University of Virginia Library

CHAP. III.

Saturday, 1st Sept. 1804. We renewed our
voyage early; passed high bluffs on the south side,
and high prairie land on the north: on this side, the
hills come close to the river; and are so near on both
sides, as not to be more than two miles from each
other. During last night we had hard wind and some
rain, which continues to fall occasionally during the
day. About 1 o'clock we passed a rich prairie on the
south side, and encamped on the north side, at the
lower end of an island.

Sunday 2nd. At 1 o'clock last night we had hard
thunder, lightning and rain, which continued about
two hours. We set out early in the morning, along
the north side of the island: there is handsome prairie
land on the south. Three of our men went on the
island to hunt. When we landed for breakfast we
heard several guns fired on the island, and saw six
elk swimming across the river about a mile above
where we had halted. Two of our men went up and
killed one of them; those on the island killed three.
About twelve, the wind blew so hard down the river,
that we could not proceed, and we landed on the
north side, where there is an extensive prairie. It
was cloudy and rained till 4 when it cleared up. We
remained here for the night and dried our meat. On
the bank opposite our camp is an ancient fortification
or breastwork, similar to those which have been
occasionally discovered on the western waters. The
two ends run at right angles to the river, and the
outside, which is 2500 yards in length, parallel to it:
there is no breastwork thrown up next to the river,

the bank as is supposed, serving as a sufficient
defence on that side.[1]

Monday 3rd. We set out early, and had a clear
day; passed yellow bluffs on the north side and a
small creek called Plumb creek. Here the river
turns at right angles to the left, till it reaches the hills
on the south side, then winds gradually to the right.
There is no timber in this part of the country; but
continued prairie on both sides of the river. A person
by going on one of the hills may have a view as
far as the eye can reach without any obstruction, or
intervening object; and enjoy the most delightful
prospects. During this day's voyage we found the
hills on the opposite sides of the river generally not
more than two miles apart, and the river meandering
through them in various directions. We encamped
on the south side.

Tuesday 4th. We proceeded early on our voyage,
passed a creek on the south side about 30 yards wide,

called Paint creek; and high yellow bluffs on the
same side. About a mile and an half further we
passed another creek on the same side 50 yards wide,
called White-paint creek; and yellow bluffs on the
north side. About four miles higher up, we passed
a river, on the south side, 152 yards wide, called
Rapid-water river: Up this river the Poncas nation
of Indians lived not long since. We encamped on
the south side among some cedar trees.

Wednesday 5th. We set sail early this morning
with a fair wind, and had a clear day. We passed
a long island covered with timber, and three men
went to hunt on it. On the north side are yellow
bluffs, out of which issue several beautiful springs.
Opposite the head of the island, on the south side,
flows in a river, called Pania river; and about three
miles higher up, on the north side, a creek, called
Goat creek. On the hills above this creek we saw
some goats or antelopes, which the French call cabres.
About 4 we encamped on an island, where we
made and put in a new mast. The three men, who
went to hunt on the long island, killed a deer and an
elk; and two more went out from camp and killed
another deer and an elk, both young.

Thursday 6th. We set out early and had a cloudy
morning: passed a handsome bottom prairie on the
north side; at the upper end of which is a grove of
cotton wood, and a long range of dark coloured bluffs
on the south side. About 9 o'clock it began to rain
and we had strong wind ahead. There are a great
number of sand bars, and we had much difficulty in
getting along. We encamped on the north side and
one of our men killed two deer.

Friday 7th. We set sail early, and had a clear day:
passed high prairie land on both sides; but there is
some cotton wood on the low points in the bottoms.
On the south side we found a scaffold of meat neatly
dried. This had been left by one of our men, who

had gone out on the 26th of last month to hunt the
horses, and supposing we had got a distance ahead,
proceeded up the river several days journey, before
he discovered his error. Captain Lewis and Captain
Clarke with some of the men went to view a round
knob of a hill in a prairie, and on their return killed
a prairie dog, in size about that of the smallest species
of domestic dogs.

Having understood that the village of those small
dogs was at a short distance from our camp, Captain
Lewis and Captain Clarke with all the party, except
the guard, went to it; and took with them all the
kettles and other vessels for holding water; in order
to drive the animals out of their holes by pouring in
water; but though they worked at the business till
night they only caught one of them.

Saturday 8th. We proceeded early on our voyage,
and had a clear day and fair wind from the S. E.
Passed the bed of a creek without water. At 9 I
went out with one of our men, who had killed a buffaloe
and left his hat to keep off the vermin and beasts
of prey; but when we came to the place, we found
the wolves had devoured the carcase and carried off
the hat. Here we found a white wolf dead, supposed
to have been killed in a contest for the buffaloe. We
passed high bluffs on the south side and burnt prairie
on the north. We encamped on an island covered
with timber; and having a number of buffaloe on it.
Captain Lewis who had been out with some of the
men hunting informed us he had passed a trading
house, built in 1796. This day we killed two buffaloe,
a large and a small elk, a deer and two beaver.

