Lepage and Charbonneau
set out early this morning to the Indian village in order to trade with
them for roots. Sergeant Gass was sent this morning to obtain some
goat's hair to stuff the pads of our saddles. He ascended the river on
this side and, being unable to pass the river to the village he wished
to visit, returned in the evening unsuccessful. Shannon and Collins were
permitted to pass the river in order to trade with the natives and lay
in a store of roots and bread for themselves, with their proportion of
the merchandise, as others had done. On landing on the opposite shore,
the canoe was driven broadside, with the full force of a very strong
current, against some standing trees and instantly filled with water and
sank. Potts, who was with them, is an indifferent swimmer. It was with
difficulty he made the land. They lost three blankets and a blanket
capote and their pittance of merchandise.
In our bare state of
clothing this was a serious loss. I sent Sergeant Pryor and a party over
in the Indian canoe in order to raise and secure ours but the depth of
the water and the strength of the current baffled every effort. I fear
that we have also lost our canoe. All our invalids are on the recovery.
We gave the sick chief a severe sweat today, shortly after which he
could move one of his legs and thighs and work his toes pretty well. The
other leg he can move a little. His fingers and arms seem to be almost
entirely restored. He seems highly delighted with his recovery. I begin
to entertain strong hope of his recovering by these sweats.
Captain Clark, 30 May 1806
Yesterday evening
Charbonneau and Lepage returned, having made a broken voyage. They
ascended the river on this side nearly opposite to a village eight miles
above us. Here their lead horse, which had on him their merchandise,
fell into the river from the side of a steep cliff and swam over. They
saw an Indian on the opposite side whom they prevailed on to drive their
horse back again to them. In swimming the river the horse lost a dressed
elk skin of Lepage's and several small articles, and their paint
(vermilion) was destroyed by the water. Here they remained and dried
their articles.
The evening of the 30th
ult., the Indians at the village, learning their errand and not having a
canoe, made an attempt yesterday morning to pass the river to them on a
raft, with a parcel of roots and bread in order to trade with them. The
Indian raft struck a rock, upset, and lost their cargo. The river having
fallen heir to both merchandise and roots, our traders returned with
empty bags.
Captain Lewis, 1 June 1806
McNeal and York were
sent on a trading voyage over the river this morning. Having exhausted
all our merchandise, we are obliged to have recourse to every subterfuge
in order to prepare in the most ample manner in our power to meet that
wretched portion of our journey, the Rocky Mountains, where hunger and
cold in their most rigorous forms assail the wearied traveler. Not any
of us has yet forgotten our suffering in those mountains in September
last, and I think it probable we never shall.
Our traders McNeal and
York were furnished with the buttons which Captain Clark and myself cut
off our coats, some eye-water and basilican which we made for that
purpose, and some phials and small tin boxes which I had brought out
with phosphorus. In the evening they returned with about three bushels
of roots and some bread.
Drouilliard arrived this
morning with Neeshneparkkeook and Hohastillpilp, who had accompanied him
to the lodges of the persons who had our tomahawks. He obtained both the
tomahawks, principally by the influence of the former of these chiefs.
The one which had been stolen we prized most, as it was the private
property of the late Sergeant Floyd, and Captain Clark was desirous of
returning it to his friends. The man who had this tomahawk had purchased
it from the Indian that had stolen it, and was himself, at the moment of
their arrival, just expiring. His relations were unwilling to give up
the tomahawk as they intended to burn it with the deceased owner, but
were at length induced to do so for the consideration of a handkerchief,
two strands of beads, which Captain Clark sent by Drouilliard, gave
there, and two horses given by the chiefs to be killed, agreeably to
their custom, at the grave of the deceased.
Captain Lewis, 2 June 1806
