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This war Chief gave us a Chart in his way of the Missourie, he informed us of his intentions of going to war in the Spring against the Snake Indians we advised him to look back at the number of nations who had been distroyed by war, and reflect upon what he was about to do, observing if he wished the hapiness of his nation, he would be at peace with all, by that by being at peace and haveing plenty of goods amongst them & a free intercourse with those defenceless nations, they would get on easy terms a great Number of horses, and that nation would increas, if he went to war against those Defenceless people, he would displease his great father, and he would not receive that pertection & Care from him as other nations who listened to his word- This Chief who is a young man 26 yr. old replied that if his going to war against the Snake indians would be displeasing to us be would not go, he had horses enough.
Shore- the leaves of the Cottonwood were much distroyed- as were those of the Cottonwood trees in it's neighbourhood.
Deer are very abundant in the neighbourhood of travellers rest of both speceis, also some bighorns and Elk. a little before sunset we arrived at our old encampment on the south side of the creek a little above it's entrance into Clark's river. here we encamped with a view to remain two days in order to rest ourselves and horses & make our final arrangements for seperation. we came 19 ms. after dinner the road being much better than it has been since we entered the mountains we found no appearance of the Ootslashshoots having been here lately. the indians express much concern for them and apprehend that the Minnetares of fort de Prarie have distroyed them in the course of the last winter and spring, and mention the tracks of the bearfoot Indians which we saw yesterday as an evidence of their being much distressed. our horses have stood the journey supprisingly well, most of them are yet in fine order, and only want a few days rest to restore them perfectly.
Charbono complains much of his leg, and is the cause of considerable detention to us. we encamped on the river bank near the place at which it leaves the valley and enters the mountain having traveled about 23 miles. we saw some Antelopes deer Grains, gees, and ducks of the two species common to this country. the summer duck has ceased to appear, nor do I beleive it is an inhabitant of this part of the country. the timber &c is as heretofore tho there is more in this valley on the rapid fork than we have seen in the same extent on the river since we entered this valley. the Indians appear on some parts of the river to have distroyed a great proportion of the little timber which there is by seting fire to the bottoms.
It may be proper to observe that the emence Sworms of Grass hoppers have distroyed every Sprig of Grass for maney miles on this Side of the river, and appear to be progressing upwards. about 4 Miles below the place I left Sergt.
Great portion of these bottoms has been latterly burnt which has entirely distroyed the timbered growth. at the distance of nine miles we over took our hunters, they had killed one bever only at this place the road forked, one leaveing the Creek and the Corse of it is nearly North. the Chopunnish who had accompanied us with his family informed us that this was our best way. that it was a long distance without water. and advised us to Camp on the Creek at this place and in the morning to Set out early.
"Follyin' him since yisterday mornin' I am," said the other, "when it's in me bed I should be be rights, for I'm that distroyed wid the could on me chest I've scare a bit of breath in me body. But sure what matter if I can come be the crathur agin. Is it that a-way he went, did you notice?"
The small pox has distroyed a great number of the natives in this quarter. it prevailed about 4 years since among the Clatsops and distroy several hundred of them, four of their chiefs fell victyms to it's ravages. those Clatsops are deposited in their canoes on the bay a few miles below us.
On another occasion, he says, "we Incamped by ye side of ye River and we had much difficulty to kindle a fire by Reason it Rained exceeding fast, and wet our fire works; we was obliged to turn our connews bottom up and Lay under them; at this time it thundered exceedingly, and ye Indians asked me if there was not people in my Country sometimes distroyed by ye Thunder and Lightning, yet I told them I had known several Instances of that nature, they told me yt never any thing hapned to ye Indians of harm neither by thunder nor Lightning, and they said it was a Judgment on ye English and French, for Incroaching on their Libertys in America."
S. S., this nation once the Most Noumerous is now almost extinct, about 30 of them, liveing with Otteaus on the R. Platt, the remainder all distroyed, took altd. of S. U L with qdt. which gave N 28 W. 11/2 ms to a pt.
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