First Across the Continent: The Story of the Exploring Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6Brooks, Noah
History
First Across the Continent: The Story of the Exploring Expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6
Brooks, Noah
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806); United States -- Discovery and exploration; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
chose, he could easily put them all to death, and burn their village,
but that he did not wish to treat them ill if they kept from stealing;
and that, although, if he could discover who had the tomahawks, he would
take away their horses, yet he would rather lose the property altogether
than take the horse of an innocent man. The chiefs were present at this
harangue, hung their heads, and made no reply.
“At ten o’clock the men returned with the horse, and soon after an
Indian, who had promised to go with us as far as the Chopunnish, came
with two horses, one of which he politely offered to assist in carrying
our baggage. We therefore loaded nine horses, and, giving the tenth to
Bratton, who was still too sick to walk, at about ten o’clock left the
village of these disagreeable people.”
At an Indian village which they reached soon after leaving that of the
disagreeable Skilloots, they found the fellow who had gambled away
the horse that he had sold. Being faced with punishment, he agreed to
replace the animal he had stolen with another, and a very good horse was
brought to satisfy the white men, who were now determined to pursue a
rigid course with the thievish Indians among whom they found themselves.
These people, the Eneeshurs, were stingy, inhospitable, and overbearing
in their ways. Nothing but the formidable numbers of the white men saved
them from insult, pillage, and even murder. While they were here, one of
the horses belonging to the party broke loose and ran towards the Indian
village. A buffalo robe attached to him fell off and was gathered in by
one of the Eneeshurs. Captain Lewis, whose patience was now exhausted,
set out, determined to burn the village unless the Indians restored the
robe. Fortunately, however, one of his men found the missing article
hidden in a hut, and so any act of violent reprisal was not necessary.
So scarce had now become fuel, the party were obliged to buy what little
wood they required for their single cooking-fire. They could not afford
a fire to keep them warm, and, as the nights were cold and they lay
without any shelter, they were most uncomfortable, although the days
were warm. They were now travelling along the Columbia River, using
their horses for a part of their luggage, and towing the canoes with the
remainder of the stuff. On the twenty-third of April they arrived at the
mouth of Rock Creek, on the Columbia, a considerable stream which they
missed as they passed this point on their way down, October 21. Here
they met a company of Indians called the Wahhowpum, with whom they
traded pewter buttons, strips of tin and twisted wire for roots, dogs,
and fuel. These people were waiting for the arrival of the salmon. The
journal says:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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