University of Virginia Library

12th.. October Friday 1804—

I rose early after brackfast we joined the Indians who were
waiting on the bank for us to come out and go and councel,
we accordingly joined them and went to the house of the 2nd.
Cheif Lassel where there was many Cheif and Warriers & [they
made us a present of—Biddle] about 7 bushels of Corn, a
pr. of Leagins, a twist of their Tobacco, & Seeds of 2 Kind
of Tobacco[30] we Set Some time before the Councill Commenced
this man Spoke at Some length declareing his dispotion
to believe and prosue our Councils, his intention of
going to Visit his great father acknowledged the Satisfaction
in receiveing the presents &c. rais'g a Doubt as to the Safty
in passing the Nations below particularly the Souex. requested
us to take a Chief of their nation and make a good peace with
Mandins & nations above. after answering those parts of the
2d Cheifs Speech which required it, which appeared to give
general Satisfaction we went to the Village of the 3rd. Chief and as usial Some Serimony took place before he Could Speek to
us on the Great Subject. This Chief Spoke verry much in
the [same] Stile on nearly the Same Subjects of the other Chief

who Set by his Side, more Sincear & pleasently, he presented
us with about 10 bushels of Corn[31] Some beens & [s]quashes
all of which we acksepted with much pleasure, after we had
ansd. his Speech & give them Some account of the Magnitude
& power of our Countrey which pleased and astonished them
verry much we returned to our boat, the Chiefs accompanied
us on board, we gave them Some Sugar a little Salt and a
Sun Glass, & Set 2 on Shore & the third proceeded on with
us to the Mandens by name [blank space in MS.] at 2
oClock we Set out the inhabitents of the two Villages Viewing
us from the banks, we proceeded on about 9 1/2 miles and
Camped on the S.S. at Some woods passed, the evening Clear
& pleasent Cool.

The Nation of the Rickerries (Rickaras) is about 600 men
(Mr. Taboe says, I think 500 men) (Mr. Tabat is right) able to
bear arms a Great perpotion of them have fusees they
appear to be peacefull, their men tall and perpotiend,[32] womin
Small and industerous, raise great quantities of Corn Beens
Simnins[33] &c. also Tobacco for the men to Smoke they collect
all the wood and do the drugery as Common amongst Savages.

This nation is (two villages are) made up of 10 (nine) Different
Tribes of the Pania (Panies), who had formerly been
Seperate, but by Commotion and war with their neighbours
have Come reduced and compelled to come together for protection,
The curruption of the language of those different
Tribes has So reduced the language that the Different Villages
do not understan all the words of the others. Those people
are Durtey, Kind, pore, & extravigent. pursessing national
pride, not beggarley recive what is given with great pleasure,
Live in warm houses, large and built in an oxigon [octagon]
form forming a cone at top which is left open for the smoke

to pass, those houses are Generally 30 or 40 foot Diamiter,
Covd. with earth on poles willows & grass to prevent the earths
passing thro'[34] . Those people express an inclination to be at
peace with all nations. The Seaux who trade the goods which
they get of the Britush Traders for their Corn,[35] and [have]
great influence over the Rickeres, poison their minds and keep
them in perpetial dread.

I saw Some of the Chien (Chyenne) or Dog Indians, also a
man of a nation under the Court Nue, This nation is at war
with the Crow Indians & have 3 children prisoners.

a curious custom with the Souix as well as the rickeres is to
give handsom squars to those whome they wish to Show some
acknowledgements to. The Seauex we got clare of without
taking their squars, they followed us with Squars two days.
The Rickores we put off dureing the time we were at the
Towns but 2 [handsom young] Squars were Sent by a man to
follow us, they came up this evening, and pursisted in their
civilities.[36]

Dress of the men of this nation is Simply a pr. mockerson,
Leagin, flap in front & a Buffalow roabe, with ther hair arms
& ears Deckorated.

The womin, wore Mockersons leagins fringed and a Shirt
of Goat Skins, Some with Sleaves this garment is longe &
Genly. white & fringed, tied at the waste[,] with a roabe, in
Summer without hair.

[Memorandum made by Clark on the inside front cover of Codex C: ]

Names of the nations who come to the Ricares to trafick and
bring Horses & robes

                   

○1	Kun.na-nar-Wesb	—	(Gens des vach)[37]	Blue beeds.
○2	Noo-tar- wau	—		Hill Climbers
*3	Au-ner-hoo	—	the people who pen	Buffaloes to cetch them
*4	To-che- wah-coo	—		Fox Indians
*5	To-pah-cass	—		white hair's
○6	Cat-tar-kah	—		Paducar.
*7	Ki-e-wah	—		Tideing Indians
+8	Too-war-sar	—		Skin pricks
9	Shār ha (chien)	—	The village on the other side
10	We hee skeu (chien)	—	The villagers on this side

Those nations all live on the praries from S W by S to West of the
Ricarees all speek different languages and are numerous, all follow the
Buffalow and winter near the mountains.