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^BHHBMHI 




mSTOKYof the FXPEDITION 






UNDEK. THE COMMAND OF CAPTAINS 






TFWIS& CLARKE 






to the Souicesofthe Missouri, 
checiceacrosstheRockyMoun- 
nios and dowa the River 

Columbia to thePad&c Ocean, 

pttfarrtlcd JutiQg ihfi'CrlifS 1304-5-6 

by Oidec of Che Gov«rpniH)t of the 
UoitedStues 


■ 




A camplece tepriniof che Bid die Edition o( 1B14 

lo which ill Lhemembcnof ibcEipcdiiJQj) 

coQuibuK-d 






with an account of the 
LouisiAna. Purchase bf 

Rev. John Bach A^eMasfer 

tad NocesupO[i(E"e Route 


J 




WTmiLLUSTgyinONS AND MAPS 


1 




U^ THXEE VOLUMES 

Vol" me I 




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MCMXXil 

^TT FRTON BOOK CO. 

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CopyHghc, 1^6. hf 
WiUianu-Baiker Co. 



347799 






Fiilited In cka Ualied Sum pf \"Bert« 



PUBLISHERS' KOTE 



The advaTitages of an int-eresttng. 
straightforward, consecutive narratiTe oveT 
an exhaustive and exhausting compilation 
of all avaiJable material are well illuattated 
in the Biddle edition of the Journals of 
Lewis and Clark. 

For nearly a century this has remained 
and will remain the popular and Batisfae- 
tory narrative of the greatest American 
exploration. With, the daily jomrials of 
the two leaders before him and the records 
kept by the other members of the eipedi- 
tion, Nicholas Biddle, the real editor, was 
confronted with a mase of material amount- 
ing to over 1,200,000 words. Very fortu- 
nately he was free from any pedantic ambi- 
tion for literal comprehensiveness, and with 
rare editorial judgTiient he prepared this 
history, which, in addition to its pre-emi- 
nent importance, has the virtues of attract- 
ivenesSj clearness, and unfailing interest. 
It is one of the many curious features of 
this eventful exploration that Biddle's mod- 
esty and other reaaong should have led to 
the withdrawal of his name, and that the 
name of Paul Allen, whose part was insig- 
nificant, ehoiild appear ae editor. 

In. presenting the Lewis and Clarli Jour- 
nals in this convenient and accessible edi- 
tion, the publishers have been fortunate in 
enlisting the co-operation of th« distin* 



I'UBLIKHERS' NOTE. 

guished historinn, Professor Joha Bach. 
ilcMaeter, whose account of the Louisiana 
Purchase, and the transfer of this vast ter- 
jitory to the Uuited States, serves aa an 
appropriate inti-oJuctlon to the picturesque 
narrative of the explonition of the territory 
purchased. Each volume contains pref- 
atory notes identifying the principal points 
along^ the route auil explaining references 
in the Journals. These ieaturea, in addi- 
tion to the convenient size of theae volumes, 
provide a work which it is believed will 
remain the most useful popular edition of 
the Lewis and Clark Journals. 



^ 



THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE 



By John Eaeli McMaster, LL. D. 

When our co^intry became a soverei^, 
free, and mdependent nation, our territory 
nowhere touched the Gulf of Mt-xieo, nor 
was our iliig anywlittrc to be seen beyond 
the Mississippi River. Spain oivnctl the 
f^reat V,^est and tJ:e inland on which stood 
T^ew OrleanR, anil litid jn.=t obtained frDni 
ftreat Rritaiii a retrortssian nf Mnrida flod 
flll tbe tt'rriti^ry "oulh of Hist '""igr^e of 
north l;»titL'rk\ Uut S-min rlain'etl more, 
find duriii.e sixfeen years heM nrnied poe- 
pe«FioTi of much nf the preFcnt Statep of 
Alabama snd Mipsipsippi* displayed her 
flae and maintained ber farrisons on. -many 
a bluff as far np the Mississippi as Tennes- 
see, HTid clnsfd the Father nf Wiiters to 
navigation bv citizens o£ the United Rtnt-es. 
Not till 1795, wh^^n we made our firet 
treaty "K'ith Sjwin. did we obtain from her 
a recopmition of the 3lBt degree of latitude 
aa part of our southern bonndary. a promise 
to withdraw her garrisons nortii of that 
line (which was oot done till J799), find a 
right to depoEit goods at New Orleans for 
esportation. 

To our forefathers these eonceeaiona 
seemed little enouph. The treaty ac- 
Itnowledged the validity of a boundary lijifc 



THE LOmSIAFfA PURCHASE. 

given ua at a time when Great Britain 
Owned the territnry to the north and to the 
south of it. The treaty p^t^Tid^?d for the 
removal of armed forces from a oountry 
■There they had no right to he, and granted 
lo a frieniily nation the cornmercifil use of 
H riTer, one hank: of which it owned from 
the source almost to th* inoT]th. Yet, mild 
and loral as were its provisions, they E.et 
in motion a traia of events which in ei^ht 
years brought us the vast domain known 
SB Louisiana. 

That Spain shonld he short -sigh ted 
enoiifrh to make auch concessions astonished 
and alarmed Talleyrand, who then served 
the French Direetow as Minister of For- 
eign Affairs. " The tJnited States," he said 
to a minister he was about to dispatch to 
Madrid, " have heen put in possession of 
the forts along the Mississippi." It was 
essential that Spain should hold these forts 
in order to stop the progress of the Ameri- 
can?, whq were devoured hy pride, amhition, 
and enpidity, Tbey were determined to 
rule Ameriea. The only way to put an end 
to this amhition was to shut them "up 
within the limits which nature seemed t« 
have traced for them. Bnt Spain was in 
no condition to do this great work. She 
would do well, therefore, to cede to France 
Rast find West Florida and Louisiana, and 

" from that moment the power of America is 
tiouncled bynucli limits na it nmy suit the iotercata 
of Frnace aail Spain to ftsslga her." 

