He continued till three o'clock, when he
landed at the single house already mentioned as the only remains of a
village of twenty-four straw huts. Along the shore were great numbers
of small canoes for gathering wappatoo, which were left by the Shahalas,
who visit the place annually. The present inhabitants of the house are
part of the Neerchokioo tribe of the same (Shahala) nation. On entering
one of the apartments of the house, Captain Clark offered several
articles to the Indians in exchange for wappatoo; but they appeared
sullen and ill-humored, and refused to give him any. He therefore sat
down by the fire opposite the men, and taking a port-fire match from his
pocket, threw a small piece of it into the flame; at the same time he
took his pocket-compass, and by means of a magnet, which happened to be
in his inkhorn, made the needle turn round very briskly. The match now
took fire and burned violently, on which the Indians, terrified at this
strange exhibition, immediately brought a quantity of wappatoo and laid
it at his feet, begging him to put out the bad fire, while an old woman
continued to speak with great vehemence, as if praying and imploring
protection. Having received the roots, Captain Clark put up the compass,
and as the match went out of itself tranquillity was restored, though
the women and children still took refuge in their beds and behind the
men. He now paid them for what he had used, and after lighting his pipe
and smoking with them, continued down the river.
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