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f　August　and　rejoined　the　party　that　he　had　left　behind。　　These　had　not　been　able　to　kill　anything；　and　for　a　time　starvation　stared　them　in　the　face。　Under　date　of　August　27；　the　journal　says：

〃The　men；　who　were　engaged　last　night　in　mending　their　moccasins；　all　except　one；　went　out　hunting；　but　no　game　was　to　be　procured。　One　of　the　men；　however；　killed　a　small　salmon；　and　the　Indians　made　a　present　of　another；　on　which　the　whole　party　made　a　very　slight　breakfast。　These　Indians；　to　whom　this　life　is　familiar；　seem　contented；　although　they　depend　for　subsistence　on　the　scanty　productions　of　the　fishery。　But　our　men；　who　are　used　to　hardships；　but　have　been　accustomed　to　have　the　first　wants　of　nature　regularly　supplied；　feel　very　sensibly　their　wretched　situation；　their　strength　is　wasting　away；　they　begin　to　express　their　apprehensions　of　being　without　food　in　a　country　perfectly　destitute　of　any　means　of　supporting　life；　except　a　few　fish。　In　the　course　of　the　day　an　Indian　brought　into　the　camp　five　salmon；　two　of　which　Captain　Clark　bought　and　made　a　supper　for　the　party。〃

Two　days　later；　Captain　Clark　and　his　men　joined　the　main　party；　having　met　the　only　repulse　that　was　suffered　by　the　expedition　from　first　to　last。　Eluding　the　vigilance　of　the　Indians；　caches；　or　hiding…places；　for　the　baggage　were　constructed；　filled；　and　concealed；　the　work　being　done　after　dark。　　The　weather　was　now　very　cold；　although　August　had　not　passed。　Ink　froze　in　the　pen　during　the　night；　and　the　meadows　were　white　with　frost；　but　the　days　were　warm；　even　hot。

In　the　absence　of　Captain　Clark；　his　colleague　and　party　had　been　visited　by　Cameahwait　and　about　fifty　of　his　band；　with　their　women　and　children。　Captain　Lewis'　journal　says：

〃After　they　had　camped　near　us　and　turned　loose　their　horses；　we　called　a　council　of　all　the　chiefs　and　warriors；　and　addressed　them　in　a　speech。　　Additional　presents　were　then　distributed；　particularly　to　the　two　second　chiefs；　who　had；　agreeably　to　their　promises；　exerted　themselves　in　our　favor。　The　council　was　then　adjourned；　and　all　the　Indians　were　treated　with　an　abundant　meal　of　boiled　Indian　corn　and　beans。　The　poor　wretches；　who　had　no　animal　food　and　scarcely　anything　but　a　few　fish；　had　been　almost　starved；　and　received　this　new　luxury　with　great　thankfulness。　　Out　of　compliment　to　the　chief；　we　gave　him　a　few　dried　squashes；　which　we　had　brought　from　the　Mandans；　and　he　declared　it　was　the　best　food　he　had　ever　tasted　except　sugar；　a　small　lump　of　which　he　had　received　from　his　sister　Sacajawea。　　He　now　declared　how　happy　they　should　all　be　to　live　in　a　country　which　produced　so　many　good　things；　and　we　told　him　that　it　would　not　be　long　before　the　white　men　would　put　it　in　their　power　to　live　below　the　mountains；　where　they　might　themselves　cultivate　all　these　kinds　of　food；　instead　of　wandering　in　the　mountains。　　He　appeared　to　be　much　pleased　with　this　information；　and　the　whole　party　being　now　in　excellent　temper　after　their　repast；　we　began　our　purchase　of　horses。　We　soon　obtained　five　very　good　ones；　on　very　reasonable　terms　that　is；　by　giving　for　each　horse　merchandise　which　cost　us　originally　about　6。　We　have　again　to　admire　the　perfect　decency　and　propriety　of　the　Indians；　for　though　so　numerous；　they　do　not　attempt　to　crowd　round　our　camp　or　take　anything　which　they　see　lying　about；　and　whenever　they　borrow　knives　or　kettles　or　any　other　article　from　the　men；　they　return　them　with　great　fidelity。〃