The French Minister at the Court of 
Madrid waa aecordinglj instructed to seek 



TEE 3X1UISIANA PTJECEASE. 

for a eession to France of the territory in 
queation; but ere the scheme waa carried 
out Tallejiand fell frotn power, the Direc- 
tory was overthrown, Najjolcon returned 
from Kgypt, and, by hia coup d'etat, made 
htmaelf master of I'ranee. 

Once safely estahlifihed as First Consulj 
N'apoleon recalled Talleyrand to hie old 
post of Minister of foreign Affaire, and 
then negotiations for the retraceesion of 
Louisiana went rapidly forward. So 
rapidly^ indeed, that on the Ifit of October, 
ISOO, at San lldefonso, Charles of Spain 
signed a eecret treaty which bound him to 
return to i^'apoleon the Louisiana which, in 
1763, France had given to Spain. 

Talleyrand had triumphed. The Ameri- 
cana were now to be shut up within the 
limits which nature had traced for them; 
their ambition was to be checked, and Euch. 
bounds as pleased France and Spain were 
to he Bet to their power. All ttus seemed 
certain to happen, yet none of it was ever 
to come about. How news of the secret 
treaty leaked out and came to the knowl- 
edge of President Jefferson; how two years. 
slipped by before Napoleon reeeiTed the 
order on the Spanish officials for the de- 
livery of Louisiana; how hifi plans for send- 
ing over an armed force to occupy the 
province were delayed by the destructioh. 
of his army in Saa Domingo and the lack 
of transports at home; how daring all this 
time not so much as a formal protest waa 
entered by our Government, need not be 
related. It is enough to know that at this 
critical moment the Spanish Intendant at 
Is. 



THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. 

"New Orleans came to our aid, and, without 
authority and in flat violation of the treaty 
o£ 1795, took away the right of deposit at 
Ifew Orleans and cloaed the fiLssissippi to 
our trade and commerce. 

As news of this act spread nortljward 
during the late autumn of 1802 the people 
in Tennessee and Kentucky and in Oliio 
(just about to enter the Union as a State) 
cried out for war. How, during the next 
seesion of Congress, the Federalists took 
up the CTj and strove to force the war; how 
Jefferson asked for two millions of dollars 
■with, which to buy Weet FloTida and New 
Orleans, and so acquire the entire east bank 
of the Missisaippi River; how the money 
was appropriated; how Monroe was sent to 
aid Livingston in making the purchase; 
how Talleyrand strove to prevent the sale; 
Tiow Livin^ton passed over him and ap- 
plied to the First Consul; how Napoleon 
met the offer to buy West Florida and New 
Orleans with, a tender of all Louisiana; how 
the price was fixed, and the treaty ratified 
by the Senate, is a story too long to be 
retold. 

Congress having appropriated the money 
(S15,000,000) with which to pay for 
Louisiana, nothing remained to be done 
save to prepare for the formal ctelivery of 
the province to the United States. 

Quite early in the year, when Napoleon 
bad as yet no thought of seiJiiije;^ the prov- 
ince, a plan for its government had been 
drawn up, and Peter Clement Lanssat sent 
out as Colonial Prefect. He reached New 
Orleans late in March and promptly iaaned 



THE LOUISIANA PCBCHASE. 

a proclamation in the name of the French 
Republic. He began by denouncing' the 
eeparatioc of Louisiaiia from France in 
1763 ag the niost Rhameful act ever (?otic 
"by a weak and corrupt ffovemin&nt; praised 
the love and loyalty which, in Rpite of this 
deed, the French of Louisiana had ever 
shown toward the mother country; re- 
minded them that one of the first acts of 
the " mBgnanimouB, juet, and powerful 
Government of Bonaparte" was to secure 
a retrocession, and promised that all man- 
ner of happiness should follow' the v^vf 
union of the mother country and her 
colony. A few of the French were de- 
ligbtedj and gave vent to their pleasure in 
long addresses to the Prefect, full of ardent 
wishes for the arrival of the expected ex- 
pedition and the beginning of French rnle. 
By the msBg of the people Lausfiat was 
received with eoldneea or alarm. His proc- 
lamation, "wrote an eye-witnesa of the 
events of the timej 

"b&sbecD heard byEomcwilh BQiiuess, aDd byUio 

greater part of the iiiliabi tan ta witli tlie enme indifFer- 
e-nce B3 the beat of the drtim is listened to wliCti it 
vu]c>ut)c«a the escape of 3 alsTe or & bsU &t sTictlqn." 

Not a few, recalling Napoleon's declara- 
tion. " Inhabitants of St. Domingo, what- 
ever may be your colour or your ori^n, you 
are all free! " feared that a day might soon 
come when a like decree might he pro- 
claimed in the streets of New Orleans. 

The Spaniiih part of the popidfition were 
far from pleased, and no pains were spared 
by their rulers to persuade, and, if necea- 



THE LOUISIANA PUKCHASE, 

sar}\ fnrce them to quit Louieiantt and take 
up their nhofie in Cuba. Scarcely had the 
Marquia ot Casa Calvo, charged with the 
duty of delivering the province to France, 
eet foot in New Orleans than officers of the 
militia, the clergy, the small planters, the 
people about the posts, were required to 
eay whether they would or woidd not 
remain suhjecta of the crown of Spain, and 
more than one who answered nay was made 
to euflcr for his tenaetity. The Urau]ine 
nuDB, recalling the cloeing of the religious 
houses in France in the early days of the 
Eevolution, petitioned the King for leave 
to depart and find a new home somewhere 
else in his dominione. PermiGsion was 
given, and on Whitsunday, whon the snnset 
gun. boomed from Fort St Charlee. sixteen 
Dune. escorted by the Governor-General, by 
the Marquis de Caea Calvo, and a great 
crowd of eitizensj walked from their con- 
vent to a ehip and Bailed away. 

