University of Virginia Library

Thursday 30th..

the fog is so thick on the river this morning that we could
not See across the river, untill late in the morning. about
9 oClock the Indians was brought across the river in our
pearogue our Captains counseled with them read a Speech
to them, & made 5 of them chiefs & Gave them all Some
Marchandize &c &c. They received them verry thankfully
divided them out among themselves, & play on their juze

harps, Sung &c. they [their] Boys Shot with their Bows and
arrows for Beeds and appeared to be merry, and behaved well
among our parte[y]. Capt. Lewis Shot his air gun told them
that their was medician in hir & that She would doe Great
execution, they were all amazed at the curiosity, & as Soon
as he had Shot a fiew times they all ran hastily to See the Ball
holes in the tree they Shouted aloud at the Site of the execution
She would doe &c. The Captains Gave them provisions
&c. as Soon as it was dark a fire was made a drum was
repaired among them. the young men painted themselves
different ways. Some with their faces all white others with
their faces part white round their forehead, & breasts &c.
then they commenced dancing in curious manner to us. their
was a party that Sung and kept time with the drumm. they
all danced or all their young men especially. they Gave a
houp before they commenced dancing, they would dance
around the fire for Some time and then houp, & then rest a fiew
minutes. one of the warrirs would git up in the centre with
his arms & point towards the different nations, & make a
Speech, telling what he had done, how many he had killed &
how many horses he had Stole &c. all this make them
Great men & fine warrirs, the larger rogues [are] the best
men &c or the Bravest men & them that kills most gets the
greatest honoured among them