University of Virginia Library

CHAP. IV.

September 25. The morning was fine, and the wind
continued from the southeast. We raised a flagstaff and
an awning, under which we assembled at twelve o'clock,
with all the party parading under arms. The chiefs and
warriors from the camp two miles up the river, met us,
about fifty or sixty in number, and after smoking delivered
them a speech; but as our Sioux interpreter, Mr. Durion,
had been left with the Yanktons, we were obliged to make
use of a Frenchman who could not speak fluently, and
therefore we curtailed our harangue. After this we went
through the ceremony of acknowledging the chiefs, by
giving to the grand chief a medal, a flag of the United
States, a laced uniform coat, a cocked hat and feather: to
the two other chiefs a medal and some small presents; and
to two warriors of consideration certificates. The name of the
great chief is Untongasabaw, or Black Buffaloe; the second
Tortohonga, or the Partisan; the third Tartongawaka, or
Buffaloe Medicine: the name of one of the warriors was
Wawzinggo; that of the second Matocoquepa, or Second
Bear. We then invited the chiefs on board, and showed
them the boat, the airgun, and such curiosities as we
thought might amuse them: in this we succeeded too well;
for after giving them a quarter of a glass of whiskey, which
they seemed to like very much, and sucked the bottle, it
was with much difficulty that we could get rid of them.
They at last accompanied captain Clarke on shore in a periogue
with five men; but it seems they had formed a design

to stop us; for no sooner had the party landed than three of
the Indians seized the cable of the periogue, and one of the
soldiers of the chief put his arms round the mast: the
second chief who affected intoxication, then said, that we
should not go on, that they had not received presents enough
from us: captain Clarke told him that he would not be
prevented from going on; that we were not squaws, but
warriors; that we were sent by our great father, who could
in a moment exterminate them: the chief replied, that he
too had warriors, and was proceeding to offer personal violence
to captain Clarke, who immediately drew his sword,
and made a signal to the boat to prepare for action. The
Indians who surrounded him, drew their arrows from their
quivers and were bending their bows, when the swivel in
the boat was instantly pointed towards them, and twelve of
our most determined men jumped into the periogue and
joined captain Clarke. This movement made an impression
on them, for the grand chief ordered the young men
away from the periogue, and they withdrew and held a
short council with the warriors. Being unwilling to irritate
them, captain Clarke then went forward and offered
his hand to the first and second chiefs, who refused to take
it. He then turned from them and got into the periogue,
but had not gone more than ten paces when both the chiefs
and two of the warriors waded in after him, and he brought
them on board. We then proceeded on for a mile and anchored
off a willow island, which from the circumstances
which had just occurred, we called Badhumoured island.

Wednesday, September 26. Our conduct yesterday
seemed to have inspired the Indians with fear of us, and as
we were desirous of cultivating their acquaintance, we
complied with their wish that we should give them an opportunity
of treating us well, and also suffer their squaws
and children to see us and our boat, which would be perfectly
new to them. Accordingly, after passing at one and
a half mile a small willow island and several sandbars,

we came to on the south side, where a crowd of men, women
and children were waiting to receive us. Captain
Lewis went on shore and remained several hours, and observing
that their disposition was friendly we resolved to
remain during the night to a dance, which they were preparing
for us. Captains Lewis and Clarke, who went on
shore one after the other, were met on landing by ten well
dressed young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated
and carried them to a large council house, where
they were placed on a dressed buffaloe skin by the side of
the grand chief. The hall or council-room was in the shape
of three quarters of a circle, covered at the top and sides
with skins well dressed and sewed together. Under this
shelter sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the
chief, before whom were placed a Spanish flag and the one
we had given them yesterday. This left a vacant circle of
about six feet diameter, in which the pipe of peace was
raised on two forked sticks, about six or eight inches from
the ground, and under it the down of the swan was scattered:
a large fire, in which they were cooking provisions,
stood near, and in the centre about four hundred pounds of
excellent buffaloe meat as a present for us. As soon as we
were seated, an old man got up, and after approving what
we had done, begged us to take pity on their unfortunate
situation. To this we replied with assurances of protection.
After he had ceased, the great chief rose and delivered an
harangue to the same effect: then with great solemnity he
took some of the most delicate parts of the dog, which
was cooked for the festival, and held it to the flag by way
of sacrifice: this done, he held up the pipe of peace, and
first pointed it towards the heavens, then to the four quarters
of the globe, and then to the earth, made a short
speech, lighted the pipe, and presented it to us. We smoked,
and he again harangued his people, after which the repast
was served up to us. It consisted of the dog which they
had just been cooking, this being a great dish among the
Sioux, and used on all festivals; to this were added, pemitigon,
a dish made of buffaloe meat, dried or jerked, and then
pounded and mixed raw with grease and a kind of ground
potatoe, dressed like the preparation of Indian corn called
hominy, to which it is little inferior. Of all these luxuries
which were placed before us in platters with horn spoons,
we took the pemitigon and the potatoe, which we found
good, but we could as yet partake but sparingly of the dog.
We eat and smoked for an hour, when it became dark:
every thing was then cleared away for the dance, a large
fire being made in the centre of the house, giving at once
light and warmth to the ballroom. The orchestra was
composed of about ten men, who played on a sort of tambourin,
formed of skin stretched across a hoop; and made a
jingling noise with a long stick to which the hoofs of deer
and goats were hung; the third instrument was a small
skin bag with pebbles in it: these, with five or six young
men for the vocal part, made up the band. The women
then came forward highly decorated; some with poles in
their hands, on which were hung the scalps of their enemies;
others with guns, spears or different trophies, taken
in war by their husbands, brothers, or connexions. Having
arranged themselves in two columns, one on each side of the
fire, as soon as the music began they danced towards each
other till they met in the centre, when the rattles were
shaken, and they all shouted and returned back to their
places. They have no step, but shuffle along the ground;
nor does the music appear to be any thing more than a confusion
of noises, distinguished only by hard or gentle
blows upon the buffaloe skin: the song is perfectly extemporaneous.
In the pauses of the dance, any man of the
company comes forward and recites, in a sort of low guttural
tone, some little story or incident, which is either martial
or ludicrous; or, as was the case this evening, voluptuous
and indecent; this is taken up by the orchestra and the
dancers, who repeat it in a higher strain and dance to it.
Sometimes they alternate; the orchestra first performing,
and when it ceases, the women raise their voices and
make a music more agreeable, that is, less intolerable than
that of the musicians. The dances of the men, which are
always separate from those of the women, are conducted
very nearly in the same way, except that the men jump up
and down instead of shuffling; and in the war dances the recitations
are all of a military cast. The harmony of the entertainment
had nearly been disturbed by one of the musicians,
who thinking he had not received a due share of the
tobacco we had distributed during the evening, put himself
into a passion, broke one of the drums, threw two of them
into the fire, and left the band. They were taken out of the
fire: a buffaloe robe held in one hand and beaten with the
other, by several of the company, supplied the place of the
lost drum or tambourin, and no notice was taken of the offensive
conduct of the man. We staid till twelve o'clock at
night, when we informed the chiefs that they must be fatigued
with all these attempts to amuse us, and retired accompanied
by four chiefs, two of whom spent the night with
us on board.

