History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains, and down the river Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804, 1805, 1806, by order of the government of the United States

Front matter

V

-^^0^

V .

Chapter I

I he Party, after procuring Horses from the Shoshonees, proceed on their Journey through the Mountains.— Difficulties and Dangers of the Route.— Council held with another Band of the bhoshonees, of whom some Account is given.— They are reduced to the Necessity of killing their Horses for Food.— Captain Clarke, with a small Party, precedes the main Body in quest of Provisions, and is hospitably received by the Pierced- Mose Indians.— Arrival of the main Body among this Tribe with whom a Council is held.— They resolve to perform ihe Remainder of their Journey in Canoes.— Sickness among the Party.— They descend the Kooskooskee to its Junction with Lewis River, after passing several dangerous Rapids.— Brief Description of the Manners and Dress of the Pierced-Nose ^"^'^"s P3gg 9

CHAPTER H.

Departure of the Party.-Description of an Indian Sweating, bath and Burial-place.— Dangerous Rapids.— Visits from the Indians, who manifest a pacific Disposition.— Description of the bokulk Tribe —Their Dress, and Manner of building Houses. —Their pacific Character.— Their Habits of Living.— Their Mode of boihng Salmon.- Vast Quantities of Salmon among the Sokulks.— Council held with this Tribe.— The Terror and Consternation excited by Captain Clarke.-Some Account of the Pishquitpaws.— Their Mode of burying the Dead

CHAPTER HI.

fhe Party in their Descent still visited by the Indians.— Lepage 8 River -Towahnahiooks River.— Indian Mode of stacking tish, and preparing them for Market.— Description of the threat b alls.— DeBcription of an Indian Canoe.— Alarm excited by an anticipated Attack from the Eheltoots.-Dangerous Rapid, called by the Indians The Falls.— Account of the la-

IV CONTENTS.

dian Houses in the Neighbourhood.— Another frigntful Rapid. — Some Account of the Chilluckittequaw Indians. — Captain Ciariie examines tlie Great Rapids. — Description of an Indian Burial-place. — The Rapids passed in Safety . . Page 59

CHAPTER IV.

First Appearance of Tide-water in the Columbia River.— The Quicksand River. — Some Account of the Skilloot Indians. — The Party pass the Coweliske River. — Some Account of the Wahkiacum Indians. — Arrival on the Borders of the Pacific. — Disagreeable and Critical Situation of the Party when first encamped. — Their Distress from incessant Torrents of Rain. —Exposed for thirty Days to this drenching Deluge, during which Time their Provisions are spoiled, and most of their few Articles of Merchandise destroyed. — Distress of the Party. — Adventure of Shannon, and his Danger from the Wahkiacums. — Difficulty of finding a Place suitable for a permanent Encampment. — Visited by several Indians of different Tribes, on whom Medals were bestowed 83

CHAPTER V.

Extravagant Passion of the Nativea for blue Beads. — The Party in Search of a suitable Place for Winter-quarters. — Suffering from the Deluges of Rain. — Visits of the Indians. — Return of Captain Lewis, who reported that he had found a suitable Place for Wintering. — Captain Clarke goes with a Party to find a Place suitable for the Manufacture of Salt. — He is hospitably entertained by the Clatsops. — This Tribe addicted to Gambling. — Sickness of some of the Party, occasioned by the incessant Rains. — They form, notwithstanding, a permanent Encampment for their Winter-quarters .... 102

CHAPTER VI.

Captain Clarke continues his Route in Quest of the Whale. — Passes Clatsop River. — Perilous Nature of the Journey.— Grandeur of the Scenery. — Indian Mode of extracting Whaleoil. — The Life of one of Captain Clarke's Party preserved by the Kindness of an Indian Woman. — Short Account of the Chinnooks, Clatsops, Killamucks, and Lucktons. — Manner of Sepulture among the Chinnooks, Clatsops, &c. — Their Weapons of War and Hunting.— Their Mode of building Houses. — Their Manufactures and Cookery. — Their Canoes. — Great Dexterity in managing them 120

A —

CONTENTS. V

CHAPTER VII.

Farther Account of the Clatsops, Killamucks, and Chinnooks ; also of the Cathlamahs. — Their Custom of Flattening the Forehead. — Their Dress and Ornaments described. — Their Diseases. — The common Opinion that the Treatment of their Women is the Standard by which the Virtues of the Indians may be known, combated, and disproved by Examples. — The Respect entertained by these Indians for old Age, compared with the diiferent Conduct of those who subsist by the Chase. — Their Mode of Government. — Their Ignorance of ar dent Spirits, and their Fondness for Gambling. — Their Dexterity in Traffic. — In what Articles their Traffic consists. — Their extraordinary Fondness for blue Beads, which form their circulating Medium Page 139

CHAPTER VIII.

