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By　the　word　〃cows；〃　in　this　sentence；　we　must　understand　that　the　story…teller　meant　cowas；　a　root　eaten　by　the　Indians　and　white　explorers　in　that　distant　region。　　It　is　a　knobbed；　irregular　root；　and　when　cooked　resembles　the　ginseng。　　At　this　place　the　party　met　some　of　the　Indians　whom　Captain　Clark　had　treated　for　slight　diseases；　when　they　passed　that　way；　the　previous　autumn。　They　bad　sounded　the　praises　of　the　white　men　and　their　medicine；　and　others　were　now　waiting　to　be　treated　in　the　same　manner。　The　Indians　were　glad　to　pay　for　their　treatment；　and　the　white　men　were　not　sorry　to　find　this　easy　method　of　adding　to　their　stock　of　food；　which　was　very　scanty　at　this　time。　The　journal　sagely　adds；　〃We　cautiously　abstain　from　giving　them　any　but　harmless　medicines；　and　as　we　cannot　possibly　do　harm；　our　prescriptions；　though　unsanctioned　by　the　faculty；　may　be　useful；　and　are　entitled　to　some　remuneration。〃　　Very　famous　and　accomplished　doctors　might　say　the　same　thing　of　their　practice。　But　the　explorers　did　not　meet　with　pleasant　acquaintances　only；　in　the　very　next　entry　is　recorded　this　disagreeable　incident：

〃Four　miles　beyond　this　house　we　came　to　another　large　one；　containing　ten　families；　where　we　halted　and　made　our　dinner　on　two　dogs　and　a　small　quantity　of　roots；　which　we　did　not　procure　without　much　difficulty。　Whilst　we　were　eating；　an　Indian　standing　by；　looking　with　great　derision　at　our　eating　dogs；　threw　a　poor　half…starved　puppy　almost　into　Captain　Lewis'　plate；　laughing　heartily　at　the　humor　of　it。　Captain　Lewis　took　up　the　animal　and　flung　it　with　great　force　into　the　fellow's　face；　and　seizing　his　tomahawk；　threatened　to　cut　him　down　if　he　dared　to　repeat　such　insolence。　　He　immediately　withdrew；　apparently　much　mortified；　and　we　continued　our　repast　of　dog　very　quietly。　Here　we　met　our　old　Chopunnish　guide；　with　his　family；　and　soon　afterward　one　of　our　horses；　which　had　been　separated　from　the　rest　in　charge　of　Twisted…hair；　and　had　been　in　this　neighborhood　for　several　weeks；　was　caught　and　restored　to　us。〃

Later　in　that　day　the　party　came　to　a　Chopunnish　house　which　was　one　hundred　and　fifty…six　feet　long　and　fifteen　feet　wide。　Thirty　families　were　living　in　this　big　house；　each　family　having　its　fire　by　itself　burning　on　the　earthen　floor；　along　through　the　middle　of　the　great　structure。　The　journal　says：

〃We　arrived　very　hungry　and　weary；　but　could　not　purchase　any　provisions；　except　a　small　quantity　of　the　roots　and　bread　of　the　cows。　They　had；　however；　heard　of　our　medical　skill；　and　made　many　applications　for　assistance；　but　we　refused　to　do　anything　unless　they　gave　us　either　dogs　or　horses　to　eat。　　We　soon　had　nearly　fifty　patients。　A　chief　brought　his　wife　with　an　abscess　on　her　back；　and　promised　to　furnish　us　with　a　horse　to…morrow　if　we　would　relieve　her。　Captain　Clark；　therefore；　opened　the　abscess；　introduced　a　tent；　and　dressed　it　with　basilicon。　　We　also　prepared　and　distributed　some　doses　of　flour　of　sulphur　and　cream　of　tartar；　with　directions　for　its　use。　For　these　we　obtained　several　dogs；　but　too　poor　for　use；　and　therefore　postponed　our　medical　operations　till　the　morning。　In　the　mean　time　a　number　of　Indians；　besides　the　residents　of　the　village；　gathered　about　us　or　camped　in　the　woody　bottom　of　the　creek。〃

It　will　be　recollected　that　when　the　expedition　was　in　this　region　（on　the　Kooskooskee）；　during　the　previous　September；　on　their　way　westward；　they　left　their　horses　with　Chief　Twisted…hair；　travelling　overland　from　that　point。　They　were　now　looking　for　that　chief；　and　the　journal　says：