N'apoleon^a declaration of war with Great 
Britain having prevented the departure of 
the troops and General Victor, who was 
to have received Louieianfl from Spain, 
Laussat found himself without office, 
authority, or support, and iiUed his dis- 
patches to Minieter Deor&s with deserip- 
tions of the city and its government. The 
fortifications erected a few years before by 
Catojidelet, he said, we^e falling into ruins. 
The palisade was gone, or where it still 
Ktood was rotten; the towers were crum- 
bling, the ditches filling np, the bridges in 
decay, and the gates off their hinges and 
lying on the ground. Juatiee, he declared. 



■^PHE LOriBIANA PURCHASE. 

was bought and sold; every offidal, gov- 
ernor, iQtendant. judge, collector — all, in 
fact, down to the constable, were Tenal, 
and in these etatements, broad as they are, 
he was borne out by the American Consul 
in his diepatcbes to Washington. 

In July rumours Tverc current that 
Louisiana bad been sold to the United 
States. LauBsat indignantly denied them 
as the work of Ang"lo-Americans-, till one 
day a vessel from Bordeaux brought him 
a commission to receive the province from 
France and tnm it over to the United 
States. 

The dayohosen for the first of these cere- 
monies, Wednesday, November 30, 1803, 
opened dark and lowering. Casa Calvo, 
Salcedo, and LausBat, attended by the 
clergy, the military officers, and the people, 
■met in the Cabildo, where T-iaussat pre- 
sented an ordor from the King of Spain 
■foT the delivery of I>ouisiana and his au- 
thority from Kapoleon to recejve it in the 
'name of France. The keys of New Or- 
leans were then handed him; Salcedo and 
Casa Calvo declared Louisiana and ita de- 
pendencies to be the property of France, 
and absolved from alle|riaiice to Spain 
fill Bubject* of his Christian Majesty who 
"wished to 3ive under the authority of 
France. This done, the commissioners 
went out on the balcony and looked down 
on a eea of upturned faces and the Place 
d'Armes — not the little fenced park of to- 
day, hut a great parade ground that 
stretched away from the cathedral to the 
levee that ehut out the waters of the Miss- 
xiii 



THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE 

ifisippi. In the presence of these dig- 
nitaries the batintT ol: Hpain, which Actt 
from the staff in the centre r,i the Place, 
wfis lowered and saluted, and the Tricolour 
raised in its stead. Spanish municipal 
goTernment was immediatelj abolished, a 
Frenoh. city government substituted, and 
the sale of Louisiana to the United Statea 
formally aTinounced by proclamation. No 
French, troops came with Laussat; the 
Spanish militia ehowed no willingneeB to 
serve under France till the arrival of ths 
Americans; just when they wonid come was 
nncertain, and during the interval the city^ 
it was feared, might become the ficcna of 
diflorder and crime- Such of our country- 
men, therefore, as business or curiosity had 
brought to New Orleans, formed a volun- 
teer company, and, joined hy many young' 
creole&t offered their eervicea to Laussat, 
and thenceforth armed bands patrolled the 
streets by day and by night. 

But it was not in New Orleans alone that 
fears for the safety of the oity and province^ 
were entertained. At Washington the 
Spanish Minister had three times protested 
against the Bale of Ix)uistana. Napoleon 
had not as yet made good the conditions 
of retroceesion. Nay, he had flatly violated 
one of tliom, for he had pledged himself 
never to part with the province, but keep 
it ever a dependency of France. That the 
protest at Washington mi^ht be followed 
by armed resistance to the transfer at New 
OVleane seemed so likely to Jefferson that 
he ordered part of the militia of Ohio, Ken- 
tweky, and Tennessee to be ready to march 



THE LOnSJANA PURCHASE. 

at fi jnomcnt'^ jiotice, pent troops tn 
ItTatfhez, pnthered others at Fart Adnins 
Boar the old boundfiry line, and hftde Gov- 
ernor Clfiiborne bring si>ine with him from 
Mississippi. 

The tvay com miapi oners on "behalf of the 
TTnitefi Rtatpp wpre W^ C. C Claiborne, 
Governor of the Mispisaippi Territory, and 
General James "Willcmson. They met at 
Port Adnms in December, and at onre set 
oni for New- Orleans, a.n(l on the 17th of 
the month camped two miles from the city 
gate. Visits of ceremony delayed their 
entrance till the morning- of December 
20th, when the commissionere and the 
troops marched throuKh the Tchoupitoulaa 
gate and on to the Place d'ATines, where 
the ceremony of the transfer to France was 
repeated in the hall of the Cabildo, or 
Hotel de Ville, ae it now began to be 
called. 

The credentials of Claiborne and Wilkin- 
8on, the treaty of purchase, the powers of 
Laussat, and the pro(^h~ttcrhal were read 
alond; the deliver^" of Louisiana to the 
TJnited States was proclaimed, tbe Iteys of 
the city were handed to Claiborne, and all 
who chose to become citizens of the United 
States were formally absolved from alle- 
giance to France. A short speech by Clai- 
borne followed befnro tbe commissioners 
stepped out on the balconv to wjtne«a the 
tranefer of flao;?. The Tricolour at the top 
of the staff wa.'? now drawn down, and the 
Stars and Stripes at the foot of the pole 
raised till the two met in the middle, where 
both were saluted by the forts, the veasela 



THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. 

at the levee, and the battery on the Place 
d'Armes. Our flag was then raised to the 
top of the staff, and that of France lowered 
and carried away with much ceremony and 
placed in the hands of LauBsat. 



xvl 



THE ROUTE OF LEWIS AND 
CLARK. 

VOLUME I. 



