Clark: April 16, 1806

April 16th 1806 Crossed the river and Sent Drewyer & Goodrich to the
Skil lute village to envite the Indians to trade horses with us, also sent
Frazer & Shabono to the Che-luck-kit-ti-quar village for the same
purpose a number of Indians came of both nations and delayed the greater
part of the day without tradeing a Single horse the Great Chief of the
Skillutes also came with Drewyer. he was lame and Could not walk he told
me if I would go to his Town his people would trade with me. I Set out
late and arrived at Sunset and informd. the natives that in the morning I
would trade with them. he gave me onions to eate which had been Sweated.
Peter played the violin and the men danced. Saw abt. 100 Stacks of fish.
maney nations visit this place for trade. the discription of the houses,
their dress habits &c. Smoked &c. I saw great numbers of horses

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Wednesday April 16th 1806 about 8 oClock this morning I passed the river
with the two interpreters, and nine men in order to trade with the nativs
for their horses, for which purpose I took with me a good part of our
Stock of merchindize. Capt L. Sent out the hunters and Set Several men at
work makeing pack Saddles. twelve horses will be Sufficient to trans port
our baggage and Some pounded fish with our dried Elk. which we intend
takeing with us as a reserved Store for the Plains & rocky mountains.
I formed a Camp on the N. Side and Sent Drewyer & Goodrich to the
Skillute Village, and Shabono & Frazer down to the Chilluckkitequaw
Villages with derections to inform the nativs that I had Crossed the river
for the purpose of purchaseing horses, and if they had horses to Sell us
to bring them to my Camp. Great numbers of Indians came from both Villages
and delayed the greater part of the day without tradeing a Single horse.
Drewyer returned with the principal Chief of the Skillutes who was lame
and Could not walk. after his arival Some horses were offered for Sale,
but they asked nearly half the merchindize I had with me for one horse.
this price I could not think of giveing. the Chief informed me if I would
go to his town with him, his people would Sell me horses. I therefore
Concluded to accompany him to his Village 7 miles distant. we Set out and
arrived at the Village at Sunset. after Some Serimony I entered the house
of the Chief. I then informed them that I would trade with them for their
horses in the morning for which I would give for each horse the articles
which I had offered yestered. The Chief Set before me a large platter of
Onions which had been Sweeted. I gave a part of those onions to all my
party and we all eate of them, in this State the root is very Sweet and
the tops tender. the nativs requested the party to dance which they very
readily consented and Peter Cruzat played on the Violin and the men danced
Several dances & retired to rest in the houses of the 1st and Second
Cheif.

this village is moved about 300 yards below the Spot it Stood last fall at
the time we passed down. they were all above grown and built in the Same
form of those below already discribed. We observed maney stacks of fish
remaining untouched on either Side of the river. The Inhabitents of this
Village ware the robe of deer Elk Goat &c. and most of the men ware
Legins and mockersons and Shirts highly ornimented with Porcupine quills
& beeds. the women were the Truss most Commonly. tho Some of them have
long Shirts all of those articles they precure from other nations who
visit them for the purpose of exchangeing those articles for their pounded
fish of which they prepare great quantities. This is the Great Mart of all
this Country. ten different tribes who reside on Taptate and Catteract
River visit those people for the purpose of purchaseing their fish, and
the Indians on the Columbia and Lewis’s river quite to the Chopunnish
Nation Visit them for the purpose of tradeing horses buffalow robes for
beeds, and Such articles as they have not. The Skillutes precure the most
of their Cloth knivs axes & beeds from the Indians from the North of
them who trade with white people who come into the inlets to the North at
no great distance from the Tapteet. their horses of which I saw great
numbers, they precure from the Indians who reside on the banks of the
Columbia above, and what fiew they take from the To war ne hi ooks or
Snake Indians. I smoked with all the principal men of this nation in the
house of their great Cheif and lay my Self down on a Mat to Sleep but was
prevented by the mice and vermin with which this house abounded and which
was very troublesom to me.