University of Virginia Library

Chapter II

FROM THE PLATTE TO VERMILION RIVER

II. July 23–August 24, 1804

Monday July 23rd.. 1804.

a CLEAR morning G. Drewyer & St. Peter [Crusatt]
Set out to go to the Zotoe & Paunie village 45 miles
to Invite them to come to our camp for Certian purposes
&c. we hoisted the american Collours on the Bank The
Latitude at this place is 41D. 3M 19¾ North. one of the hunters
killed 2 Deer to day.

Tuesday July 24th.. 1804.

Some rain this morning 4 men went to makeing ores for
the Batteaux.

Wednesday July 25th.. 1804.

a pleasant morning. Som men out hunting. G. Drewyer
& St. peter Returned found no Indians, they were in the praries
hunting the Buffelow. Collins killed 2 Deer. Jo. F[ields]
1 Turkey.

Thursday July 26th.. 1804.

pleasant morning Some men out hunting. G. Drewyer
killed 2 Deer & 1 Turkey. the latter part of the day the
[wind] hard from the South a Great many Beaver caught at
this place by the party.

Friday July 27th.. 1804.

cloudy morning the Boat made ready to Start. we Set out
about 1 oClock proceeded along. high wood land on S.S.
G. Shannon killed one Deer to day we passed a prarie on the
S. S. we passd. many sand bars, the River very crooked;

came about 15 miles & camped on a bank of a high prarie,
among a Grove of Cotten wood. the 2 men who were with
the horses did not join us to night.

Saturday July 28th.. 1804.

cloudy morning. we Set out eairly proceded on past a high
Bottom prarie on N. S. Some Timber on the Ridge back of
those praries above the Bottom prarie the hills make in close
to the River verry high & Steep. we passd. the mouth of a
Small Creek on N. S. named Round Knob Creek. the wind
Blew hard from the N. E. G. Drewyer joined us at 11 oC with
one Deer. [1] we Came to a hi CLift or Buut [Butte] one hun[dred]
feet the Barge Struck a Sand Bare on the Side of the
River on the StarBord S. inCampe on the north Side of the
[river] at the foot of a iLand CaLd the BLuf iLand we
Rowed 10 MiLes that day. the hunterers Comin and Brought
one indian with them.

Sunday 29

the Morning was Rany the indian and LiBerty went to the
nation to Bring the rest of them to a treaty the hunter Come
to us at 12 CLock with Some EaLk meat and on[e] deare
the Cowes [buffalo, word conjectural] was near the Same Praerie
Land Some groves of timBer weL wartered I Cut my [word
illegible] on the 27 had to Lay by my ower [oar] the Cout
was one inch and half Long WiLard Left his tommehake weare
[where] we Camped on the night of the 28 Instan we Came
to the Grean Prarie it [is] very hansom the hiLs Com in
near the river th[ere] Come in [a] smaLe Creak on the West
Sd. of the river Cald it Potts Creak aBout 20 yds at the
Mouth. [2] Rold. 11 ½ Campd. on the E. S. Joseph fields
Shot a Brareowe he is the form of a dog. his colour is Gray
his talents on the four feet is 1 ½ Inch long his picture never
was Seen by any of the party before.

Monday July 30th.

Sat out at an Early hour to find a place of Incampment. to
wait for lebarty & the Zottoe Indians to form A Treaty with
them Come to a place of Incampt. About Eigh [t] Oclock On
the W. S. in a piece of woods Cloase to a high Bank whare
No. 2 walkd. On; from Surface of the water it is neerly 100
feet in hight. Roed 4 Miles & halted there.

Tusday July 31

the Morning was Clear G. Druier Catched a young beavour
kept him for a pet. Joseph fields, And his brother lost the
horses when the[y] went to bring whome [home] a deer that
the Sd. Joseph Shot on the Evening of the 30th. Inst.