Sunday 9th. We set out early, and passed two
small creeks on the north side, high bluffs on the
south, and at 1 o'clock landed for dinner at a small
creek on the south side. One of our hunters brought
in a deer and two fawns. This day we saw several
gangs or herds of buffaloe on the sides of the hills:

One of our hunters killed one, and Captain Clarke's
black servant killed two. We encamped at sunset
en the south side.

Monday 10th. We had a foggy morning, but moved
on early; passed high bluffs on the north side,
and saw some timber in the bottom on the south
side. At 12 we came to black sulphur bluffs on the
south side. On the top of these bluffs we found the
skeleton or back bones of a fish, 45 feet long, and petrified
: part of these bones were sent to the City of
Washington. One of our sergeants discovered a
large salt spring about a mile and an half from the
river. A hunter went up the bank and killed an elk.
We left a periogue for the men who were dressing
the elk, and proceeded up the north side of the river
two miles, when we were obliged to return on account
of sand bars, and to take the south side. Here
we saw eight elk swimming the river, and had seen a
great many buffaloe during the day. We encamped
on an island and killed one buffaloe.

Tuesday 11th. We set sail before day light with
a fair wind; passed an island covered with timber,
and high hills and prairie on both sides of the river.
At 1 o'clock it began to rain. We saw some person
coming down the river on horseback, when we came
to land and found it was the man who had preceded
us with the horses. He had left one of the horses
that had failed. We now had only one horse left.
This man had been absent 16 days, and his bullets
being expended, he subsisted 12 days almost wholly
on grapes. The hills here come close to the river
on both sides. One of the men went by land with
the horse, and we continued our voyage, until night,
though it rained very hard; and encamped on the
south side. Captain Clarke with two or three of the
men who had gone out to hunt, killed two elk, four
deer and one porcupine.

Wednesday 12th. We set out as usual and had a

oloudy day; passed a long range of black bluffs on
the south side, and an island covered with timber,
which is all the timber that can be seen from this
place. The country round is all hills and prairie.
Captain Clarke, myself and another went out to hunt,
and did not return till after dark. The boat had
much difficulty in passing on account of the sand bars
and strong current, and did not make to day more
than four miles.

Thursday 13th. Four beaver were taken last night.
We set sail early; the morning was cloudy with
some rain and wind ahead; passed a creek and a
long range of bluffs on the south side. Some of our
men went out to hunt; but did not return this evening.
We encamped on the north side.

Friday 14th. We proceeded as yesterday, and
with the same kind of weather. Had considerable
difficulty in getting along, on account of the shallowness
of the river: all bands in the water dragging
the boat. At 8 we halted for breakfast, and the men
who went to hunt yesterday came in, and had only
killed a porcupine. Three beaver were caught last
night. The musketoes are as troublesome as they
have been any time in summer. We passed black
bluffs on the south side, and an island with timber on
it. Passed a creek on the same side and encamped
on it. The man who had gone by land with the
horse came to us here; had killed a hare. Captain
Clarke killed a goat or antelope.

Saturday 15th. A cloudy morning. We continued
our voyage early, and passed a creek on the
south side and black bluffs on the north. Passed
White river on the south side; one of the men and
myself went up it to examine the country, and
encamped about twelve miles from the mouth, where
it is 150 yards broad. We found good bottoms on
this creek; but timber scarce, and none upon the

hills. The current and colour of the water are
much like those of the Missouri.

Sunday 16th. We set out for the boat across the
hills, on the tops of which are level plains with a
great number of goats and buffaloe on them. Came
to the head waters of a creek and kept down it a
S. E. course, and on cur way killed three deer.
We proceeded on to its mouth, which I computed
to be 14 miles from that of the White river. Having
found the boat had passed we preceeded up the
river, and came to a handsome bottom, where our
people had encamped to dry the provisions and
stores. In our absence the men had killed some
deer and two buffaloe.

Monday 17th. As the weather was fair we remained
here during the day. Captain Lewis and some
men went out to hunt, and killed thirteen common,
and two black-teiled, deer; three buffaloe and a goat.
The wild goat in this country differ from the common
tame goat, and is supposed to be the real antelope.
The black-tailed, or mule deer have much
larger ears than the common deer and tails almost
without hair, except at the end, where there is a bunch
of black hair. There is another species of deer in this
country with small horns and long tails. The tail of
one which we killed was 18 inches long. One of our
men caught a beaver, and killed a prairie wolf.—
These are a small species of wolves, something larger
than a fox, with long tails and short ears.

