The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Part 36

[Clark, October 30, 1804]

30th October Tuesday 1804 Two Chiefs came to have Some talk one the princapal of the lower Village the other the one who thought himself the princ.i.p.al mane, & requested to hear Some of the Speech that was Delivered yesterday they were gratified, and we put the medal on the neck of the Big White to whome we had Sent Clothes yesterday & a flag, those men did not return from hunting in time to join the Counell, they were well pleased (2d of those is a Chien) I took 8 men in a Small perogue and went up the river as far as the 1st Island about 7 miles to See if a Situation Could be got on it for our Winter quarters, found the wood on the Isd. as also on the pt. above So Distant from the water that, I did not think that we Could get a good wintering ground there, and as all the white men here informed us that wood was Sceres, as well as game above, we Deturmined to drop down a fiew miles near wood and game on my return found maney Inds. at our Camp, gave the party a dram, they Danced as is verry Comn. in the evening which pleased the Savages much. Wind S. E

[Clark, October 30, 1804]

Mandans

Ka gar no mogh ge the 2d Chief of the 2d Village of Mandins Came the 30t of Octr. and Spoke to us as follows. Viz

Will you be So good as to go to the Village the Grand Chief will Speek & give Some Corn, if you will let Some men take bags it will be well. I am going with, the Chief of the ricares to Smoke a pipe with that nation--I concluded to go down

Mockerson Indians

The princ.i.p.al Chief of the Wau to Soon Came and Spoke a fiew words on Various Subjects not much to the purpose. we Smoked and after my Shooting the air gun he departed, Those nations know nothing of reagular Councils, and know not how to proceed in them, they are restless &c-

[Clark, October 31, 1804]

31st of October Wednesday 1804 The main Chief of the mandans Sent 2 Cheifs for to envite us to Come to his Lodge, and here what he has to Say I with 2 interpetes walked down, and with great Cerimony was Seated on a Robe by the Side of the Chief; he threw a Robe highly decoraterd over my Sholders, and after Smokeing a pipe with the old men in the Circle, the Chief Spoke he belived all we had told him, and that peace would be genl. which not only gave himself Satisfaction but all his people; they now Could hunt without fear & their women could work in the fields without looking every moment for the ememey, as to the Ricaras addressing himself to the Chief with me you know we do not wish war with your nation, you have brought it on your Selves, that man Pointing to the 2d Chief and those 2 young warriers will go with you & Smoke in the pipes of peace with the Ricaras--I will let you see my father addressing me that we wish to be at peace with all and do not make war upon any--he continud to Speak in this Stile (refer to notes) he delivered 2 of the Traps to me which was taken from the french men, gave me 2 bushels of Corn, I answered the Speech which appeared to give general Satisfactionand returned to the boat, In the evening the Chief Visited us Dressed in his new Suit, &delayed untill late the men Dancd untill 10 oClock which was common with them wrote to the N W Copanys agent on the Ossinniboin River by a Mr. McCruckin.

[Clark, October 31, 1804]

31st of October Wednesday 1804 a fine morning, the Chief of the Mandans Sent a 2d Chief to invite us to his Lodge to recive Some Corn & here what he had to Say I walked down and with great ceremoney was Seeted on a roab by the Side of the Chief, he threw a handsom Roabe over me and after smokeing the pipe with Several old men arround, the Chief Spoke Said he believed what we had told them, and that peace would be general, which not only gave him Satisfaction but all his people, they now Could hunt without fear, & ther womin Could work in the fields without looking everry moment for the Enemey, and put off their mockersons at night, as to the Reares we will Show you that we wish peace with all, and do not make war on any without Cause, that Chief pointing to the 2d and Some brave men will accompy. the Ricare Chief now with you to his village & nation, to Smoke with that people, when you Came up the Indians in the neighbouring Villages, as well as those out hunting when they heard of you had great expectations of reciving presents they those hunting imediately on hearing returned to the Village and all was Disapointed, and Some Dessatisfied, as to himself he was not much So but his Village was--he would go and See his great father &c. &c.

he had put before me 2 of the Steel traps which was robed from the french a Short tim ago. about 12 bushels of Corn which was brought and put before me by the womin of the Village after the Chief finished & Smoked in great cerrimony, I answered the Speech which Satisfied them verry much and returned to the boat. met the princapal Chief of the 3d Village and the Little Crow both of which I invited into the Cabin and Smoked & talked with for about one hour. Soon after those Chiefs left us the Grand Chief of the Mandans Came Dressed in the Clothes we had given with his 2 Small Suns, and requested to See the men Dance which they verry readily gratified him in,--the wind blew hard all the after part of the day from the N E and Continud all night to blow hard from that point, in the mornig it s.h.i.+fed N W. Capt Lewis wrote to the N W Companys agent on the Orsineboine River abt. North of this place