While on shore we saw twenty-five squaws, and about
the same number of children, who had been taken prisoners
two weeks ago, in a battle with their countrymen the Mahas.
In this engagement the Sioux destroyed forty lodges, killed
seventy-five men, of which we saw many of the scalps, and
took these prisoners; their appearance is wretched and dejected;
the women too seem low in stature, coarse and ugly;
though their present condition may diminish their beauty.
We gave them a variety of small articles, such as awls and
needles, and interceded for them with the chiefs, to whom
we recommended to follow the advice of their great father,
to restore the prisoners and live in peace with the Mahas,
which they promised to do.

The tribe which we this day saw, are a part of the great
Sioux nation, and are known by the name of the Teton Okandandas:

they are about two hundred men in number, and
their chief residence is on both sides of the Missouri, between
the Chayenne and Teton rivers. In their persons they are
rather ugly and ill made, their legs and arms being too small,
their cheekbones high, and their eyes projecting. The females,
with the same character of form, are more handsome;
and both sexes appear cheerful and sprightly; but in our intercourse
with them we discovered that they were cunning
and vicious.

The men shave the hair off their heads, except a small
tuft on the top, which they suffer to grow and wear in
plaits over the shoulders; to this they seem much attached,
as the loss of it is the usual sacrifice at the death of near relations.
In full dress, the men of consideration wear a hawk's
feather, or calumet feather worked with porcupine quills,
and fastened to the top of the head, from which it falls back.
The face and body are generally painted with a mixture of
grease and coal. Over the shoulders is a loose robe or mantle
of buffaloe skin dressed white, adorned with porcupine quills
loosely fixed so as to make a gingling noise when in motion,
and painted with various uncouth figures unintelligible to
us, but to them emblematic of military exploits, or any other
incident; the hair of the robe is worn next the skin in fair
weather, but when it rains the hair is put outside, and the
robe is either thrown over the arm, or wrapped round the
body, all of which it may cover. Under this in the winter
season they wear a kind of shirt resembling ours, and made
either of skin or cloth, and covering the arms and body.
Round the middle is fixed a girdle of cloth or procured dressed
elk-skin, about an inch in width and closely tied to the
body, to this is attached a piece of cloth or blanket or skin
about a foot wide, which passes between the legs and is
tucked under the girdle both before and behind; from the
hip to the ancle he is covered by leggings of dressed antelope
skins, with seams at the sides two inches in width, and ornamented
by little tufts of hair the produce of the scalps

they have made in war, which are scattered down the leg.
The winter moccasins are of dressed buffaloe-skin, the hair
being worn inwards, and soaled with thick elk-skin parchment:
those for summer are of deer or elk-skin, dressed
without the hair, and with soals of elk-skin. On great occasions,
or wherever they are in full dress, the young men
drag after them the entire skin of a polecat fixed to the heel
of the moccasin. Another skin of the same animal is either
tucked into the girdle or carried in the hand, and serves as
a pouch for their tobacco, or what the French traders call
the bois roule: this is the inner bark of a species of red willow,
which being dried in the sun or over the fire, is rubbed
between the hands and broken into small pieces, and is used
alone or mixed with tobacco. The pipe is generally of red
earth, the stem made of ash, about three or four feet long,
and highly decorated with feathers, hair and porcupine
quills.

The hair of the women is suffered to grow long, and is
parted from the forehead across the head, at the back of
which it is either collected into a kind of bag, or hangs down
over the shoulders. Their moccasins are like those of the
men, as are also the leggings, which do not however reach
beyond the knee, where it is met by a long loose shift of skin
which reaches nearly to the ancles: this is fastened over the
shoulders by a string and has no sleeves, but a few pieces of
the skin hang a short distance down the arm. Sometimes a
girdle fastens this skin round the waist, and over all is thrown
a robe like that worn by the men. They seem fond of dress.
Their lodges are very neatly constructed, in the same form as
those of the Yanktons; they consist of about one hundred
cabins, made of white buffaloe hide dressed, with a larger
one in the centre for holding councils and dances. They
are built round with poles about fifteen or twenty feet high,
covered with white skins; these lodges may be taken to
pieces, packed up, and carried with the nation wherever
they go, by dogs which bear great burdens. The women

are chiefly employed in dressing buffaloe skins: they seem
perfectly well disposed, but are addicted to stealing any
thing which they can take without being observed. This
nation, although it makes so many ravages among its neighbours,
is badly supplied with guns. The water which they
carry with them is contained chiefly in the paunches of
deer and other animals, and they make use of wooden
bowls. Some had their heads shaved, which we found was
a species of mourning for relations. Another usage, on
these occasions, is to run arrows through the flesh both
above and below the elbow.

While on shore to-day we witnessed a quarrel between
two squaws, which appeared to be growing every moment
more boisterous, when a man came forward, at whose approach
every one seemed terrified and ran. He took the
squaws, and without any ceremony whipped them severely;
on inquiring into the nature of such summary justice, we
learnt that this man was an officer well known to this and
many other tribes. His duty is to keep the peace, and the
whole interior police of the village is confided to two or
three of these officers, who are named by the chief and remain
in power some days, at least till the chief appoints
a successor; they seem to be a sort of constable or sentinel,
since they are always on the watch to keep tranquillity
during the day, and guarding the camp in the night.
The short duration of their office is compensated by its
authority: his power is supreme, and in the suppression of
any riot or disturbance no resistance to him is suffered: his
person is sacred, and if in the execution of his duty he strikes
even a chief of the second class, he cannot be punished for
this salutary insolence. In general they accompany the
person of the chief, and when ordered to any duty, however
dangerous, it is a point of honour rather to die than
to refuse obedience. Thus, when they attempted to stop us
yesterday, the chief ordered one of these men to take possession
of the boat; he immediately put his arms round the

mast, and, as we understood, no force except the command of
the chief would have induced him to release his hold. Like
the other men their bodies are blackened, but their distinguishing
mark is a collection of two or three raven skins
fixed to the girdle behind the back in such a way, that the
tails stick out horizontally from the body. On his head too
is a raven skin split into two parts, and tied so as to let the
beak project from the forehead.

Thursday, September 27. We rose early, and the two
chiefs took off, as a matter of course and according to their
custom, the blanket on which they had slept. To this we
added a peck of corn as a present to each. Captain Lewis
and the chiefs went on shore to see a part of the nation
that was expected, but did not come. He returned at two
o'clock, with four of the chiefs and a warrior of distinction,
called Wadrapa, (or on his guard); they examined
the boat and admired whatever was strange, during half
an hour, when they left it with great reluctance. Captain
Clarke accompanied them to the lodge of the grand chief,
who invited them to a dance, where, being joined by captain
Lewis, they remained till a late hour. The dance was very
similar to that of yesterday. About twelve we left them,
taking the second chief and one principal warrior on board
as we came near the boat the man who steered the periogue,
by mistake, brought her broadside against the boat's
cable, and broke it. We called up all hands to their oars;
but our noise alarmed the two Indians: they called out to
their companions, and immediately the whole camp crowded
to the shore; but after half an hour they returned, leaving
about sixty men near us. The alarm given by the chiefs
was said to be that the Mahas had attacked us, and that
they were desirous of assisting us to repel it; but we suspected
that they were afraid we meant to set sail, and intended
to prevent us from doing so; for in the night the
Maha prisoners had told one of our men, who understood
the language, that we were to be stopped. We therefore,

without giving any indication of our suspicion, prepared
every thing for an attack, as the loss of our anchor obliged
to come to near a falling bank, very unfavourable for defence.
We were not mistaken in these opinions; for when in
the morning,

