University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

I[22] returned last Night from a hunting party much fatigued,
haveing walked 30 miles on the ice and through Points of
wood land in which the Snow was nearly Knee Deep

The 1st. day [Feb 4] I left the fort proceeded on the ice to
new Mandan Island, 22 miles & camped, killed nothing, &
nothing to eat,

The 2d. day—the morning verry Cold & Windey. I broke
thro the ice and got my feet and legs wet, Sent out 4 hunters
thro' a point to kill a Deer & cook it by the time the party
should get up, those hunters killed a Deer & 2 Buffalow
Bulls the Buffalow too Meagur to eat, we eate the Deer &
proceeded on to an old Indian Lodge, Sent out the hunters
& they brought in three lean Deer, which we made use of for
food, walking on uneaven ice has blistered the bottoms of my
feat, and walking is painfull to me.

3rd. day—cold morning the after part of the Day worm,
Camped on a Sand point near the mouth of a Creek on the
SW. Side We Call hunting Creek, I turned out with the
hunters I killed 2 Deer the hunters killed an Elk, Buffalow
Bull, & 5 Deer. all Meager

4th. Day—hunted the two bottoms near the Camp Killed
9 Elk, 18 Deer, brought to camp all the meat fit to eate, &
had the bones taken out. every man ingaged either in hunting
or Collecting & packing the meat to Camp

5th. Day—Despatched one of the party our interpeter & 2
french men with the 3 horses loaded with the best of the meat
to the fort 44 miles Distant, the remaining meat I had packed
on the 2 Slays & drawn down to the next point about 3 miles
below, at this place I had all the meat collected which was
killed yesterday & had escaped the Wolves, Ravin & Magpie;
(which are verry noumerous about this place) and put into a
close pen made of logs to secure it from the wolves & birds &
proceeded on to a large bottom nearly opposit the Chisscheter
(heart) River, in this bottom we found but little game, Great
No. of Wolves, on the hills Saw Several parsels of Buffalow.
Camped. I killed a Buck

6th. Day—The Buffalow Seen last night provd to be Bulls.
lean & unfit for to make use of as food, the Distance from
Camp being nearly 60 miles and the packing of meat that distance
attended with much dificuelty Deturmined me to return
and hunt the points above, we Set out on our return and
halted at an old Indian lodge 40 miles below Fort Mandan
Killed 3 Elk, & 2 Deer.

7th. Day—a cold Day wind blew hard from the N.W. J
Fields got one of his ears frosed deturmined to lay by and
hunt to day Killed an Elk & 6 deer, all that was fit for us
[of] this meat I had Boned and put into a Close pen made of
logs.

8th. Day—the air keen halted at the old Camp we staye
in on the 2d night after we left the Fort, expecting to meat the
horses at this Place, killed 3 Deer, Several men being nearly
out of Mockersons, & the horses not returning deturmined me
to return to the Fort on tomorrow.

9th. day.—Set out early, Saw great numbers of Grouse feeding
on the young Willows, on the Sand bars, one man I sent
in persute of a gangue of Elk Killed three near the old Ricara
Village, and joined at the fort, Sent him back to secure the
meat, one man with him. The ice on the Parts of the river
which was verry rough, as I went down, was Smoothe on my
return, This is owing to the rise and fall of the water, which
takes place every day or two, and Caused by partial thaws, and
obstructions in the passage of the water thro the Ice, which
frequently attaches itself to the bottom, the water when riseing
forses its way thro the cracks & air holes above the old ice,
& in one night becomes a Smothe Surface of ice 4 to 6 Inchs
thick, the River falls & the ice Sink in places with the water
and attaches itself to the bottom, and when it again rises to its
former hite, frequently leavs a Valley of Several feet to Supply
with water to bring it on a leavel Surfice. The water of the
Missouri at this time is Clear with little tingue.

I saw Several old Villages near the Chisscheter River on
enquirey found they were Mandan Villages destroyed by the
Sous & Small Pox, they [were] noumerous and lived in 6 (9)
Villages near that place.

14th.. of February Thursday 1805.

The Snow fell 3 inches Deep last Night, a fine morning,
Despatched George Drewyer & 3 men, with two Slays drawn
by 3 horses for the Meat left below.