Difficulty of procuring the Means of Subsistence. — They determine to start on their Journey to the Mountains. — They leave with the Indians a written Memorandum, giving an Account of their having penetrated to the Pacific by the way of the Missouri and Columbia, and across the Rocky Mountains. — The Party commence their Return. — Dexterity of the Cathlamah Indians in Carving. — The Coweliskee River. — Hospitality of the Natives. — Instance of the extreme Voracity of the Vulture. — The Party are visited by many strange Indians, all of whom are kind and hospitable. — Scarcity of Game, and Embarrassments on that Account.— Captain Clarke discovers a Tribe not seen in the Descent down the Columbia.— Particular Description of the Multnomah Village and River. — Mount Jefferson. — Captain Clarke's Account of the Neerchokio Tribe, and of their Architecture. — Their Sufferings from Smallpox 154

CHAPTER IX.

Description of Wappatoo Lsland, and of the Mode in which the Natives gather the Wappatoo Root.— Character of the Soil and its Productions. — Numerous Tribes residing in its Vicmity.— Probability that they were all of the Multnomah Tribe originally, inferred from Similarity of Dress, Manners, Language, &c. — Description of their Dress, Weapons of War, and Mode of burying the Dead.— Description of another Village, called the Wahclellah Village.— Their Mode of Architecture. — Extraordinary Height of Beacon Rock.— Unfriendly Character of the Indians at that Place.— The Party, alarmed for their Safety, resolve to inflict summary Vengeance, in case

VI CONTENTS.

the Wahclellah Tribe persist in their Outrages and Insults — Interview with the Chief of that Tribe, and Confidence reato red. — Difficulty of drawing the Canoes over the Rapids. — Visited by a Party of the Yehugh Tribe. — Brief Notice of the Weocksockwillackum Tribe. — Curious Phenomenon observed in the Columbia, from the Rapids to the Chilluckittequaws

CHAPTER X.

Captain Clarke procures four Horses for the Transportation ot the Baggage. — Some farther Account of the Skilloot Tribe. — Their Joy at the first Appearance of Salmon in the Columbia. — Their thievish Propensities. — The Party arrive at the Vil lage of the Eneeshurs, where the Natives are found alike unfriendly. — The Party now provided with Horses. — Prevented from the Exercise of Hostility against this nation by a friendly Adjustment. — The Scarcity of Timber so great that they are compelled to buy Wood to cook their Provisions.— Arrive at the Wahhowpum Village. — Dance of the Natives. — Havingob tained their Complement of Horses, the Party proceed by Land. — Arrive at the Pishquitpah Village, and some Account of that People. — Frank and hospitable Conduct of the WoUawollahs. — Their Mode of Dancing described. — Their Mode of making Fish-wears. — Their amiable Character .... 188

CHAPTER XL

The Party pursue their Route towards the Kooskooskee. — They reach the Kinnooenim Creek. — Meet with an old Acquaint ance, called the Bighorn Indian.— Arrive at the Mouth of the Kooskooskee. — Difficulty of purchasing Provisions from the Natives, and new Device of the Party to obtain them. — Chopunnish Style of Architecture.— Captain Clarke turns Physician, and performs several Experiments upon the Natives with Success. — Instance of their Honesty. — Distress of the Indians for want of Provisions during the Winter. — The Party finally meet Twisted Hair, to whom their Horses had been intrusted on their Journey down. — Quarrel between that Chief and another of his Nation, in regard to his Horses. — Causes of the Controversy stated at large. — The two Chiefs reconciled by the Interference of the Party, and the Horses restored. — Extraordinary Instanceof Indian Hospitality towards Strangers.— Council held with the Chopunnish, and the Object of the Expedition explained. — The Party perform other medical Cures. — Answer of the Chopunnish to the Speech delivered at the Council, ratified by a singular Ceremony. — They promise faithfully to follow the Advice of their Visiters . . 205

CJ)NTENTS. VU

CHAPTER XII.