Friday, September 28, after dragging unsuccessfully
for the anchor, we wished to set sail, it was with great difficulty
that we could make the chiefs leave the boat. At
length we got rid of all except the great chief; when just
as we were setting out, several of the chief's soldiers sat on
the rope which held the boat to the shore. Irritated at this
we got every thing ready to fire on them if they persisted,
but the great chief said that these were his soldiers and
only wanted some tobacco. We had already refused a flag
and some tobacco to the second chief, who had demanded it
with great importunity; but willing to leave them without
going to extremities, we threw him a carrot of tobacco,
saying to him, "You have told us that you were a great
man, and have influence; now show your influence, by taking
the rope from those men, and we will then go without
any further trouble." This appeal to his pride had the desired
effect; he went out of the boat, gave the soldiers the
tobacco, and pulling the rope out of their hands delivered
it on board, and we then set sail under a breeze from the
S. E. After sailing about two miles we observed the
third chief beckoning to us: we took him on board, and he
informed us that the rope had been held by the order of the
second chief, who was a double-faced man. A little farther
on we were joined by the son of the chief, who came on
board to see his father. On his return we sent a speech to
the nation, explaining what we had done, and advising them
to peace; but if they persisted in their attempts to stop us, we
were willing and able to defend ourselves. After making
six miles, during which we passed a willow island on the
south and one sandbar, we encamped on another in the middle

of the river. The country on the south side was a low
prairie, that on the north highland.

September 29. We set out early, but were again impeded
by sandbars, which made the river shallow; the weather
was however fair; the land on the north side low and covered
with timber contrasted with the bluffs to the south. At
nine o'clock we saw the second chief and two women and
three men on shore, who wished us to take two women offered
by the second chief to make friends, which was refused;
he then requested us to take them to the other band of
their nation, who were on the river not far from us: this
we declined; but in spite of our wishes they followed us
along shore. The chief asked us to give them some tobacco;
this we did, and gave more as a present for that part of
the nation which we did not see. At seven and a half miles
we came to a small creek on the southern side, where we
saw great numbers of elk, and which we called Notimber
creek from its bare appearance. Above the mouth of this
stream, a Ricara band of Pawnees had a village five years
ago: but there are no remains of it except the mound which
encircled the town. Here the second chief went on shore.
We then proceeded, and at the distance of eleven miles encamped
on the lower part of a willow island, in the middle of
the river, being obliged to substitute large stones in the
place of the anchor which we lost.

September 30. The wind was this morning very high
from the southeast, so that we were obliged to proceed under
a double-reefed mainsail, through the rain. The country
presented a large low prairie covered with timber on
the north side; on the south, we first had high barren hills,
but after some miles it became of the same character as that
on the opposite side. We had not gone far when an Indian
ran after us, and begged to be carried on board as far as the
Ricaras, which we refused: soon after, we discovered on
the hills at a distance, a great number of Indians, who came
towards the river and encamped ahead of us. We stopped

at a sandbar, at about eleven miles, and after breakfasting
proceeded on a short distance to their camp, which consisted
of about four hundred souls. We anchored one hundred
yards from the shore, and discovering that they were Tetons
belonging to the band which we had just left: we told
them that we took them by the hand, and would make each
chief a present of tobacco; that we had been badly treated
by some of their band, and that having waited for them two
days below, we could not stop here, but referred them to
Mr. Durion for our talk and an explanation of our views:
they then apologized for what had past, assured us that
they were friendly, and very desirous that we should land
and eat with them: this we refused, but sent the periogue
on shore with the tobacco, which was delivered to one of the
soldiers of the chief, whom we had on board. Several of
them now ran along the shore after us, but the chief threw
them a twist of tobacco, and told them to go back and open
their ears to our counsels; on which they immediately returned
to their lodges. We then proceeded past a continuation
of the low prairie on the north, where we had large
quantities of grapes, and on the south saw a small creek and
an island. Six miles above this, two Indians came to the
bank, looked at us about half an hour, and then went without
speaking over the hills to the southwest. After some
time, the wind rose still higher, and the boat struck a log,
turned, and was very near taking in water. The chief became
so much terrified at the danger, that he hid himself
in the boat, and as soon as we landed got his gun and told
us that he wanted to return, that we would now see no more
Tetons, and that we might proceed unmolested: we repeated
the advice we had already given, presented him with a
blanket, a knife, some tobacco, and after smoking with him
he set out. We then continued to a sandbar on the north
side, where we encamped, having come twenty and a half
miles. In the course of the day we saw a number of sandbars
which impede the navigation. The only animal which
we observed was the white gull, then in great abundance.

October 1st, 1804. The weather was very cold and the
wind high from the southeast during the night, and continued
so this morning. At three miles distance, we had
passed a large island in the middle of the river, opposite to
the lower end of which the Ricaras once had a village on the
south side of the river: there are, however, no remnants of
it now, except a circular wall three or four feet in height,
which encompassed the town. Two miles beyond this island
is a river coming in from the southwest, about four hundred
yards wide; the current gentle, and discharging not
much water, and very little sand: it takes its rise in the
second range of the Cote Noire or Black mountains, and its
general course is nearly east: this river has been occasionally
called Dog river, under a mistaken opinion that its French
name was Chien, but its true appellation is Chayenne, and
it derives this title from the Chayenne Indians: their history
is the short and melancholy relation of the calamities
of almost all the Indians. They were a numerous people
and lived on the Chayenne, a branch of the Red river of
Lake Winnipeg. The invasion of the Sioux drove them
westward; in their progress they halted on the southern
side of the Missouri below the Warreconne, where their
ancient fortifications still exist; but the same impulse again
drove them to the heads of the Chayenne, where they now
rove, and occasionally visit the Ricaras. They are now
reduced, but still number three hundred men.

Although the river did not seem to throw out much
sand, yet near and above its mouth we find a great many
sandbars difficult to pass. On both sides of the Missouri,
near the Chayenne, are rich thinly timbered lowlands,
behind which are bare hills. As we proceeded,
we found that the sandbars made the river so shallow, and
the wind was so high, that we could scarcely find the channel,
and at one place were forced to drag the boat over a

sandbar, the Missouri being very wide and falling a little.
At seven and a half miles we came to at a point, and remained
three hours, during which time the wind abated:
we then passed within four miles two creeks on the south,
one of which we called Centinel creek, and the other
Lookout creek. This part of the river has but little timber;
the hills are not so high as we have hitherto seen,
and the number of sandbars extends the river to more than
a mile in breadth. We continued about four and a half
miles further, to a sandbar in the middle of the river,
where we spent the night, our progress being sixteen miles.
On the opposite shore, we saw a house among the willows
and a boy, to whom we called, and brought him on board.
He proved to be a young Frenchman in the employ of a Mr.
Valle a trader, who is now here pursuing his commerce
with the Sioux.

