4/28/1806

John Ordway:

...our Intrepters wife [Sacagawea] found a woman of hir own nation who was a prisoner among these Indians, and as they could speak together our officers Spoke to the head chief [Yellepit, chief of the Walulas] & told him our business and that the white people would Supply them with marchandize at the head of the Missourie &C. asked for canoes to cross the river they said they wished us to Stay with them to day as we lived a great way off, and they wished to See us dance this evening & begged on us to Stay this day. the head chief brought up a good horse & Said he wished to give it to us but as he was poor he wished us to give him Some kind of a kittle, but as we could not Spare a kittle Capt. Clark gave his Sword a flag and half pound of powder & ball for the horse. ...in the afternoon a number of Indians came to our officers who were diseased the lame and many with Sore eyes and lame legs & arms &C. our officers dressd their wounds, washed their eyes & gave them meddicine and told them how to apply it &C. the chief called all his people and told them of the meddicine &C. which was a great wonder among them & they were much pleased &C. the Indians Sent their women to gether wood or Sticks to See us dance this evening. about 300 of the natives assembled to our Camp we played the fiddle and danced a while the head chief told our officers that they Should be lonesome when we left them and they wished to hear once of our meddicine Songs and try to learn it and wished us to learn one of theirs and it would make them glad. So our men Sang 2 Songs which appeared to take great affect on them. they tryed to learn Singing with us with a low voice. the head chief then made a Speech & it was repeated by a warrier that all might hear. then all the Savages men women and children of any size danced forming a circle round a fire & jumping up nearly as other Indians, & keep time verry well they wished our men to dance with them So we danced among them and they were much pleased, and Said that they would dance day and night untill we return. ...the dance continued untill about midnight then the most of them went away peaceable & have behaved verry clever and honest with us as yet, ...

Lewis:

…a little before sunset the Chymnahpos [present Yakimas] arrived; they were about 100 men and a few women; they joined the Wallahwollahs who were about the same number and formed a half circle arround our camp where they waited very patiently to see our party dance. the fiddle was played and the men amused themselves with dancing about an hour. we then requested the Indians to dance which they very cheerfully complyed with; they continued their dance untill 10 at night. the whole assemblage of indians about 550 men women and children sung and danced at the same time. most of them stood in the same place and merely jumped up to the time of their music. some of the men who were esteemed most brave entered the space arrond which the main body were formed in solid column, and danced in a circular manner sidewise. at 10 P. M. the dance concluded and the natives retired; they were much gratifyed with seeing some of our party join them in their dance.--