25th. Sept.—
A FAIR Morning the Wind from the S. E. all well,
raised a Flag Staff & made a orning or Shade on a
Sand bar in
the mouth of Teton River, for the purpose
of
Speeking with the Indians under, the Boat Crew on
board at 70 yards
Distance from the bar The 5 Indians
which we met last night Continued,
about 11 OClock the
1t. & 2d.
Chief Came we gave them Some of our Provisions to
eat, they gave us great
Quantitis of Meet Some of which was
Spoiled we feel much at a loss for the
want of an interpeter
the one we have can Speek but little.
Met in
Council at 12 oClock and after Smokeing, agreeable
to the useal Custom, Cap. Lewis proceeded to Deliver a
Speech which
we [were—Ed.] oblige[d] to Curtail for want
of a good interpeter all our party paraded. gave a Medal to
the
Grand Chief Calld. in Indian Un ton gar
Sar bar in French
Beeffe nure [Beuffle noir]
Black Buffalow. Said to be a good
Man, 2[nd] Chief Torto hon gar or the Parti sin or
Partizan
bad the 3rd. is the
Beffe De Medison [Beuffe de Medecine]
his name is Tar
ton gar Wa ker 1[st]. Considerable Man,
War zing go. 2[nd]. Considerable Man Second Bear—Mato
co que par.
Envited
those Cheifs on board to Show them our boat and
such Curiossities as was
Strange to them, we gave them 1/4 a
glass of whiskey which they appeared
to be verry fond of,
Sucked the bottle after it was out & Soon began
to be troublesom,
one the 2d. Cheif assumeing Drunkness, as a Cloake for
his rascally
intentions I went with those Cheifs (in one of the
Perogues with 5
men—
3 &
2 Inds.) (which left the boat with
great reluctiance) to
Shore with a view of reconsileing those
men to us, as Soon as I landed the
Perogue three of their
young Men Seased the Cable of the Perogue, (
in which we had
pressents &
c) the Chiefs Sold
r. [
each Chief has a soldier] Huged
the mast, and the 2
d. Chief was verry insolent both in words &
justures
(
pretended Drunkenness & staggered up against me)
declareing
I should not go on, Stateing he
had not receved
presents sufficent from us, his justures were of Such a
personal
nature I felt My self Compeled to
Draw my Sword (
and
Made a Signal to the boat to prepare
for action) at this Motion
Cap
t. Lewis ordered
all under arms in the boat, those with
me also Showed a Disposition to
Defend themselves and me,
the grand Chief then took hold of the roap &
ordered the
young Warrers away, I felt My Self warm & Spoke in verry
positive terms.
Most of the Warriers appeared to have ther Bows
strung
and took out their arrows from the quiver. as I (being surrounded)
was not
permited (by them) to return, I Sent all the
men
except 2 Inps. [Interpreters] to the boat, the perogue
Soon returned with about 12 of our determined men ready for
any
event. this movement caused a no: of the Indians to withdraw
at a distance, (leaving
their chiefs & soldiers alone with me).
Their treatment to me was
verry rough & I think justified
roughness on my part, they all lift my
Perogue, and Councild.
with themselves the result I
could not lern and nearly all
went off after remaining in this Situation
Some time I offered my
hand to the 1. & 2. Chiefs who refusd. to receve it. I turned off
& went with my men on
board the perogue, I had not prosd.
more the [than] 10
paces before the 1st. Cheif 3rd. & 2
Brave
Men Waded in after me. I took them in & went on board[1]
We
proceeded on about 1 Mile & anchored out off a
Willow Island placed a
guard on Shore to protect the Cooks
& a guard in the boat, fastened
the Perogues to the boat, I
call this Island bad humered Island as we were
in a bad humer.
Course Distance & reffurences—26th. Sept. 1804 badhd.
Isd.
| N. 28° W. |
4
1/2 |
Miles to a p t.on the L. S. passing a Small Willow
Island at 1 1/2 Miles & Several Sand bars the
Water Shallow came too (1) |