From St. Xxiuls to the Three Forks of the Miuouri 

<M8/ li. 1804, 10 July 27, 180B.) 

The camp in which the Lewis and Clark 
expeditioD passed the winter of 1803-04 was 
on the eastern side o£ the Miaaiaaippi, at the 
mouth of Wood, now Du Bois Biver, near St. 
Louis. It was on Monday, May 14, 1804, 
that they left this camp to begin the most 
notable exploration in American history. 
They were to ascend the MiGaouri and the 
Yellowstone, oross the Eocky Mountains, 
and descend Lewis's (now Salmon) River, 
the Clearwater, and the Columbia to the Pa- 
cific coast. In the course of this journey 
they were to pass through or by the present 
States of MisBoxiTi, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, 
South Dakota, North Daliota, Montana, 
Idaho, Waahington, and Oregon. Alto- 
gether, between May, 1S04, and the return 
to St, Louis in September. 1806, they were 
to travel in boats, on horses, and on foot 
some 8000 miles. 

This was not the first great journey 
through the West. In 1536 a Spanish fugi- 
tive, Ahar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, had 

xvU 



THE ItOUTE OF LEWIS AND CLARK 

reached the Spanish Fettlernents in Mexico, 
after an oyerland journej which began near 
the Tnouth of the MissisBippL In 1541 
Coronado's extraordinary joiimeyj* from 
Mexico to northeastern Kansas, was th& 
first exploraticm of the interior of the West. 
On the North in 1771-72, Saranel Heame 
made his way to the Arctic Ocesn^ and in 
1793 Alexander Mactenzief crossed the con- 
tinent and reached the Pacific hy "way of 
the Fraaer River, Lewis and Clark were the 
first to cross the continent mthin the 
present limits of the United States and the 
leaders of the first great eiploration of the 
West. 

When the expedition was finally ready to 
start it was nearly four in the afternoon, 
and the first day's jonrney was a short one- 
Camp was made near Cold Water Creek, a 
little above Bellefontaine, Miesouri, On 
May 21 Captain Lewis, who had been de- 
tained at St. Lonis, overtook them at the 
little settlement of St. Charles, which bears 
the same name to-day, and the expedition 
was then finally under way. 

The opening chapt&r tells the atoiy of 
the journey as far as the mouth of the 
Platte River in Nebraska. While ascending 
the river through the State of Missouri they 
camped, on June 3 (p. 45), on Iforeaii 
Creek, near Jefferson City, and on the 
10th (p. -18) they reached the countty 
of the Ayaunay, or Iowa Indiana, not 

*Tllis naTT&tiye, translated by George Parker 
Winsliip, ia included Iti the TraU-MakerB'Kerlce. 

t See " Mackenzle'a Jouiuals" io the Trail-Hakera.* 
Series. 



THE EOOTE OF 1.EWI8 AND CLAH^ 

far from the centre of Miasoiiri. A 
more important landmark whb reached 
on June 26 (p. 64), when they reached 
the mouth of the Kansas Hiv^r and saw 
the future site of Kansas City, Missoupj, 
As they ascended the MJasouri from this 
point their course became more nearly 
northerly. Ahovc Kansas City they passed 
the sites of Leavenworth, Atchison, and St. 
Joseph. The middle of Jnty hrought them 
to Nebraska and Iowa, and the chapter 
closes at the mouth of the Platte. 

The camp described in Chapter II. (p. 
11) as some ten miles from the Platte was 
on the east «ide of the Miesouri, probably 
about ten milea below the cities of Council 
Bluffs and Omaha. While the fornier city 
is named from the council described in this 
chapter (pp. 77-79), the cfraudl was held 
several miles above the city on the west 
bank of the river. The death of Sergeant 
Floyd (p. 90) occxirred near Sioux City, 
Iowa. 

In late August the explorers entered 
South Dakota. The "Mountain of Little 
Spirits," described at the beginning of 
Chapter IIL (pp. 9.5-90), ia in Clay County, 
South Dakota, and hag tept the name of 
Spirit Mound. The Yankton Rifer, noted 
on page 99, is now the Dakota, and at its 
mouth* near which, the council was held 
(pp. 100-104). 13 situated the city of 
Yankton. A little above Yankton near 
Bon Homme Island, which keeps its 
nam*, the explorere found the sand 
dunes, described and pictured, pages 
108-109, which they mifitook for forti- 

2ix 



THE EOUTE OF LEWIS AND CLAKE. 

fications. The " goats," and " little ani- 
mals" of page 113j were antelopes and 
prairie dogs. The " backbone of a £eb '* 
(p. 115) was the reinain& of a giant reptile 
ol the Cretaceous period, and the " white 
bear " mentioned frequently from this time 
on was the grizzly bear. The prairie doga 
are also spoken of as " barking squirrels." 

In Chapter IV. the esplorera, in their as- 
cent through the Dakotaa, Leave the country 
of the Teton Sioux for that of the Arikaras. 
They passed the mouth of Dog Hiver, which 
rises in the Black Hills. The " prairie 
eocke " (p, 146) , were prairie chickens, and 
th.e "small elk," big-horns or Kooky Moun- 
tain Bheep. "Stone Idol Creek" (p. 159) 
is now Spring Kiver, in Campbell County, 
South Dakota. Passing on into North Da- 
kota, on October 31, they reached " Chiss- 
hetaw/' now Heart River, which enters the 
Missouri near Biamarek, where th.e North- 
em Pacific Railroad erosses the river. 

The villages of the Mandan Indians then 
occupied the site of the future city of Bis- 
marck, and it was near them, not far from 
the mouth of Big Knife Kiver, that Lewis 
and Clark, in early November, 1804, ee- 
tablifihed the Trinter camp deaeribed in 
Chapter V. They had now travelled 1600 
miles from St. Louis. 