Tuesday, October 2. There had been a violent wind
from the S. E. during the night, which having moderated
we set sail with Mr. Valle, who visited us this morning and
accompanied us for two miles. He is one of three French
traders who have halted here, expecting the Sioux who are
coming down from the Ricaras, where they now are, for the
purposes of traffic. Mr. Valle tells us that he passed the
last winter three hundred leagues up the Chayenne under
the Black mountains. That river he represents as very rapid,
liable to sudden swells, the bed and shores formed of
coarse gravel, and difficult of ascent even for canoes. One
hundred leagues from its mouth it divides into two branches,
one coming from the south, the other at forty leagues
from the junction enters the Black mountains. The land
which it waters from the Missouri to the Black mountains,
resembles the country on the Missouri, except that the former
has even less timber, and of that the greater proportion
is cedar. The Chayennes reside chiefly on the heads
of the river, and steal horses from the Spanish settlement,
a plundering excursion which they perform in a month's

time. The Black mountains he observes are very high, covered
with great quantities of pine, and in some parts the
snow remains during the summer. There are also great
quantities of goats, white bear, prairie cocks, and a species
of animal which from his description must resemble a small
elk, with large circular horns.

At two and a half miles we had passed a willow island
on the south, on the north side of the river were dark bluffs,
and on the south low rich prairies. We took a meridian altitude
on our arrival at the upper end of the isthmus of the
bend, which we called the Lookout bend, and found the latitude
to be 44° 19′ 36″. This bend is nearly twenty miles
round, and not more than two miles across.

In the afternoon we heard a shot fired, and not long after
observed some Indians on a hill: one of them came to the
shore and wished us to land, as there were twenty lodges
of Yanktons or Boisbrule there; we declined doing so, telling
him that we had already seen his chiefs, and that they
might learn from Mr. Durion the nature of the talk we had
delivered to them. At nine miles we came to the lower
point of a long island on the north, the banks of the south
side of the river being high, those of the north forming a low
rich prairie. We coasted along this island, which we called
Caution island, and after passing a small creek on the south
encamped on a sandbar in the middle of the river, having
made twelve miles. The wind changed to the northwest,
and became very high and cold. The current of the river
is less rapid, and the water though of the same colour contains
less sediment than below the Chayenne, but its width
continues the same. We were not able to hunt to-day; for as
there are so many Indians in the neighbourhood, we were
in constant expectation of being attacked, and were therefore
forced to keep the party together and be on our guard.

Wednesday, October 3. The wind continued so high
from the northwest, that we could not set out till after
seven: we then proceeded till twelve o'clock, and landed on

a bar towards the south, where we examined the periogues,
and the forecastle of the boat, and found that the mice had
cut several bags of corn, and spoiled some of our clothes:
about one o'clock an Indian came running to the shore with
a turkey on his back: several others soon joined him, but we
had no intercourse with them. We then went on for three
miles, but the ascent soon became so obstructed by sandbars
and shoal water, that after attempting in vain several channels,
we determined to rest for the night under some high
bluffs on the south, and send out to examine the best channel.
We had made eight miles along high bluffs on each
side. The birds we saw were the white gulls and the brant
which were flying to the southward in large flocks.

Thursday, 4th. On examination we found that there was
no outlet practicable for us in this channel, and that we
must retread our steps. We therefore returned three
miles, and attempted another channel in which we were
more fortunate. The Indians were in small numbers on the
shore, and seemed willing had they been more numerous to
molest us. They called to desire that we would land, and
one of them gave three yells and fired a ball ahead of the
boat: we however took no notice of it, but landed on the
south to breakfast. One of these Indians swam across and
begged for some powder, we gave him a piece of tobacco
only. At eight and a half miles we had passed an island in
the middle of the river, which we called Goodhope island.
At one and a half mile we reached a creek on the south side
about twelve yards wide, to which we gave the name of Teal
creek. A little above this is an island on the north side of
the current, about one and a half mile in length and three
quarters of a mile in breadth. In the centre of this island
is an old village of the Ricaras, called Lahoocat; it was surrounded
by a circular wall, containing seventeen lodges.
The Ricaras are known to have lived there in 1797, and the
village seems to have been deserted about five years since:
it does not contain much timber. We encamped on a sandbar

making out from the upper end of this island; our journey
to-day being twelve miles.

Friday, October 5. The weather was very cold: yesterday
evening and this morning there was a white frost. We
sailed along the highlands on the north side, passing a small
creek on the south, between three and four miles. At
seven o'clock we heard some yells and saw three Indians of
the Teton band, who asked us to come on shore and begged
for some tobacco, to all which we gave the same answer as
hitherto. At eight miles we reached a small creek on the
north. At fourteen we passed an island on the south, covered
with wild rye, and at the head a large creek comes in from
the south, which we named Whitebrant creek, from seeing
several white brants among flocks of dark-coloured ones. At
the distance of twenty miles we came to on a sandbar towards
the north side of the river, with a willow island opposite;
the hills or bluffs come to the banks of the river on
both sides, but are not so high as they are below: the
river itself however continues of the same width, and the
sandbars are quite as numerous. The soil of the banks is
dark coloured, and many of the bluffs have the appearance
of being on fire. Our game this day was a deer, a prairie
wolf, and some goats out of a flock that was swimming across
the river.

Saturday, October 6. The morning was still cold, the
wind being from the north. At eight miles we came to a
willow island on the north, opposite a point of timber, where
there are many large stones near the middle of the river,
which seem to have been washed from the hills and high
plains on both sides, or driven from a distance down the stream.
At twelve miles we halted for dinner at a village which we
suppose to have belonged to the Ricaras: it is situated in a
low plain on the river, and consists of about eighty lodges,
of an octagon form, neatly covered with earth, placed as close
to each other as possible, and picketed round. The skin canoes,
mats, buckets, and articles of furniture found in the

lodges, induce us to suppose that it had been left in the spring.
We found three different sorts of squashes growing in the
village; we also killed an elk near it, and saw two wolves.
On leaving the village the river became shallow, and after
searching a long time for the main channel, which was concealed
among sandbars, we at last dragged the boat over one
of them rather than go back three miles for the deepest channel.
At fourteen and a half miles we stopped for the night
on a sandbar, opposite a creek on the north, called Otter
creek, twenty-two yards in width, and containing more water
than is common for creeks of that size. The sides of the
river during the day are variegated with high bluffs and low
timbered grounds on the banks: the river is very much obstructed
by sandbars. We saw geese, swan, brants and ducks
of different kinds on the sandbars, and on shore numbers of
the prairie hen; the magpie too is very common, but the gulls
and plover, which we saw in such numbers below, are now
quite rare.

