The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 8, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 8, 1806

Thursday 8th of May 1806. This morning our hunters was out by the time it was light. about 8 oClock Shields brought in a Small deer, on which we brackfast by 11 A.M. all our hunters returned Drewyer & P. Crusat brought in a Deer each & Collins wounded one which our Dog Caught near our Camp. Total of our Stock of provisions 4 deer & Some horse flesh. on the Small Creek which passes our Camp, the nativs have laterly encamped and as we are informed have been much distressed for provisions, they have fallen a number of Small pine in the vicinity of this Encampment for the Seed which is in the bur of which they eate. we are informed that they were Compelled to Collect the moss off the pine boil & eate it in the latter part of the last Winter. on the Creek near our Camp I observed a kind of trap which was made with great panes to catch the Small fish which pass down with the Stream This was a dam formed of Stone So as to Collect the water in a narrow part not exceeding 3 feet wide from which place the water Shot with great force and Scattered through Some Small willows Closely connected and fastened with bark. this mat of willow Switches was about 4 feet wide and 6 long lying in a horozontal position, fastened at the extremety. the Small fish which fell on those willows was washed on the Willows where they untill taken off &c. I cought or took off those willows 9 Small trout from 3 to 7 Inches in length. Soon after I returned from the fishery an Indian came from a fishery of a Similar kind a little above with 12 Small fish which he offered me which I declined axcepting as I found from his Signs that his house was a Short distance above, and that those fisheries afforded the principal part of the food for his Children. The Great Chief of the Bands below who has a cut nose joined us this morning. we gave the interals with 4 young fauns which was in two of the deer killed to day to the Indians also some of our deer & horse flesh. the Paunch of the deer they eate without any preperation further than washing them a little. the fauns they boiled and eate every part of them even the Skins with the hair. The Snake Indian was much displeased that he was not furnished with as much Deer as he could eate. he refused to Speake to the wife of Shabono, through whome we Could understand the nativs. we did not indulge him and in the after part of the day he Came too and Spoke verry well. one of the Indians drew me a Sketch of the river (See the latter part of this book) in this Sketch he makes the 1st large Southerly fork of Lewis's river much the longest and on which great numbers of the Snake Indians reside &c. at ____ P.M. we loaded up and Set on on the roade leading as we were informed to the lodge of the twisted hair, the Chief in whoes Care we had left our horses. we were accompanied by the Cut nose Chief our old Chief who had accompanied us down the river and Several men. we assended the hills which was Steep and emencely high to a leavel rich Country thinly timbered with pine. we had not proceeded more than 4 miles before we met the twisted hair and Several men meeting of us. we were verry coolly recved by the twisted hair. he Spoke aloud and was answered by the Cut Nose. we Could not learn what they Said. but plainly discovered that a missunderstanding had taken place between them. we made Signs to them that we Should proceed on to the next water and encamp. accordingly I set out and they all followed. we had not proceeded far before the road Crossed a Small handsom Stream on which we encamped. The parties of those two Chiefs took different positions at Some distance from each other and all appeared Sulkey. after we had formed our Camp we Sent Drewyer with a pipe to Smoke with the twisted hair and lern the Cause of the dispute between him and the Cut nose, and also to invite him to our fire to Smoke with us. The twisted hair came to our fire to Smoke we then Sent drewyer to the Cut Noses fire with the Same directions. he returned and informed us that the Cut nose Said he would join us in a fiew minits. it appears that the Cause of the quarrel between those two men is about our horses. and we cannot lern the particulars of this quarrel which probably originated through jelousy on the part of the Cut nose who blames the twisted hair for Suffer our horses to be rode, and want water dureing the Winter &c. twisted hair Says the horses were taken from him &c. The Cut nose joined us in a Short time We Smoked with all the party of both Chiefs, and told them that we were Sorry to find them at varience with each other the cut nose said that the twisted hair was a bad man and wore two fases, that he had not taken care of our horses as was expected. that himself an the broken arm had Caused our horses to be Watered in the winter and had them drove together, and that if we would proceed on to the village of the great Chief whome we had left a flag last fall the broken arm he would Send for our horses, that he had himself three of them. he also informed us that the great Chief hering of our distressed Situation had Sent his Son and 4 men to meet us and have us furnished on the way &c. that the young men had missed us and Could never over take us untill this time. that the great chief had 2 bad horses for us and expected us to go to his lodge which was near the river and about half a days march above &c. The twisted hair told us that he wished to Smoke with us at his lodge which was on the road leading to the Great Chiefs lodge, and but a fiew miles a head. if we would delay at his lodge tomorrow he would go after our Saddles and horses which was near the place we made our Canoes last fall. we deturmined to Set out early in the morning and proceed on to the lodge of the twisted hair and Send for our Saddles and powder which we had left burried mear the forks. and the day after tomorrow to proceed on to the lodge of the Grand Chief. accordingly we informed the Indians of our intentions. we all Smoked and conversed untill about 10 P M. the Indians retired and we lay down. Derected 5 hunters to turn out early in the morning to hunt and meet us at the twisted hair's lodge.