Wendy August 1st;

the Morning was Clear G. Druier & Colter went to look
for the horses that was lost on the 30th. of last month; G. Gibson
was Sent back one Days Journey to see if the Indians came
there with Liberty that was sent for them to come to a Treaty
with Captn. Lewis & Wm. Clark at the Camp of the Brareowes.
Shields Kill One Deer Gibson returnd but did not see liberty
or the Indians there.

Thursday 2nd.

G. Druier & Colter Returnd found the horses Killd. an
Elk. Brought It to Camp 12 of the Zottoe Indians Arivd.
at Our Camp Calld. the Council Bluffs, or the Brarareham prarie;
at the Hour of 7 Oclock P. M. No buissness was don.
the commanding officer Orderd them plenty of Provisions.
Halted.

Friday 3rd.

the morning was foggy the Indians Beheavd. well while Incampd.
Neer our party Captn. Lewis Brought them to a treaty after
the hour of 9 Oclock there was Six of the Zottoe Cheifs
& Six of the Missueriees; he gave 3 of the head chiefs a
Meaddle Each; and the Other three Commissions in the Name
of the president of the U. S. the[y] was well content With
what the[y] Recd. the Officer Commanding Gave Each of the

privates Some Small presents which made them all on an Eaqual
Satisfactory Atonement for their Visit. the[y] was well
Content in the presence of their two fathers, which was M.
Lewis & Wm. Clark do. when the Articles was Opend Out
the[y] Said as long as the french had traded with [them] the[y]
Never Gave them as much as a Knife for Nothing. Got under
way in the Evening Saild. 5 miles.

Saterday Augst. 4th.

The morning was Clear passd. Several Indian Old Camps
On the W. S. one was Calld. the hat as the Indian died there
namd. the hat Campd. on the East Side Roaed 17 m2..

Sunday 5

Nothing Extraordinary happned that day Road 16 miles
Campd. On the S. S. Read deserted from our party.

Monday 6th.

the morning was fair got underway at Sun Rise passd. an
Island to the L. S. Roaed 12 miles before Dinner. the
hunters brought 3 deer to the River Campd. on the sd: S.
Roaed 18 ¾ Miles.

Tusday Augt. 7th.

the Morning Clear the party Sonsisted of 4 their names
first G. Druier, R. fields, Bratton, And William [Labiech][3] that
was Sent after mr. Read that Deserted in Lat. 41, 17,00 N.
Nothing Else happend. Extraordinary this day.

Wendsy. Augt. 8th.

Captn. M. Lewis Shot a pillican the Bagg that it carried its
drink in containd. 5 Gallons of water by Measure after we
passd. the pillican Island there was better than 5 or 6000 of
them flying they kept before Us one day Roaed 19 Miles
Campd. On the E. S.

Thursday Augt. 9th.

the Morning was foggy Cleard Up at 8 Oclock the Wind
blew south had Good Sailing for better than 14 Miles.
Cam[p]ed On the E. S. Roaed & Saild. 20 miles.

Friday 10

the morning was clear the musquitoes was mighty troublesome
Untill The Sun Rose to Some hight. Campd On the E.
S. Roaed 24 miles.

Sateday Augt. 11.

Rain came on at the hour of 3 Oclock A. M. a heavy wind
blew after. the Crafts got under way at 6 Oclock favourd. With
a South Wind, passd. a bluff whare the Black bird the late
King of the Mahars Was buried 4 years ago the Officers took
a flagg with them and Assended the hill which was 300 feet
higher than the water left the white flagg on a pole Stuck on
his Grave. Road. 18 Miles [camped] on the E. S.

Sunday Augt 12th.

The Morning was fair a Sharp Breese of wind Blew from
the South Sald. 21 Miles from 12 Oclock the 11th. to 12 Oclock
this day and Gaind. 914 yards on a direct Cource. Camped on
the W. S. r[owed] 21 Miles.

Monday Augt. 13th.