[Clark, October 31, 1804]

black Cat or Pose-cop-sa-he 1st Chief of the Mandans & 2d Village

"I believe what you have told us in Council, & that peace will be general, which not only givs me pleasure, but Satisfaction to all the nation, they now Can hunt without fear, and our womin Can work in the fields without looking every moment for the enimey-" as to the Ricares we will Show you that we wish piace with all, and do not make war on any with out Cause, that Chief pointing to the 2d of the Village and Some young men will accompany the Ricrea Chief home to his Nation to Smoke with that people--When the Indians of the Different Villages heard of your Comeing up they all Came in from hunting to See, they expected Great presents. they were disapointed, and Some dissatisfied- as to my Self I am not much So, but my Village are--he believed the roade was open; and he would go and See his great father--he Delivered Up 2 Traps which had been taken from the french, & gave me a roabe & about 12 bushels of Corn--& smoked &c

I answered the Speech it explained, many parts which he Could not understand-of the Speech of yesterday.

[Lewis, October 31, 1804]

Wednesday October 31st 1804.

The river being very low and the season so far advanced that it frequently shuts up with ice in this climate we determined to spend the Winter in this neighbourhood, accordingly Capt. Clark with a party of men reconnoitred the countrey for some miles above our encampment; he returned in the evening without having succeed in finding an eligible situation for our purpose.-

[Clark, November 1, 1804]

1 November 1804 Visited by Several Chiefs of the lower Village who requested we would call on them &c. Spoke to the Same purpote with the Grand Chief. we Set out in the evening & I with the Party droped down to the place we intended to winter & Cap Lewis called at the Village 3 miles above &. &.

[Clark, November 1, 1804]

1st of November Thursday 1804 the wind hard from the N W. Mr. McCrackin a Trader Set out at 7 oClock to the fort on the Ossiniboin by him Send a letter, (incloseing a Copy of the British Ministers protection) to the princ.i.p.al agent of the Company--at about 10 OClock the Cheifs of the Lower Village Cam and after a Short time informed us they wished they would us to call at their village & take Some Corn, that they would make peace with the Ricares they never made war against them but after the rees Killed their Chiefs they killed them like the birds, and were tired and would Send a Chief and Some brave men to the Ricares to Smoke with that people in the evening we Set out and fell down to the lower Village where Capt. Lewis got out and continud at the Village untill after night I proceeded on & landed on the S. S. at the upper point of the 1st Timber on the Starboard Side after landing & Continuinge--all night droped down to a proper place to build Capt Lewis Came down after night, and informed me he intended to return the next morning by the perticular Request of the Chiefs.

We pa.s.sed the Villages on our Decent in veiw of Great numbers of the inhabitents

[Clark, November 1, 1804]

The 1st of Novr. Mandins is Village the Main Chief Big White & 2 others i e the Big Man or Sha-ha-ca and ____ Came early to talk, and Spoke as follows, after Smoking, Viz.

Is it Certain that the ricares intend to make good with us our wish is to be at peace with all, we will Send a Chief with the pania Chief and Some young men to Smoke and make good peace-? are you going to Stay abov or below this Cold.--answer by C. L We are going down a few miles to look a place we can find no place abov proper.

The panias know's we do not begin the war, they allway begin, we Sent a Chief and a pipe to the Pania to Smoke and they killed them-, we have killed enough of them we kill them like the birds, we do not wish to kill more, we will, make a good peace

We were Sorry when we heard of your going up but now you are going down, we are glad, if we eat you Shall eat, if we Starve you must Starve also, our village is too far to bring the Corn to you, but we hope you will Call on us as you pa.s.s to the place you intend to Stop

C L answered the above-

[Lewis, November 1, 1804]

Thursday November 1st 1804 The wind blew so violently during the greater part of this day that we were unable to quit our encampment; in the evening it abated;--we droped down about seven miles and land on N. E. side of the river at a large point of Woodland.

[Clark, November 2, 1804]

2nd Novr. 1804 Friday--Capt Lewis returned to the Village & I fixed on a place for to build a fort and Set to work Cap Lewis returned in the eveng with 11 bushels of Corn, the Ricarre Chief Set out for his Village accompanied by Several mandans

[Clark, November 2, 1804]

2nd November Friday 1804 This morning at Day light I went down the river with 4 men to look for a proper place to winter proceeded down the river three miles & found a place well Supld. with wood, & returned, Capt. Lewis went to the village to here what they had to Say & I fell down, and formed a camp near where a Small Camp of Indian were huntig Cut down the Trees around our Camp, in the evening Capt. Lewis returned with a present of 11 bushels of Corn, our recaree Chief Set out acccompanied by one Chief and Several Brave men, he Called for Some Small article which we had given but as I could not understand him he Could not get. the wind from the S. E. a fine day--many Indians to day

[Lewis, November 2, 1804]

Friday November 2nd 1804" This morning early we fixed on the site for our fortification which we immediately set about.