A brisk trade of horses commenced in the morning and 15 were purchased during the day, the greater part of which were bought before breakfast. They are much finer horses and the prices rather lower than those procurred below.--Horses are more numerous and much better here than in the lower part of the river.--There were not so many Indians with us today as yesterday, but they had more horses. The Indians who visit us are of four different tribes, Chapoples[108] or Nezperces, Pelooshis,[109] Carooris and Wallawallas. They are very peaceable but a good deal of Tobacco is required to keep them smoking.--They amuse themselves gambling in the evening they had a horse race. In the course of the day a message was received from some Indians further up the river, requesting us to go to their place, and more horses would be procured. It seems a kind of jealousy exists among the natives and the one party does not wish to sell their horses at the camp of the other, or that they wish to have the honour of being visited at their own camp. Thursd.y. 14 Very little Wind, excessively warm, where we are encamped on the stony sandy beach we are literally next to be roasted. The trade did not go on so briskly as yesterday, only 8 horses were bought, one of which was an unbroken in lame mare to kill, as she was fit for nothing else. Friday 15 Sometimes a little breeze of wind from the S. E. yet it was clear and so sultry that the heat was oppresive. Embarked at half past 5 oclock proceeded up the river and in 2 hours arrived at the Forks[110] and encamped on the E. side of the North branch where a few Indians are encamped shortly after we arrived about 40 of them with the old chief Cut Nose at their head visited us in form, smoked, and were presented with about 3 inches of tobacco each. A trade of horses was immediately commenced and 8 very good ones were soon bought from them, though these people have plenty of horses yet they say they have none, they mean probably that they can spare. This is not Cut Nose's camp, it is farther up this branch. In the afternoon a party of upwards of 100 men and a good many women on horseback with the son of broken or cut arm, as chief at their head, arrived down the S. branch, the Chief immediately on his arrival presented a horse to Mr. Dease, and received a gun, 6 yds. of Beads & Tobacco and ammunition 27 skins as a present in return. After smoaking and getting about 3 Inches of Tobacco for each of his people, a trade for horses was opened and 5 very good ones were soon bought which with the one presented and the eight bought in the forenoon make 14 that have been procured to day. These are the best horses we have got yet, they are 18 to 20 skins each. There is a little short of 200 Indians about our camp now, several of those from below accompany us as we advance up, and those encamped here with the band that arrived from the S. branch make about the above number. They are very quiet and peaceable for so far.