15th.. of February Friday 1805

at 10 oClock P M. last night the men that [were] despatched
yesterday for the Meat, returned and informed us that as they
were on their march down at the distance of about 24 miles
below the Fort (G. Drewyer Frasure, S Gutterage, & Newmon[23]
with a broken Gun). about 105 Indians which they took to be
Soues rushed on them and cut their horses from the Slays, two
of which they carried off in great hast, the 3rd. horse was given
up to the party by the intersetion of an Indian who assumd.

Some authority on the occasion, probably more thro fear of
himself or Some of the Indians being killed by our men who
were not disposed to be Robed of all they had tamely, they
also forced 2 of the mens knives & a tamahauk, the man
obliged them to return the tamahawk [, but] the knives they
ran off with

We dispatched two men to inform the Mandans, and if any
of them chose to pursue those robers, to come down in the
morning, and join Capt Lewis who intended to Set out with a
party of men Verry early, by 12 oClock the Chief of the 2nd.
Village Big White came down, and Soon after one other Chief
and Several men. The Chief observed that all the young men
of the 2 Villages were out hunting, and but verry fiew guns
were left, Capt. Lewis Set out at Sunrise with 24 men, to
meet those Soues &c. Several Indians accompanied him Some
with Bows & arrows Some with Spears & Battle axes, 2 with
fuzees (fusils).[24] the morning fine The Thermometer Stood
at 16°. below 0, Nought, visited by 2 of the Big Bellies this
evening, one Chief of the Mandans returned from Capt
Lewises Party nearly blind, this Complaint is as I am informd.
Common at this Season of the year and caused by the reflection
of the Sun on the ice & Snow, it is cured by "jentilley swetting
the part affected, by throwing Snow on a hot Stone."

a Verry Cold part of the night one man Killed a verry
large Red Fox to day.

16th.. of February Saturday 1805

a fine morning, visited by but fiew Indians to day, at
Dusk two of the Indians who wint down with Capt. Lewis
returned, Soon after two others and one man (Howard) with
his feet frosted, and informed that the Inds. who Commited the
roberry of the 2 horses was So far a head that they could not
be overtaken, they left a number of pars of Mockersons
which, the Mandans knew to be Soues Mockersons, This
war party camped verry near the last Camp I made when on
my hunting party, where they left Some Corn, as a deception,
with a view to induce a belief that they were Ricarras.

Capt Lewis & party proceeded on down the meat I left at
my last Camp was taken.

17th.. of February Sunday 1805

this morning worm & a little Cloudy, the Coal & his Son
visited me to day with a about 30lb. of dri[e]d Buffalow meat,
& Some Tallow Mr. Mc. Kinsey one of the NW. Compys.
Clerks visited me (one of the ho[r]ses the Sous robed a fiew
Days past. belonged to this man) The after part of the day
fair.

18th.. of February Monday 1805

a cloudy morning Some Snow, Several Indians here to day
Mr. Mc Kinsey leave me, the after part of the day fine I am
much engaged makeing a descriptive List of the Rivers from
Information[25] our Store of Meat is out to day.

19th.. of February Tuesday 1805

a fine Day visited by Several of the Mandans to day,
our Smiths are much engaged mending and makeing Axes for
the Indians for which we get Corn

20th. February Wednesday 1805

a Butifull Day, visited by the Little raven verry early this
mornning I am informed of the Death of an old man whome
I saw in the Mandan Village this man, informed me that he
"was 120 winters old, he requested his grand Children to
Dress him after Death & Set him on a Stone on a hill with his
face towards his old Village or Down the river, that he might
go Streight to his brother at their old village under ground"[26]
I observed Several Mandans verry old chiefly men[27]

21st.. February Thursday 1805

a Delightfull Day put out our Clothes to Sun. Visited by
the big White & Big Man they informed me that Several
men of their nation was gone to Consult their Medison Stone
about 3 day march to the South West to know what was to be
the result of the ensuing year. They have great confidence in
this stone, and say that it informs them of every thing which
is to happen, & visit it everry Spring & Sometimes in the
Summer. "They haveing arrived at the Stone give it smoke
and proceed to the Wood at Some distance to Sleep the next
morning return to the Stone, and find marks white & raised
on the stone representing the peece or War which they are to
meet with, and other changes, which they are to meet" This
Stone has a leavel Surface of about 20 feet in Surcumfrance,
thick and porus," and no doubt has Some mineral quallites
effected by the Sun.[28]