Arived. at the fish camp Neer the Mahars Village at at 4
4 Oclock this day the Commanding Officer Sent a Serjt. & 4
Men with a white flagg, to the Village to Invite them to Come
to a treaty, but the[y] found no Indians at the Village Returnd.
Nixt day after 12 Oclock.

Tusday 14th.

the day was fair and pleasant Some of the men Went a hunting
Returnd found no Game.

Wendy 15

Captn. Clark and Some of the men went a fishing to a pond
One mile from the River the[y] had Good Success the[y]
catchd. 386 fish.

Thursday Augst. 16

Captn.. Lewis went out the Nixt day with his party and Returned
with 709 fish Neerly 200 pike fish amongst them.

Friday Augt 17th.

the weather was fine the men Ocepyed their time in Cam[p]
Repairing their Arms, and Cloathing. LaeBash returned by
himSelf Lost the Party and came to Camp with measige.[4]

Saturday 18th Augt.[5]

G. Drewyer & the other 2 men Returned & Brought with
them M. Reed the Deserter, likewise the pettevolior [Little
Thief] the Big chief of the Zattous & another called the Big
horse, a frenchman & 7 of the warriers &c. they all came for
the purpose of treating & making friends with the Mahars, &c.
M. Reed tried & towards evening he Recd. his punishment,
the chiefs Sorry to have him punished &c. La Liberty has
not returned. it is expected that he has deserted.

Sunday 19th.

the Indians all appear to be friendly at 9 oClock the
Captains read a long Speech to them & Counseled with them,
& Gave one a medal & the others they Gave commissions, &
Some Small preasants &c we Gave them provisions while they
Remained with us. Sergt. Floyd Taken verry ill this morning
with a collick.

Monday 20th..

we Set out eairly this morning under a gentle breeze from
the S.E. the Indians all Set out for to return to their village,

we Sailed on verry well till noon when we landed for to take
Dinner. Sergeant Charles Floyd expired directly after we
landed. he was layed out in the most decent manner possable.
we proceeded on to the first hills on N. S. where we
halted and dug a Grave on the top of a round knob & buried
the Desed with the honours of war. the funeral Serrymony
performed &c. we named this hill Sgt. Floyd's Bluff we then
proceeded on to a Creek on the Same Side which we named
Sgt. Floyds Creek.

Tuesday 21st.. August 1804.

we Set out eairly this morning under a hard Breeze from the
South. we passed the mouth of the Grand River Souix close
abv. a high Bluff on N. S. we came 20 odd miles & camped on
S. S.

Wednesday 22nd.. Augt. 1804.

we Set off eairly the current Swift. the [wind] hard from
the South. we passed a ceedar Bluff on the South Side in
which we found Some kinds of Minral Substance, the 2 men
who had been with the horses joined us had killed 2 Deer
we pasd. an allum Stone clift on the S. S. we camped at a
prarie on the N. S. we See a great deal of Elk Sign &c.

Thursday 23rd

we Set off eairly 2 men went on Shore hunting. passed
round a bend Capt. Clark walked on Shore a Short time and
killed a fat Buck. we halted to take Breakfast. 2 Elk Swam
across the River close abv. the boat we wounded boath of
them. Jo. Fields came to the Boat had killed a Bull Buffelow.
Capt. Lewis & 10 men of the party went out & Brought it to
the Boat. John Collins killed a faun. the 2 men on the S. S.
who had been with the horses came to the Boat with 2 Deer.
we halted in a bend to dine the wind verry hard so we jurked
our meat &c. the wind fell towards evening we proceeded
on till dark & camped on the S. S.

Friday 24th.

Some Small Showers of rain last night we Set off about
Sun rise. we passed rugged Bluffs on the S. S. where we found
Some red berreys which they call Rabbit berrys. we passed a
handsom prarie on N. S. in this prarie we are informed that
their is a high hill which they call the hill of little Devills. we
passed the mouth of large Creek on N.S. called White
Stone River which is abt. 50 yards wide & extends a Great
distance in to the Countrey, we Camped on the S. S. of the
Missouri.