Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/17

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THE INDIAN OF THE NORTHWEST 9

ested assistance." Near Point Mudge they threw cooked salmon aboard his 38 ship as it passed by. At Cape Orford they made the usual presents, and did not have the least idea of accepting anything in return. But when he 34 gave them beads,

34 Voyage: Vol. II., p. 24.

medals, etc., they stripped off and offered him their garments and offered these to him in return, and were astonished that they were to keep both the presents and their fur garments. When Lewis and Clark 35 were descending the Snake River, a band of Chopunish delayed their march to warn the travelers of the rapids and to pilot them through. David Thompson records presents of good roasted salmon, antelope meat, roots, moss bread, or berries, from nearly every tribe. He was usual- ly invited or urged to remain. The Palouse forced a present of eight horses on him, 36 with a war garment. The chief insisted that they did not wish any return for the present of horses, but that they knew the nature of a present. Thompson paid them with bills good at trading posts; but the natives could not understand how a piece of paper could contain the price of a horse. Ross, journeying up the Columbia, records presents of horses and salmon, and invitations, usually urgent, to remain with the natives over night or permanently. The Tushapaws, according to Whitehouse, 37 and the Chopunish, according to Gass, made presents of food to Lewis and Clark, though the captains class the latter as stingy. The natives of Whidbey Island, according to Vancouver, 88 "parted with their newly

38 Voyage: Vol. II., p. 286.

acquired friends with great reluctance." Broughton, 39 the first up the Columbia, speaks of warlike appearance, but com- mends orderly behavior, great civility, and utmost decorum. For the "Friendly Chief" among the Skilutes on the Columbia he named Friendly Reach and Parting Point. Broughton was supplied very liberally with salmon. At Gray's Harbor Whid- bey 40 found the behavior of the Chehalis "uniformly civil,


33 P. .269.


35 Original Journals: Vol. III., p. 117.

36 Ore. Hist. Quarterly: Vol. XV., p. 121.

37 Original Journals: Vol. VII., p. 149.

39 Vancouver's Voyage: Vol. III., p. 67.

40 Vancouver's Voyage: VoL III., p. 83.