The Big Bellies have a Stone to which they ascribe nearly
the Same Virtues

Capt Lewis returned with 2 Slays loaded with meat, after
finding that he could not overtake the Soues War party, (who
had in their way distroyed all the meat at one Deposit which I
had made & Burnt the Lodges) deturmined to proceed on to
the lower Deposit which he found had not been observed by
the Soues he hunted two day Killed 36 Deer & 14 Elk,
Several of them so meager, that they were unfit for use, the
meet which he killed and that in the lower Deposit amounting
to about 3000lb.. was brought up on two Slays one Drawn by
16 men had about 2400lb. on it

22nd.. of February Friday 1805.

a Cloudy morning, about 12 oClock it began to rain, and
Continud for a fiew minite, and turned to Snow, and Continud

Snowing for about one hour, and Cleared away fair
The two hunters left below arrived, they killed two Elk, and
hung them up out of reach of the Wolves. The Coal a
Ricara who is a considarable Chief of the Mandans Visited
us to day, and maney others of the three nations in our
neighbourhood.

23rd. of February 1805 Satturday

All hands employed in Cutting the Perogues Loose from
the ice, which was nearly even with their top; we found great
dificuelty in effecting this work owing to the Different devisions
of Ice & water. after Cutting as much as we Could with
axes, we had all the Iron we Could get, & some axes put on
long poles and picked through the ice, under the first water,
which was not more the [than] 6 or 8 inches Deep, we disengaged
one Perogue, and nearly disengaged the 2nd. in Course
of this day which has been worm & pleasent vis'ed by a No
of Indians, Jessomme & familey went to the Shoe Indians
Villag to day

The father of the Boy whose feet were frosed near this place,
and nearly Cured by us, took him home in a Slay.

24th. February Sunday 1805

The Day fine, we Commenced very early to day the Cutting
loose the boat which was more dificuelt than the Perogus
with great exertions and with the assistance of Great prises we
lousened her, and turned the Second perogue upon the ice,
ready to Draw out, in lousening the boat from the ice Some
of the Corking drew out which Caused her to Leake for a fiew
minits untill we Descovered the Leake & Stoped it. Jessomme
our interpeter & familey returned from the Villages Several
Indians visit us to day

25th.. of February Monday 1805

We fixed a Windlass and Drew up the two Perogues on the
upper bank, and attempted the Boat, but the Roap, which we
hade made of Elk skins proved too weak & broke Several
times. night Comeing on obliged us to leave her in a Situation

but little advanced. We were visited by the Black mockerson
Chief of the little Village of the Big Bellies, the Chief of the
Shoe Inds. and a number of others those Chiefs gave us Some
meat which they packed on their wives, and one requested a
ax to be made for his Sun, Mr. (Root) Bunch, one of the under
traders for the hudsons Bay Company. one of the Big Bellies
asked leave for himself & his two wives to Stay all night, which
was granted, also two Boys Stayed all night, one the Sun of
the Black Cat.

The Day has been exceedingly pleasent

26th February Tuesday 1805

a fine Day Commenced verry early in makeing preparations
for drawing up the Boat on the bank, at Sunset by
Repeated exertions the whole day, we accomplished this
troublesom task, just as we were fixed for hauling the Boat,
the ice gave way near us for about 100 yds in length. a number
of Indians here to day to See the Boat rise on the Bank.

27th.. of February Wednesday 1805

a find day, preparing the Tools to make perogues all day.
a fiew Indians Visit us to day, one the largest Indian I ever
Saw, & as large a man as ever I saw, I commence a Map of
the Countrey on the Missouries & its water &c. &c.—

28th.. of February Thursday 1805

a fine morning two men of the NW Compy arrive with letters
and Sackacomah,[29] also a Root and top of a plant, presented by
Mr. Haney, for the Cure of Mad Dogs Snakes &c. and to be
found & used as follows viz: "this root is found on the high
lands and asent of hills, the way of useing it is to scarify the
part when bitten to chu or pound an inch or more if the root
is Small, and applying it to the bitten part renewing it twice

Day. the bitten person is not to chaw nor Swallow any of the
Root for it might have contrary effect."[30]

Sent out 16 men to make four Perogus those men returned
in the evening and informed that they found trees they
thought would answer.

