Clark: May 28, 1806
Wednesday May 28th 1806 We sent Goodrich to the Village of the broken Arm
for hair to Stuff Saddle pads. Jo. & R. Fields Set out this morning to
hunt towards the mountains. at noon Shabono York and Lapage returned. they
had obtained 4 bags of the dried roots of Cowse and Some bread. in the
evening Collins, Shannon & Cotter returned with 8 deer. they
fortunately discovered a ford on Collin’s Creek where they were enable to
pass it with there horses and had hunted at the quawmash Grounds where we
first met with the Chopunnish last fall. deer were verry abundant they
informed us, but there was not many bear. The Sick Chief is much better
this morning he can use his hands and arms and Seems much pleased with the
prospects of recovering, he Says he feels much better than he has done for
a great Number of Months. I Sincerly wish that the Swetts may restore him.
I have Consented to repeet the Sweets.
The Country along the rocky mountains for Several hundred Miles in length
and about 50 in width is leavel extremely fertile and in many parts
Covered with a tall and opult. growth of the long leafed pine. near the
Watercourses the hills are lofty tho are covered with a good Soil and not
remarkably Stoney and possess more timber than the leavel country. the
bottom lands on the Water courses are reather narrow and confined tho
fertile and Seldom inundated. this Country would form an extensive
Settlement; the Climate appears quit as mild as that of a Similar latitude
on the Atlantic Coast; & it cannot be otherwise than healthy; it
possesses a fine dry pure air. the grass and maney plants are now upwards
of Knee high. I have no doubt that this tract of Country if Cultivated
would produce in great abundance every article esentially necessary to the
comfort and Subsistence of civillized man. to it’s present inhabitents
nature Seems to have dealt with a liberal hand, for she has distributed a
great variety of esculent plants over the face of the Country which
furnish them a plentiful Store of provisions; those are acquired but
little toil; and when prepared after the method of the nativs afford not
only a nutricious but an agreeable food. among other roots those Called by
them the Quawmash and Cows are esteemd. the most agreeable and valuable as
they are also the most abundant in those high plains.
The Cows is a knobbed root of an erregularly rounded form not unlike the
Gensang in form and Consistence; this root they Collect, rub off a thin
black rhind which Covers it and pounding it exposes it in cakes to the
Sun. these Cakes are about an inch and 1/4 thick and 6 by 18 in wedth,
when dry they either eat this bread alone without any further preperation,
or boil it and make a thick Musilage; the latter is most common & much
the most agreeable. the flower of this root is not very unlike the
gensang-. this root they Collect as early as the Snow disappears in the
Spring, and Continues to collect it untill the Quawmash Supplies it’s
place which happins about the Middle of June. the quawmash is also
Collected for a fiew weeks after it first makes it’s appearance in the
Spring, but when the scape appears it is no longer fit for use untill the
Seed are ripe which happens about the time just mentioned. and then the
Cows declines. The Cows is also frequently dried in the Sun and pounded
afterwards and used in thickening Supe and Makeing Mush.
The Chopunnish held a Council in the morning of the 12th among themselves
in respect to the Subject on which we had Spoken to them the day before,
the result as we learnt was favourable, they placed Confidence in the
information they had recived and resolved to pursue our advise. after this
Council was over the principal Chief or the broken arm, took the flour of
the roots of Cows and thickened the Soup in the Kitiles and baskets of all
his people, this being ended he made a harangue the purpote of which was
makeing known the deliberations of their councils and impressing the
necessity of unanimity among them, and a strict attention to the
resolution which had been agreed on in Councell; he concluded by enviting
all such men as had resolved to abide by the decree of the councill to
come and eat, and requested Such as would not be So bound to Show
themselves by not partakeing of the feast. I was told by one of our men
who was present in the house, that there was not a decenting voice on this
great National question, but all Swallowed their objections if any they
had, very cheerfully with their mush-. dureing the time of this loud
animated harangue of the Chief the women Cryed wrung their hands, tore
their hair and appeared to be in the utmost distress. after this cerimoney
was over, the Chiefs and considerate men came in a body to where we were
Seated at a little distance from our tent, and two young men at the
instance of the nation presented Capt L. and myself each a fine horse. and
informed us that they had listened with attentioned to what we had Said
and were resolved to pursue our Counsels &c.That as we had not
seen the Black foot Indians and the Minetarries of Fort dePrarie they did
not think it safe to venter over to the plains of the Missouri, where they
would fondly go provided those nations would not kill them. that when we
had established a tradeing house on the Missouri as we had promised they
would Come over and trade for arms Amunition &c. and live about us.
that it would give them much pleasure to be at peace with those nations
altho they had Shed much of their blood-. They Said that they were pore
but their hearts were good. we might be assured of their sincerety. Some
of their brave men would go over with us to the Missouri and bring them
the news as we wished, and if we Could make a peace between them and their
enimies on the other Side of the mountains their nation would go over to
the Missouri in the latter end of the Summer. on the Subject of one of
their Chiefs accompanying us to the land of the White men they Could not
yet determine, but that they would let us know before we left them. that
the Snow was yet so deep in the Mountains that if we attempted to pass, we
would Certainly perish, and advised us to remain untill after the next
full Moon when the Snow would disappear on the South hill sides and we
would find grass for our horses.-. Shabonos Child is better this day that
he was yesterday. he is free from fever. the imposthume is not So large
but Seems to be advanceing to meturity-.
