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... the Cable & broke it which obliged me to order in a loud voice all hands up at their ores. ...
In about 10 minits the bank was lined with men armed the 1st Cheif at their head, ... the misfortune
of the loss of our Anchor obliged us to Lay under a falling bank much esposed to the accomplishment of
their hostile intentions, ... the Maha Prisoners informed him we were to be Stoped. ... we kept
a strong guard all night in the boat, no Sleep
September 28, 1804
William Clark
... the Soldiers took possession of the Cable ... after much Dificuelty -- which had nearly reduced
us to necessity to hostilities I threw a Carrot of Tobacco to the 1st Chief ... Spoke so as to touch
his pride ... I am verry unwell for want of Sleep Deturmined to Sleep to night if possible, the Men
Cooked & we rested well.
October 9, 1804
William Clark
... much astonished at my black Servent, who did not lose the opportunity of [displaying --
Ed.] his powers Strength &c. &c. this nation never Saw a black man before.
October 10, 1804
William Clark
... after the Council was over we Shot the air guns which astonished them much, the[y] then
Departed and we rested Secure all night, Those Indians wer much astonished at my Servent,
they never Saw a black man before, all flocked around him & examind him from top to toe, he
Carried on the joke and made himself more turribal than we wished him to doe. Those Indians
are not fond of Spirts Licquer. of any kind.
October 10, 1804
Wednesday. The weather was this day fine, and as we were desirous of assembling the whole nation at once, we despatched Mr. Gravelines, who with Mr. Tabeau another French trader had breakfasted with us, to invite the chiefs of the two upper villages to a conference. They all assembled at one o'clock, and after the usual ceremonies we addressed them in the same way in which we had already spoken to the Ottoes and Sioux: we then made or acknowledged three chiefs, one for each of the three villages; giving to each a flag, a medal, a red coat, a cocked hat and feather, also some goods, paint and tobacco, which they divided among themselves: after this the airgun was exhibited, very much to their astonishment, nor were they less surprised at the colour and manner of York. On our side we were equally gratified at discovering that these Ricaras made use of no spirituous liquors of any kind, the example of the traders who bring it to them so far from tempting having in fact disgusted them. Supposing that it was as agreeable to them as to the other Indians, we had at first offered them whiskey; but they refused it with this sensible remark, that they were surprised that their father should present to them a liquor which would make them fools. On another occasion they observed to Mr. Tabeau, that no man could be their friend who tried to lead them into such follies.
October 12, 1804
William Clark
(Re: tribes of the Panies)
Those people are Durtey, Kind, pore, & extravigent. pursessing national pride, not beggarley
recive what is given with great pleasure, Live in warm houses, large and built in an oxigon
[octagon] ... The Seaux who trade the goods which they get of the Britush Traders for their
Corn, and [have] great influence over the Rickeres, poison their minds and keep them in
perpetial dread.
a curious custom with the Souix as well as the rickeres is to give handsom squars to those
whome they wish to Show some acknowledgements to. The Seauex we got clare of without
taking their squars, they followed us with Squars two days. The Rickores we put off dureing
the time we were at the Towns but 2 [handsom young] Squars were Sent by a man to follow
us, they came up this evening, and pursisted in their civilities.
October 13, 1804
William Clark
one man J. Newmon confined for mutinous expression ... 2 Stones resembling humane
persons & one resembling a Dog is Situated in the open Prarie, ... all turned to Stone gradually,
commenceing at the feet. ... on the river near the place those are Said to be Situated, we obsd. a
greater quantity of fine grapes than I ever Saw in one place.
we Tried the Prisoner Newmon last night by 9 of his Peers they did "Centence him 75 Lashes
& Disbanded [from] the party."
October 14, 1804
William Clark
The punishment of this day allarmd. the Indian Chief verry much, he cried aloud I explained the
Cause of the punishment and the necessity (of it) which he (also) thought examples were also
necessary, & he himself had made them by Death, his nation never whiped even their Children,
from their burth.
October 15, 1804
William Clark
Those people are much pleased with my black Servent. Their womin verry fond of carressing
our men &c.
October 25, 1804
William Clark
... passed (1) the 3rd old Village of the Mandans which has been Desd. for many years, ... this
man has two little fingers off; on inquireing the cause, was told it was customary for this nation
to Show their greaf by some testimony of pain, and that it was not uncommon for them to take
off 2 Smaller fingers of the hand (at the 2d joints) and some times more with other marks of
Savage effection
... verry cold R. Fields with the Rhumitism in his neck, P. Crusat with the Same complaint in
his Legs -- the party other wise is well, as to my self I feel but slight Simptoms of that disorder
at this time,
October 29, 1804
William Clark
The Prarie was Set on fire (or caught by accident) by a young man of the Mandins, the fire went
with such velocity that it burnt to death a man & woman, who Could not get to any place of
Safty, one man a woman & Child much burnt and Several narrowly escaped the flame. ... The
couse of his being Saved was a Green buffalow Skin was thrown over him by his mother who
perhaps had more fore Sight for the pertection of her Son, and [l]ess for herself than those who
escaped the flame, the Fire did not burn under the Skin leaveing the grass round the boy. This
fire passed our Camp last [night] about 8 oClock P.M. it went with great rapitidity and looked
Tremendioius
October 31, 1804
William Clark
(Re: Mandan Chief visiting)
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, ...
