The flees my Self and the men got on them in passing thro the plains the Indians had lately lived in Lodges on the Lard. Side at the falls, are very troublesom and with every exertion the men Can't get rid of them, perticilarly as they have no clothes to change those which they wore Those Indians are at Ware with the Snake Indians on the river which falls in a few miles above this and have lately had a battle with them, their loss I cannot lern.
[Clark, October 26, 1805]
October 26th Saturday 1805 A fine morning Sent Six men out to hunt Deer, and Collect rozin to pitch the Canoes which has become verry leakey, by frequently hauling them over rocks &c as well Striking rocks frequently in passing down. all our articles we have exposed to the Sun to Dry; and the Canoes drawn out and turned up—maney of our Stores entirely Spoiled by being repeetedly wet; A number of Indians came to the Oposit Side of the river in the fore part of the day and Shew that they were anxious to Cross to us, we did not think proper to cross them in our Canoes and did not Send for them. in the evening two Chiefs and 15 men came over in a Small Canoe, those two Chiefs proved to be the two Principal Chiefs of the tribes above at the falls, and above, who was out hunting at the time we passed their bands; one of those Chiefs made Capt Lewis and my Self each a Small present of Deer meat, and Small Cakes of white bread made of roots. we gave to each Chief a Meadel of the Small Size a red Silk handkerchief, arm band, Knife & a piece of Paint, and acknowledged them as chiefs; as we thought it necessary at this time to treat those people verry friendly & ingratiate our Selves with them, to insure us a kind & friendly reception on our return, we gave Small presents to Several, and half a Deer to them to eate. we had also a fire made for those people to Sit around in the middle of our Camp, and Peter Crusat Played on the violin, which pleased those nativs exceedingly. the two Chiefs and Several men deturmined to delay all night (yorked Danced for the Inds) with us all the others returned, leaving the horses for those who Staied on the opposit Side. our hunters returned in the evening Killed five Deer, four verry large grey Squirels and a grouse. one of the guard at the river guiged a Salmon Trout, which we had fried in a little Bears Oil which the Chief we passed below the narrows gave us; this I thought one of the most delicious fish I have ever tasted Great numbers of white Crain flying in different Directions verry high—The river rose 8 Inches today from what cause I cannot Say certainly, as the tides cannot effect the river here as there is a falls below, I conjecture that the rise is owing to the winds which has Set up the river for 24 hours past. our hunters inform that the countrey back is broken, Stoney and thinly timbered with pine and White Oake. They Saw Elk & Bear Sign in the mountains. Dried all our wet articles and repared our Canoes to day, and the Party amused themselves at night danceing. The Flees which the party got on them at the upper & great falls, are very troublesom and dificuelt to get rid of, perticularly as the men have not a Change of Clothes to put on, they Strip off their Clothes and kill the flees, dureing which time they remain neckid.
The nations in the vicinity of this place is at War with the Snake Indians who they Say are noumerous and live on the river we passed above the falls on the Same Side on which we have encamped, and the nearest town is about four days march they pointed nearly S. E. and informed that they had a battle with those Inds. laterly, their loss I could not assertain
[Clark, October 27, 1805]
October 27th Sunday 1805 a verry windy night and morning wind from the West and hard, Send out hunters and they killed 4 deer 1 pheasent and a Squirel the 2 Chiefs and party Continue with us, we treat them well give them to eate & Smoke, they were joined by Seven others, from below who Stayed about 3 hours and returned down the river in a pet, Soon after the Chiefs deturmined to go home we had them put across the river the wind verry high, we took a vocabelary of the Languages of the 2 nations, the one liveing at the Falls call themselves E-nee-shur The other resideing at the levels or narrows in a village on the Std. Side call themselves E-chee-lute not withstanding those people live only 6 miles apart, but fiew words of each others language—the language of those above having great Similarity with those tribes of flat heads we have passed—all have the Clucking tone anexed which is predomint. above, all flatten the heads of their female children near the falls, and maney above follow the Same Custom The language of the Che-luc-it-to-quar a fiew miles below is different from both in a Small degree. The wind increased in the evening and blew verry hard from the Same point W. day fair and Cold—The Creek at which we are Encamped is Called by the natives-Que-nett Some words with Shabono about his duty—The pinical of Falls mountain bears S 43° W. about 35 miles