Mr. Gravelin two frenchmen & two Inds. arrive from the
Ricara Nation with Letters from Mr. Anty Tabeaux, informing
us of the peeceable dispositions of that nation towards the
Mandans & Me ne ta rees & their avowed intentions of pursueing
our councils & advice, they express a wish to visit the
Mandans, & [to] know if it will be agreeable to them to admit
the Recaras to Settle near them and join them against their
Common Enemey the Soues We mentioned this to the mandans,
who observed they had always wished to be at peace and
good neighbours with the Ricaras, and it is also the Sentiments
of all the Big bellies, & Shoe nations

Mr. Gravelen informs that the Sisetoons and the 3 upper
bands of the Tetons, with the Yanktons of the North intend to
come to war in a Short time against the nations in this quarter,
& will kill everry white man they See. Mr. T. also informs
that Mr. Cameron[31] of St Peters has put arms into the hands of
the Soues to revenge the death of 3 of his men killed by the
Chipaways latterley, and that the Band of tetons which we
Saw is desposed to doe as we have advised them, thro the
influence of their Chief the Black Buffalow.

Mr. Gravelen further informs that the Party which Robed
us of the 2 horses laterly were all Sieoux 106 in number, they
Called at the Recaras on their return, the Recares being despleased
at their Conduct would not give them any thing to
eate, that being the greatest insult they Could peaceably offer
them, and upbraded them.

March 1st. Friday 1805

a fine Day I am ingaged in Copying a Map,[32] men building
perogus, makeing Ropes, Burning Coal, Hanging up meat
& makeing battle axes for Corn

2nd. of March 1805 Satturday—

a fine Day the river brake up in places all engaged about
Something Mr. LaRocque a Clerk of the NW Company visit
us, he has latterley returned from the Establishments on the
Assinniboin River, with Merchindize to tarade with Indians.
Mr. L informs us the N.W. & XY[33] Companies have joined,
& the head of the N.W, Co. is Dead Mr. Mc. Tavish of Montreal,
visited by the Coal & Several Indians.

3rd.. of March Sunday 1805

a fine Day Wind from the NW, a large flock of Ducks
pass up the River visited by the black Cat, Chief of the
Mandans 2d. Chief and a Big Belley, they Stayed but a Short
time we informed those Chiefs of the news rec[e]ved from the
Recaras, all hands employd.

4th. March Monday 1805 Fort Mandan

a cloudy morning wind from the NW the after part of the
day Clear, visited by the Black Cat & Big white, who
brought a Small present of meat, an Engage of the NW Co:
Came for a horse, and requested in the name of the woman of
the principal of his Department some Silk of three Colours,
which we furnished. The Assinniboins who visited the
Mandans a fiew days ago, returned and attempted to take
horses of the Minetarees & were fired on by them.

5th. March Tuesday 1805

A fine Day, Thermometer at 40° above 0. Several Indians
Visit us to day one frenchman Cross to join a Indian, the
two to pass through by Land to the Ricaras with a Letter to
Mr. Tabbow

6th.. of March Wednesday 1805

a cloudy morning & Smokey all Day from the burning of
the plains, which was set on fire by the Minetarries for an
early crop of Grass, as an enducement for the Buffalow to feed
on, the horses which was Stolen Some time ago by the Assinniboins
from the Menetarries were returned yesterday. Visited
by Oh-harh or the Little fox 2d. Chief of the lower Village of
the Me ne tar rees. one man Shannon Cut his foot with the
ads [adze] in working at the perogue, George & Gravelene
go to the Village, the river rise a little to day.

7th.. of March Thursday 1805

a little cloudy and windey, NE. the Coal Visited us with a
Sick child, to whome I gave Some of rushes[34] pills. Shabounar
returned this evening from the Gross Ventres & informed that
all the nation had returned from the hunting—he (our Menetarre
interpeter) had received a present from Mr. Chaboillez of
the N.W. Company of the following articles 3 Brace [35] of Cloth
1 Brace of Scarlet a par Corduroy overalls 1 Vests 1 Brace Blu
Cloth, 1 Brace red or Scorlet with 3 bars, 200 balls & Powder,
2 brac[e]s Tobacco, 3 Knives.

