Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 15.djvu/64



56 T. C. ELLIOTT

sat down and smoked and discoursed as usual. What I said the chief repeated to his people and another so repeated after him, both very loud. The women then advanced, singing and dancing in their best dress, with all of them shells in their noses, two of them naked but no way abashed, they advanced all the time the men smoked and like the rest something of a religious nature. When done I paid them for their present of which I took only part, but the pounded roots were made in neat cakes and they have very few Chevruil. They are of the Shawpatin nation and speak that tongue. Here my last guide showed his service interpreting with an audible voice, and seemed a sensible, respectable man. The name of the Indians of yesterday is Sin-Kowarsin ; 20 those we now leave Skum- mooin; Skaemena of those close below us. Co. N. 85 E. 1 m, N. 75 E. % m, N. 68 I~y 2 m, N. 52 E. 1-2/3 m, N. 35 E. 1-1/3 m. These two last courses by the watch, which is for the future to be my guide there, as the low points are so dis- tant that I cannot determine the distance by them. N. 50 E. l-y 2, N. 22 E. 2-y 2 m, N. E. l-#, S. 78 E. 1-^ m, S. 70 E. 1 m, S. y 2 m, S. 70 E. 2/3 m, S. E. 2% m, S. 58 E. l-y 2 m, S. 52 E. 4-^ m, S. 40 E. y 2 m, Sand knolls on the right. S. 25 E. 2 m, S. 12 E. no distance, (?) l-j m, (?), S. 20 E. 2 m, plus 2-^ m, Co. S. # m, Co. S. 30 E. 1 m, S. 68 E. 1-% m, S. 80 E. 3-J4 m. Sight the Shawpatin Mountains 21 seemingly low, yet mariy patches of snow on them. S. 78 E. l-*/2 m, put ashore at 5 :30 P. M. and camped. Seeing a very large camp close before us four horsemen came ahead, they smoked and I sent them to invite all the Indians to come and smoke also, which they did, bringing a present of four salmon. They might be about 150 men with their families. We discoursed much, three chiefs repeating after each other what I said. They say that the snow falls only about 1-^ ft. deep and soon again goes off. There are plenty of Chevruil

20 The Indian name for Rock Island Rapids is Squah-ah-she and the natives along the river as far as Priest Rapids are known as Squah-ah-she-nooks, or a name of very similar spelling. Mr. Thompson's Skummooin is Lewis and Clark's Kimooenim, and his Skaemena is probably Alex. Ross' Eyakema or our Yakima tribe. The camp at night is with the Sokulks of Lewis and Clark.

21 The Blue Mountain Range.