The Party encamp among the Chopunnish, and receive farther Evidence of their Hospitality. — Indian Mode of boiling Bear's Flesh. — Of decoying the Deer within Reach of their Arrows. — Character of the Soil and Climate among the Rocky Mountains. — Varieties of Climate. — Character of the Natives. — Their Dress and Ornaments. — Mode of burying the Dead. — The Party administer medical Relief to the Natives. — One of the Natives restored to the Use of his Limbs by Sweating, and the curious Process by which Perspiration was excited. — Another Proof of Chopunnish Hospitality. — Success of their sweating Prescription on an Indian Chief. — Description of the Horned Lizard and a Variety of Insects. — Attachment of the Friends of a dying Indian to a Tomahawk which he had stolen from the Party, and which they desired to bury with the Body. — Description of the River Tommanamah. — The Indians return an Answer to a Proposition made by the Party

CHAPTER XIII.

They join in the Diversions of the Willetpos Indians, a Tribe hith erto unnoticed. — Joy of the Party at the prospect of Returning. — Vegetation of the Rocky Mountains, — Preparations to resume their Journey. — They set out, and arrive at Hungry Creek. — Difficulties that obstructed their Progress. — Compelled to return and wait for a Guide across the Mountains. — Their Distress for want of Provisions. — They resolve to return to the Quamash Flats. — Are at last so fortunate as to procure Indian Guides, with whom they resume their Journey. — Dangers of the Route. — Scarcity of Provisions, and the Perils to which they were exposed, their Course lying along the Ridge of the Mountains. — Description of the warm Springs, where the Party encamp. — Fondness of the Indians for bathing in them 238

CHAPTER XIV.

The Party, proceeding on their Journey with their Indian Guides, agree to divide, take separate Routes, and meet again at the Mouth of the Yellowstone River.— Captain Lewis, with nine Men, proceeds up the eastern Branch of Clarke's River, and takes leave of the Indian Guides.— Description of that Branch, and Character of the surrounding Country. — The Cokalahishkit River.— They arrive at the Ridge dividing the Missouri from the Columbia River. — Meet with the Buffalo and Brown Bear. — Immense Herds of Buffalo seen on the Borders of Medicine River.— The Party encamp on W^hite

Viii • CONTENTS.

Bear Island.-Singular Adventure that befell M'Neil.— Cap. tain Lewis, with three of his Party, proceeds to explore the Source of Maria's River.-Tansy River.-He reaches the di viding Line of these two Streams.-General Character of the surrounding Country ^^S^ '^^^

CHAPTER XV.

Captain Lewis and his Party arrive at the Forks of Maria's River.- Alarmed by the Evidence of being in the Neighbourhood of unfriendly Indians, and distressed or Want ot Frovisions.-The unfavourable Weather compels them to return -Interview with the Minnetarees of Fort de Prairie.-Mutual Consternation.- Resolution of Captain Lewis.- They en camp together for the Night.-Conversation which ensues — Conflict occasioned by the Indians attempting to seize the Rifles and Horses of the Party, in which one of tho former is mortally wounded.— Captain Lewis kills another Indian, arid his narrow Escape.-Having taken four Horses belonging to the Indians, they hasten to join the Party with Captain Clarke -Arriving near the Missouri, they are alarmed by the bound of Rifles, which fortunately proves to be from the Party undei Sergeant Ordway.-The two Detachments thus united, leave their Horses, and descend the Missouri in Canoes.— Continue their Route down the River to join Captain Clarke.- Vast Quantities of Game seen on their Passage.-Captam Lewis accidentally Wounded by one of his own Party.-They at length join Captain Clarke ^"'

CHAPTER XVI.

The Party commanded by Captain Clarke proceed along Clarke's River.— Their sorry Commemoration of the 4th ol July .-Instance of Sacajawea's Strength of Memory.-Description of the River and of the surroundmg Country, as he Party proceed— Horses missing, and supposed to be stolen by the Indians.-They reach Wisdom River.- Extraordinary Heat of a Spring.-Fondness of the Party for Tobacco Sergeant Ordway recovers the Horses.-Captain Clarke divides his Party, one detachment to descend the l^iver.-l hey reach Gallatm and Jeff-erson Rivers.-Arrive at the Yelowstone River.-Otter and Beaver Rivers.-Indian t ortihcation. -One of the Party accidentally wounded.-Lngaged in building Canoes.-Twenty-four Horses stolen, probably by the Indians "^

CONTENTS. 15?

CHAPTER XVII.

