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I ascended the hills and had a view of a rough and broken country on both sides of the river; on the North side the summits of the hills exhibit some scattering pine and cedar, on the South side the pine has not yet commenced tho there is some cedar on the face of the hills and in the little ravines. the choke cherry also grows here in the hollows and at the heads of the gullies; the choke Cherry has been in blume since the ninth inst. this growth has freequently made it's appearance on the Missouri from the neighbourhood of the Baldpated Prarie, to this place in the form of it's leaf colour and appearance of it's bark, and general figure of it's growth it resembles much the Morillar cherry,1 tho much smaller not generally rising to a greater hight than from 6 to 10 feet and ascociating in thick clusters or clumps in their favorit situations which is usually the heads of small ravines or along the sides of small brooks which flow from the hills. the flowers which are small and white are supported by a common footstalk as those of the common wild cherry are, the corolla consists of five oval petals, five stamen and one pistillum, and of course of the Class and order Pentandria Monogynia. it bears a fruit which much resembles the wild cherry in form and colour tho larger and better flavoured; it's fruit ripens about the begining of July and continues on the trees untill the latter end of September- The Indians of the Missouri make great uce of this cherry which they prepare for food in various ways, sometimes eating when first plucked from the trees or in that state pounding them mashing the seed boiling them with roots or meat, or with the prarie beans and white-apple; again for their winter store they geather them and lay them on skins to dry in the sun, and frequently pound them and make them up in small roles or cakes and dry them in the sun; when thus dryed they fold them in skins or put them in bags of parchment and keep them through the winter either eating them in this state or boiling them as before mentioned. the bear and many birds also feed on these burries. the wild hysop sage, fleshey leaf thorn, and some other herbs also grow in the plains and hills, particularly the arromatic herb on which the Antelope and large hare feed.
Those people gave me Sturgion Salmon & wapto roots, & we bought roots, Some mats &c. &c. for which we were obliged to give emence prices- we also purchased a kind of Cranberry which the Indians Say the geather in the low lands, off of Small either vines or bushes just abov the ground- we also purchased hats made of Grass &c. of those Indians, Some very handsom mats made of flags-Some fiew curious baskets made of a Strong weed & willow or Splits-, also a Sweet Soft black root, about th Sise & Shape of a Carrot, this root they Value verry highly- The Wapto root is Scerce, and highly valued by those people, this root they roste in hot ashes like a potato and the outer Skin peals off, tho this is a trouble they Seldom perform.
Those people greatly pleased our hunters killed three Deer & an antilope which was eaten in a Short time 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.
The Clatsops, Chinnooks, Killamucks &c. are very loquacious and inquisitive; they possess good memories and have repeated to us the names capasities of the vessels &c of many traders and others who have visited the mouth of this river; they are generally low in stature, proportionably small, reather lighter complected and much more illy formed than the Indians of the Missouri and those of our frontier; they are generally cheerfull but never gay. with us their conversation generally turns upon the subjects of trade, smoking, eating or their women; about the latter they speak without reserve in their presents, of their every part, and of the most formiliar connection. they do not hold the virtue of their women in high estimation, and will even prostitute their wives and daughters for a fishinghook or a stran of beads. in common with other savage nations they make their women perform every species of domestic drudgery. but in almost every species of this drudgery the men also participate. their women are also compelled to geather roots, and assist them in taking fish, which articles form much the greatest part of their subsistance; notwithstanding the survile manner in which they treat their women they pay much more rispect to their judgment and oppinions in many rispects than most indian nations; their women are permitted to speak freely before them, and sometimes appear to command with a tone of authority; they generally consult them in their traffic and act in conformity to their opinions.
The Indians with the oile & bluber tole me they had to purchase of the Ca-le nixx and would Come to the fort & Sell to us in 3 Days time, this I incouraged, as I expect to purchase at the fort as cheep as at the village at which I was, day proved fine. rained the greater part of the night I went into an Indian Lodge they were pore Durty and the house full of flees. he offered me roots which they geather on the Sea Cost a kind of rush, of which they offered me to eate,
Passed the Creek of the big rock about 15 yds. wide on the L. Sd. at 11 oClock brought too a Small Caissee in which was two french men, from 80 Leagues up the Kansias R. where they wintered, and Cought a great quantity of Beaver, the greater part of which they lost by fire from the Praries, those men inform that the Kansas Nation are now out in the plains hunting Buffalow, they hunted last winter on this river Passed a projecting rock on which was painted a figue and a Creek at 2 ms. above Called Little Manitou Creek from the Painted rock this Creek 20 yds. wide on the L. Sd. passed a Small Creek on L. S. opposit a Verry bad Sand bar of Several ms. in extent, which we named Sand C here my Servent York Swam to the Sand bar to geather greens for our Dinner and returnd with a Sufficent quantity wild Creases or Teng grass, we passed up for 2 ms on the L. S. of this Sand and was obliged to return, the Watr. uncertain the quick Sand Moveing we had a fine wind, but could not make use of it, our Mast being broke, we passed between 2 Small Islands in the Middle of the Current, & round the head of three a rapid Current for one mile and Camped on the S. S. opsd. a large Island in the middle of the river; one Perogue did not get up for two hours, our Scout discovd. the fresh sign of about 10 Inds.
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