^ On April 7, 1805, Chapter VII.. (p. 342), 
tlie erplorers re-embarked to cwntinne their 
journey, taking with them an interpreter, 
Chaboneau, his child, and hi£ wife, the faith- 
ful Sacagawea, th,e only woman of the party, 
whose courage and reaource fulness make a 
touching and -vini part of this narrative of 

XX 



THE ROUTE OF LEWIS AND CLABK. 

adventure, hardshipj «nd peril. From the 
ilandan Tillages Lewis and Clark sent back 
reports which furnished the only news of 
the explorers until their return in Septem- 
ber, 1806. The finding of the Yellowstone 
Kiver, described in the later pages of Chap- 
ter VII., was not an original dlEcovery, 
since the river was already known to the 
French trappers as La Roche Jaune. 

In Chapter VII, the "ealta" referred to, 
are the alkali of the plains. The journey 
through Montana which ia described in this 
chapter ie full of incidente, but it is only 
necessary here to identify " Porcupine 
Eiver" (p. 272) with Poplar River, at 
whose mouth ia an Indian agency, and also 
to note the diseoveries of Milk and Big Dry 
Bivers, which preserve their namea. al- 
though the important " MuscleBhell " Eiver 
of the expforerB, pages 293-94, has become 
the Musselshell. 

The erperiences described in the open- 
ing pagea of Chapter IX. occurred while the 
party were to the westward of the present 
town of Carrol!.. Montana. Their firet 
glimpse of the Hocky Mountains, on May 
3G, 1805 (p. 302), was near Cow Creek, 
Montana, The specimens o£ Montana's 
natural wonders sketehed on pagea 312-315, 
in the acoouuta of the " Cathedral Rocks," 
as they hare sometiines been termed, are to 
the e&stward of the town of Opbir, Mon- 
tana, where the explorers, two days later, 
found the mouth of Maria's River. 

In Chapters X. and XI. a more important 
discovery ia described, that of the Great 
PftUa of the Missouri. The euiYeya and 
£3i 



THE ROUTE OF LEWIS AND CLAHK. 

measurements made by Captain Clark have 
been proved accurate of recent years by a 
manufacturing company, and the fact im- 
parts an added interest to hid map (p. 347). 
The bears which thun disturbed the trav- 
ellers have now given place to the town of 
Great Palls with some 13,000 people. 

When the journey was continued, Chap- 
ter Xll., the travellers were puzzled by the 
crookedness of the MisBonri. Its general 
conrse was northward, and they were there^ 
foie journeying soiith. Their reference to 
the " north bank '^ therefore should be un- 
derstood aB the west, while the " south 
bank '^ is the east. As to Dearborn's 
Eiver (p. 393), it may be noted that the 
secretary's name was afterward given to 
Fort Dearborn, which was the nucleus of 
Chicago. In this southward progreea the 
party had the main Rocky Mountain Range 
on their ri^^ht and the Bi^ Bi^lt Mountains 
on their leftj and their route was in part 
between Meagher County on the east, and 
Lewis and Clark County on the west. On 
July &5 they reached the Three Forks of 
the Missouri. They were approaching the 
mountsins dividing the bead, waters al the 
Missouri and the Columbia, and the end of 
Volume 1. leaves them at this point seek- 
ing a way through these mountain barriers. 

R. H. 



X3di 



Pretace. 



In presenting these votnmeB to the puliUc, the 
editor owes equally tc him^lf and to others, to 
gtS-t« the circumgta.DceB which have preceded th9 
pabliuattoD, and to explaia hie own ehare in. com- 
pitiug them. 

It woA the origliial desi^ of captain. LewiB to 
have been himwlf the editor of hie own travels, 
and he waa on hia way towards Philadelphia for 
that purpose when hie snddeTi death frustrated 
tbeee intentions. After a congidemble and iiik- 
aTOidable delay, the papers couuected witli the 
expedition were deposited with another gentle- 
man, who, in order to render the lapee of time as 
little injartoua as poeeible, proceeded immediately 
to collect and inrestigate all the materials within 
hia reach. 

Of the incidents of each iay during the expedi- 
tion, a mtoQte journal was kept by captain Lewis 
or captain Clark, and aometimeB by both, whith 
wae afterwarde revifled and enlarged at the differ- 
ent perioda of leiaiii* which octtiTred oa the ront*. 
These were uareiblly perue^ in conjunction with 
captain Clark himself, who wae able irom hie 
own recollectioa of the journey, ae well ae from a 
constant residence in Louisiana since hia retiim, to 
enpply a great ma^ of explanations, and much 
additional information with i*gard to part of the 
route which has been more recently explored. B*- 
eidee tbeae, recooree was hp,d to the manuecript 
joornata kept by two of the serjeants, one of 
which, the leaat mLBUte and vatuatile, has already 
been publiahed. That nothing might be wantuig 



PBEPACL. 

to the aecHf acy of these details, a verj intelligent 
and active member of the pftrtj, Mr. George Shan- 
noB, was sent to contribute whatever his memory 
iQlght add to thlB accumulated fund of ioforma- 
tion. 

From these copions materiala the najeative waa 
sketched iiearlj ia it« present form, when other 
pursuits diverted the attentioii qf the writec, and 
. compelled him to traa^tir liis mauuecript. Is Ite 
nnfiniated state, with all the doeumenta conriect-ed 
with it, to the present editor, to prepare them for 
the presH and auperintend the publication. That 
he may not Heem to arrogate any thing from the 
exertiona of others, h» should therefore state that, 
although the whole work was thus Bolimitted to 
his entire discretion, he found but little to change, 
and that his labour has been principalJj- coafitied 
to reTifiing the manuscript, comparing it with the 
Original papers, and inserting such additional mab- 
ter as appears to have beeu int«ntioiial]j dejerrod 
by the writer till the period of a more mature 
reriBal, These cireumetances, which would other- 
wise be inditilerent to the public, are mentioDed 
merely to account for imperfections, which are in 
Some degree inseparable from any book of traveU 
not written by the traveller. In a work of pure 
deBcriptlon indeed, like the present, whert^ the 
Incidents themeelvea are the eole objects of attrac- 
tion, the part of an editor ie necesaaril^v subordi- 
nate, nor can his humble pretenaiuoB aspire be- 
yond the merit of rigid adherence to facts aft they 
are etated to him. This has been very diligently 
attempted, and for this, io its full extent, the edi' 
tor deems himself responsible. 

