[Clark, November 12, 1804]
12th November Monday 1804 a verry Cold night early this
morning the Big White princapal Chief of the lower Village
of the Mandans Came Down, he packd about 100 W. of fine meet
on his Squar for us, we made Some Small presents to the
Squar, & Child gave a Small ax which She was much pleased- 3
men Sick with the ____ Several, Wind Changeable verry cold
evening, freesing all day Some ice on the edges of the
river.
Swans passing to the South, the Hunters we Sent down the
river to hunt has not returned
The interpeter Says that the Mandan nation as they old men
Say Came out of a Small lake where they had Gardins, maney
years ago they lived in Several Villages on the Missourie
low down, the Smallpox destroyed the greater part of the
nation and reduced them to one large Village and Some Small
ones, all nations before this maladey was affrd. of them
after they were reduced the Sioux and other Indians waged
war, and killed a great maney, and they moved up the
Missourie, those Indians Still continued to wage war, and
they moved Still higher, untill they got in the Countrey of
the Panias, whith this ntn. they lived in friendship maney
years, inhabiting the Same neighbourhood untill that people
waged war, They moved up near the watersoons & winataree
where they now live in peace with those nations, the mandans
Specke a language peculial to themselves
they can rase about 350 men, the Winatarees about 80 and the
Big bellies about 600 or 650 men. the mandans and Seauex
have the Same word for water-The Big bellies Winitarees &
ravin Indians Speake nearly the Same language and the
presumption is they were origionally the Same nation The
Ravin Indians have 400 Lodges & about 1200 men, & follow the
Buffalow, or hunt for their Subsistance in the plains & on
the Court not & Rock Mountains, & are at war with the Sioux
Snake Indians
The Big bellies & Watersoons are at war with the Snake
Indians & Seauex, and were at war with the Ricares untill we
made peace a fiew days passd.- The Mandans are at War with
all who make war on them, at present with the Seauex only,
and wish to be at peace with all nations, Seldom the
agressors-
[Clark, November 13, 1804]
13th The Ice begin to run we move into our hut, visited by
the Grand Chief of the Mandans, and Che chark Lagru a Chief
of the Assinniboins & 7 men of that Nation, I Smoke with
them and gave the Chief a Cord & a Carrot of Tobacco- this
Nation rove in the Plains above this and trade with the
British Companes on the Ossinniboin River, they are Divided
into Several bands, the decendants of the Sioux & Speak
nearly their langguage a bad disposed Set & Can raies about
moo men in the 3 bands near this place, they trade with the
nations of this neighbourhood for horses Corn & Snow all Day
Capt. L. at the village.
[Clark, November 13, 1804]
13th Novr. Tuesday 1804 The Ice began to run in the river
1/2 past 10 oClock P. M we rose early & onloaded the boat
before brackfast except, the Cabin, & Stored away in a Store
house- at 10 oClock A M the Black Cat the Mandin Chief and
Lagru Che Chark Chief & 7 men of note visited us at Fort
Mandan, I gave him a twist of Tobacco to Smoke with his
people & a Gold Cord with a view to Know him again, The
nation Consists of about 600 men, hunt in the Plains &
winter and trade on the Ossiniboin River, they are
Decendants of the Siaux and Speake their language, they Come
to the nations to this quarter to trade or (make preasthts)
for horses the method of this Kind of Trafick by addoption
Shall be explained hereafter &, Snow'd all day, the Ice ran
thick and air Cold.
[Clark, November 14, 1804]
Fort Mandan 14th of November Wednesday 1804 a Cloudy
morning, ice runing verry thick river rose 1/2 Inch last
night Some Snow falling, only two Indians visit us to day
Owing to a Dance at the Village last night in Concluding a
Serimoney of adoption, and interchange of property, between
the Ossiniboins, Christinoes and the nations of this
neighbourhood- we Sent one man by land on hors back to know
the reason of the Delay of our hunters, this evening 2
french men who were traping below Came up-with 20 beaver we
are compelled to use our Pork which we doe Spearingly for
fear of Some falur in precureing a Sufficiency from the
Woods.
our Interpeter informs that 70 Lodges one of 3 bands of
Assinniboins & Some Crestinoes, are at the Mandan Village.
The Crrirstinoes are abt. 300 men Speak the Chipaway-Language,
the live near Fort De peare
[Clark, November 15, 1804]
15th of November Thursday 1804 a Cloudy morning, the ice run
much thicker than yesterday at 10 oClock G Drewyer & the
frenchman we Dispatched yesterday came up from the Hunters,
who is incamped about 30 miles below- after a about one hour
we Dispatched a man with orders to the hunters to proceed on
without Delay thro the floating ice, we Sent by the man Tin,
to put on the parts of the Perogue exposed to the ice & a
toe roape- The wind Changeable- all hands work at their huts
untill 1 oClock at night Swans passing to the South- but
fiew fowls water to be Seen- not one Indian Came to our fort
to day
[Clark, November 16, 1804]
16th November Friday 1804 a verry white frost all the trees
all Covered with ice, Cloudy, all the men move into the huts
which is not finishd Several Indians Come to Camp to day,
The Ossiniboins is at the Big bellie Camp, Some trouble like
to take place between them from the loss of horses &c. as is
Said by an old Indian who visited us with 4 buffalow robes &
Corn to trade for a pistol which we did not let him have,
men imployed untill late in dobing their huts, Some horses
Sent down to Stay in the woods near the fort, to prevent the
Ossniboins Steeling them
[Clark, November 17, 1804]
17 th November Satturday 1804 a fine morning, last night was
Cold, the ice thicker than yesterday, Several Indians visit
us, one Chief Stayed all day we are much engaged about our
huts.
[Clark, November 18, 1804]
18th Novr. Sunday 1804 a Cold morning Some wind the Black
Cat, Chief of the Mandans Came to See us, he made Great
inquiries respecting our fashions. he also Stated the
Situation of their nation, he mentioned that a Council had
been held the day before and it was thought advisable to put
up with the resent insults of the Ossiniboins & Christonoes
untill they were Convinced that what had been told thim by
us, Mr. Evins had deceived them & we might also, he promised
to return & furnish them with guns & amunitiion, we advised
them to remain at peace & that they might depend upon
Getting Supplies through the Channel of the Missouri, but it
requred time to put the trade in opperation. The Assiniboins
&c have the trade of those nations in their power and treat
them badly as the Soux does the Ricarees and they cannot
resent for fear of loseing their trade &.
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The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806