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