Tuesday 18th. We continued our voyage; the
day was clear and pleasant: passed some timber land
on the south side, and hills and prairies on the north;
also an island and a great number of sand bars. Yesterday
captain Lewis while hunting killed a bird not
common in the states: it is like a magpie and is a
bird of prey. This day we killed eleven deer and a
wolf, and halted and enoamped on the south side of
the river in order to jirk our meat.

Wednesday 19th. We set out early and had a clear
day passed large bottoms on both sides of the river
covered with timber. We saw some buffaloe swimming
the river and killed two of them. There is an
island here, opposite which a river flows in on the
north side. This river is formed of three, which
unite their waters just above its mouth; and immediately
above the confluence is a crossing place, called
the Sioux-crossing-place of the three rivers. At
the upper end, a creek, called Elm creek, comes in
on the south side, and two miles above another creek
called Wash creek, falls in on the same side. About
two miles further we passed another creek called
Night creek where we encamped on the south side.
Three black tailed deer were killed this day.

Thursday 20th. We renewed our voyage at an
early hour, and had a clear day and fair wind. Passed
handsome rising prairies on the north side, and
bottoms covered with timber on the south side. Two
of the men with the horse went across the neck of
the Long, or Grand bend, which we were obliged to
go round with the boat, a distance of 30 miles. At
1 o'clock we stopped for dinner, and Captain Lewis
and one of the men went to hunt, Captain Clarke
had gone out in the morning. At 2 we proceeded
again on our voyage, and passed a long chain of
bluffs on the north side, of a dark colour. From
these and others of the same kind the Missouri gets
its muddy colour. The earth of which they are
composed dissolves like sugar; every rain washes
down great quantities of it, and the repidity of the
stream keeps it mixing and afloat in the water, until it
reaches the mouth of the Mississippi. We encamped
at 7 o'clock on a sand beach on the north side.
Here Captain Lewis, Captain Clarke and the other
man joined us. They had killed two goats and two
deer. At 1 o'clock at night, the bank where we
were stationed began to fall so much, that we were

obliged to rouse all hands, and go on a mile and cross
the river before we could again encamp.

Friday 21st. We set out early, the day was clear,
and we proceeded on four miles along bluffs on the
south side, when we came to the termination of the
Grand bend, about a mile from the place of our encampment
on the 19th. We again went on, having
black bluffs on the south and a handsome bottom on
the north side; and beyond these a cedar bottom on
the south side and bluffs on the north; passed a creek
on the south side, called Tyler's creek; and encamped
on the north side.

Saturday 22nd. We embarked early in a foggy
morning, saw some timber on the south side and
high plains on the north. About 3 o'clock we passed
cedar island, one of the Three-Sisters, where
Mr. Lucelle had built a fort of cedar. The space
picketed in is about 65 or 70 feet square, with centry
boxes in two of the angles. The pickets are 13 1-2
feet above ground. In this square he built a house
45 1-2 by 32 1-2 feet, and divided it into four equal
parts, one for goods, one to trade in, one to be used
as a common hall and the other for a family house.
Here the two men came to us with the horse. They
had killed a white wolf and some deer. We proceeded
on, passed a creek, and islands of the three-sisters;
and an old Indian camp, where we found some of
their dog-poles, which answer for setting poles.
The reason they are called dog-poles, is because the
Indians fasten their dogs to them, and make them
draw them from one camp to another loaded with
skins and other articles.[2] We encamped on the
north side.

Sunday 23rd. We went on early, and had a clear
morning; passed some timber on the north side and
high land on the south; also a creek on the north
side called Smoke creek; passed Elk island, a handsome
bottom on the north side covered with timber
and barren hills on the south. At six in the evening
we saw four Indians on the south side and encamped
on the north. Three of the Indians swam over to
us: they belonged to the Sioux, and informed us
that there were more of their nation not far distant.
We sent them over the river again. One of our men
killed an antelope.

Monday 24th. We set sail early with fair weather,
and passed a small creek on the south side. About
3 o'clock the man who had gone by land with the
horse came to us, and informed us that he had gone
that morning on an island to kill elk, and that while he
was there the Indians had stolen the horse. He had
killed three elk, and the periogues remained behind
to bring on the meat. We saw five Indians on the
bank, but we could not understand each other. We
cast anchor to wait for the periogues; one of which
having came up, we went on to the mouth of the Tinton
or Teeton river, where we anchored about 100
yards from the shore on the south side. The guard
and cooks only landed, the rest slept in the boat.
The five Indians remained with us all night. We
had a Frenchman on board a periogue, who understood
and could speak a little of the Sioux language. The
Indians gave us to understand the chiefs would come
to-morrow, and that if their young men had taken

the horse, they would have him given up. These
Indians are a band of the Sioux, called the Tinton
or Teeton-Band.