The present volumes, it will be perceived, com- 
priae Only the narrative of the joarney. Those 
parts of the work which relate to the Tarious 
iiiv 



life of Captain Lewis., 

iloaticello, August 18, 1813. 

Sr,— Jn complianrB witt tb« request cpn^eyed in 
your letter of May 25, I hare «udearoured to ob- 
tain, tbom tbe relatiooB aad friiinds •>( ihs late 
governor Lewie, iaformation ol'such iacidente of 
hie Ufo aa might be not unacceptable t- those who 
may read the narrative uf his ic astern diec'-'reriee. 
The ordiiiarj occurrence* of a private life, and 
thoBe also while acting in a ea' ordinate sphere in 
the arnif, in a time of peace, are not deemed euf^ 
ficientlf iuteregtiug tn occupy the pubhc atten- 
(dott; but £k general aocount oliia par-ntage, with 
such smaller iuridenta ae marlied bis earl^ char- 
acter *re briefly Tinted ; and to tbese are addL.;, aa 
bdog p.cnliucly within my own knowi.Jg«, what- 
ever related to the pubhc miaidoii, <f which an 
accDUDt w now to be publiBhed, The result of my 
inquiries and recollections shall now be ofiered, to 
be enlarged or abridged as you may think beat; or 
otheFHiw to be iisL-d with t'e materials you may 
have i^oilected from other sourcee. 

Meriwether LewiB, late gureruor of Louisiana, 
was bom on the eighteeuth of August, 1774, near 
the town of Chariottefiville, in the county of Albe- 
marle, in Mrginia, of one Of the dietdaguished 
families of that state, .lohu Lewis, one of his 
father's undeB, wae a memher of the Idng'fi coun- 
cil, before the revolution. Another of them, Field- 
ing Lewis, married a aiater of general Watihington. 
Hie father, WilUam Lewia, was the ycjtiBge&E of 
flye BOU8 of colonel Eobert Lewis, Of Albemarle, 
th&fourtbof whom, Charles, was one of the earl/ 
xxvii . 



LIFE OP CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

patriots who atepped forwa.rd in the commence- 
meat of the resolution, and commanded one of the 
regimeatK first racsad In Virginia, and placed on 
continental establishment, Happily ^itvat^d at 
home, with a wife and joang familj, and a for- 
tune placing him at eaee, he left all to aid in the 
liberation of hie country from foreign usurpationB, 
then firet unmaeking their nltimate end and aim. 
His good sense, integritj-, bravery, enterprise, and 
remarkable bodilj powers, marked him as an 
officer of great proraiee; but be unfortunately died 
early in the revolution. Nicholas Lewis, the aec- 
ond of his father's brothers, commaaded a re^- 
ment of militia tn the Buccesafhl expedition of 
1T76, agatnetthe Cherokee Indiana; n^ho, eedui^ed 
fay the agents of the British government to take 
up the hatchet against ue, had committed great 
haroc on our Southern frontier, by murdering and 
Bcarlpin^ helpleea women and children, according 
to their ernel and cowardly principles of warfare. 
The cbaBtieemeuC they then received closed the 
history of their wars, and prepared them for re- 
ceiving the elcEDents of civilization, which, Beal- 
Dusly inculcated by the present gorernment of the 
United States, have rendered them an industrious, 
peaceable, and happy people. Ihia member of the 
family of Lewises, whose bravery waa so usefblly 
proved on this occasion, was cndeftred tO all who 
knew him by his Inflexible probity, courteous die' 
poaition, benevolent heart, and engaging modeety 
and manners. He waa the umpire of all the pri- 
vate diSerencoB of hiB county— selected alwaya by 
both parties. He waa also the guardian of Meri- 
"wether Lewis, of whom we are hotf to speak, and 
who had lost his father at an early age. He 
continued eome years under the foetvring care of a 
tender mother, of the respectable family of Ueri- 
xxviii 



UTE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



Wethers, of the same county ; and whb remarka- 
bte eyeit in iorancj for etitcrpriae, bulduveB, aud 
discretion. When only eight jeara of age he habi- 
tually went out, in the dead of night, alone with 
hiB dogs, into the ibreet to hunt the raccoon and 
opoasutn, wliitt, eeeking theif food tit the night, 
can then only be tak«n. In this exercise, no Hua- 
8pn or circumstance could obstruct his purpose^ 
plnngiu^ through the winter's snows and frozen 
Btreame in pursuit of his object. At thirteen he 
waa put to the Latiu echool, and coutiuued at 
that until eighteen, when he returned to hie 
mother, and entered on the cares of hia farm; 
having, as well aa a ji'ounger brother, been li^t by 
iiin Ikther with a coinpeteacy for all the correct 
aad comfort&ble purpoeee of t^mpurate life. HIb 
talent for obserTation, which had led hira to aa 
accurate knowledge of the plants and animals of 
his own couutry, would have distinguished him as 
a farmer; but at the age of twenty, j-ielding to 
the ardour of youth, and a pauBJoa tor more 
dazzling pursuits, he engag'ed aa a volunteer in the 
body of militia which were called out by gfeneral 
Waehiugton, on otfcaaion of the discontentB pro- 
duced by the exeif* taxew in the weetern pat^a of 
the United States; and from that situation h© was 
removed tg the regular service as a lieut^aant ia 
the line, At twenty-three he was promoted to a 
captaincy; aad, always attracting the first atten- 
tion where punctuality and fidelity were requisite; 
he wflB appointed payraaBter to his regiment. 
About thia tiiuB a circumstance occurred which, 
leading to the traDsat^tion which is the subject of 
this book, will Juatify a recurrence to Itii original 
idea, While I residt^ in Pane, John Ledyard, of 
Connecticut, arrived there, well known in the 
rrnited States for energy of body and mind. He 
xxi£ 



LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

bad accompanied captaJn Cook on hi^ voyage to 
the FociSc oceaa; and dUtmguish&d hJmaelT on 
that voya-ge by hiB iutrepidity. Being of a roam- 
ing diapoaitJon, he was now panting for some new 
eaterpriae. His immediate object at Fftria waa to 
«nga^ a mercantilf! company in the Oir-trade of 
the weBtem coast of America, in which, however, 
he failed. I then proposed to him to go bj land 
to Kamrvchatlm, cross in eome of the ilEiasiaa hsb- 
aeie to Nootlca Sound, fail down iDto the latitude 
of the Miasouri, and iwnetrate to, and through, 
that to the United States. He eagerly seized the 
idea," and only asked to be flsaured of thepermiB- 
«>ion of the Kussian gOTemment. 1 int«reHted, in 
obtaining that, M. de ^imoalin, minieter pLempo- 
tentiary of the empreiis at Paris, but more espe- 
cially the baron in Grimm, minieter plenipoten- 
tiary of Sase-Gotha, her more apeeia! agent and 
corrGBpondeat thepe in matters not immediately 
diplomatic. Her permission was obtained, ajid an 
asaurauce of protection while the course of the 
Toyage should be through her territories. I^- 
yard set out from Pariy, and arrived at Kt. Fetera- 
burgh after the (;aipreaa iiad left that place to 
pass the winter, I think, at Jfoscow. Hia flnancea 
Dot perEO-itting him to make nimeceBBary stay At 
i3t, Petersburgb, he left it with a paaftport ftom 
one of the miui«tt;r«; and at two hundred miles 
from KamBchatka, wag obliged to take up biBnin- 
ter quartera, He was preparing, in the spring, 
to reanme hia iourney, when he was arrested by 
an olficer of the etnpreea, who by this time bad 
changed her mind, and forbidden hie proceeding. 
He was put into a dose carriege, and conveyed 
day and night, without ever stopping, till they 
reached I'oland; where he was eet don^n and left 
to bimself. The fatigue of thia joumef broke 



UPE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS, 

dowa hie coastitution; and when he returned to 
Paris* his bodily strength waa miich impaired. 
His mind, howeTer, reraaiued firm, and lie aft«r 
thi^ undertook the JQvirnej- to t'gypt. I receiTed a 
letter Ecom him, full of aauguiue hopes, dated al 
Cairo, the Etteenth of Noveiaber, 1788, the day 
before he waa to aet out for the head of the Nile; 
on which day, however, he ended his career and 
life: abd thue. f^led the first attempt to explore 
the western part of oar ^iorth^ni gontinent. 

Id 1TU2, I propoeed to the American Philosoph- 
ical Society that vra should set on foot a sub- 
Bcription to eng-age some competent person to 
explore that r^gioa in the opposite direction; that 
Is, b^ asceuding the MiBHOUri, crOB&itig the Stoaf 
Mountains, Aud de&(!ending the nearest river tothe 
FaciSi;. Captaia Lewis h^'mg tbe^D stationed at 
ChorlotteBTille, on the recruiting servicej warmljr 
Bolicited me to obtain for Mm the execution of 
that object. I told him it waa proposed that the 
persoD. enjj^aged should t>e attead^d bj- a mngle 
cooxpaaioa only, to avoid exciting alarm among 
the Indianti, Tbi* did not deter him; but Mr. 
Andre JJichaus, a professed botanist, author of 
the Flora Boreali- Americana, and of the HiHtoire 
dea ClieeneB d'Amerique, oflering hia serTiceBj the^ 
were accepted. He re«:eiTed hia isAtructioDB, and 
when he had reached Kentncky in the proeecution 
of hiHi jouraefr he wus overtakeii bj an order ftom 
the Minister of France, then at Philadelphia, to 
relinquish the espeditioo, aud to pursue elsewhere 
the botaoical laQuiries on which he waa employed 
by that goTernment: and thus failed the second 
attempt for exploring that region. 

In ldO<), the act for eetabhshing trading hoqees 
with the Indian tribes being about to espire, eooie 
.updidGat^oOH of it were recommended to cougresa 
xxxi 



UFE OP CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



by a eonfld^ntial message of Jaaaarj 18tli, and 
an estension of ite viewe to the IndianB on the 
iliseouri. In order to prepare tie way, ttie mea- 
sage pro[)o8ed the stadiug an exploring partf to 
ttBj;^ the KfiBaourl to ittt source, to cross th« 
Highlands, awd follow the l»e«t water-communica- 
tion whicli offered itself from thence to the Pacific 
oceaji. Congreaa approved the propoeition, and 
TOted a sum of money for carrying it into eiecu- 
tion. Captain Lewis, -who had thta been near 
two jearift with me as private aecretary, immedi- 
ately renewed his eolieitatjone to have the direc- 
tion of the party. I had now had opportuaitiea 
of knowing him intimately. Of courage un- 
daunted; poHseesing a fipmnesB and pereeTerance 
of purpofte ■which nothing but inipoBsibilitiee could 
divert ft-om its direction ; careful tta a father of 
those committed to his charge, y^t st-eady in the 
maintenance of order and diBcipliite; iutlmatewith 
the Indian character, cuetoms, and prtnciplee; 
habituated to the hunting lifb; guarded, by exact 
cbeervation of the Tegetablee and animals of hia 
Own country, Against losing time in the descrip- 
tion of objects already post^essed ; honest, disiQ' 
t«reeted, literal, of b- uud underetanding, and a 
fidelity to truth so scrupulous, that wha^ver he 
Bhould report would tie as certain aa if Been by 
onrwlTesj with an these qualifications, b« if ae- 
leeted and implanted by nature in one body fbr 
this eipresH purpose, I could have no hesitation in 
confiding the enterprise to bim. To fill up tho 
measure deeir^, he waJLted nothing but a greater 
fomiliarity with the technical language of the 
natural sciences, and readineefl in theastronoiDicBl 
obaecrationa necessary for the geography of hia 
roate. To acciuire these lie repaired immediately 
to Philadelphia, and placed himself nrder ths 
xxxii 



