Friday 22nd. August 1806
rained all the last night every person and all our bedding
wet, the morning cloudy, at 8 A.M. I was requested to go
to the Chiefs, I walkd up and he informed me that he Should
not go down but would Stay and take care of the village and
prevent the young men from doing rong and Spoke much to
the Same porpt of the Grey Eyes, the 2d. chief Spoke to the
Same and all they Said was only a repitition of what they had
Said before. the Chief gave me some Soft corn and the 2d
chief Some Tobacco seed. the Interpreter Garrow[22]
informed
me that he had been Speeking to the chiefs & warries this
morning and assured me that they had no intention of going
down untill the return of the cheif who went down last Spring
was a year. I told the cheifs to attend to what we had Said
to them, that in a Short time they would find our words true
and councils good, they promised to attend Strictly to what
had been Said to them, and observed that they must trade
with the Sieoux one more time to get guns and powder; that
they had no guns or powder and had more horses than they
had use for, after they got guns and powder that they would
never again have any thing to do with them &c. &c. I returned
[to] the canoes & derected the men to prepare to Set
out. Some chyennes from two Lodges on the Main S E
Shore came and Smoked with me and at 11 A.M. we Set out
haveing parted with those people who appeared to be Sorry to
part with us. at this nation we found a french man by the
name of Rokey who was one of our Engagees as high as the
Mandans this man had Spend all his wages, and requested
to return with us we agreed to give him a passage down. I
directed 2 guns to be fired. we proceeded on passed the
Marapa and the
We ter hoo [Grand] Rivers, and landed to dry
our bedding and robes &c which were all wet. here we delayed
untill 6 P.M. and dryed our things which were much
Spoiled
I derected 5 of the hunters to proceed on to grouse Island
a fiew miles below and hunt on that island untill we arived,
we proceeded on to the Main N E Shore below the Island
and encamped, the hunters joined us without any thing. they
Saw no game on the island. we made only 17 Miles to day
below the ricaras the river Widens and the Sand bars are
emencely noumerous much less timber in the bottoms than
above
The Chyenne's are portly Indians much the complections
of the Mandans & ricaras high Cheeks, Streight limbed [&
high noses] the men are large, their dress in Sumner is
Simpelly a roab of a light buffalow Skin with or without the
hair and a Breach clout [& mockerson] Some ware leagins and
mockersons, their ornaments are but fiew and those are composed
principally of such articles as they precure from other
indians Such as blue beeds, Shell, red paint rings of brass
broaches &c. they also ware Bears claws about their necks,
Strips of otter Skin (which they as well as the ricaras are excessively
fond of) around their neck[s] falling back behind.
their ears are cut at the lower part, but fiew of them wore
ornements in them, their hair is generally cut in the forehead
above their eyes and Small ornimented plats in front of each
Sholder the remainder of the hair is either twisted in with
horse or buffalow hair divided into two plats over the Sholder
or what is most common flow's back, Their women are
homely, corse feetured wide mouths they ware simpially a
leather habit made in a plain form of two pieces of equal
length and equal weadth, which is sewn together with Sinues
from the tail to about half way from the hip to the arm, a
String fastens the 2 pieces together over the Sholders leaveing
a flap or lapells which fall over near half way [down] their
body both before and behind. those dresses usially fall as low
as mid leg, they are frequently ornemented with beeds and
shells & Elk tuskes of which all Indians are very fond of,
those dresses are als[o] frequently Printed in various regular
figures with hot sticks which are rubed on the leather with
Such velosity as to nearly burn it this is very handsom.
they were their hair flowing and are excessively fond of ornimenting
their ears with blue beeds. this nation [is] peceably
disposed they may be estimated at from 350 to 400 men
inhabiting from 130 to 150 Lodges, they are rich in horses
& Dogs, the dogs carry a great preportion of their light
baggage. they confess to be at war with no nation except the
Sieoux with whome they have ever since their remembrance
been on a difencive war, with the Bands of Sieoux. as I was
about to leave the cheifs [
of the Chyennes] lodge he requested
me to Send Some traders to them, that their country was full
of beaver and they would then be encouraged to kill beaver,
but now they had no use for them as they could get nothing
for their skins and did not know well, how to catch beaver.
if the white people would come amongst them they would
become acquainted and they [
the white people] would learn
them how to take the beaver. I promised the Nation that
I would inform their Great father the President of the U
States, and he would have them Supplied with goods, and
mentioned in what manner they would be Supplied &c. &c.
I am happy to have it in my power to Say that my worthy
friend Capt. Lewis is recovering fast, he walked a little to day
for the first time. I have discontinu[e]d the tent in the hole
the ball came out
I have before mentioned that the Mandans Maharhas
Menetarras & Ricarras, keep their horses in the Lodge with
themselves at night.
