University of Virginia Library

31st.. of October Wednesday 1804—

a fine morning, the Chief of the Mandans Sent a 2d. Chief
to invite us to his Lodge to receive Som corn & here what he
had to say I walked down, and with great ceremoney was
Seeted on a roabe by the Side of the Chief, he threw a
handsom Roabe over me and after smokeing the pipe with
Several old men around, the Chief spoke

Said he believed what we had told them, and that peace
would be general, which not only gave him Satisfaction but
all his people, they now could hunt without fear, & ther
womin could work in the fields without looking everry moment
for the enemey, and put off their mockersons at night, (sign of
peace undress) as to the Ri[c]ares we will Show you that we
wish peace with all, and do not make War on any without
cause, that Chief—pointing to the 2d. and Some brave men
will accompy. the ricare Chief now with you to his village &
nation, to Smoke with that people, when you came up the
Indians in the neighbouring Villages, as well as those out
hunting when they heard of you had great expectations of
receving presents those hunting imediately on hearing returned
to the Village and all was Disapointed, and Some Dissatisfied,
as to himself he was not much So but his village
was. he would go and see his great father &c. &c.

he had put before me 2 of the Steel traps which was robed
from the french a Short time ago, [and] about 12 bushels of

Corn which was brought and put before me by the womin of
the Village after the Chief finishd & Smoked in great cerrimony,
I answered the Speech which Satisfied them verry
much, and returned to the boat. met the princapal Chief of
the 3d. Village and the Little Crow both of which I invited
into the Cabin and Smoked & talked with for about one hour.
Soon after those Chiefs left us, the Grand Chief of the
Mandans came Dressed in the Clothes we had given with his
2 small Suns, and requested to See the men Dance which they
verry readily gratified him in, the wind blew hard all the after
part of the day from the N. E. and continud all night to blow
hard from that point, in the morning it Shifted NW. Capt
Lewis wrote to the N. W. Companys agent on the Orsiniboine
River (fort &c. there about 150 miles hence) abt. 9 Days march
North of this place