Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 26.djvu/47

 seized with, by no means to the natural quality of the Horse Meat, but to the Putrifaction already begun throthe whole of the Carcase. In the eveng. I called the Kootanae Men together @ spoke to them about their inattention towards furnishing us with Provisions, @ that if they continued, we should be necessitated to return; they brought me three fourths of a Chevreuil, which for the present satisfied our Hunger. I then spoke to them concerning the Situation of the surrounding Tribes, they told me they expected the old Chief with all the rest of their Countrymen, in company with a large band of Flat Heads in abt. 10 Nights hence. As to the Flat Heads they believed them far off but would soon be here, when informed we had begun building, I accordingly engaged two of their Men of abt. from 30 to 40 years of age to go @ find the old Kootanae Chief @ tell him to hasten his coming @ to bring us Provisions. I also engaged a steady man to set off @ inform the Flat Bows of our arrival, with order to the Chief of that tribe, whom I had formerly seen @ given a Ring to come with all Diligence, as I wished him to pilot me thro his Lands, that I might also make an establishment for Trade in his Country. The Kootanae told me my messages/ would be highly agreeable to all Parties, @ promised to set out the very next Morning on their respective Commissions, assuring me that I might expect to see them again in about 10 or 12 Nights hence. What a fine Opportunity was here lost of going to the Flat Bow Country, from the embarrassed Situation of my Affairs; on one hand the Property was without Shelter @ the Men famishing, without knowledge from whence to get any Sustenance— on the other hand a large Band of Indians, part of whom had never seen white People was expected in a few Days @ perhaps a few Peagans &c with them— amidst much anxiety, nothing could sooth my Mind, but the expectation of the speedy arrival of" the Flat Bows, when I hoped still to have Time enough between my Departure @ the 15th Septr. (the day when the People must go off for the