Sunday, October 7. There was frost again last evening,
and this morning was cloudy and attended with rain. At
two miles we came to the mouth of a river; called by the
Ricaras, Sawawkawna, or Pork river; the party who examined
it for about three miles up, say that its current is gentle,
and that it does not seem to throw out much sand. Its
sources are in the first range of the Black mountains, and
though it has now only water of twenty yards width, yet when
full it occupies ninety. Just below the mouth is another
village or wintering camp of the Ricaras, composed of
about sixty lodges, built in the same form as those passed
yesterday, with willow and straw mats, baskets and buffaloe-skin
canoes remaining entire in the camp. We proceeded
under a gentle breeze from the southwest: at ten o'clock
we saw two Indians on the north side, who told us they were
a part of the lodge of Tartongawaka, or Buffaloe Medicine,
the Teton chief whom we had seen on the twenty-fifth, that
they were on the way to the Ricaras, and begged us for something

to eat, which we of course gave them. At seven and a
half miles is a willow island on the north, and another on
the same side five miles beyond it, in the middle of the river
between highlands on both sides. At eighteen and a half
miles is an island called Grouse island, on which are the walls
of an old village: the island has no timber, but is covered
with grass and wild rye, and owes its name to the number of
grouse that frequent it. We then went on till our journey
for the day was twenty-two miles: the country presented the
same appearance as usual. In the low timbered ground near
the mouth of the Sawawkawna, we saw the tracks of large
white bear, and on Grouse island killed a female blaireau,
and a deer of the black-tailed species, the largest we have
ever seen.

Monday, October 8. We proceeded early with a cool
northwest wind, and at two and a half miles above Grouse
island, reached the mouth of a creek on the south, then a
small willow island, which divides the current equally; and
at four and a half miles came to a river on the southern side
where we halted. This river, which our meridian altitude
fixes at 45° 39′ 5″ north latitude, is called by the Ricaras
Wetawhoo; it rises in the Black mountains, and its bed which
flows at the mouth over a low soft slate stone, is one hundred
and twenty yards wide, but the water is now confined within
twenty yards, and is not very rapid, discharging mud with a
small proportion of sand: here as in every bend of the river,
we again observe the red berries resembling currants,
which we mentioned before. Two miles above the Wetawhoo,
and on the same side, is a small river called Maropa by the
Indians; it is twenty yards in width, but so dammed up by
mud that the stream creeps through a channel of not more
than an inch in diameter, and discharges no sand. One
mile further we reached an island close to the southern
shore, from which it is separated by a deep channel of sixty
yards. About half way a number of Ricara Indians came
out to see us. We stopped and took a Frenchman on board,

who accompanied us past the island to our camp on the
north side of the river, which is at the distance of twelve
miles from that of yesterday. Captain Lewis then returned
with four of the party to see the village; it is situated in
the centre of the island, near the southern shore, under
the foot of some high, bald, uneven hills, and contains about
sixty lodges. The island itself is three miles long, and covered
with fields in which the Indians raise corn, beans,
and potatoes. Several Frenchmen living among these Indians
as interpreters, or traders, came back with captain
Lewis, and particularly a Mr. Gravelines, a man who has
acquired the language. On setting out we had a low prairie
covered with timber on the north, and on the south
highlands, but at the mouth of the Wetawhoo the southern
country changes, and a low timbered plain extends along the
south, while the north has a ridge of barren hills during the
rest of the day's course.

Tuesday, 9th. The wind was so cold and high last
night and during all the day, that we could not assemble the
Indians in council; but some of the party went to the village.
We received the visits of the three principal chiefs
with many others, to whom we gave some tobacco, and told
them that we would speak to them to-morrow. The names
of these chiefs were first, Kakawissassa or Lighting Crow;
second chief Pocasse or Hay; third chief Piaheto or Eagle's
Feather. Notwithstanding the high waves, two or three
squaws rowed to us in little canoes made of a single
buffaloe skin, stretched over a frame of boughs interwoven
like a basket, and with the most perfect composure.
The object which appeared to astonish the Indians most,
was captain Clark's servant York, a remarkable stout strong
negro. They had never seen a being of that colour, and
therefore flocked round him to examine the extraordinary
monster. By way of amusement he told them that he
had once been a wild animal, and caught and tamed by his
master, and to convince them, showed them feats of strength

which added to his looks made him more terrible than we
wished him to be. Opposite our camp is a small creek on
the south, which we distinguished by the name of the chief
Kakawissassa.

Wednesday, 10th. The weather was this day fine, and as
we were desirous of assembling the whole nation at once, we
despatched Mr. Gravelines, who with Mr. Tabeau another
French trader had breakfeasted with us, to invite the chiefs
of the two upper villages to a conference. They all assembled
at one o'clock, and after the usual ceremonies we addressed
them in the same way in which we had already spoken
to the Ottoes and Sioux: we then made or acknowledged
three chiefs, one for each of the three villages; giving to
each a flag, a medal, a red coat, a cocked hat and feather,
also some goods, paint and tobacco, which they divided
among themselves: after this the airgun was exhibited, very
much to their astonishment, nor were they less surprised
at the colour and manner of York. On our side we were
equally gratified at discovering that these Ricaras made use
of no spirituous liquors of any kind, the example of the traders
who bring it to them so far from tempting having in
fact disgusted them. Supposing that it was as agreeable to
them as to the other Indians, we had at first offered them
whiskey; but they refused it with this sensible remark, that
they were surprised that their father should present to them
a liquor which would make them fools. On another occasion
they observed to Mr. Tabeau, that no man could be
their friend who tried to lead them into such follies. The
council being over they retired to consult on their answer,
and the next morning,

Thursday, 11th, at eleven o'clock we again met in council
at our camp. The grand chief made a short speech of
thanks for the advice we had given, and promised to follow
it; adding that the door was now open and no one dare shut
it, and that we might depart whenever we pleased, alluding
to the treatment we had received from the Sioux: they also

brought us some corn, beans, and dried squashes, and in return
we gave them a steel mill with which they were much
pleased. At one o'clock we left our camp with the grand
chief and his nephew on board, and at about two miles anchored
below a creek on the south, separating the second
and third village of the Ricaras, which are about half a mile
distant from each other. We visited both the villages, and
sat conversing with the chiefs for some time, during which
they presented us with a bread made of corn and beans, also
corn and beans boiled, and a large rich bean which they
take from the mice of the prairie, who discover and collect
it. These two villages are placed near each other in a high
smooth prairie; a fine situation, except that having no wood
the inhabitants are obliged to go for it across the river to a
timbered lowland opposite to them. We told them that we
would speak to them in the morning at their villages separately.

Thursday, 12th. Accordingly after breakfast we went
on shore to the house of the chief of the second village
named Lassel, where we found his chiefs and warriors. They
made us a present of about seven bushels of corn, a pair of legings,
a twist of their tobacco, and the seeds of two different
species of tobacco. The chief then delivered a speech expressive
of his gratitude for the presents and the good counsels
which we had given him; his intention of visiting his great
father but for fear of the Sioux; and requested us to take
one of the Ricara chiefs up to the Mandans and negociate
a peace between the two nations. To this we replied in a
suitable way, and then repaired to the third village. Here
we were addressed by the chief in nearly the same terms as
before, and entertained with a present of ten bushels of
corn, some beans, dried pumpkins, and squashes. After we
had answered and explained the magnitude and power of
the United States, the three chiefs came with us to the boat.
We gave them some sugar, a little salt, and a sunglass.
Two of them then left us, and the chief of the third, by name

Ahketahnasha or Chief of the Town, accompanied us to the
Mandans. At two o'clock we left the Indians, who crowded
to the shore to take leave of us, and after making seven
and a half miles landed on the north side, and had a clear,
cool, pleasant evening.

