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Fields and Shannon landed on an Ponceras Island to try to kill Some deer which was Seen on the beech and the Canoes all passed them at 9 A. M we passed the enterance of River Quiequur which had the Same appearance it had when we passed up water rapid and of a milky white Colour about two miles below the Quicurre, 9 Indians ran down the bank and beckened to us to land, they appeared to be a war party, and I took them to be Tetons and paid no kind of attention to them further than an enquirey to what tribe they belonged, they did not give me any answer, I prosume they did not understand the man who Spoke to them as he Spoke but little of their language. as one Canoe was yet behind we landed in an open Commanding Situation out of Sight of the indians deturmined to delay untill they Came up. about 15 minits after we had landed Several guns were fired by the indians, which we expected was at the three men behind.
The Village of the broken Arm consists of one house or Lodge only which is 150 feet in length built in the usial form of Sticks, Mats and dry grass. it contains 24 fires and about double that number of families. from appearance I prosume they could raise 100 fighting men. the noise of their women pounding the cows roots remind me of a nail factory.
Those people do not appear to know the use of Speritious licquors, they never haveing once asked us for it; I prosume therefore that the traders who visit them have never indulged them with the use of it; of whatever Cause this may proceed, it is a verry fortunate occurrence, as well for the nativs themselves, as for the quiet and Safty of those whites who visit them.
I prosume that those indians are spies from the Shoshones. Shannon & Crusat killed each a deer this morning and J. Shields killed a female Ibex or bighorn on the side of the Mountain, this Animal was very meager. Shannon left his tomahawk at the place he killed his deer.
This morning a very large Bear of white Specis, discovered us floating in the water and takeing us, as I prosume to be Buffalow imediately plunged into the river and prosued us.
The Ossinniboins make use of the Same kind of Lodges which the Sioux and other Indians on this river make use of- Those lodges or tents are made of a number of dressed buffalow Skins Sowed together with Sinues & deckerated with the tales, & Porcupine quils, when open it forms a half circle with a part about 4 Inches wide projecting about 8 or 9 Inches from the center of the Streight Side for the purpose of attaching it to a pole to it the hight they wish to raise the tent, when they errect this tent four poles of equal length are tied near one end, those poles are elevated and 8 10 or 12 other poles are anexed forming a Circle at the ground and lodging in the forks of the four attached poles, the tents are then raised, by attach the projecting part to a pole and incumpassing the poles with the tent by bringing the two ends together and attached with a Cord, or laied as high as is necessary, leaveing the lower part open for about 4 feet for to pass in & out, and the top is generally left open to admit the Smoke to pass- The Borders of the river has been So much hunted by those Indians who must have left it about 8 or 10 days past and I prosume are now in the neighbourhood of British establishments on the Osinniboin; the game is Scerce and verry wild.
I could not lern whether they took Sturgion but prosume if they do it is in but Small quantities as they complain much of the Scercity of food among them, they informed us that the nativs above them were in the Same Situation, and that they did not expect the Salmon to arrive untill the full of the next moon which happens on the 2nd of May. we did not doubt the veracity of those people who Seamed to be on their way with their families and effects in serch of Subsistence which they find it easy to precure in this fertile Vally-. This information givs us much uneasiness with respect to our future means of Subsistence, above the falls, on through the Plains from thence to the Chopunnish there are no Deer Antilopes or Elk on which we could depend for Subsistence; their horses are very poor most probably at this Season, and if they have no fish their dogs must be in the Same Situation. under these circumstances there Seams to be a gloomey prospect for Subsistence on any terms; we therefore took it into Serious Consideration what measure we were to pursue on this Occasion; it was at once deemed inexpedient to waite the arival of the Salmon as that would detain us So long a portion of the Season that it is probable we Should not reach the U States before the ice would close the Missouri; or at all events would hazard our horses which we left in charge of the Chopunnish who informed us that they intended passing the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri as early as the Season would permit them which is about the first of May.
I prosume the Suckcess of their Winters hunt has produced this change in their attere. they all Cut their hair in the fore head, and most of the men ware the two Cews over each Sholder in front of the body; Some have the addition of a fiew Small plats formed of the eare locks, and others tigh a Small bundle of the docked foretop in front of the fore head. their orniments are Such as discribed of the nativs below, and are worn in a Similar manner. they insisted on our danceing this evening but it rained a little the wind blew hard and the weather was Cold, we therefore did not indulge them. Several applyed to me to day for medical aides, one a broken arm another inward fever and Several with pains across their loins, and Sore eyes.
I saw in Several houses of the Cath lah poh tie Village large Symeters of Iron from 3 to 4 feet long which hangs by the heads of their beads; the blade of this weapon is thickest in the Center tho thin even there, all it's edges are Sharp and its greatest width which is about 9 inches from the point, is about 4 inches. the form is this this is a formable weapon. they have heavy bludgeons of wood made in the Same form nearly which I prosume they use for the Same purpose before they obtained metal. we made 22 Miles only to day the wind and a Strong current being against us all day, with rain. discovered a high mountain S E. Covered with Snow which we call Mt.
Passed a Small Creek on the S. S. & Several runs of water on each Side, Saw the remains of Indian camps in every point of timbered land on the S. S. in the evining a thunder gust passed from the S W, without rain, about Sunset Saw Some fresh Indians track and four rafts on the shore S. S. Those I prosume were Ossinniboins who had been on a war party against the Rockey Mountain Indians- Saw a Curlow, Some verry large beaver taken this morning. those animals are made use of as food and preferred by the party to any other at this Season
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