d never seen white men before, and they
flocked in great numbers around the strangers, but were very civil and
hospitable, although their curiosity was rather embarrassing. These
people were famous hunters, and both men and women were excellent
riders. They were now travelling on the south side of the river, in
Oregon, and, after leaving the Pishquitpahs, they encountered the
"Wollawollahs," as they called them. These Indians are now known as the
Walla Walla tribe, and their name is given to a river, a town, and a
fort of the United States. In several of the Indian dialects walla means
"running water," and when the word is repeated, it diminishes the size
of the object; so that Walla Walla means "little running water." Near
here the explorers passed the mouth of a river which they called the
Youmalolam; it is a curious example of the difficulty of rendering
Indian names into English. The stream is now known as the Umatilla.
Here they found some old acquaintances of whom the journal has this
account:--

"Soon after we were joined by seven Wollawollahs, among whom we
recognized a chief by the name of Yellept, who had visited us on the
nineteenth of October, when we gave him a medal with the promise of a
larger one on our return. He appeared very much pleased at seeing us
again, and invited us to remain at his village three or four days,
during which he would supply us with the only food they had, and furnish
us with horses for our journey. After the cold, inhospitable treatment
we have lately received, this kind offer was peculiarly acceptable; and
after a hasty meal we accompanied him to his village, six miles above,
situated on the edge of the low country, about twelve miles below the
mouth of Lewis' River.

"Immediately on our arrival Yellept, who proved to be a man of much
influence, not only in his own but in the neighboring nations, collected
the inhabitants, and having made a harangue, the purport of which was
to induce the nations to treat us hospitably, he set them an example
by bringing himself an armful of wood, and a platter containing three
roasted mullets. They immediately assented to one part, at least, of the
recommendation, by furnishing us with an abundance of the only sort of
fuel they employ, the stems of shrubs growing in the plains. We then
purchased four dogs, on which we supped heartily, having been on short
allowance for two days past. When we were disposed to sleep, the Indians
retired immediat