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re[se]mblance of it's figure to the head of that animal. she assures us that we shall either find
her people on this river or on the river immediately west of it's source; which from it's present
size cannot be very distant. ... it is my resolusion to find them or some others, who have horses
if it should cause me a trip of one month. for without horses we shall be obliged to leave a great
part of our stores, of which, it appears to me that we have a stock already sufficiently small for
the length of the boyage before us.
August 11, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
after having marched in this order for about five miles I discovered an Indian on horse back
about two miles distant coming down the plain towards us. with my glass I discovered from his
dress that he was of a different nation from any that we had yet seen, and was satisfyed of his
being a Sosone; his arms were a bow and quivere of arrows, and was mounted on an eligant
horse without a saddle, and a small string which was attatched to the under jaw of the horse
which answered as a bridle. I was overjoyed at the sight of this stranger and had no doubt of
obtaining a friendly introduction to his nation provided I could get near enough to him to
convince him of our being whitemen. I therefore proceeded towards him at my usual pace.
when I had arrived within about a mile he mad[e] a halt which I did also and unloosing my
blanket from my pack, I mad[e] him the signal of friendship known to the Indians of the Rocky
mountains and those of the Missouri, which is by holding the mantle or robe in your hands at
two corners and then th[r]owing [it] up in the air higher than the head bringing it to the earth as
if in the act of spreading it, thus repeating three times ... this signal had not the desired effect,
he still kept his position and seemed to view Drewyer an[d] Shields who were now comiming
in sight on either hand with an air of suspicion, ... I therefore haistened to take out of my sack
some b[e]ads a looking glas and a few trinkets which I had brought with me for this purpose
and leaving my gun and pouch with McNeal advanced unarmed towards him. he remained in
the same stedfast poisture untill I arrived in about 200 paces of him when he turn[ed] his
ho[r]se about and began to move off slowly from me; I now called to him in as loud a voice as I
could command repeating the word tab-ba-bone, which in their language signifyes white-man.
but l[o]oking over his sholder he still kept his eye on Drewyer and Sheilds who wer still
advancing neither of them haveing segacity enough to recollect the impropriety of advancing
when they saw me thus in parley with the Indian. I now made a signal to these men to halt,
Drewyer obeyed but Shields who afterwards told me that he did not obse[r]ve the signal still
kept on the Indian halted again and turned his hor[s]e about as if to wait for me, and I beleive he
would have remained untill I came up whith him had it not been for Shields who still pressed
forward. whe[n] I arrived within about 150 paces I again repepeated the word tab-ba-bone and
held up the trinkits in my hands and striped up my shirt sleve to give him an opportunity of
seeing the colour of my skin and advanced leasure[ly] towards him but he did not remain untill I
got nearer than about 100 paces when he suddonly turned his ho[r]se about, gave him the whip
leaped the creek and disapeared in the willow brush in an instant and with him vanished all my
hopes of obtaining horses for the preasent. I now felt quite as much mortification and
disappointment as I had pleasure and expectation at the first sight of this indian. I fe[l]t soarly
chargrined at the conduct of the men particularly Sheilds to whom I principally attributed this
failure in obtaining an introduction to the natives. I now called the men to me and could not
forbare abraiding them a little for their want of attention and imprudence on this occasion. ...
after meeting with the Indian today I fixed a small flag of the U'.S. to a pole which I made
McNeal carry. and planted in the ground where we halted or encamped.