8th.. of March Friday 1805

a fair Morning cold and windey, wind from the East,
visited by the Greesey head & a Ricara to day, those men
gave Some account of the Indians near the rockey Mountains

a young Indian (Minetarre) same nation & different village,

Stole the Doughter of the Black man (Mandan), he went
to his village took his horse & returned & took away his
doughter [36]

9th.. of March Satturday 1805

a Cloudy Cold and windey morning wind from the North.
I walked up to See the Party that is makeing Perogues, about
5 miles above this, the wind hard and Cold on my way up I
met the (The Borgne) Main Chief of the Ma ne tar res, with
four Indians on their way to see us, (see note of 9 March after
10th Mar 1805), I requested him to proceed on to the fort,
where he would find Capt. Lewis I should be there myself in
corse of a fiew hours, Sent the interpiter back with him
and proceeded on myself to the Canoes found them nearly
fin[i]shed, the timber verry bad (Qu x), after visiting all the
perogues where I found a number of Indians, I wind [went]
to the upper mandan Village & Smoked a pipe (the greatest
mark of friendship and attention) with the Chief and returned.
on my return found the Manetarree Chief about Setting out
on his return to his Village, having recived of Captain M.
Lewis a Medel Gorget armban[d]s, a Flag Shirt, scarlet &c.
&c. &c. for which he was much pleased, those things were
given in place of Sundery articles Sent to him which he Sais he
did not receive, 2 guns were fired for this Great man. [37]

10th.. of March Sunday 1805.

a cold winday Day, we are visited by the Black Mockersons,
Chief of the 2d. Minetarre Village and the Chief of the
Shoeman Village (Shoe or Mocassin Tr:) or Mah hâ ha V.
(Wattassoans) those Chiefs Stayed all day and the latter all
night, and gave us man[y] Strang[e] accounts of his nation &c.

this Little tribe or band of Me ne tar rees (call themselves Ah-nah-hâ-way
or people whose Village is on the Hill. (Insert
this Ahnahaway is the nation Mahhaha the village) this little
nation formerley lived about 30 miles below this, but beeing
oppressed by the Assinniboins & Sous were Compelled to
move near (5 miles) the Menetarees, where, the Assinniboins
killed the most of them, those remaining built a village verry
near to the Menetarries at the mouth of Knife R where they
now live, and Can raise about 50 men, they are intermixed
with the Mandans & Menatarries. the Mandans formerly
lived in 6 (nine) large Villages at and above the mouth of Chischeter
or Heart River four (Six) Villages on the West Side (of
the Missouri) & two (three) on the East one of those Villages
on the East Side of the Missouri & the larges[t] was entirely
Cut off by the Seaux & the greater part of the other and the
Small Pox reduced the others.

11th. of March Monday 1805

A Cloudy Cold windey day, Some Snow in the latter part
of the day, we deturmin to have two other Perogus made for
to transport our Provisions &c.

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.

12th..

a fine day Some Snow last night our Interpeter Shabonah,
deturmins on not proceeding with us as an 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 Wind NW

13th.. of March Wednesday 1805

a fine day visited by Mr. Mc. Kinzey one of the Clerks of
the NW. Companey, the river riseing a little. Maney Inds.
here to day all anxiety for war axes the Smiths have not an
hour of Idle time to Spear wind SW.

14th.. March Thursday 1805.—

a fine day Set all hands to Shelling Corn &c. Mr. Mc. Kinsey
leave us to day Many Indians as usial. wind west river
Still riseing.

15th.. of March Friday 1805—

a fine day I put out all the goods, & Parch[ed] meal
Clothing &c to Sun, a number of Indians here to day they
make maney remarks respecting our goods &c. Set Some
men about Hulling Corn &c.

16th.. of March Satturday 1805 —

a cloudy day wind from the S.E. one Indian much displeased
with white-house for Strikeing his hand when eating,
with a Spoon for behaving badly. Mr. Garrow show's us the
way the recaras made their large Beeds.