[Clark, November 26, 1804]
26th of Novr. 1804 Monday Fort Mandan a little before day
light the wind shifted to the N. W. and blew hard and the
air Keen & Cold all day, Cloudy and much the appearance of
Snow; but little work done to day it being Cold &c.
[Clark, November 27, 1804]
27th of November Tuesday 1804 a cloudy morning after a verry
Cold night, the River Crouded with floating ice wind from
the N W. finished Dobing Capt. Lewis returned from the
Villages with two Chiefs Mar-noh toh & Man-nes-sur ree & a
Considerate man with the party who accompanied him, The
Menitares, (or Big bellies) were allarmed at the tales told
them by the Mandans Viz: that we intended to join the Seaux
to Cut off them in the Course of the winter, many
Circumstances Combind to give force to those reports i e the
movements of the interpeters & their families to the Fort,
the strength of our work &. &.
all those reports was contridicted by Capt Louis with a
Conviction on the minds of the Indians of the falsity of
those reports- the Indians in all the towns & Camps treated
Capt Lewis & the party with Great respect except one of the
principal Cheifs Mar par pa par ra pas a too or (Horned
Weasel) who did not Chuse to be Seen by the Capt. & left
word that he was not at home &.
Seven Traders arrived from the fort on the Ossinaboin from
the N W Companey one of which Lafrances took upon himself to
speak unfavourably of our intentions &. the princpal Mr. La
Rock, (& Mr. McKensey) was informed of the Conduct of their
interpeter & the Consiquinces if they did not put a Stop to
unfavourable & ill founded assursions &c. &.
The two Chiefs much pleased with their treatments & the
Cherefullness of the party, who Danced to amuse them &c. &c.
The river fall 2 Inches verry Cold and began to Snow at 8
oClock P M and Continued all night- Some miss understanding
with Jussomm & his woman- at Day the Snow Seased
[Clark, November 28, 1804]
28th Novr. Wednesday 1804 a cold morning wind from the N. W
river full of floating ice, began to Snow at 7 oClock a m
and continued all day at 8 oClock the Poss-cop-so-he or
Black Cat Grand Chief of the Mandans Came to See us, after
Showing Those Chiefs many thing which was Curiossities to
them, and Giveing a fiew presents of Curioes Handkerchiefs
arm bans & paint with a twist of Tobaco they departed at 1
oClock much pleased, at parting we had Some little talk on
the Subject of the British Trader Mr. Le rock Giveing
Meadils & Flags, and told those Chiefs to impress it on the
minds of their nations that those Simbells were not to be
recved by any from them, without they wished incur the
displieasure of their Great American Father- a verry
disagreeable day- no work done to day river fall 1 Inch to
day
[Clark, November 29, 1804]
29th November Thursday 1804 A verry Cold windey day wind
from the N. W by W. Some Snow last night the Detpt of the
Snow is various in the wood about 13 inches, The river
Closed at the Village above and fell last night two feet Mr.
La Rock and one of his men Came to visit us we informed him
what we had herd of his intentions of makeing Chiefs &c. and
forbid him to give meadels or flags to the Indians, he
Denied haveing any Such intention, we agreeed that one of
our interpeters Should Speak for him on Conditions he did
not Say any thing more than what tended to trade alone- he
gave fair promises &.
[Clark, November 30, 1804]
30h of Nov. an Indian Chief Came and informed us that five
Men of the Mandans Nation was on a hunting party to the S W,
distance about Eight Leagues, they were Surprised one man
Killed two wounded and nine horses taken, Severale others
men wer on hunting partes & were to have returned Several
days ago & had not yet returned, & that they expected to be
attacked by an army of Sioux I took 23 men and went to the
Village deturmined to Collect the warriers of the Different
Villages and meet the Sioux- The village not expecting Such
Strong aid in So Short a time was a little alarmed of the
formable appearance of my party The principal Chiefs met me
at 200 yards Distance from the Town, and envited me to his
Lodge. I told the Nation the Cause of Comeing &. was to
assist in Chastiseing the enimies of my Dutifull Children- I
requested great Chief to repeat the Cercunstance of the
Sioux attack as it realy happined which he did- I told them
to Send runners to the other villages & assemble the
warriers & we Would go and Chastize the Sioux for Spilling
the Blood of my Dutifull Children- after a Conversation of a
few minits amongst themselves, a Chief Said that they now
Saw that what we had told them was the trooth and we were
ready to protect them and Kill those who did not listen to
our Councils (and after a long Speech) he concluded Said
"the Sious who Spilt our Blood is gorn home- The Snow is
deep and it is Cold, our horses Cannot Travel thro the
plains in pursute- If you will go and conduct us in the
Spring after the Snow is gorn, we will assemble all the
warriers & Brave men in all the villages and go with you." I
answered the Speach at Some length, explained to them their
Situation declareing our intentions of Defending them at any
time dureing the time we Should Stay in ther nieghbourhood,