The three villages which we have just left, are the residence
of a nation called the Ricaras. They were originally
colonies of Pawnees, who established themselves on
the Missouri, below the Chayenne, where the traders still
remember that twenty years ago they occupied a number
of villages. From that situation a part of the Ricaras emigrated
to the neighbourhood of the Mandans, with whom they
were then in alliance. The rest of the nation continued
near the Chayenne till the year 1797, in the course of
which, distressed by their wars with the Sioux, they joined
their countrymen near the Mandans. Soon after a new war
arose between the Ricaras and the Mandans, in consequence
of which the former came down the river to their
present position. In this migration those who had first
gone to the Mandans kept together, and now live in the two
lower villages, which may thence be considered as the Ricaras
proper. The third village was composed of such remnants
of the villages as had survived the wars, and as these
were nine in number a difference of pronunciation and some
difference of language may be observed between them and
the Ricaras proper, who do not understand all the words of
these wanderers. The villages are within the distance of
four miles of each other, the two lower ones consisting of
between one hundred and fifty and two hundred men each,
the third of three hundred. The Ricaras are tall and well
proportioned, the women handsome and lively, and as among
other savages to them falls all the drudgery of the field and
the labours of procuring subsistence, except that of hunting:
both sexes are poor, but kind and generous, and although
they receive with thankfulness what is given to them, do not
beg as the Sioux did, though this praise should be qualified

by mentioning that an axe was stolen last night from our
cooks. The dress of the men is a simple pair of moccasins,
legings, and a cloth round the middle, over which a buffaloe
robe is occasionally thrown, with their hair, arms and ears
decorated with different ornaments. The women wear moccasins,
legings, a long shirt made of goats' skins, generally
white and fringed, which is tied round the waist; to these
they add, like the men, a buffaloe robe without the hair, in
summer. These women are handsomer than the Sioux;
both of them are however, disposed to be amorous, and our
men found no difficulty in procuring companions for the
night by means of the interpreters. These interviews were
chiefly clandestine, and were of course to be kept a secret
from the husband or relations. The point of honour indeed,
is completely reversed among the Ricaras; that the wife or
the sister should submit to a stranger's embraces without
the consent of her husband or brother, is a cause of great
disgrace and offence, especially as for many purposes of
civility or gratitude the husband and brother will themselves
present to a stranger these females, and be gratified by
attentions to them. The Sioux had offered us squaws, but
while we remained there having declined, they followed us
with offers of females for two days. The Ricaras had been
equally accommodating; we had equally withstood their
temptation; but such was their desire to oblige that two
very handsome young squaws were sent on board this evening,
and persecuted us with civilities. The black man York
participated largely in these favours; for instead of inspiring
any prejudice, his colour seemed to procure him additional
advantages from the Indians, who desired to preserve
among them some memorial of this wonderful stranger.
Among other instances of attention, a Ricara invited him
into his house and presenting his wife to him, retired to the
outside of the door: while there one of York's comrades who
was looking for him came to the door, but the gallant husband
would permit no interruption before a reasonable time
had elapsed.

The Ricara lodges are in a circular or octagonal form,
and generally about thirty or forty feet in diameter: they
are made by placing forked posts about six feet high round
the circumference of the circle; these are joined by poles
from one fork to another, which are supported also by other
forked poles slanting from the ground: in the centre of the
lodge are placed four higher forks, about fifteen feet in
length, connected together by beams; from these to the lower
poles the rafters of the roof are extended so as to leave a
vacancy in the middle for the smoke: the frame of the
building is then covered with willow branches, with which
is interwoven grass, and over this mud or clay: the aperture
for the door is about four feet wide, and before it is a
sort of entry about ten feet from the lodge. They are very
warm and compact.

They cultivate maize or Indian corn, beans, pumpkins,
watermelons, squashes, and a species of tobacco peculiar to
themselves.

Their commerce is chiefly with the traders who supply
them with goods in return for peltries, which they procure
not only by their own hunting, but in exchange for corn
from their less civilized neighbours. The object chiefly in
demand seemed to be red paint, but they would give any
thing they had to spare for the most trifling article. One
of the men to-day gave an Indian a hook made out of a pin,
and he gave him in return a pair of moccasins.

They express a disposition to keep at peace with all nations,
but they are well armed with fusils, and being much
under the influence of the Sioux, who exchanged the goods
which they get from the British for Ricara corn, their
minds are sometimes poisoned and they cannot be always
depended on. At the present moment they are at war with
the Mandans. We are informed by Mr. Gravelines, who had
passed through that country, that the Yankton or Jacques

river rises about forty miles to the east or northeast of
this place, the Chayenne branch of the Red river about
twenty miles further, passing the Sioux, and the St. Peter's
about eighty.

Saturday, 13th. In the morning our visitors left us, except
the brother of the chief who accompanies us and one of
the squaws. We passed at an early hour a camp of Sioux on the
north bank, who merely looked at us without saying a word,
and from the character of the tribe we did not solicit a conversation.
At ten and a half miles we reached the mouth
of a creek on the north, which takes its rise from some
ponds a short distance to the northeast: to this stream we
gave the name of Stoneidol creek, for after passing a willow
and sand island just above its mouth, we discovered that a
few miles back from the Missouri there are two stones resembling
human figures, and a third like a dog; all which
are objects of great veneration among the Ricaras. Their
history would adorn the metamorphoses of Ovid. A young
man was deeply enamoured with a girl whose parents refused
their consent to the marriage. The youth went out into the
fields to mourn his misfortunes; a sympathy of feeling led the
lady to the same spot, and the faithful dog would not cease to
follow his master. After wandering together and having nothing
but grapes to subsist on, they were at last converted
into stone, which beginning at the feet gradually invaded the
nobler parts, leaving nothing unchanged but a bunch of grapes
which the female holds in her hands to this day. Whenever
the Ricaras pass these sacred stones, they stop to make
some offering of dress to propitiate these deities. Such is
the account given by the Ricara chief which we had no mode
of examining, except that we found one part of the story
very agreeably confirmed; for on the river near where the
event is said to have occurred, we found a greater abundance
of fine grapes than we had yet seen. Above this is a
small creek four and a half miles from Stoneidol creek,
which is fifteen yards wide, comes in from the south, and

received from us the name of Pocasse or Hay creek, in honour
of the chief of the second village. Above the Ricara
island, the Missouri becomes narrow and deeper, the sandbars
being generally confined to the points; the current too
is much more gentle; the timber on the lowlands is also in
much greater quantities, though the high grounds are still
naked. We proceeded on under a fine breeze from the
southeast, and after making eighteen miles encamped on
the north near a timbered low plain, after which we had
some rain and the evening was cold. The hunters killed
one deer only.

Sunday, 14th. We set out in the rain which continued
during the day. At five miles we came to a creek on the
south, about fifteen yards wide, and named by us Piaheto or
Eagle's Feather, in honour of the third chief of the Ricaras.
After dinner we stopped on a sandbar, and executed
the sentence of a court martial which inflicted corporal
punishment on one of the soldiers. This operation affected
the Indian chief very sensibly, for he cried aloud during the
punishment: we explained the offence and the reasons of it.
He acknowledged that examples were necessary, and that
he himself had given them by punishing with death; but his
nation never whipped even children from their birth. After
this we continued with the wind from the northeast, and
at the distance of twelve miles, encamped in a cove of the
southern bank. Immediately opposite our camp on the
north side are the ruins of an ancient fortification, the greater
part of which is washed into the river: nor could we distinguish
more than that the walls were eight or ten feet
high. The evening is wet and disagreeable, and the river
which is somewhat wider than yesterday, continues to have
an unusual quantity of timber. The country was level on
both sides in the morning, but afterwards we passed some
black bluffs on the south.