〃About　two　o'clock　we　collected　our　horses　and　set　out；　accompanied　by　Weahkoonut；　with　ten　or　twelve　men　and　a　man　who　said　he　was　the　brother　of　Twisted…hair。　At　four　miles　we　came　to　a　single　house　of　three　families；　but　could　not　procure　provisions　of　any　kind；　and　five　miles　further　we　halted　for　the　night　near　another　house；　built　like　the　rest；　of　sticks；　mats；　and　dried　hay；　and　containing　six　families。　It　was　now　so　difficult　to　procure　anything　to　eat　that　our　chief　dependence　was　on　the　horse　which　we　received　yesterday　for　medicine；　but　to　our　great　disappointment　he　broke　the　rope　by　which　be　was　confined；　made　his　escape；　and　left　us　supperless　in　the　rain。〃

Next　day　they　met　an　Indian　who　brought　them　two　canisters　of　powder；　which　they　at　once　knew　to　be　some　of　that　which　they　had　buried　last　autumn。　The　Indian　said　that　his　dog　had　dug　it　up　in　the　meadow　by　the　river；　and　he　had　restored　it　to　its　rightful　owners。　　As　a　reward　for　his　honesty；　the　captains　gave　him　a　flint　and　steel　for　striking　fire；　and　they　regretted　that　their　own　poverty　prevented　them　from　being　more　liberal　to　the　man。

They　observed　that　the　Rocky　Mountains；　now　in　full　sight；　were　still　covered　with　snow；　and　the　prospect　of　crossing　them　was　not　very　rosy。　　Their　Chopunnish　guide　told　them　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　cross　the　mountains　before　the　next　full　moon；　which　would　be　about　the　first　of　June。　　The　journal　adds：　〃To　us；　who　are　desirous　of　reaching　the　plains　of　the　Missouri　if　for　no　other　reason；　for　the　purpose　of　enjoying　a　good　meal　this　intelligence　was　by　no　means　welcome；　and　gave　no　relish　to　the　remainder　of　the　horse　killed　at　Colter's　Creek；　which　formed　our　supper；　as　part　of　which　had　already　been　our　dinner。〃　Next　day；　accordingly；　the　hunters　turned　out　early　in　the　morning；　and　before　noon　returned　with　four　deer　and　a　duck；　which；　with　the　remains　of　horse…beef　on　hand；　gave　them　a　much　more　plentiful　stock　of　provisions　than　had　lately　fallen　to　their　lot。　During　the　previous　winter；　they　were　told；　the　Indians　suffered　very　much　for　lack　of　food；　game　of　all　sorts　being　scarce。　They　were　forced　to　boil　and　eat　the　moss　growing　on　the　trees；　and　they　cut　down　the　pine…trees　for　the　sake　of　the　small　nut　to　be　found　in　the　pine…cones。　Here　they　were　met　by　an　old　friend；　Neeshnepahkeeook　and　the　Shoshonee；　who　had　acted　as　interpreter　for　them。　　The　journal　says：

〃We　gave　Neeshnepahkeeook　and　his　people　some　of　our　game　and　horse…beef；　besides　the　entrails　of　the　deer；　and　four　fawns　which　we　found　inside　of　two　of　them。　　They　did　not　eat　any　of　them　perfectly　raw；　but　the　entrails　had　very　little　cooking；　the　fawns　were　boiled　whole；　and　the　hide；　hair；　and　entrails　all　consumed。　　The　Shoshonee　was　offended　at　not　having　as　much　venison　as　he　wished；　and　refused　to　interpret；　but　as　we　took　no　notice　of　him；　he　became　very　officious　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours；　and　made　many　efforts　to　reinstate　himself　in　our　favor。　The　brother　of　Twisted…hair；　and　Neeshnepahkeeook；　now　drew　a　sketch；　which　we　preserved；　of　all　the　waters　west　of　the　Rocky　Mountains。〃

They　now　met　Twisted…hair；　in　whose　care　they　had　left　their　horses　and　saddles　the　previous　fall；　and　this　was　the　result　of　their　inquiries：

