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
“We gave Neeshnepahkeeook and his people some of our game and
horse-beef, besides the entrails of the deer, and four fawns which we
found inside of two of them. They did not eat any of them perfectly raw,
but the entrails had very little cooking; the fawns were boiled whole,
and the hide, hair, and entrails all consumed. The Shoshonee was
offended at not having as much venison as he wished, and refused to
interpret; but as we took no notice of him, he became very officious in
the course of a few hours, and made many efforts to reinstate himself in
our favor. The brother of Twisted-hair, and Neeshnepahkeeook, now drew
a sketch, which we preserved, of all the waters west of the Rocky
Mountains.”
They now met Twisted-hair, in whose care they had left their horses and
saddles the previous fall, and this was the result of their inquiries:--
“Between three and four o’clock in the afternoon we set out, in company
with Neeshuepahkeeook and other Indians, the brother of Twisted-hair
having left us. Our route was up a high steep hill to a level plain
with little wood, through which we passed in a direction parallel to the
(Kooskooskee) River for four miles, when we met Twisted-hair and six of
his people. To this chief we had confided our horses and a part of
our saddles last autumn, and we therefore formed very unfavorable
conjectures on finding that he received us with great coldness. Shortly
afterward he began to speak in a very loud, angry manner, and was
answered by Neeshnepahkeeook. We now discovered that a violent quarrel
had arisen between these chiefs, on the subject, as we afterward
understood, of our horses. But as we could not learn the cause, and were
desirous of terminating the dispute, we interposed, and told them we
should go on to the first water and camp. We therefore set out, followed
by all the Indians, and having reached, at two miles’ distance, a small
stream running to the right, we camped with the two chiefs and their
little bands, forming separate camps at a distance from each other. They
all appeared to be in an ill humor; and as we had already heard reports
that the Indians had discovered and carried off our saddles, and that
the horses were very much scattered, we began to be uneasy, lest there
should be too much foundation for the report. We were therefore anxious
to reconcile the two chiefs as soon as possible, and desired the
Shoshonee to interpret for us while we attempted a mediation, but be
peremptorily refused to speak a word. He observed that it was a quarrel
between the two chiefs, and he had therefore no right to interfere; nor
could all our representations, that by merely repeating what we said he
could not possibly be considered as meddling between the chiefs, induce
him to take any part in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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