Monday, 15th. We stopped at three miles on the north
a little above a camp of Ricaras who are hunting, where

we were visited by about thirty Indians. They came over
in their skin canoes, bringing us meat, for which we returned
them beads and fishhooks. About a mile higher we found
another encampment of Ricaras on the south, consisting of
eight lodges: here we again ate and exchanged a few presents.
As we went we discerned numbers of other Indians
on both sides of the river; and at about nine miles we came
to a creek on the south, where we saw many high hills resembling
a house with a slanting roof; and a little below the
creek an old village of the Sharha or Chayenne Indians.
The morning had been cloudy, but the evening became
pleasant, the wind from the northeast, and at sunset we
halted, after coming ten miles over several sandbars and
points, above a camp of ten Ricara lodges on the north side.
We visited their camp, and smoked and eat with several
of them; they all appeared kind and pleased with our attentions,
and the fair sex received our men with more than
hospitality. York was here again an object of astonishment;
the children would follow him constantly, and if he
chanced to turn towards them, run with great terror. The
country of to-day is generally low and covered with timber
on both sides, though in the morning we passed some barren
hills on the south.

Tuesday, 16th. At this camp the squaw who accompanied
the chief left us; two others were very anxious to go on
with us. Just above our camp we passed a circular work
or fort where the Sharha or Chayennes formerly lived: and
a short distance beyond, a creek which we called Chayenne
creek. At two miles is a willow island with a large
sandbar on both sides above it, and a creek, both on the
south, which we called Sohawch, the Ricara name for
girl; and two miles above a second creek, to which we gave
the name of Chapawt, which means woman in the same
language. Three miles further is an island situated in a
bend to the north, about a mile and a half long, and covered
with cottonwood. At the lower end of this island

comes in a small creek from the north, called Keetooshsahawna
or Place of Beaver. At the upper extremity of the
island a river empties itself from the north: it is called
Warreconne, or Elk Shed their Horns, and is about thirty-five
yards wide: the island itself is named Carp island by
Evans, a former traveller. As we proceeded there were
great numbers of goats on the banks of the river, and we
soon after saw large flocks of them in the water: they had
been gradually driven into the river by the Indians who now
lined the shore so as to prevent their escape, and were firing
on them, while sometimes boys went into the river and killed
them with sticks: they seemed to be very successful, for
we counted fifty-eight which they had killed. We ourselves
killed some, and then passing the lodges to which these Indians
belonged, encamped at the distance of half a mile on
the south, having made fourteen and a half miles. We
were soon visited by numbers of these Ricaras, who crossed
the river hallooing and singing: two of them then returned
for some goats' flesh and buffaloe meat dried and
fresh, with which they made a feast that lasted till late at
night, and caused much music and merriment.

Wednesday 17th. The weather was pleasant: we passed a
low ground covered with small timber on the south, and barren
hills on the north which came close to the river; the
wind from the northwest then become so strong that we
could not move after ten o'clock, until late in the afternoon,
when we were forced to use the towline, and we therefore
made only six miles. We all went out hunting and examining
the country. The goats, of which we see large flocks coming
to the north bank of the river, spend the summer, says Mr.
Gravelines, in the plains east of the Missouri, and at the present
season are returning to the Black mountains, where they
subsist on leaves and shrubbery during the winter, and resume
their migrations in the spring. We also saw buffaloe, elk, and
deer, and a number of snakes; a beaver house too was seen
and we caught a whippoorwill of a small and uncommon

kind: the leaves are fast falling; the river wider than usual
and full of sandbars: and on the sides of the hills are large
stones, and some rock of a brownish colour in the southern
bend below us. Our latitude by observation was 46° 23′ 57″.

Thursday 18. After three miles we reached the mouth of
Le Boulet or Cannonball river: this stream rises in the Black
mountains, and falls into the Missouri on the south; its channel
is about one hundred and forty yards wide, though the
water is now confined within forty, and its name is derived
from the numbers of perfectly round large stones on the
shore and in the bluffs just above. We here met with two
Frenchmen in the employ of Mr. Gravelines, who had been
robbed by the Mandans of their traps, furs, and other articles,
and were descending the river in a periogue, but they turned
back with us in expectation of obtaining redress through
our means. At eight miles is a creek on the north, about
twenty-eight yards wide, rising in the northeast, and called
Chewah or Fish river; one mile above this is another creek
on the south: we encamped on a sandbar to the south, at the
distance of thirteen miles, all of which we had made with oars
and poles. Great numbers of goats are crossing the river and
directing their course to the westward; we also saw a herd
of buffaloe and of elk; a pelican too was killed, and six fallow
deer, having found, as the Ricaras informed us, that
there are none of the black-tail species as high up as this
place. The country is in general level and fine, with broken
short high grounds, low timbered mounds on the river,
and a rugged range of hills at a distance.

Friday 19. We set sail with a fine morning, and a southeast
wind, and at two and a half miles passed a creek on the
north side: at eleven and a half miles we came to a lake or
large pond on the same side, in which were some swans. On
both banks of the Missouri are low grounds which have much
more timber than lower down the river: the hills are at one
or two miles distance from the banks, and the streams which
rise in them are brackish, and the mineral salts appear on

the sides of the hills and edges of the runs. In walking along
the shore we counted fifty-two herds of buffaloe, and three
of elk, at a single view. Besides these we also observed elk,
deer, pelicans, and wolves. After seventeen and a half miles
we encamped on the north, opposite to the uppermost of a
number of round hills, forming a cone at the top, one being
about ninety, another sixty feet in height, and some of
less elevation. Our chief tells us that the calumet bird
lives in the holes formed by the filtration of the water
from the top of these hills through the sides. Near to one
of these moles, on a point of a hill ninety feet above the
plain, are the remains of an old village which is high, strong,
and has been fortified; this our chief tells us is the remains
of one of the Mandan villages, and are the first ruins which
we have seen of that nation in ascending the Missouri: opposite
to our camp is a deep bend to the south, at the extremity
of which is a pond.

Saturday 20. We proceeded early with a southeast wind,
which continued high all day, and came to a creek on the north
at two miles distance, twenty yards wide. At eight miles we
reached the lower point of an island in the middle of the river,
though there is no current on the south. This island is covered
with willows and extends about two miles, there being
a small creek coming in from the south at its lower extremity.
After making twelve miles we encamped on the south,
at the upper part of a bluff containing stone-coal of an inferior
quality; immediately below this bluff and on the declivity
of a hill, are the remains of a village covering six or
eight acres, formerly occupied by the Mandans, who, says
our Ricara chief, once lived in a number of villages on each
side of the river, till the Sioux forced them forty miles
higher; whence, after a few years residence, they moved to
their present position. The country through which we passed
has wider bottoms and more timber than those we have
been accustomed to see, the hills rising at a distance and by
gradual ascents. We have seen great numbers of elk, deer,

goats, and buffaloe, and the usual attendants of these last,
the wolves, who follow their movements and feed upon those
who die by accident, or who are too poor to keep pace with
the herd; we also wounded a white bear, and saw some fresh
tracks of those animals which are twice as large as the track
of a man.