C&ptain Clarke proceeds down the River.— Description of an Indian Lodge.— Sergeant Pryor arrives with the Horses.— Remarkable Rock seen by Captain Clarke, and the Beauty of the Prospect from its Summit. — Yellowstone and Bighorr; Rivers compared. — Immense Herds of Buffalo. — Fierceness of the White Bear. — Encamp at the Junction of the Yellowstone and Missouri.— General Outline given of the Yellowstone jiiver. — Sufferings of the Party from the Moschetoes. — Sergeant Pryor arrives, and reports that the Horses were all stolen by the Indians.— In this Emergency they make Canoes of Skins, in which they descend the River over the most difficult Shoals and Rapids.— Unexpectedly meet with two White Men, from whom they procure Intelligence in relation to the Indians formerly visited by the Party . . . Page 292

CHAPTER XVni.

Oaptain Clarke and his Party are overtaken by the Detachment under Captain Lewis, and they all descend the Missouri together. — They revisit the Minnetaree Indians, and hold a Council with that Nation, as well as the Mahahas.— Captain Clarke endeavours to persuade their Chiefs to accompany him to the United States, which they decline on Account of their Fears of the Sioux in their Passage down the River. — Colter, one of the Party, requests and obtains Liberty to remain among the Indians, for the Purpose of hunting Beaver. — Friendly Deportment of the Mandans. — Council held by Captain Clarke with the Chiefs of the different Villages. — The Chief named Big White, with his Wife and Son, agrees to accompany the Party to the United States. — He takes an affecting Farewell of his Nation. — Chaboneau, with his Wife, declines going to the United States, and they are left among the Indians.— The Party at length proceed on their Route.— They arrive among the Ricaras.— Character of the Chayennes, their Dress, Habits, &c. — Captain Clarke offers a Medal to the Chief of this Nation, which he at first refuses, believing it to be Medicine, but which he is afterward prevailed on to accept. — The Ricaras decline permitting one of their Number to accompany Captain Clarke to the United States, preferring to wait the Return of their Chief who had already gone. — The Party proceed rapidly down the River. — Prepare to defend themselves against the Tetons. — Incredible Number of Buffalo seen near White River. — They meet with the Tetons, and decline their Invitations to Land. — Intrepidity ®f Captain Clarke 308

JI— B

X CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Party return in Safety to St. Louis . . . Page 32"

Appendix

Farther Enumeration and Description of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and Plants noticed during the Expedition . . 339

Enumeration of Indian Nations, and their Places of general Residence 379

A. Summary Statement of the Rivers, Creeks, and most re-

■ markable Places, their Distances from each other and from

the Mississippi, up the Missouri, across the Rocky Mountains,

and down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, as determined

by Captains Lewis and Clarke 387

PLATES.

Vol. I. Map of Lewis and Clarke's Roite.

Ancient Fortification P«igc 87

Cascade of the Missouri 223

Falls and Portage 234

Vol II. Great Falls of the Columbia .... 64

Great Shoot and Rapid . .... 79

Mouth of the Columbia ... .06

LEWIS AND CLARKE'S

EXPEDITION

UP THE MISSOURI.

CHAPTER I.

The Party, after procuring Horses from the Shoshonees, proceed on their Journey through the Mountains. — Difficulties and Dangers of the Route. — Council held with another Band of the Shoshonees, of whom some Account is given. — They are reduced to the Necessity of killing their Horses for food. — Captain Clarke, with a small Party, precedes the main Body in quest of Provisions, and is hospitably received by the Pierced- Nose Indians. — Arrival of the main Body among this Tribe, with whom a Council is held. — They resolve to perform the Remainder of their Journey in Canoes. — Sickness among the Party. — They descend the Kooskooskee to its Junction with Lewis River, after passing several dangerous Rapids. — Brief Description of the Manners and Dress of the Pierced-Nose Indians.

" August 27. We were now occupied in determining on our route and in procuring horses from the Indians. The old guide who had been sent on by Captain Clarke now affirmed, through our interpreter, what he had already asserted of a road up Berry Creek, which would lead to Indian establishments on another branch of the Columbia: his reports were, however, contradicted by all the Shoshonees. This representation we ascribed to a wish on their part to keep us with them during the winter, as well for the protection we might afford them against their enemies, as for the purpose of consuming our merchandise among ihem ; and as the old man promised to conduct us himself, the route indicated by him seemed to be the most eligible. We were able to procure some horses, though not enough for all our purposes. This traffic, and our councils with the Indians, consumed the remainder of the day.

