o the Indians, who now
seemed completely satisfied and in good humour. At this place they
remained about two hours to let the horses graze, and then continued
their journey, and towards evening reached the lower part of the cove
having on the way shot an antelope, the greater part of which was given
to the Indians. As they were now approaching the place where they had
been told by Captain Lewis they would see the white men, the chief
insisted on halting: they therefore all dismounted, and Cameahwait with
great ceremony and as if for ornament, put tippets or skins round the
necks of our party, similar to those worn by themselves. As this was
obviously intended to disguise the white men, captain Lewis in order to
inspire them with more confidence put his cocked hat and feather on the
head of the chief, and as his own over-shirt was in the Indian form, and
his skin browned by the sun, he could not have been distinguished from
an Indian: the men followed his example, and the change seemed to be
very agreeable* to the Indians.

In order to guard however against any disappointment captain Lewis again
explained the possibility of our not having reached the forks in
consequence of the difficulty of the navigation, so that if they should
not find us at that spot they might be assured of our not being far
below. They again all mounted their horses and rode on rapidly, making
one of the Indians carry their flag, so that we might recognise them as
they approached us; but to the mortification and disappointment of both
parties on coming within two miles of the forks, no canoes were to be
seen. Uneasy lest at this moment he should be abandoned, and all his
hopes of obtaining aid from the Indians be destroyed, captain Lewis gave
the chief his gun, telling him that if the enemies of his nation were in
the bushes he might defend himself with it; that for his own part he was
not afraid to die, and that the chief might shoot him as soon as they
discovered themselves betrayed. The other three men at the same time
gave their guns to the Indians, who now seemed more easy, but still
wavered in their resolutions. As they went on towards the point, captain
Lewis perceiving how critical his situation had become, resolved to
attempt a stratagem which his present difficulty seemed completely to
justify. Recollecting the notes he had left at the point for us, he sent
Drewyer for them with an Indian who witnessed his taking them from the
pole. When