Occasionally, the
complete scarcity of fuel compelled the explorers to depart from their
general rule to avoid taking any Indian property without leave; and they
used some of these house materials for firewood, with the intent to pay
the rightful owners, if they should ever be found. On the sixteenth of
October, they met with a party of Indians, of whom the journal gives
this account:--
"After crossing by land we halted for dinner, and whilst we were eating
were visited by five Indians, who came up the river on foot in great
haste. We received them kindly, smoked with them, and gave them a piece
of tobacco to smoke with their tribe. On receiving the present they set
out to return, and continued running as fast as they could while they
remained in sight. Their curiosity had been excited by the accounts of
our two chiefs, who had gone on in order to apprise the tribes of our
approach and of our friendly disposition toward them. After dinner we
reloaded the canoes and proceeded. We soon passed a rapid opposite the
upper point of a sandy island on the left, which has a smaller island
near it. At three miles is a gravelly bar in the river; four miles
beyond this the Kimooenim (Snake) empties into the Columbia, and at its
mouth has an island just below a small rapid.
"We halted above the point of junction, on the Kimooenim, to confer
with the Indians, who had collected in great numbers to receive us. On
landing we were met by our two chiefs, to whose good offices we were
indebted for this reception, and also the two Indians who had passed
us a few days since on horseback; one of whom appeared to be a man of
influence, and harangued the Indians on our arrival.
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