“Dese Wallow-wallows ’mos’ like home folks,” declared York.
Forsooth, it was difficult to get away from the village, so friendly were Chief Yellept’s people. The chief appeared to have taken a great fancy to the Red Head, and presented him with a noble white horse.
“If the Red Head will give me a kettle, for my lodge, I will be happy,” said Yellept.
Among the Walla Wallas there was a Snake Indian prisoner, with whom Sa-ca-ja-we-a, much to her delight, could talk in Sho-sho-ne; and the Snake could translate for her the Walla Walla speech.
“Tell the Sho-sho-ne to tell Chief Yellept that we have no kettles to give,” directed Captain Clark, to the little Bird-woman. “But we will be pleased to give him something else.”
“Yellept say he take what you gif,” interpreted Sa-ca-ja-we-a.
“He’s a fine fellow. You’ll have to give him your sword, Will,” suggested Captain Lewis. “He’s been wanting it, you know.”
“All right. Believe I’ll do it. I couldn’t transfer it to better hands,” quoth Captain Clark. “That’s the last of my official garb, Merne――and you haven’t much left yourself!”
Chief Yellept’s eyes shone as he accepted the prized “long knife”; and shone again when to it were added powder and a hundred bullets for his gun. Now he was a big chief, indeed.
The Bird-woman had spread the word that the white chiefs were great workers in medicine: with their magic box and their wonderful knowledge they healed all sicknesses. Now to Captain Clark and Captain Lewis the Walla Wallas brought broken arms, stiff knees, and sore eyes, for treatment. The captains did their best.
Not until the second morning, following a grand dance by the Indians, at the camp, might the expedition start onward. Chief Yellept had informed them of a short cut, across country, from the mouth of the Walla Walla River to the Pierced Nose country at the Kooskooskee; a Skilloot, who had been guiding the expedition by land, said that he knew the trail, and a Pierced Nose who, with his family, was returning home from a visit below, volunteered to help also; Chief Yellept lent the captains two canoes, for crossing the Columbia to the south side at the mouth of the Walla Walla, where the new trail began.
“The most hospitable, honest and sincere Indians we have met since leaving the United States, Merne,” asserted Captain Clark, when they had been overtaken, a day’s journey out, by three Walla Walla young men who had hastened after to restore to them a beaver-trap that had been forgotten.
