ng purposes. To these they added some eye-water, some
basilicon, and a few small tin boxes in which phosphorus had been kept.
Basilicon, of which mention is frequently made in the journal, was an
ointment composed of black pitch, white wax, resin, and olive oil; it
was esteemed as a sovereign remedy for all diseases requiring an outward
application. With these valuables two men were sent out to trade with
the Indians, on the second day of June, and they returned with three
bushels of eatable roots and some cowas bread. Later in that day, a
party that had been sent down the river (Lewis') in quest of food,
returned with a goodly supply of roots and seventeen salmon. These
fish, although partly spoiled by the long journey home, gave great
satisfaction to the hungry adventurers, for they were the promise of a
plenty to come when the salmon should ascend the rivers that make into
the Columbia. At this time we find the following interesting story in
the journal of the expedition:--

"We had lately heard, also, that some Indians, residing at a
considerable distance, on the south side of the Kooskooskee, were in
possession of two tomahawks, one of which had been left at our camp on
Moscheto Creek, and the other had been stolen while we were with the
Chopunnish in the autumn. This last we were anxious to obtain, in order
to give it to the relations of our unfortunate companion, Sergeant
Floyd,(1) to whom it once belonged. We therefore sent Drewyer, with the
two chiefs Neeshnepahkeeook and Hohastillpilp (who had returned to us)
to demand it. On their arrival, they found that the present possessor
of it, who had purchased it of the thief, was at the point of death; and
his relations were unwilling to give it up, as they wished to bury it in
the grave with the deceased. The influence of Neeshnepahkeeook, however,
at length prevailed; and they consented to surrender the tomahawk on
receiving two strands of beads and a handkerchief from Drewyer, and
from each of the chiefs a horse, to be killed at the funeral of their
kinsman, according to the custom of the country."

(1) See page 23.

The Chopunnish chiefs now gave their final answer to the two captains
who had requested guides from them. The chiefs said that they could not
accompany the party, but later in the summer they might cross the great
divide and spend the next winter on the headwaters of the Missouri. At
present, they could only promise that some of their young