembling pumpkin bread. After an hour's rest, they descended a rough trail and reached a large valley clear of the difficult mountains. Two men rejoined them, having recovered lost clothing but losing two horses. The Indians welcomed them and shared food, though no interpreter could understand them. Clark reported the river was 18 miles away by good road.
we continued our rout over a ridge about a west course, upon
the top of which there is a handsome small prairie: where we
met one of our hunters with a supply of roots, berries and
some fish, which he procured from another band of the Flat-
head nation of Indians. Captain Clarke and the hunters had
arrived on the 20th at the encampment or lodges of these
Indians which are in a beautiful prairie, about 8 or 9 miles
from this place. The roots they use are made into a kind of
bread; which is good and nourishing, and tastes like that
sometimes made of pumpkins. We remained here about an
hour and then proceeded on again, down the ridge along a
very rough way: and in the evening arrived in a fine large
valley, clear of these dismal and horrible mountains. Here
our two men overtook us; who had found the lost horse and
clothing, but on their way to us lost both the horses. The
Indians belonging to this band, received us kindly, appeared
pleased to see us, and gave us such provisions as they had.
148 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
We were at a loss for an interpreter, none of our interpreters
being able to understand them. Capt. Clarke met us here:
he had been over at the river, and found the distance 18 miles
and a good road from this place. He thinks we will be able
to take the water again at the place he had been at; and where
he left 5 hunters, as there was some game about the river in
that quarter.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We continued our route over a ridge heading roughly west, on top of which there is a lovely small prairie. There we met one of our hunters with a supply of roots, berries, and some fish, which he had obtained from another band of the Flathead nation of Indians. Captain Clarke (Captain Clark) and the hunters had arrived on the 20th at the camp or lodges of these Indians, which are in a beautiful prairie about 8 or 9 miles from this place. The roots they use are made into a kind of bread, which is good and nourishing, and tastes like the bread sometimes made from pumpkins. We stayed here about an hour and then went on again, down the ridge along a very rough path. In the evening we arrived in a fine large valley, clear of these dismal and horrible mountains.
Here our two men caught up with us. They had found the lost horse and clothing, but on their way to us they lost both of the horses. The Indians belonging to this band received us kindly, seemed pleased to see us, and gave us such provisions as they had. We were at a loss for an interpreter, since none of our interpreters could understand them. Capt. Clarke (Captain Clark) met us here. He had been over at the river and found the distance to be 18 miles, with a good road from this place. He thinks we will be able to take to the water again at the place he had been to, where he left 5 hunters, since there was some game around the river in that area.
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