August 13, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
... we saw two women, a man and some dogs on an iminence immediately before us. they
appeared to v[i]ew us with attention and two of them after a few minutes set down as if to wait
our arrival we continued our usual pace towards them. when we had arrived within half a mile
of them I directed the party to halt and leaving my pack and rifle I took the flag which I unfurled
and a[d]vanced singly towards them the women soon disappeared behind the hill, the man
continued untill I arrived within a hundred yards of him and then likewise absconded. ... the
dogs were less shye than their masters ... they also soon disappeared. .. we had not continued
our rout more than a mile when we were so furtunate as to meet with three female savages. the
short and steep ravines which we passed concealed us from each other untill we arrived within
30 paces. a young woman immediately took to flight, an Elderly woman and a girl of about 12
years old remained. I instantly laid by my gun and advanced towards them. they appeared much
allarmed but saw that we were to near for them to escape by flight they therefore seated
themselves on the ground, holding down their heads as if reconciled to die which the[y]
expected no doubt would be their fate; I took the elderly woman by the hand and raised her up
repeated the word tab-ba-bone and strip[ped] up my shirt sleve to s[h]ew her my skin; to prove
to her the truth of the ascertion that I was a white man for my face and ha[n]ds which have been
constantly exposed to the sun were quite as dark as their own. they appeared instantly
reconciled, and the men coming up I gave these women some beads a few mockerson awls
some pewter looking-glasses and a little paint. ... I now painted their tawny cheeks with some
vermillion which with this nation is emblematic of peace. ... we had marched about 2 miles
when we met a party of about 60 warriors mounted on excellent horses who came in nearly full
speed, when they arrived I advanced towards them with the flag leaving my gun with the party
... these men then advanced and embraced me very affectionately in their way which is by
puting their left arm over you[r] wright sholder clasping your back, while they apply their left
cheek to yours and frequently vociforate the word ah-hi-e, ah-hi-e that is, I am much pleased, I
am much rejoiced. bothe parties now advanced and we wer all carresed and besmeared with
their grease and paint till I was heartily tired of the national hug. ...they seated themselves in a
circle around us and pulled of[f] their mockersons before they would receive or smoke the pipe.
this is a custom among them as I afterwards learned indicative of a sacred obligation of sincerity
in their profession of friendship given by the act of receiving and smoking the pipe of a
stranger. or which is as much as to say that they wish they may always go bearfoot if they are
not sincere; a pretty heavy penalty if they are to march throught the plains of their country.
(Chief Cameahwait) ... I gave him the flag which I informed him was an emblem of peace
among whitemen and now that it had been received by him it was to be respected a the bond of
union between us.
all the women and children of the camp were shortly collected about the lodge to indulge
themselves with looking at us, we being the first white persons they had ever seen. ... we had
not taisted any food since the evening before. the Chief informed us that they had nothing but
berries to eat and gave us some cakes of serviceberries and Choke cherries which had been
dryed in the sun ...
the river was confined between inacessable mountains, was very rapid and rocky insomuch that
it was impossible for us to pass either by land or water down this river to the great lake where
the white men lived as he had been informed. this was unwelcome information but I still hoped
that this account had been exagerated with a view to detain us among them. ... an indian called
me in to his bower and gave me a small morsel fo the flesh of an antelope boiled, and a peice of
a fresh salmon roasted; both which I eat with a very good relish. this was the first salmon I had
seen and perfectly convinced me that we were on the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
August 15, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
I hurried the departure of the Indians. the Chief addressed them several times before they would
move they seemed very reluctant to accompany me. I at length asked the reason and he told me
that some foolish persons among them had suggested the idea that we were in league with the
Pahkees and had come on in order to decoy them into an ambuscade where their enimies were
waiting to receive them. but that for his part he did not believe it. I readily perceived that our
situation was not enterely free from danger as the transicion from suspicion to the confermation
of the fact would not be very difficult in the minds of these ignorant people who have been
accustomed from their infancy to view every stranger as an enimy. I told Cameahwait that I was
sorry to find that they had put so little confidence in us, that I knew they were not acquainted
with whitemen and therefore could forgive them. that among whitemen it was considered
disgracefull to lye or entrap an enimy by falsehood. ... and that if the bulk of his nation still
entertained this opinion I still hoped that there were some among them that were not affraid to
die, ... I soon found that I had touched him on the right string; to doubt the bravery of a savage
is at once to put him on his metal.
several of the old women were crying and imploring the great sperit to protect their warriors as
if they were going to inevitable distruction. we had not proceeded far before our party was
augmented by ten or twelve more, and before we reached the Creek which we had passed in the
morning of the 13th it appeared to me that we had all the men of the village and a number of
women with us. ... they were now very cheerfull and gay, and two hours ago they looked as
sirly as so many imps of satturn.
