April 18, 1806
[Lewis]
Late last evening we were visited by the principal cheif of Chilluckkittaquaws and 12 of his nation they remained with us untill 9 OC. when they all departed except the Cheif and two others who slept at my feet. we loaded our vessels and set out after an early breakfast this morning. we gave the indians a passage to the N. shore on which they reside and pursued our rout to the foot of the first rapid [1] at the distance of 4 ms. here we found it necessary to unload the perogues and canoes and make a portage of 70 paces over a rock; we then drew our vessels up by a cord and the assistance of setingpoles. from hence we proceeded to the bason below the long narrows 5 ms. further and landed on the Lard. side at ½ after 3. [2] the Cheif when he left me this morning promised to bring some horses to barter with me at the bason.— the long narrows [3] are much more formidable than they were when we decended them last fall there would be no possibility of passind either up or down them in any vessel.— after unloading the canoes and arranging the camp I walked up to the Skillute Village and jouined Capt. he had procured four horses only for which a high price had been given, at least more than double that which we had formerly given for those which we purchased from the Shoshonees and the first band of Flatheads. they have a great abundance of horses but will not dispose of them. we determined to make the portage to the head of the long narrows with our baggage and five small canoes. the 2 perogues we could take no further and therefore cut them up for fuel. in the evening Capt. C. and myself returned to the camp at the bason and left Drewyer and three others with the merchandize at the village, three parsels of which had been laid by at the request of individuals who promised to give us horses for them in the morning.— I shot my airgun in the presents of the natives at the village which excited great astonishment.—
[Clark]
early this morning I was awoke by a Indian from the nieghbourhood of our horses, he had he arived here yesterday & this morning found a Small bag of powder and ball which had been left when we exposed our goods yesterday and brought it to me. I had a fire made out and exposed the articles &c. 〈Several Indians Came〉 having increased the articles for each horse, and Sent out 2 men to hunt the horses bought yesterday. after Colecting them Sent Shabono and Frazer with the 4 I had purchased down to Capt Lewis. and was tanterlised with the expectation of purchaseing more imediately. Great numbers of the Indians from the falls and both above and below. none of them appeared anxious to part with their horses but told me that Several were Comeing from the plains about 1 or 2 P M. and laid by 2 parcels of merchindize and told me that they had Sent for their horses. among other Tribes was those of the Skad-datts [4] who bantered the Skillutes to play with them at a Singular Kind of game [5] which was Soon Made up and 9 of a side Sat down they were Some time making up their bets of Beeds, brass thimbles or tubes robes &c. &c. when the bets were all made up the nine on each Side took opposides faceing each other at the distance of about 12 feet. in front of each party was placed a long pole on which they Struck with a Stick and Sung. they made use of 2 Small pices of bone in this form [6] and Size a bone 〈of〉 was given to 2 men of the Same party who changed it from 〈side〉 hand to hand with great dexterity one hand above the other looking down, and when he was ready for the opposit party to guess he Seperated his hands Swinging them around the breast looking at the opposit party who waved their hand to the Side the bone was in. if the opposit party guessed the hand of each man the bone was given to them. if 〈not〉 neither it was nothing. if they guessed one which they might single out if they pleased they recived his bone, and 〈won or〉 lost on the other as they hapened to fail in guessing the also lose one if they fail guessing both The game is plaid at different numbers & each party has 5 sticks. Several of those games were played to day in which the Skillute won, indeed the won all the beeds and Som robes of the Skad datts which they [word unclear] one other game [7] which they also played [word illegible] 2 by men with 4 Sticks. 2 black & 2 White under a kind of hat made of bark. as this is a very intrecut game I cannot describe it: the one who holds the Sticks places them in different positions, and the opposit party, guess the position of the black Sticks by a motion of either one or both of the hands. each man has 4 Sticks. this as also the other is accompanied with a kind of Song. This hat is about 12 inches diamuter and the Sticks about 5 inches long—. at 3 P M Sergt Ordway arived with 3 men from Capt Lewis with elk skins and Some fiew articles Such as a Coat & robes. I had 3 dogs purchased, Soon after Capt. Lewis Came up with J. Fields he had assended the river with much dificuelty to the bason 2 Miles below. I left Drewyer, Warner, Shannon & Goodrich with the articles and went down with Capt Lewis to the bason, Cut up 2 of our canoes for fire wood no horses more maney nations resort here for trade
[Clark]