Captain　Lewis　anxiously　wished　to　push　on　to　meet　Clark；　who；　as　we　have　seen；　was　then　far　down　on　the　Salmon　River。　　Lewis　was　still　at　the　forks　of　Jefferson　River；　it　should　be　borne　in　mind；　and　their　objective　point　was　the　upper　Shoshonee　village　on　the　Lemhi　River；　across　the　divide。　While　on　the　way　over　the　divide；　Lewis　was　greatly　troubled　by　the　freaks　of　the　Indians；　who；　regardless　of　their　promises；　would　propose　to　return　to　the　buffalo　country　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　mountains。　Learning　that　Cameahwait　and　his　chiefs　had　sent　a　messenger　over　to　the　Lemhi　to　notify　the　village　to　come　and　join　an　expedition　of　this　sort；　Captain　Lewis　was　dismayed。　　His　journal　says：

〃Alarmed　at　this　new　caprice　of　the　Indians；　which；　if　not　counteracted；　threatened　to　leave　ourselves　and　our　baggage　on　the　mountains；　or　even　if　we　reached　the　waters　of　the　Columbia；　to　prevent　our　obtaining　horses　to　go　on　further；　Captain　Lewis　immediately　called　the　three　chiefs　together。　After　smoking　a　pipe　he　asked　them　if　they　were　men　of　their　word；　and　if　we　could　rely　on　their　promises。　　They　readily　answered　in　the　affirmative。　He　then　asked　if　they　had　not　agreed　to　assist　us　in　carrying　our　baggage　over　the　mountains。　　To　this　they　also　answered　yes。　　‘Why；　then；'　said　he；　‘have　you　requested　your　people　to　meet　us　to…morrow　where　it　will　be　impossible　for　us　to　trade　for　horses；　as　you　promised　we　should？　　If；'　he　continued；　‘you　had　not　promised　to　help　us　in　transporting　our　goods　over　the　mountains；　we　should　not　have　attempted　it；　but　have　returned　down　the　river；　after　which　no　white　men　would　ever　have　come　into　your　country。　　If　you　wish　the　whites　to　be　your　friends；　to　bring　you　arms；　and　to　protect　you　from　your　enemies；　you　should　never　promise　what　you　do　not　mean　to　perform。　When　I　first　met　you；　you　doubted　what　I　said；　yet　you　afterward　saw　that　I　told　you　the　truth。　　How；　therefore；　can　you　doubt　what　I　now　tell　you？　You　see　that　I　divide　amongst　you　the　meat　which　my　hunters　kill；　and　I　promise　to　give　all　who　assist　us　a　share　of　whatever　we　have　to　eat。　If；　therefore；　you　intend　to　keep　your　promise；　send　one　of　the　young　men　immediately；　to　order　the　people　to　remain　at　the　village　till　we　arrive。'　The　two　inferior　chiefs　then　said　that　they　had　wished　to　keep　their　word　and　to　assist　us；　that　they　had　not　sent　for　the　people；　but　on　the　contrary　had　disapproved　of　that　measure；　which　was　done　wholly　by　the　first　chief。　Cameahwait　remained　silent　for　some　time；　at　last　he　said　that　he　knew　he　had　done　wrong；　but　that；　seeing　his　people　all　in　want　of　provisions；　he　had　wished　to　hasten　their　departure　for　the　country　where　their　wants　might　be　supplied。　　He；　however；　now　declared　that；　having　passed　his　word；　he　would　never　violate　it；　and　counter…orders　were　immediately　sent　to　the　village　by　a　young　man；　to　whom　we　gave　a　handkerchief　in　order　to　ensure　despatch　and　fidelity。　。　。　。

〃This　difficulty　being　now　adjusted；　our　march　was　resumed　with　an　unusual　degree　of　alacrity　on　the　part　of　the　Indians。　　We　passed　a　spot　where；　six　years　ago；　the　Shoshonees　had　suffered　a　very　severe　defeat　from　the　Minnetarees；　and　late　in　the　evening　we　reached　the　upper　part　of　the　cove；　where　the　creek　enters　the　mountains。　The　part　of　the　cove　on　the　northeast　side　of　the　creek　has　lately　been　burned；　most　probably　as　a　signal　on　some　occasion。　Here　we　were　joined　by　our　hunters　with　a　single　deer；　which　Captain　Lewis　gave；　as　a　proof　of　his　sincerity；　to　the　women　and　children；　and　remained　supperless　himself。　As　we　came　along　we　observed　several　large　hares；　some　ducks；　and　many　of　the　cock　of　the　plains：　　in　the　low　grounds　of　the　cove　were　also　considerable　quantities　of　wild　onions。〃

Arriving　at　the　Shoshonee　village　on　the　Lemhi；　Captain　Lewis　found　a　note　from　Captain　Clark；　sent　back　by　a　runner；　informing　him　of　the　difficulty　and　impossibility　of　a　water　route　to　the　Columbia。　　Cameahwait；　being　told　that　his　white　friends　would　now　need　twenty　more　horses；　said　that　he　would　do　what　he　could　to　help　them。　　The　journal　here　adds：