August 16, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
when they arrived where the deer was which was in view of me they dismounted and run in
tumbling over each other like a parcel of famished dogs each seizing and tearing away a part of
the intestens which had been previously thrown out by Drewyer who killed it; the seen was
such when I arrived that had I not have had a pretty keen appetite myself I am confident I
should not have taisted any part of the venison shortly. each one had a peice of some discription
and all eating most ravenously. some were eating the kidnies the melt and liver and the blood
runing from the corners of their mouths, others were in a similar situation with the paunch and
guts but the exuding substance in this case from their lips was of a different discription. one of
the last who att[r]acted my attention particularly had been fortunate in his allotment or reather
active in the division, he had provided himself with about nine feet of the small guts one end of
which he was chewing on while with his hands he was squezzing the contents out at the other. I
really did not untill now think that human nature ever presented itself in a shape so nearly allyed
to the brute creation. I viewed these poor starved divils with pity and compassion I directed
McNeal to skin the deer and reserved a quarter, the ballance I gave the Chief to be divided
among his people; they devoured the whole of it nearly without cooking.
... the Chief with much cerimony put tippets about our necks such as they t[h]emselves woar I
redily perceived that this was to disguise us and owed it's origine to the same cause already
mentioned. to give them further confidence I put my cocked hat with feather on the chief and
my over shirt being of the Indian form my hair deshivled and skin well browned with the sun I
wanted no further addition to make me a complete Indian in appearance the men followed my
example and we were so[o]n completely metamorphosed. ... I now determined to restore their
confidence cost what it might and therefore gave the Chief my gun and told him that if his
enimies were in those bushes before him that he could defend himself with that gun, that for my
own part I was not affraid to die and if I deceived him he might make what uce of the gun he
thought proper or in other words that he might shoot me. ... after reading the notes which were
the same I had left I told the Chief that when I had left my brother Chief with the party below
where the river entered the mountain that we both agreed not to bring the canoes higher up than
the next forks of the river above us wherever this might happen, ...that this note was left here
today and that he informed me that he was just below the mountains and was coming on slowly
up, and added that I should wait here for him, ...
my mind was in reallity quite as gloomy all this evening as the most affrighted indian but I
affected cheerfullness to keep the Indians so who were about me. ... I slept but little as might be
well expected, my mind dwelling on the state of the expedition which I haver ever held in equal
estimation with my own existence, and the fait of which appeared at this moment to depend in a
great measure upon the caprice of a few savages who are ever as fickle as the wind. ... some of
the party had also told the Indians that we had a man with us who was black and had short
curling hair, this had excited their curiossity very much. and they seemed quite as anxious to
see this monster as they wer[e] the merchandize which we had to barter for their horses.
August 16, 1805
Captain Lewis slackened his pace, and followed at a sufficient distance to observe them. When they reached the place where Drewyer had thrown out the intestines, they all dismounted in confusion and ran tumbling over each other like famished dogs: each tore away whatever part he could and instantly began to eat it; some had the liver, some the kidneys, in short no part on which we are accustomed to look with disgust escaped them: one of them who had seized about nine feet of the entrails was chewing at one end, while with his hand he was diligently clearing his way by discharging the contents at the other. It was indeed impossible to see these wretches ravenously feeding on the filth of animals, and the blood streaming from their mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition of savages approaches that of the brute creation: yet though suffering with hunger they did not attempt, as they might have done, to take by force the whole deer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown away by the hunter. Captain Lewis now had the deer skinned, and after reserving a quarter of it gave the rest of the animal to the chief to be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured nearly the whole of it without cooking. They now went forward towards the creek where there was some brushwood to make a fire, and found Drewyer who had killed a second deer: the same struggle for the entrails was renewed here, and on giving
nearly the whole deer to the Indians, they devoured it even to the soft part of the hoofs. A fire being made captain Lewis had his breakfast, during which Drewyer brought in a third deer: this too, after reserving one quarter, was given to the Indians, who now seemed completely satisfied and in good humour.
August 17, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
... Capt. Clark arrived with the Interpreter Charbono, and the Indian woman, who proved to be
a sister of the Chief Cameahwait. the meeting of those people was really affecting, particularly
between Sah-cah-gar-we-ah and an Indian woman, who had been taken prisoner at the same
time with her and who, had afterwards escaped from the Minnetares and rejoined her nation.