" August 28. The purchase of horses was resumed, and our stock raised to twenty-two. Having now crossed more than once the country which separates the head-waters of the Missouri from those of the Columbia, we can designate the easiest and most expeditious route for a portage. It is as follows :

" From the forks of the river, north 60 degrees west, five miles, to the point of a hill on the right ; then south 80 degrees west, ten miles, to a spot where the creek is ten yards wide, and the highlands approach within two hundred yards ; southwest five miles, to a narrow part of the bottom ; then turning south 70 degrees west, two miles, to a creek on the right ; thence south 80 degrees west, three miles, to a rocky point opposite to a thicket of pines on the left ; thence west three miles, to the gap where is the fountain of the Missouri; on leaving this fountain, south 80 degrees west, six miles, across the dividing ridge to a run from the right, passing several small streams north 80 degrees west, four miles, over hilly ground to the east fork of Lewis's River, which is here forty yards wide.*

* Since the time of Lewis and Clarke, a far more practicable route has been discovered across the mountains, farther south, by ascending the Platte River instead of the Missouri.

Mr. Parker, who left Council Bluffs with a party of the American Fur Company in 1835, and crossed the Rocky Mountains by this southern route, says: "The passage through these mountains is in a valley so gradual in the ascent and descent, that I should not have known that we were passing them, had it not been that, as we advanced, the atmosphere gradually be came cooler ; and at length we found perpetual snows upon our right hand and upon our left, elevated many thousand feet above us, in some places ten thousand. The highest part of these

PURCHASE OF HORSES. 11

"August 29. Captain Clarke joined us this morning, and we continued bargaining for horses. Thb late misfortunes of the Shoshonees have made the price higher than common, so that one horse cost us a pistol, one hundred balls, some powder, and a knife ; another was purchased with a musket ; and in thi?j way we finally obtained twenty-mne. The animals are young and vigorous, but very poor, and most of them have sore backs, in consequence of the roughness of the Shoshonee saddle. We are therefore afraid of burdening them too heavily, and are anxious to obtain one, at least, for each man, to carry the baggage or the man himself, or in the last resource to serve as food ; but with all our exertions we are unable to provide all our men with horses. We have, however, been fortunate in obtaining for the last three days a sufficient supply of flesh, our hunters having killed two or three deer every day.

" August 30. The weather was fine, and, having now made all our purchases, we loaded our horses and prepared to start. The greater part of the band, also, who had delayed their journey on our account, were ready to depart. We now took our leave of the Shoshonees, who set out on their visit to the Missouri at the same time that we, accompanied by the old guide, his four sons, and another Indian, began the descent of the river, along the same road which Captain Clarke had previously followed."

Before night they accomplished a distance of

mountains is found by f»ieasurement to be eighteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. This valley was not discovered until a few years since. Mr. Hunt and his party more than twenty years ago went near it, but did not find it, though in search of some favourable passage. It varies in width from five to twenty miles ; and, followmg its course, the distance through the mountains is about eighty miles, or four days' journey. Though there are some elevations and depressions in this valley, yet, comparatively speaking, it is level. There would be no difficulty in the way of constructing a railroad from the Atlantic, t4 the Pacific Ocean.'^ — Parker''s Journal, p. 72.

twelve miles. The following day they found the valleys and prairies in different places on fire, as a signal to collect the different bands of Shoshonees and Flatheads, preparatory to their migration to the Missouri. On reaching Tower Creek, they diverged from the former route taken by Captain Clarke, and followed for four miles the course of Berry Creek. On the 1st of September, quitting Berry Creek, they turned to the northwest, and, after travelling eighteen miles across a hilly country, they arrived at Fish Creek, a considerable stream flowing into the Columbia ; and, after going up this creek four miles, they encamped. The next morning all the Indiana left them except the old guide. In continuing to ascend Fish Creek, at the distance of seven and a half miles they found it divided into two branches, and the road they had been following turning to the east, and leading, as their guide informed them, to the Missouri.