Early this Morning I was awoke by an indian man of the Chopunnish Nation who informed me that he lived in the neighbourhood of our horses. this man delivered me a bag of powder and ball which he had picked up this morning at the place the goods were exposed yesterday—. I had a fire made of Some poles purchased of the nativs at a Short distance from the houses and the articles exposed as yesterday. Collected the 4 horses purchased yesterday and Sent Frazier and Shabono with them to the bason where I expected they would meet Cap L—s and Commence the portage of the baggage on those horses. about 10 A. M. the Indians Came down from the Eneesher Villages and I expected would take the articles which they had laid by yesterday. but to my estonishment not one would make the exchange to day—. two other parcels of good were laid by and the horses promised at 2 P. M. I payed but little attention to this bargain however Suffered the bundles to lye. I dressed the Sores of the principal Chief gave Some Small things to his children and promised the Chief Some Medicine for to Cure his Sores. his wife who I found to be a Sulky Bitch and was Somewhat efflicted with pains in her back. this I thought a good oppertunity to get her on my Side giveing here Something for her back. I rubed a little Camphere [8] on her temples and back, and applyed worm flannel to her back which She thought had nearly restored her to her former feelings. this I thought a favourable time to trade with the Chief who had more horses than all the nation besides. I accordingly made him an offer which he excepted and Sold me two horses. Great numbers of Indians from defferent derections visited me at this place to day, none of them appeared willing to part with their horses, but told me that Several were Comeing from the plains this evening. among other Nations who visit this place for the purpose of trade is the Skad-datt's. those people bantered the Skillutes to play at a Singular kind of game. in the Course of the day the Skillutes won all their beeds Skins arrows &c. This game was Composed of 9 men on a Side. they Set down opposit to each other at the distance of about 10 feet. in front of each party a long pole was placed on which they Struck with a Small Stick to the time of their Songs. after the bets were made up which was nearly half an hour after they Set down, two round bones was producd about the Size of a mans little finger or Something Smaller and 2¼ inches in length. which they held in their hand Changeing it from one hand to the other with great dexterity. 2 men on 〈each〉 the Same Side performed this part, and when they had the bone in the hand they wished, they looked at their advosarys Swinging arms around their Sholders for their advosary Guess which they pirformed by the motion the hand either to the right or left. if the opposit party guessed the hand of both of the men who had the bone, the bones were given to them. if neither the bones was retained and nothing Counted. if they guessed one and not the other, one bone was dilivered up and the party possessing the other bone Counted one. and one for every time the advosary miss guessed untill they guessed the hand in which the bone was in—in this game each party has 5 Sticks. and one Side wins all the Sticks, once twice or thrice as the game may be Set. I observed another game which those people also play and is played by 2 persons with 4 Sticks about the Size of a mans finger and about 7 inches in length. two of those Sticks are black and the other 2 White and Something larger than the black ones. those Sticks they place in defferent positions which they perform under a kind of trencher made of bark round and about 14 inches diamieter. this is a very intricate game and I cannot Sufficiently understand to discribe it. the man who is in possession of the Sticks &c places them in defferent positions, and the opposit party tels the position of the black Sticks by a motion of either or both of his hands &c. this game is Counted in the Same way as the one before mentioned. all their games are accompanied with Songs and time. at 3 P. M Sergt. Ordway & three men arived from Cap Lewis they brought with them Several Elk Skins, two of my Coats and 4 robes of the party to add to the Stores I had with me for the purchase of horses. Sgt. O. informed me that Cap L. had arived with all the Canoes into the bason 2 miles below and wished Some dogs to eate. I had 3 dogs purchased and Sent down. at 5 P. M. Capt. Lewis Came up. he informed me that he had the river to the bason with much difecuelty and danger, haveing made one portage. as I had not Slept but very little for the two nights past on account of mice & virmen with which those indian houses abounded, and haveing no blanket with me, and the means of keeping a fire Sufficent to keep me worm out was too Expensive I deturmined to poceed with Capt L. down to Camp at the bason. I left the Articles of Merchendize &c. with Drewyer, Werner, Shannon & Goodrich untill the morning—. at the bason we Cut up two of our Canoes for fire wood verry much to the Sagreen [chagrin] of the nativs not with standing they would give us nothing for them. In my absence Several Inds. visited Capt. Lewis at his camp among others was the great Cheif of the Chilluckitquaw who Continued with him untill he left Rock fort Camp. Capt L. had 12 pack Saddles Completed and Strings prepared of the Elk skins for Lashing the loads he also kept out all the hunters who killed just deer enough for the party with him to Subsist on. The Cheif who had Visited Capt Lewis promised him that he would bring Some horses to the bason and trade with him. but he was not as good as his word. Capt Lewis gave a large Kittle for a horse which was offered to him at the bason this evening.
[Ordway]
Friday 18th of April 1806. a clear cool morning we took breakfast and Set out crossed the Columbia River to the N. Side proceeded on Soon came to a rapid [9] where we made a Short portage and towed up the canoes & proceeded on up a rapid current to the bason & landed [10] on the N. Side about 3 P. M. unloaded the canoes cut the large ones for firewood Capt. Clark had purchased 4 horses. we packed several articles to the village to purchase horses. bought 2 dogs Several cakes of chappalell &C.
[Gass]
Friday 18th. We had fine weather, and all set out from this place, and proceeded on with great difficulty and danger to the foot of the long narrows; [11] and expect to be able to take the canoes no further.— Here we met one of the men [12] from Captain Clarke, with 4 horses. In coming up, one of our small canoes got split so that we were obliged to carry the load two miles by land to this place. [13] Wood here is very scarce, as the Columbia plains have commenced. Several of the men [14] went up to the village with their buffaloe robes, to dispose of them for horses. Could we get about 12 horses we would be able to go by land.
