But the Indians were suspicious and reluctant to take the word of the white man.  Captain Lewis, almost at his wits’ end, appealed to their courage.  He said that if they were afraid of being led into a trap, he was sure that some among them were not afraid.

“To doubt the courage of an Indian is to touch the tenderest string of his mind, and the surest way to rouse him to any dangerous achievement.  Cameahwait instantly replied that he was not afraid to die, and mounting his horse, for the third time harangued the warriors.  He told them that he was resolved to go if he went alone, or if he were sure of perishing; that he hoped there were among those who heard him some who were not afraid to die, and who would prove it by mounting their horses and following him.  This harangue produced an effect on six or eight only of the warriors, who now joined their chief.  With these Captain Lewis smoked a pipe; and then, fearful of some change in their capricious temper, set out immediately.”

The party now retraced the steps so lately taken by Captain Lewis and his men.  On the second day out, one of the spies sent forward by the Indians came madly galloping back, much to the alarm of the white men.  It proved, however, that the spy had returned to tell his comrades that one of the white hunters (Drewyer) had killed a deer.  An Indian riding behind Captain Lewis, fearful that he should not get his share of the spoil, jumped off the horse and ran for a mile at full speed.  The journal says:—­

“Captain Lewis slackened his pace, and followed at a sufficient distance to observe them.  When they reached the place where Drewyer had thrown out the intestines, they all dismounted in confusion and ran tumbling over each other like famished dogs.  Each tore away whatever part he could, and instantly began to eat it.  Some had the liver, some the kidneys—­in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look with disgust escaped them.  One of them, who had seized about nine feet of the entrails, was chewing at one end, while with his hand he was diligently clearing his way by discharging the contents at the other.  It was indeed impossible to see these wretches ravenously feeding on the filth of animals, the blood streaming from their mouths, without deploring how nearly the condition of savages approaches that of the brute creation.  Yet, though suffering with hunger, they did not attempt, as they might have done, to take by force the whole deer, but contented themselves with what had been thrown away by the hunter.  Captain Lewis now had the deer skinned, and after reserving a quarter of it gave the rest of the animal to the chief, to be divided among the Indians, who immediately devoured nearly the whole of it without cooking.  They now went toward the (Prairie) creek, where there was some brushwood to make a fire, and found Drewyer, who had killed a second deer.  The same struggle for the entrails was renewed here, and on giving nearly the whole deer to the Indians, they devoured it even to the soft part of the hoofs.  A fire being made, Captain Lewis had his breakfast, during which Drewyer brought in a third deer.  This too, after reserving one-quarter, was given to the Indians, who now seemed completely satisfied and in good humor.”