" We were therefore," proceeds the narrative, "left without any track; but, as no time was to be lost, we began to cut our road up the west branch of the creek. This we effected with much difficulty. The thickets of trees and brush through which we were obliged to cut our way required great labour : the road itself was over the steep and rocky sides of the hills, where the horses could not move without danger of slipping down, while their feet were bruised by the rocks and stumps of trees. Accustomed as these animals were to this kind of travelling, they suffered severely: several of them fell some distance down the sides of the hills, some turned over with the baggage, one was crippled, and two gave out, exhausted with fatigue. After crossing the creek several times, we at length made five miles with great fatigue and labour, and encamped on the left bank, in some stony, low ground." * * *

"September 3. The horses were very stiff anc? w^eary. We sent back two men for the load of the

DIFFICULTIES OF THE JOURNEY. 13

horse wliich had been crippled jesterdny, and which we had been forced to leave two miles behind. On their return we set out at eight o'clock, and proceeded up the creek, making a passage through the brush and timber along its borders. The country generally is well supplied with pine, and in the low grounds is a great abundance of fir-trees and underbrush. The mountains are high and rugged, and those to the east of us covered with snow. With all our precautions, the horses were very much injured in passing over the ridges and steep points of the hills, and, to add to the difficulty, at the distance of eleven miles the high mountains closed upon the creek, so that we were obhged to leave it to the right, and abruptly cross the mountain. The ascent was here so steep that several of the horses slipped and hurt themselves ; but at last we succeeded in getting across, and encamped on a small branch of Fish Creek. We had now made fourteen miles, in a direction nearly north from the river." * * * " At dusk it commenced snowing, and continued till the ground was covered to the depth of two inches, when it changed into a sleet. We here met with a serious misfortune, the last of our thermometers being broken by accident. After making a scanty supper on a little corn and a few pheasants killed in the course of the day, we laid down to sleep, and the next morning,

" September 4, found everything frozen, and the ground covered with snow. We were obliged to wait some time, in order to thaw the covers of the baggage, after which we began our journey at eight o'clock. We crossed a high mountain, which forms the dividing ridge between the waters of the creek we had been ascending, and those running to the north and west. We had not gone more than six miles over the snow, when we reached the head of a stream from the right, which directed its course more to the west ; and, descending the steep sides

14 LEWIS Ai\D CLARKE'S EXrEDlTION.

of the hills along its border, at the distance of three miles found a small branch coming in from the east. We saw several of the argalia, but they were too shy to be killed, and we therefore made our dinner from a deer shot by one of the hunters. Then we pursued the course of the stream for three miles, till it emptied itself into a river from the east, in the wide valley at their junction we discovered a large encampment of Indians ; and on reaching them, and alighting from our horses, we were received with great cordiality. A council was immediately assembled, white robes were thrown over our shoulders, and the pipe of peace was introduced. After this ceremony, as it was too late to go any farther, we encamped, and continued smoking and conversing with the chiefs till a late hour. The next morning,

" September 5, we assembled the chiefs and warriors, and informed them who we were, and the purpose for which we had visited their country. All this was, however, conveyed to them through so many different languages, that it was not comprehended without difficulty. We therefore proceeded to the more intelligible language of presents, and made four chiefs by giving a medal and a small quantity of tobacco to each. We received in turn from the principal chief a present consisting of the skins of a blaireau (badger), an otter, and two ante lopes, and were treated by the women to some dried roots and berries. We then began to traffic for horses, and succeeded in exchanging seven and purchasing eleven, for which we gave a few articles of mf3rchandise.

" This encampment consists of thirty-three tents, in which were about four hundred souls, among whom eighty were men. They are called Ootlashoots, and represent themselves as one band of a nation called Tushepaws, a numerous people of four hundred and fifty tents, residing on the head-waters

ACCOUNT OP THE OOTLASHOOTS. 15

of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and some of them lower down the latter river. In person these Indians are stout, and their complexion lighter than that common among Indians. The hair of the men is worn in queues of otter skin, falling in front over the shoulders. A shirt .of dressed skin covers the body to the knee, and over this is worn occasionally a robe. To these are added leggins and moccasins. The women suffer their hair to fall in disorder over the face and shoulders, and their chief article of covering is a long shirt of skin, reaching down to the ankles, and tied round the waist. In other respects, as also in the few ornaments which they possess, their appearance is similar to that of the Shoshonees : there is, however, a difference between the languages of these two people, which is still farther increased by the very extraordinary pronunciation of the Ootlashoots. Their words have all a remarkably guttural sound, and there is nothing which seems to represent the tone of their speaking more exactly than the clucking of a fowl or the noise of a parrot. This peculiarity renders their voices scarcely audible, except at a short distance ; and, when many of them are talking, forms a strange confusion of sounds. The common conversation that we overheard consisted of low, guttural sounds, occasionally broken by a low word or two, after which it would relapse, and could scarcely be dis-* tinguished. They seemed kind and friendly, and willingly shared with us berries and roots, which formed their sole stock of provisions. Their only wealth is their horses, which are very fine, and so numerous that this party had with them at least five hundred.