The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, April 15, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, April 15, 1806

Tuesday April 15th 1806

We delayed this morning untill after brackfast in order to purchase Some horses of the Indians; accordingly we exposed Some articles in exchange for horses the nativs were unwilling to exchange their horses, we put up our merchindize and at 8 A M. Set out. we halted a fiew minits at the Sepulchar rock and examined the deposit of the dead at that place. those were Constructed in the Same manner of those already described below the rapids. Some of them were more than half filled with dead bodies. there were 13 Sepulchers on this rock which Stands near the Center of the river, and has a Cerface of about two acres above the water.-. from hence we returned to the Northern Shore and Continued up it about 4 miles to a Village at the enterance of Cateract River, here we halted and informed the nativs of our wish to purchase horses; the produced Several for Sale but would not take the articles we had in exchange for them. they wanted an instriment which the Northw Traders call an eye dag which we had not. we precured two dogs and departed we also halted at the two villages of the Chil luck kitequaws a fiew Ms. above with no better Sucksess. at 3 in the evening we arivied at the enterance of Quinnett Creek which we assended a Short distance and Encamped at the place we had Called rock fort Camp. here we were visited by Some of the people from the Villages at the long Narrows & Falls. we informed them of our wish to purchase horses, and agreed to meet them on the opposit or north Side on tomorrow for the purpose of bartering with them. most of them returned to their village this evening three only remained with us all night. those people are much better Clad than the nativs below. their men have generaly Legins mockersons & large robes. Maney of them were Shirts of the Same form of those of the Chopunnish & Shoshonees highly ornamented with the quils of the purcupine, as are also their mockersons & Legins. they Conseal the parts of generation with the Skins of the Fox or Some other Small animal drawn under neath a girdle and hanging loosely in front of them like a narrow apron. The dress of their women differ verry little from those about the rapids. both men & women Cut their hair in the forehead which comes down as low as the Eyebrows, they have long ear locks Cut Square at the end. The other parts of their hair is dressed in the Same Manner as those of the rapids. after we landld and formed our Camp this evening Drewyer and some oths took a hunt and killed a Deer of the log tailed kind. it was a Buck and the young deer horns had Shot foth about two inches made ____ miles to day.