... 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 radily gratified him in, ...
November 4, 1804
William Clark
a Mr. Chaubonie (Charbonneau), interpeter for the Gross Ventre nation Came to See us, and
informed that the came Down with Several Indians from a hunting expidition up the river, ...
this man wished to hire as an interpiter, ...
November 20, 1804
We this day moved into our huts which are now completed. This place which we call Fort Mandan, is situated in a point of low ground, on the north side of the Missouri, covered with tall and heavy cotton wood. The works consist of two rows of huts or sheds, forming an angle where they joined each other; each row containing four rooms, of fourteen feet square and seven feet high, with plank ceiling, and the roof slanting so as to form a loft above the rooms, the highest part of which is eighteen feet from the
December 7, 1804
The wind still continued from the northwest and the day is very cold: Shahaka [Big White] the chief of the lower village came to apprise us that the buffalo were near, and that his people were waiting for us to join them in the chase: captain Clark with fifteen men went out and found the Indians engaged in killing the buffalo, the hunters mounted on horseback and armed with bows and arrows encircle the herd, and gradually drive them into a plain or an open place fit for the movement of horse; they then ride in among them, and singling out a buffalo, a female being preferred, go as close as possible and wound her with arrows till they think they have given the mortal stroke; when they pursue another till the quiver is exhausted. If, which rarely happens, the wounded buffalo attacks the hunter, he evades his blow by the agility of his horse which is trained for the combat with great dexterity. When they have killed the requisite number they collect their game, and the squaws and attendants come up from the rear and skin and dress the animals. Captain Clark killed ten buffalo, of which five only were brought to the fort, the rest which could not be conveyed home being seized by the Indians, among whom the custom is that whenever a buffalo is found dead without an arrow or any particular mark, he is the property of the finder; so that often a hunter secures scarcely any of the game he kills if the arrow happens to fall off; whatever
is left out at night falls to the share of the wolves, who are the constant and numerous attendants of the buffalo. The river closed opposite the fort last night, [with ice] an inch and a half in thickness. In the morning the thermometer stood at one degree below 0. Three men were badly frostbitten in consequence of their exposure.
December 17, 1804
The weather to-day was colder than any we had yet experienced, the thermometer at sunrise being 45 degrees below 0, and about eight o'clock it fell to 74 degrees below the freezing point. From Mr. Haney, who is a very sensible intelligent man, we obtained much geographical information with regard to the country between the Missouri and Mississippi, and the various tribes of Sioux who inhabit it.
January 10, 1805
William Clark
about 10 oClock the boy about 13 years of age Came to the fort with his feet frosed and had
layed out last night without fire with only a Buffalow Robe to Cover him, ... we had his feet
put in cold water and they are Comeing too. ... Customs & the habits of those people has
anured [them] to bare more Cold than I thought it possible for man to endure.
January 27, 1805
William Clark
... I bleed the man with the Plurisy to day & Swet him, Capt. Lewis took off the Toes of one
foot of the Boy who got frost bit Some time ago, ...
February 11, 1805
Meriwether Lewis
about five Oclock this evening one of the wives of Charbono was delivered of a fine boy. it is
worthy of remark that this was the first child which this woman had boarn, and as is common
in such cases her labour was tedious and the pain violent; Mr. Jessome informed me that he had
freequently admininstered a small portion of the rattle of the rattle-snake, which he assured me
had never failed to produce the desired effect, that of hastening the birth of the child; having the
rattle of a snake by me I gave it to him and he administered two rings of it to the woman broken
in small pieces with the fingers and added to a small quantity of water. Whether this medicine
was truly the cause or not I shall not undertake to determine, but I was informed that she had
not taken it more than ten minutes before she brought forth perhaps this remedy may be worthy
of future experiments, but I must confess that I want faith as to it's efficacy.
March 11, 1805
William Clark
We have every reason to believe that our Menetarre interpeter (whome we intended to take with
his wife, as an interpeter through his wife to the Snake Indians of which nation She is) has been
Corrupted by the [blank in MS] Company &c. Some explenation has taken place which Clearly
proves to us the fact, we give him to night to reflect and deturmin whether or not he intends to
go with us under the regulations Stated.
March 12, 1805
William Clark
our Interpeter Shabonah, deturmins on not proceeding with us as interpeter under the terms
mentioned yesterday, he will not agree to work let our Situation be what it may nor Stand a
guard, and if miffed with any man he wishes to return when he pleases, also have the disposal
of as much provisions as he Chuses to Carry in admissable and we Suffer him to be off the
engagement which was only virbal
March 17, 1805
William Clark
Mr. Chabonah Sent a frenchman of our party [to say] that he was Sorry for the foolish part he
had acted and if we pleased he would accompany us agreeabley to the terms we had perposed
and doe every thing we wished him to doe &c. &c. ... we called him in and Spoke to him on
the Subject, he agreed to our tirms and we agreed that he might go on with us &c.
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