explained the Situation of the Ricaras & told them not to
get angrey with them untill they were Certain of their
haveing violated the treaty &c. &. I crossed the River on
the Ice and returned to the fort
[Clark, November 30, 1804]
30th in the morning early a Indian Came to the river opposit
& requsted to be brought over, that he had Some thing to Say
from his nation we Sent for him, and after he had Smoked- he
Said he thought the river was frosted across here & expected
to Cross on the ice
7 or 8 Mandans out hunting in a S. W, Derection from this
place about 8 Leagues, after they had made their hunt and on
their return was attackted by a large Party of Seaux, one of
the party a young Chief was Killed 2 wounded & 9 horses
taken, the men who made their escape Say the one half of the
party who attacked them was Panias-
The two Panias who Came here a fiew days ago was imediately
Sent home, for fear of their being put to death by the party
Defeated
Two of the attacting party was Known to be Panies. The man
who was killed mentioned that after he was wounded, that he
had been at war & been wounded, "this day I shall die like a
man before my Enimies,! tell my father that I died bravely,
and do not greive for me-"
4 of the Big bellies who were Camped near thos is missing,
and Searching for him in their Camps above- no one Dare to
go to the ground where the battle was for fear of the Sioux
being noumerous-.
[Clark, November 30, 1804]
30th of November Friday 1804 This morning at 8 oClock an
Indian Calld from the other Side and informed that he had
Something of Consequence to Communicate. we Sent a perogue
for him & he informed us as follows. Viz: "five men of the
Mandan Nation out hunting in a S. W. derection about Eight
Leagues was Suprised by a large party of Sceoux & Panies,
one man was Killed and two wounded with arrows & 9 Horses
taken, 4 of the We ter Soon nation was missing, & they
expected to be attacked by the Souix &c. &." we thought it
well to Show a Disposition to ade and assist them against
their enimies, perticularly those who Came in oppersition to
our Councils, and I Deturmined to go to the town with Some
men, and if the Sceoux were comeing to attact the nation to
Collect the worriers from each Village and meet them, thos
Ideas were also those of Capt Lewis, I crossed the river in
about an hour after the arrival of the Indian express with
23 men including the interpeters and flankd the Town & came
up on the back part The Indians not expecting to receive
Such Strong aide in So Short a time was much Supprised, and
a littled allarmed at the formadable appearance of my party-
The principal Chiefs met me Some Distance from the town (Say
200 yards) and invited me in to town, I ord my pty into dft.
lodges & I explained to the nation the cause of my comeing
in this formadable manner to their Town, was to asst and
Chastise the enimies of our Dutifull Children,- I requested
the Grand Cheif to repeat the Circumstancies as they hapined
which he did as was mentioned by the Express in the morning-
I then informed them that if they would assemble their
warrers and those of the different Towns I would to meet the
Army of Souix & Chastise thim for takeing the blood of our
dutifull Children &c. after a conversation of a fiew minits
anongst themselves, one Chief the Big Man Cien Said they now
Saw that what we hade told them was the trooth, whin we
expected the enimies of their Nation was Comeing to attact
them, or had spilt their blood were ready to protect them,
and Kill those who would not listen to our Good talk- his
people had listened to what we had told them and Cearlessly
went out to hunt in Small parties believing themselves to be
Safe from the other Nations- and have been killed by the
Panies & Seauex. "I knew Said he that the Panies were Tiers,
and told the old Chief who Came with you (to Confirm a piece
with us) that his people were hers and bad men and that we
killed them like the Buffalow, when we pleased, we had made
peace Several times and you Nation have always Commened the
war, we do not want to Kill you, and will not Suffer you to
Kill us or Steal our horses, we will make peace with you as
our two fathers have derected, and they Shall See that we
will not be the Ogressors, but we fear the Ricares will not
be at peace-long- My father those are the words I Spoke to
the Ricare in Your presents- you See they have not opened
their ears to your good "Councils but have Spuilt our blood.
two Ricarees whome we Sent home this day for fear of our
peoples Killing them in their greaf-informed us when they
Came here Several days ago, that two Towns of the Ricares
were makeing their Mockersons, and that we had best take
care of Our horses & a number of Sieuex were in their Towns,
and they believed not well disposed towards us- four of the
Wetersoons are now absent they were to have been back in 16
days they have been out 24 we fear they have fallen. my
father the Snow is deep and it is cold our horses Cannot
travel thro the the plains,- those people who have Spilt our
blood have gorn back? if you will go with us in the Spring
after the Snow goes off we will raise the Warriers of all
the Towns & nations around about us, and go with you."
