at the junction of Palouse and Snake River about 4 mi (6 km) downstream from the Palouse Falls (Aputaput - "Falling Water") gave its name to the entire Palouse tribe, often allies of the "Pikunan (Pikunin) Band" of the Nez Percé, the Lewis and Clark Expedition referred to them as the "Pelloatpallah (Nez Percé)", the majority are now part of the "Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation", a minority of the "Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation". Lower Palouse (Palus) Band: lived along the Lower Snake River to its confluence with the Columbia River near the present-day Tri-Cities metropolitan area; the Lewis and Clark Expedition referred to them as "Sokulks" and "Chymnapums"; later historians also identified them as "Nez Percé," now part of the "Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation". The ancestral people were nomadic, following food sources through the seasons. The Palus people gathered with other native peoples for activities such as food-gathering, hunting, fishing, feasting, trading, and celebrations that included dancing, sports and gambling. They lived near other groups including the Nez Perce, Wanapum, Walla Walla, Umatilla and Yakama peoples. The present tribal designation probably derives from the proper designation of the most populous of the three regional bands of the Palouse/Palus people - the ″Middle Palouse/Palus Band″ as Palúšpam - "people of Pa-luš-sa/Palus [one of their most important settlements]", the neighboring Nez Percé also called them Pa-loots-poo/Pelú`cpu/Peluutspu and the Yakama Palúuspam/Pelúuspem both meaning "people of Pa-luš-sa/Palus", their proper autonym was Naxiyamtama or Naha’ámpoo/Naha'u'umpu'u - “the river people”. The people were expert horsemen. The term Appaloosa is probably a derivation of the term "A Palouse horse." They bred the horses for their distinct markings. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the United States Army captured and slaughtered hundreds of tribal horses to cripple the tribe during the Indian Wars. History In October 1805, Lewis and Clark met with the tribe, although most were away from the area for fall food-gathering and hunting. Lewis and Clark presented one of the expedition's silver peace medals to paramount Chief Kepowhan. The Diaries of the Corps of Discovery describe the people as a separate and distinct group from the Nez Percé. After Kepowhan, during the decades 1830', 1840', 1850, Wattaiwattaihowlis (Kepowhan's son and probably principal chief), Kahlotus (known also as Quelaptip and Talatuche, chief of the Upper Palouse), Soei (chief of the Middle Palouse), Nehtalekin (called