〃Between　three　and　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　we　set　out；　in　company　with　Neeshuepahkeeook　and　other　Indians；　the　brother　of　Twisted…hair　having　left　us。　　Our　route　was　up　a　high　steep　hill　to　a　level　plain　with　little　wood；　through　which　we　passed　in　a　direction　parallel　to　the　＇Kooskooskee＇　River　for　four　miles；　when　we　met　Twisted…hair　and　six　of　his　people。　To　this　chief　we　had　confided　our　horses　and　a　part　of　our　saddles　last　autumn；　and　we　therefore　formed　very　unfavorable　conjectures　on　finding　that　he　received　us　with　great　coldness。　Shortly　afterward　he　began　to　speak　in　a　very　loud；　angry　manner；　and　was　answered　by　Neeshnepahkeeook。　　We　now　discovered　that　a　violent　quarrel　had　arisen　between　these　chiefs；　on　the　subject；　as　we　afterward　understood；　of　our　horses。　But　as　we　could　not　learn　the　cause；　and　were　desirous　of　terminating　the　dispute；　we　interposed；　and　told　them　we　should　go　on　to　the　first　water　and　camp。　　We　therefore　set　out；　followed　by　all　the　Indians；　and　having　reached；　at　two　miles'　distance；　a　small　stream　running　to　the　right；　we　camped　with　the　two　chiefs　and　their　little　bands；　forming　separate　camps　at　a　distance　from　each　other。　They　all　appeared　to　be　in　an　ill　humor；　and　as　we　had　already　heard　reports　that　the　Indians　had　discovered　and　carried　off　our　saddles；　and　that　the　horses　were　very　much　scattered；　we　began　to　be　uneasy；　lest　there　should　be　too　much　foundation　for　the　report。　We　were　therefore　anxious　to　reconcile　the　two　chiefs　as　soon　as　possible；　and　desired　the　Shoshonee　to　interpret　for　us　while　we　attempted　a　mediation；　but　be　peremptorily　refused　to　speak　a　word。　He　observed　that　it　was　a　quarrel　between　the　two　chiefs；　and　he　had　therefore　no　right　to　interfere；　nor　could　all　our　representations；　that　by　merely　repeating　what　we　said　he　could　not　possibly　be　considered　as　meddling　between　the　chiefs；　induce　him　to　take　any　part　in　it。

〃Soon　afterward　Drewyer　returned　from　hunting；　and　was　sent　to　invite　Twisted…hair　to　come　and　smoke　with　us。　　He　accepted　the　invitation；　and　as　we　were　smoking　the　pipe　over　our　fire　he　informed　us　that　according　to　his　promise　on　leaving　us　at　the　falls　of　the　Columbia；　he　had　collected　our　horses　and　taken　charge　of　them　as　soon　as　he　reached　home。　But　about　this　time　Neeshnepahkeeook　and　Turmachemootoolt　（Broken…arm）；　who；　as　we　passed；　were　on　a　war…party　against　the　Shoshonees　on　the　south　branch　of　Lewis'　River；　returned；　and　becoming　jealous　of　him；　because　the　horses　had　been　confided　to　his　care；　were　constantly　quarrelling　with　him。　　At　length；　being　an　old　man　and　unwilling　to　live　in　perpetual　dispute　with　these　two　chiefs；　he　had　given　up　the　care　of　the　horses；　which　had　consequently　become　very　much　scattered。　The　greater　part　of　them　were；　however；　still　in　the　neighborhood；　some　in　the　forks　between　the　Chopunnish　and　Kooskooskee；　and　three　or　four　at　the　village　of　Broken　Arm；　about　half　a　day's　march　higher　up　the　river。　　He　added；　that　on　the　rise　of　the　river　in　the　spring；　the　earth　had　fallen　from　the　door　of　the　cache；　and　exposed　the　saddles；　some　of　which　had　probably　been　lost；　but　that；　as　soon　as　be　was　acquainted　with　the　situation　of　them；　he　had　them　buried　in　another　deposit；　where　they　now　were。　He　promised　that；　if　we　would　stay　the　next　day　at　his　house；　a　few　miles　distant；　he　would　collect　such　of　the　horses　as　were　in　the　neighborhood；　and　send　his　young　men　for　those　in　the　forks；　over　the　Kooskooskee。　　He　moreover　advised　us　to　visit　Broken　Arm；　who　was　a　chief　of　great　eminence；　and　he　would　himself　guide　us　to　his　dwelling。

〃We　told　him　that　we　would　follow　his　advice　in　every　respect；　that　we　had　confided　our　horses　to　his　care；　and　expected　he　would　deliver　them　to　us；　on　which　we　should　cheerfully　give　him　the　two　guns　and　the　ammunition　we　had　promised　him。　With　this　he　seemed　very　much　pleased；　and　declared　he　would　use　every　exertion　to　restore　the　horses。　We　now　sent　for　Neesbnepahkeeook；　or　Cut　Nose；　and；　after　smoking　for　some　time；　began　by　expressing　to　the　two　chiefs　our　regret　at　seeing　a　misunderstanding　between　them。　Neeshnepahkeeook　replied　that　Twisted　Hair　was　a　bad　old　man；　and　wore　two　faces；　for；　instead　of　taking　care　of　our　horses；　he　had　suffered　his　young　men　to　hunt　with　them；　so　that　they　had　been　very　much　injured；　and　it　was　for　this　reason　that　Broken　Arm　and　himself　had　forbidden　him　to　us