Sunday 21. Last night the weather was cold, the wind
high from the northeast, and the rain which fell froze on
the ground. At daylight it began to snow, and continued
till the afternoon, when it remained cloudy and the ground
was covered with snow. We however, set out early, and
just above our camp came to a creek on the south, called
Chisshetaw, about thirty yards wide and with a considerable
quantity of water. Our Ricara chief tells us, that at
some distance up this river is situated a large rock which
is held in great veneration, and visited by parties who go
to consult it as to their own or their nations' destinies, all
of which they discern in some sort of figures or paintings
with which it is covered. About two miles off from the mouth
of the river the party on shore saw another of the objects of
Ricara superstition: it is a large oak tree, standing alone
in the open prairie, and as it alone has withstood the fire
which has consumed every thing around, the Indians naturally
ascribe to it extraordinary powers. One of their ceremonies
is to make a hole in the skin of their necks through
which a string is passed and the other end tied to the body
of the tree; and after remaining in this way for some time
they think they become braver. At two miles from our encampment
we came to the ruins of a second Mandan village,
which was in existence at the same time with that just
mentioned. It is situated on the north at the foot of a hill in
a beautiful and extensive plain, which is now covered with
herds of buffaloe: nearly opposite are remains of a third village
on the south of the Missouri; and there is another also about
two miles further on the north, a little off the river. At the distance
of seven miles we encamped on the south, and spent

a cold night. We procured to-day a buffaloe and an otter
only. The river is wide and the sandbars numerous, and a
low island near our encampment.

Monday 22. In the morning we passed an old Mandan
village on the south, near our camp; at four miles another
on the same side. About seven o'clock we came to at a
camp of eleven Sioux of the Teton tribe, who are almost
perfectly naked, having only a piece of skin or cloth round
the middle, though we are suffering from the cold. From
their appearance, which is warlike, and from their giving
two different accounts of themselves, we believe that they
are either going to or returning from the Mandans, to
which nations the Sioux frequently make excursions to steal
horses. As their conduct displeased us, we gave them nothing.
At six we reached an island about one mile in length,
at the head of which is a Mandan village on the north in
ruins, and two miles beyond a bad sandbar. At eight miles
are remains of another Mandan village on the south; and at
twelve miles encamped on the south. The hunters brought
in a buffaloe bull, and mentioned that of about three hundred
which they had seen, there was not a single female.
The beaver is here in plenty, and the two Frenchmen who
are returning with us catch several every night.

These villages which are nine in number are scattered
along each side of the river within a space of twenty miles;
almost all that remains of them is the wall which surrounded
them, the fallen heaps of earth which covered the houses,
and occasionally human skulls and the teeth and bones of
men, and different animals, which are scattered on the surface
of the ground.

Tuesday 23. The weather was cloudy and we had some
snow; we soon arrived at five lodges where the two Frenchmen
had been robbed, but the Indians had left it lately as
we found the fires still burning. The country consists as
usual of timbered low grounds, with grapes, rushes, and
great quantities of a small red acid fruit, known among the

Indians by a name signifying rabbitberries, and called by
the French graisse de buffle or buffaloe fat. The river too,
is obstructed by many sandbars. At twelve miles we passed
an old village on the north, which was the former residence
of the Ahnahaways who now live between the Mandans
and Minnetarees. After making thirteen miles we encamped
on the south.

Wednesday 24. The day was again dark and it snowed
a little in the morning. At three miles we came to a point
on the south, where the river by forcing a channel across
a former bend has formed a large island on the north. On
this island we found one of the grand chiefs of the Mandans,
who with five lodges was on a hunting excursion. He met
his enemy the Ricara chief, with great ceremony and apparent
cordiality, and smoked with him. After visiting his
lodges, the grand chief and his brother came on board our
boat for a short time; we then proceeded and encamped on
the north, at seven miles from our last night's station and below
the old village of the Mandans and Ricaras. Here four
Mandans came down from a camp above, and our Ricara chief
returned with them to their camp, from which we augur favourably
of their pacific views towards each other. The
land is low and beautiful, and covered with oak and cottonwood,
but has been too recently hunted to afford much game.

25th. The morning was cold and the wind gentle from
the southeast: at three miles we passed a handsome high
prairie on the south, and on an eminence about forty feet
above the water and extending back for several miles in a
beautiful plain, was situated an old village of the Mandan
nation which has been deserted for many years. A short
distance above it, on the continuation of the same rising
ground are two old villages of Ricaras, one on the top of the
hill, the other in the level plain, which have been deserted
only five years ago. Above these villages is an extensive
low ground for several miles, in which are situated, at
three or four miles from the Ricara villages, three old villages

of Mandans near together. Here the Mandans lived
when the Ricaras came to them for protection, and from
this they moved to their present situation above. In the
low ground the squaws raised their corn, and the timber, of
which there was little near the villages, was supplied
from the opposite side of the river, where it was and still is
abundant.

As we proceeded several parties of Mandans both on
foot and horseback came along the river to view us, and
were very desirous that we should land and talk to them:
this we could not do on account of the sandbreaks on the
shore, but we sent our Ricara chief to them in a periogue.
The wind too having shifted to the southwest and being very
high it required all our precautions on board, for the river
was full of sandbars which made it very difficult to find the
channel. We got aground several times, and passed a very
bad point of rocks, after which we encamped on a sandpoint
to the north, above a handsome plain covered with timber,
and opposite to a high hill on the south side at the distance
of eleven miles. Here we were joined by our Ricara chief,
who brought an Indian to the camp where he remained all
night.

26th. We set out early with a southwest wind, and after
putting the Ricara chief on shore to join the Mandans who
were in great numbers along it, we proceeded to the camp
of the grand chiefs four miles distant. Here we met a Mr.
M'Cracken one of the northwest or Hudson Bay company,
who arrived with another person about nine days ago to trade
for horses and buffaloe robes. Two of the chiefs came on
board with some of their household furniture, such as
earthern pots and a little corn and went on with us; the rest
of the Indians following on shore. At one mile beyond the
camp we passed a small creek, and at three more a bluff of
coal of an inferior quality on the south. After making eleven
miles we reached an old field where the Mandans had cultivated
grain last summer, and encamped for the night on the

south side, about half a mile below the first village of the
Mandans. In the morning we had a willow low ground on
the south and highland on the north, which occasionally
varied in the course of the day. There is but little wood
on this part of the river, which is here subdivided into many
channels and obstructed by sandbars. As soon as we arrived
a crowd of men, women, and children came down to see us.
Captain Lewis returned with the principal chiefs to the village,
while the others remained with us during the evening;
the object which seemed to surprise them most, was a corn-mill
fixed to the boat which we had occasion to use, and delighted
them by the ease with which it reduced the grain
to powder. Among others who visited us was the son of
the grand chief of the Mandans, who had his two little
fingers cut off at the second joints. On inquiring into this
accident, we found that it was customary to express grief
for the death of relations by some corporeal suffering, and
that the usual mode was to lose two joints of the little fingers,
or sometimes the other fingers. The wind blew very
cold in the evening from the southwest. Two of the party
are affected with rheumatic complaints.