...through the medium of Labuish, Charbono and Sah-cah-gar-weah, we communicated to
them fully the objects which had brought us into this distant part of the country, in which we
took care to make them a conspicuous object of our own good wishes and the care of our
government. we made them sensible of their dependance on the will of our government for
every species of merchandize as well for their defence & comfort; and apprized them of the
strength of our government and it's friendly dispositions towards them.
every article about us appeared to excite astonishment in ther minds; the appearance of the men,
their arms, the canoes, our manner of working them, the b[l]ack man york and the sagacity of
my dog were equally objects of admiration. I also shot my air-gun which was so perfectly
incomprehensive that they immediately denominated it the great medicine. ... the cerimony of
our council and smoking the pipe was in conformity of the custom of this nation perfo[r]med
bearfoot. on those occasions points of etiquet are quite as much attended to by the Indians as
among scivilized nations. To keep indians in a good humour you must not fatiegue them with
too much business at one time.
... it was mutually agreed that he (Capt. Clark) should set out tomorrow morning with eleven
men furnished with axes and other necessary tools for making canoes, their arms accoutrements
and as much of their baggage as they could carry. ... In the mean time I was to bring on the
party and baggage to the Shoshone Camp, calculating that by the time I should reach that place
that he would have sufficiently informed himself with rispect to the state of the river &c. as to
determine us whether to prosicute our journey from thence by land or water. ... the sperits of
the men were now much elated at the prospect of geting horses.
August 17, 1805
William Clark
The Interpreter & Squar who were before me at Some distance danced for the joyful sight, and
She made signs to me that they were her nation, (By sucking her fingers.)
... those Indians Sung all the way to their Camp where the others had provd a cind [kind] of
Shade of Willows Struck up in a Circle ... the Main Chief imediately tied to my hair Six Small
pieces of Shells resembling perl which is highly Valued by those people is is pr[o]cured from
the nations resideing near the Sea Coast.
The Great Chief of this nation proved to be the brother of the woman with us and is a man of
Influence Sence & easey & reserved manners, appears to possess a great deel of Cincerity. ...
every thing appeared to astonish those people. the appearance of the men, their arms, the
Canoes, the Clothing my black Servent & the Segassity of Capt Lewis's Dog. ... we made a
number of enquires of those people about the Columbia River the Countrey game & c. The
account they gave us was verry unfavourable, that the River abounded in emence falls, one
perticularly much higher than the falls of the Missouri & at the place the mountains Closed so
Close that it was impracticable to pass, & that the ridge Continued on each Side of
perpendicular Clifts inpenetratable, and that no Deer Elk or any game was to be found in that
Countrey, aded to that they informed us that there was no timber on the river Sufficiently large
to make Small Canoes, This information (if true is alarming) I deturmined to go in advance and
examine the ?ountrey, See if those dificueltes presented themselves in the gloomey picture in
which they painted them, and if the river was practi[c]able and I could find timber to build
Canoes,
... the Indians being so harrassed & compelled to move about in those rugid mountains that
they are half Starved liveing at this time on berries & roots which they geather in the plains.
Those people are not begerley but generous, only one has asked me for anything and he for
powder.
... Ka-me-ah-wah or come & Smoke.
August 18, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
I soon obtained three very good horses. for which I gave an uniform coat, a pair of legings, a
few handkerchiefs, three knives and some other small articles the whole of which did not cost
more than about 20$ in the U' States. the Indians seemed quite as well pleased with their bargin
as I was. the men also purchased one for an old checked shirt a pair of old legings and a knife.
This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now
existed about half the period which I am to remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had
as yet done but little, very little, indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance
the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent
in indolence, and now soarly feel the want of that information which those hours would have
given me had they been judiciously expended. but since they are past and cannot be recalled, I
dash from me the gloomy thought, and resolved in future, to redouble my exertions and at least
indeavour to promote those two primary objects of human existence, by giving them the aid of
that portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestoed on me; or in future, to live for
mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself.