I told this nation that we Should be always willing and
ready to defend them from the insults of any nation who
would dare to Come to doe them injurey dureing the time we
would remain in their neighbourhood, and requstd. that they
would inform us of any party who may at any time be
discovered by their Patroles or Scouts;
I was Sorry that the Snow in the Plains had fallen So Deep
Sence the Murder of the young Chief by the Scioux as
prevented, their horses from traveling I wished to meet
those Scioux & all others who will not open their ears, but
make war on our dutifull Children, and let you See that the
Wariers of your great father will Chastize the enimies of
his dutifull Children the Mandans, wetersoons & Winitarees,
who have opend. their ears to his advice- you Say that the
Panies or Ricares were with the Sciaux, Some bad men may
have been with the Sciaux you know there is bad men in all
nations, do not get mad with the racarees untill we know if
those bad men are Counternoncd. by their nation, and we are
Convsd. those people do not intend to follow our Councils-
you know that the Sceaux have great influence over the
ricarees and perhaps have led Some of them astray- you know
that the Ricarees, are Dependant on the Sceaux for their
guns, powder, & Ball, and it was policy in them to keep on
as good terms as possible with the Siaux untill they had
Some other means of getting those articles &c. &. you know
your Selves that you are Compelled to put up with little
insults from the Christinoes & Ossinaboins (or Stone Inds.)
because if you go to war with those people, they will
provent the traders in the north from bringing you Guns
Powder & Ball and by that means distress you verry much, but
whin you will have Certain Suppliers from your Great
American father of all those articls you will not Suffer any
nation to insult you &c. after about two hours conversation
on various Subjects all of which tended towards their
Situation &c. I informed them I Should return to the fort,
the Chief Said they all thanked me verry much for the
fatherly protection which I Showed towards them, that the
Village had been Crying all the night and day for the death
of the brave young man, who fell but now they would wipe
away their tears, and rejoice in their fathers
protection-and Cry no more
I then Paraded & Crossed the river on the ice and Came down
on the N. Side the Snow So deep, it was verry fatigueing
arrved at the fort after night, gave a little Taffee, a Cold
night the river rise to its former hite- The Chief
frequently thanked me for Comeing to protect them- and the
whole Village appeared thankfull for that measure
[Clark, December 1, 1804]
1s Decr. a young Chief arrived
7 Chiens Came to the Village with a pipe & the 3 Ricares who
Came here a fiew days ago & Sent off yesterday have returned
and Say that the Sieaux & ricares are Camped together
[Clark, December 1, 1804]
1st of December Satturday 1804 wind from the N W. all hands
ingaged in pitting pickets &. at 10 oClock the half brother
of the man who was killed Came and informd. us that after my
departure last night Six Chiens So Called by the french Shar
ha Indians had arrived with a pipe and Said that The mandans
apprehended danger from the Shar has as they were at peace
with the Seaux; and wished to Kill them and the Ricarees (or
Parties) but the Cheifs informed the nation "it was our wish
that they Should not be hurt, and forbid being Killed &c."
we gave a little Tobacco &c. & this man Departed well
Satisfied with our councils and advice to him in the evening
a Mr. G Henderson in the imploy of the hudsons bay Company
Sent to trade with the Gros ventre-or big bellies So Called
by the french traders
[Clark, December 2, 1804]
2d of Decr. 1804 Visited by Several Mandan Chiefs and 4
Chyannes Inds. who Came with a pipe to the Mandans, Sent a
Speech to ther Nation a flag & Some tobacco, also written a
Speech to the Ricaras & Sioux, informe them what they might
depend on if they would not open their ears, & &.
[Clark, December 2, 1804]
2nd of December Sunday 1804 The latter part of last night
was verry warm and Continued to thaw untill ____ oClock when
the wind Shifted to the North at 11 oClock the Chiefs of the
Lower village of the Mandans with maney of theire young men
and 4 of the Shar-ha's who had come to Smoke with the pipe
of Peace with the Mandans, we explained to them our
intentions our views and advised them to be at peace, Gave
them a flag for theire nation, Some Tobacco with a Speech to
Deliver to their nation on theire return, also Sent by them
a letter to Mrs. Tabbo & Gravoline, at the Ricares Village,
to interseid in proventing Hostilities, and if they Could
not effect those measures to Send & informe us of what was
going on, Stateing to the Indians the part we intend to take
if the Rickores & Seauex did not follow our Derections and
be at peace with the nations which we had addopted- We made
Some fiew Small presents to those Shar ha's and also Some to
the Mandans & at 3 oClock they all Departed well pleased,
haveing Seen many Curisossties, which we Showed them-. river
rise one inch
This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes implied.
The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806