Tuesday 25th. We staid here to wait for the Indians,
who were expected to arrive, and at 10 o'clock
they came, about 50 in number. The commanding
officers made three of them chiefs and gave them
some presents. Five of them came on board and remained
about three hours. Captain Clarke and some
of our men in a periogue went ashore with them;
but the Indians did not seem disposed to permit their
return. They said they were poor and wished to keep
the periogue with them. Captain Clarke insisted on
coming to the boat; but they refused to let him, and
said they had soldiers as well as he had. He told
them his soldiers were good, and that he had more
medicine on board his boat than would kill twenty such
nations in one day. After this they did not threaten
any more, and said they only wanted us to stop at
their lodge, that the women and children might see
the boat. Four of them came aboard, when we proceeded
on a mile, and cast anchor at the point of an
island in the middle of the river. The Indians remained
with us all night.

Wednesday 26th. We set out early, and proceeded
on four miles. The bank of the river on the south
side was covered all the way with Indians; and at
10 o'clock we met the whole band, and anchored
about 100 yards from the shore. Captain Lewis, the
chiefs, and some men went on shore, the Indians were
peaceable and kind. After some time Capt. Lewis
returned on board, and Capt. Clarke went on shore.
When the Indians saw him coming they met him
with a buffaloe robe, spread it out and made him get
into it, and then eight of them carried him to the
council house. About an hour after some of them
came for Captain Lewis, and he landed; and eight
of them carried him to the council house in the same

manner, they had carried Captain Clarke. They
killed several dogs for our people to feast on and
spent the greater part of the day in eating and smoking.
At night the women assembled, and danced
till 11 o'clock; then the officers came on board with
two chiefs, who continued, with us until the morning.

Thursday 27th. We remained here all day. Capt.
Lewis, myself and some of the men went over to the
Indian camp. Their lodges are about eighty in number,
and contain about ten persons each; the greater
part women and children. The women were employed
in dressing buffaloe skins, for clothing for
themselves and for covering their lodges. They are
the most friendly people I ever saw; but will pilfer
if they have an opportunity. They are also very
dirty: the water they make use of, is carried in the
paunches of the animals they kill, just as they are
emptied, without being cleaned. They gave us dishes
of victuals of various kinds; I had never seen any
thing like some of these dishes, not could I tell of
what ingredients, or how they were made.

About 15 days ago they had had a battle with the
Mahas, of whom they killed 75 men and took 25
women prisoners, whom they have now with them.
They promised to Capt. Lewis that they would send
the prisoners back and make peace.

About 3 o'clock we went aboard the boat accompanied
with the old chief and his little son. In the
evening Captain Clarke and some of the men went
over, and the Indians made preparations for a dance.
At dark it commenced. Captain Lewis, myself and
some of our party went up to see them perform.
Their band of musick, or orchestra, was composed
of about twelve persons beating on a buffaloe hide,
and shaking small bags that made a rattling noise.
They had a large fire in the centre of their camp;
on one side the women, about 80 in number, formed
in a solid column round the fire, with sticks in their

hands, and the scalps of the Mahas they had killed
tied on them. They kept moving, or jumping round
the fire, rising and falling on both feet at once; keeping
a continual noise, singing and yelling. In this
manner they continued till 1 o'clock at night, when
we returned to the boat with two of the chiefs. On
coming aboard, the perioguo run across the bow of
the boat and broke the cable. All hands were roused
to row the boat ashore; the chiefs called aloud, and
a number of the warriors came to our assistance, but
we did not need it: the circumstance, however,
shewed their disposition to be of service. This unfortunate
accident lost to us our anchor.

Friday 28th. This morning we dragged the river
all round where the boat lay, but could not find the
anchor. At 9 o'clock we made preparations to sail;
some of the chiefs were on board, and concluded to
go some distance with us. When we went to shove
off, some of the Indians took hold of the rope and
would not let it go. This conduct had like to be
attended with bad consequences, as Captain Lewis
was near giving orders to cut the rope and to fire on
them. The chiefs, however, went out and talked
with them: they said they wanted a carrot of tobacco,
and that if we gave that we might go. The
tobacco was given them, and we went off under a
gentle breeze of wind. We passed high land on the
north side and bottom on the south. We proceeded
4 miles, and then saw an Indian following us along
the beach, when Captain Lewis went in a periogue
and brought him on board. He informed us that
300 more Indians had come to their camp, and desired
we should stop and talk with them. We did
not then stop, but proceeded on, and he remained
on board. We passed a fine bottom covered with
timbor on the north side, and bare hills on the south.
We made two large stones serve the purpose of an

anchor, and at sunset anchored for the night, near a
small sand-bar in the middle of the river.

While I was at the Indian camp yesterday they
yoked a dog to a kind of car, which they have to
haul their baggage from one camp to another; the
nation having no settled place or village, but are always
moving about.[3] The dogs are not large, much
resemble a wolf, and will haul about 70 pounds each.