August 24, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
Cameahwait literally translated is one who never walks. he told me that his nation had also
given him another name by which he was signalized as a warrior which was Too-et-te-can-e or
black gun. these people have many names in the course of their lives, particularly if they
become distinguished characters. for it seems that every important event by which they happen
to distinguish themselves intitles them to claim another name which is generally scelected by
themselves and confirmed by the nation. those distinguishing acts are the killing and scalping an
enemy, the killing a white bear, leading a party to war who happen to be successfull either in
destroying their enemies or robing them of their horses, or individually stealing the horses of an
enemy. these are considered acts of equal heroism among them, and that of killing an enemy
without scalping him is considered of no importance; in fact the whole honour seems to be
founded in the act of scalping, for if a man happens to slay a dozen of his enemies in action and
others get the scalps or first lay their hand on the dead person the honor is lost to him who
killed them and devolves on those who scalp or first touch them. Among the Shoshones, as
well as all the Indians of America, bravery is esteemed the primary virtue; nor can any one
become eminent among them who has not at some period of his life given proofs of his
possessing this virtue. with them there can be no preferment without some warlike
achievement, and so completely interwoven is this principle with the earliest Elements of
thought that it will in my opinion prove a serious obstruction to the restoration of a general
peace among the nations of the Missouri.
September 2, 1805
William Clark
proceded on thro' thickets in which we were obliged to Cut a road, over rockey hill Sides
where our horses were in [per]peteal danger of Slipping to their certain distruction & up &
Down Steep hills, where Several horses fell, Some turned over, and others Sliped down Steep
hill Sides, one horse Crippeled & 2 gave out.
Some rain at night.
September 4, 1805
William Clark
we [were] detained untill 8 oClock to thaw the covering for the baggage ... Groun[d] covered
with Snow,
... we met a part[y] of the Tushepau nation, of 33 Lodges about 80 men 400 Total and at least
500 horses, ... they [are] Stout & light complected more So than Common for Indians, ... I
was the first white man who ever wer on the waters of this river.
September 5, 1805
William Clark
... we assembled the Chiefs & warriers and Spoke to them (with much dificuel[t]y as what we
Said had to pass through Several languages before it got into theirs, which is a gugling kind of
language Spoken much thro the throught [throat]) ... I purchased 11 horses & exchanged 7 for
which we gave a fiew articles of merchendize, those people possess ellegant horses.
September 15, 1805
William Clark
Several horses Sliped and roled down Steep hills which hurt them verry much the one which
Carried my desk & Small trunk Turned over & roled down a mountain for 40 yards & lodged
against a tree, broke the desk the horse escaped and appeared but little hurt Some others verry
much hurt, ... when we arrived at the top As we Conceved, we could find no water and
Concluded to Camp and make use of the Snow we found on the top to cook the remns. of our
Colt & make our Supe, evening verry cold and cloudy. ... nothing killed to day except 2
Phests.
From this mountain I could observe high ruged mountains in every direction as far as I could
see.
September 17, 1805
William Clark
Killed a fiew Pheasents which was not sufficient for our Supper which compelled us to kill
Something, a Coalt being the most useless part of our Stock he fell a Prey to our appetites.
September 18, 1805
William Clark
The want of provisions together with the dificul[t]y of passing those emence mountains
dampened the sperits of the party which induced us to resort to Some plan of reviving ther
sperits.
... Encamped on a bold running Creek passing to the left which I call Hungery Creek as at that
place we had nothing to eate.
September 21, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
we killed a few Pheasants, and I killed a prarie woolf which together with the ballance of our
horse beef and some crawfish which we obtained in the creek enabled us to make one more
hearty meal, not knowing where the next was to be found. ... I find myself growing weak for
the want of food and most of the men complain of a similar deficiency, and have fallen off very
much.
September 27, 1805
William Clark
All the men able to work comen[c]ed building 5 Canoes, Several taken Sick at work, our
hunters returned Sick without meet.
September 28, 1805
William Clark
Our men nearly all Complaining of their bowels, a heaviness at the Stomach & Lax, Some of
those taken first getting better, ... nothing killed men complaing of their diat of fish & roots.
(3/4 of the party sick)
October 01, 1805
William Clark
nothin to eate except a little dried fish which they men complain of as working of them as (as
much as) a dost of Salts.
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