[218] Mrs. Whitman writes in 1838: "The Indians have furnished us a little venison—barely enough for our own eating—but to supply our men and visitors we have killed and eaten ten wild horses bought of the Indians. This will make you pity us, but you had better save your pity for more worthy subjects. I do not prefer it to other meat, but can eat it very well when we have nothing else." (See "Journal," as in preceding note, p. 96.)—Ed.
[219] For the location of the Spokan mission see De Smet's Letters in our volume xxvii, p. 367, note 187.
The Clearwater station was called Lapwai, being situated at the mouth of a creek of that name in Nez Percé County, western Idaho. It was founded in 1836 by Henry H. Spaulding, for whom see our volume xxi, p. 352, note 125. Abandoned after the Whitman massacre (1847), a military post succeeded, being maintained until 1886. A portion of Spaulding's house was recently standing.—Ed.
[220] In Ross's time, Quahat was the great Cayuse war-chief. He also speaks of the importance of the Cayuse, and their ruling propensities—see Chittenden, Fur-Trade, i, p. 181.
For the Red River settlement, see Franchère's Narrative in our volume vi, pp. 379, 381, notes 195, 199.—Ed.
[221] For Francis Ermatinger see De Smet's Letters, in our volume xxvii, p. 235, note 108.—Ed.
[222] Asa B. Smith came out in 1838 with Elkanah Walker and Cushing Eells to re-inforce the mission to the Nez Percés. Smith had considerable linguistic ability, and with the aid of the noted Indian chief Lawyer compiled a grammar and vocabulary of the Nez Percé language. Becoming discouraged, however, he left the mission at Kamai in 1841, and resigning the following year retired to the Sandwich Islands.—Ed.