〃In　order　not　to　lose　the　present　favorable　moment；　and　to　keep　the　Indians　as　cheerful　as　possible；　the　violins　were　brought　out　and　our　men　danced；　to　the　great　diversion　of　the　Indians。　　This　mirth　was　the　more　welcome　because　our　situation　was　not　precisely　that　which　would　most　dispose　us　to　gayety；　for　we　have　only　a　little　parched　corn　to　eat；　and　our　means　of　subsistence　or　of　success　depend　on　the　wavering　temper　of　the　natives；　who　may　change　their　minds　to…morrow。　。　。　。

〃The　Shoshonees　are　a　small　tribe　of　the　nation　called　the　Snake　Indians；　a　vague　appellation；　which　embraces　at　once　the　inhabitants　of　the　southern　parts　of　the　Rocky　Mountains　and　of　the　plains　on　either　side。　The　Shoshonees　with　whom　we　now　were　amount　to　about　one　hundred　warriors；　and　three　times　that　number　of　women　and　children。　　Within　their　own　recollection　they　formerly　lived　in　the　plains；　but　they　have　been　driven　into　the　mountains　by　the　Pahkees；　or　the　roving　Indians　of　the　Sascatchawan；　and　are　now　obliged　to　visit　occasionally；　and　by　stealth；　the　country　of　their　ancestors。　　Their　lives；　indeed；　are　migratory。　From　the　middle　of　May　to　the　beginning　of　September　they　reside　on　the　headwaters　of　the　Columbia；　where　they　consider　themselves　perfectly　secure　from　the　Pahkees；　who　have　never　yet　found　their　way　to　that　retreat。　During　this　time　they　subsist　chiefly　on　salmon；　and；　as　that　fish　disappears　on　the　approach　of　autumn；　they　are　driven　to　seek　subsistence　elsewhere。　They　then　cross　the　ridge　to　the　waters　of　the　Missouri；　down　which　they　proceed　slowly　and　cautiously；　till　they　are　joined　near　the　Three　Forks　by　other　bands；　either　of　their　own　nation　or　of　the　Flatheads；　with　whom　they　associate　against　the　common　enemy。　　Being　now　strong　in　numbers；　they　venture　to　hunt　the　buffalo　in　the　plains　eastward　of　the　mountains；　near　which　they　spend　the　winter；　till　the　return　of　the　salmon　invites　them　to　the　Columbia。　　But　such　is　their　terror　of　the　Pahkees；　that；　so　long　as　they　can　obtain　the　scantiest　subsistence；　they　do　not　leave　the　interior　of　the　mountains；　and；　as　soon　as　they　have　collected　a　large　stock　of　dried　meat；　they　again　retreat；　thus　alternately　obtaining　their　food　at　the　hazard　of　their　lives；　and　hiding　themselves　to　consume　it。

〃In　this　loose　and　wandering　life　they　suffer　the　extremes　of　want；　for　two　thirds　of　the　year　they　are　forced　to　live　in　the　mountains；　passing　whole　weeks　without　meat；　and　with　nothing　to　eat　but　a　few　fish　and　roots。　　Nor　can　anything　be　imagined　more　wretched　than　their　condition　at　the　present　time；　when　the　salmon　is　fast　retiring；　when　roots　are　becoming　scarce；　and　they　have　not　yet　acquired　strength　to　hazard　an　encounter　with　their　enemies。　　So　insensible　are　they；　however；　to　these　calamities；　that　the　Shoshonees　are　not　only　cheerful；　but　even　gay；　and　their　character；　which　is　more　interesting　than　that　of　any　Indians　we　have　seen；　has　in　it　much　of　the　dignity　of　misfortune。　In　their　intercourse　with　strangers　they　are　frank　and　communicative；　in　their　dealings　they　are　perfectly　fair；　nor　have　we；　during　our　stay　with　them；　had　any　reason　to　suspect　that　the　display　of　all　our　new　and　valuable　wealth　has　tempted　them　into　a　single　act　of　dishonesty。　While　they　have　generally　shared　with　us　the　little　they　possess；　they　have　always　abstained　from　begging　anything　from　us。　With　their　liveliness　of　temper；　they　are　fond　of　gaudy　dresses　and　all　sorts　of　amusements；　particularly　games　of　hazard；　and；　like　most　Indians；　delight　in　boasting　of　their　warlike　exploits；　either　real　or　fictitious。　In　their　conduct　towards　us　they　have　been　kind　and　obliging；　and　though　on　one　occasi