Corps reunites with the Nez Perce Indians Series on Web site

Part 75 of a series

AS THE EXPLORERS proceeded up the Columbia and Clear- water rivers by land, on foot and horseback, they had plenty of good horses to help carry their effects. This was due to the kindness of the Walla-Wallas. This tribe had been exceptionally generous with their horses as a result of Capt. Clark's medical efforts for their tribe members. The Nez Perce had also been keeping horses for the corps since the previous fall. Once the Corps members re ached the Nez Perce, they would have a herd of 60 horses.

Bad news from the Nez Perce: The Bitterroot Mountains were blocked with snow, often 10 to 15 feet deep or more, and the Corps would not be able to cross this range until the middle of June.

From the Journals, week of May 8, 1806:

MAY 8, 1806: "Drewyer [George Drouillard] and [Private Pierre] Cruzatte brought [in] each a deer. [Pvt. John] Collins wounded another which my dog caught at a little distance from the camp we met the Twisted Hair [a Nez Perce leader] and a party of six men. To this Chief we had confided the care of our horses and a part of our saddles when we decended the river last fall..A quarrel had taken place between Chiefs " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 9: "Proceeded on through a butifull open rich country for 6 miles to the camp of twisted hair. Late in the evening they [several of the Corps members and a couple of Indian boys] returned with 21 of our horses [part of the string of horses left in the care of the Nez Perce Indians the previous fall] and about half of our saddles The greater part of the horses were in fine order, tho' five of them had been rode & worsted in such a manner by the Inds. [Indians] and 3 with sore backs wind blew hard from the S.W. accompanied with rain until from 7 oClock until 9 P.M. when it began to snow and continues all night." --Capt. Clark

MAY 10: "The air clean and cold the snow 8 inches deep on the plain, we collected out horses and set out for the village of the Chief with a flag " --Capt. Clark

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To see the entire "Lewis and Clark This Week" series on The Free Lance-Star's Web site, visit fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/ Projects/2005/lewis_and_clark.

Date published: 5/27/2006

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