_^ jA^h y— jJ l I 

IJPE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

tntorage of tbe diBtinguiBhed profeeBore of tbat 
place, who with a zeul and emulation, enkindted 
by An ard^bt devotion to science, coiDrouQicated 
to him freely tte information requisite for the piir- 
poaee of the JQuraey. While Jittendjng too, at 
Laocaeter, tbe fubricattOD of the arms with whicli 
he choae that his men ebould be provided, he bad 
the benefit of daity communicatioD ivlth Mr An- 
drew Ellicot, wtoae experience in astronomical 
obaeryatioD, and practice Of it in the woods, 
enabled him to apprise captain Le-wia of the 
wants and difficulties he would encounter, and of 
the BubetituteB and reeources oBered b; a wood- 
land and aniohabited country. 

Deeming it neceeaary he should have BOme per- 
son with him of Icnowa tompetence to the direc- 
tion of the enterprise, in the event of accident to 
blmBclf, be proposed WilUam Clark, brother of 
general (leorge Sogers Clark, who waa spprored, 
and, with that view, receifed a commisHion of 
captain^ 

In April, 1803, a draught of hla instructionB 
was sent to captain Lewis, And On the twentieth 
of Jtme they were signed in the following' form; 

"To Meriwether Lewis, eEquire, captain of tb« 
first regiment of infantry of the TJntted States of 
America: 

"Tour Bituation aa necretary of the president of 
the United States, has made you acquainted with 
the objects of my confidential meHsage of January 
18, 1803, to the legislature; you have seen the 
act tbey passed, which, though expressed in gen- 
eral terms, waa meant to Honctiou those objects^ 
and yon are appointed tc carry them into execu- 
tion. 

"Inatruments for ascertflintng, by celestial Obafir- 
Tations, the geography of the coqntry through 
xxxiii 



LtFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

'"^hlcb yOti "wil! p&e^s, havelieeil &lrcady prOTided, 
Light articles for barter and preeentB among the 
IndiJUis, arroe for your atteiidarDts, say for l>Dm 
ten to twelve men, boats, teatB, and other travel- 
ling apparatuB, with ammunition, mediciM, surgi- 
cal instrnmentBj and prOTiBiona, you "wiH have 
prepared, with euth aide as tht BetretAry at ivac 
can yield in Ma department; and from him also 
yon Tvilt receive authority to engage among oup 
troops, by Tolnntary agreement, the number of 
attendants abOTementiDced; over whom you, as 
their commanding officer, are inTested with all the 
powers tJie lawB give in such a caee. 

"As your movementa, while within the limits of 
the United States, will he better directed by oce«- 
eionalconnnunicationa, adapted to circam^tanceB 
as they ariee, they will not "be noticed hejw. What 
follows will respect your proceedinga after yonr 
departure from the Dnit*d Statue. 

"Your mie^OD has been communicated to the- 
mlni^tera here fi-om France, Spain, and Great 
Britaia, and through them to their govemmeatB; 
and BDCh aeeurancee given them aa to its objects, 
as we truBt will aatief^ them. The country of 
Louisiana having been ceded by Spain to I^ance, 
the poftaport you have IVom the minister of 
Prance, the repreaentative of the present Bovereign 
of tlie country, will be a protection with all its 
Babjects; and that from the miniBter of England 
will entitle you to the friendly aid of any tradera 
of that allegiance with whom you may happen to 
meftt. 

"The object of yont miseion ia to explore the' 
Miaeouri river, and auch printipal streams of it, ae, 
by itscourse and communication with the waters of 
the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregaji, 
Colorado, or any other river, may oflfer the most 

JXJtiT 



UFE OP CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

Jtrect and practicable water - communicatloii 
across tie cOntiiieat, for the [lui^OeeB of com- 

"Beginning at the month of tLe Miseoarir ;ou 
will t&ke obaervations of latitude and longitude, 
at all remarkable points on tike river, and es- 
pedally at the montiia of rivera, at rapida, at 
lelands, and other placea and objett^ distinguiahed 
by anch natural marks and cbaractere, of a dqr* 
abEe kiad, ae that thej may with certaioty be 
recognised hereafter. The courecs of the river be- 
tween these points ofobeervation may be supplied 
by the compaHa, the log-line, and by time, corrected 
by the obgerrationft tbemaelves. The Tariatione 
of the needle^ too, in difier«nt places, should ba 
noticed^ 

"The interesting points of the portage between 
the heodd of the Mieidouri, aod of the water of- 
fering the beet communication with the Facifle 
ocean, should alao be fixed by observation; and 
the course of that water to the ocean, in the saiuQ 
maimer ae that of the Missouri. 

"Your observations are to be taken with great 
painB and acearacj; to be entered distinctly and 
intelligibly for others as well aa yourself; to com- 
prehend all the eleiueutfi ne^esaary, with the aid of 
the tiaual tables, to fix the latitude and lon^tiidd 
of the places at which thpy were taken ; and are 
to be rendered to the war-offiee, for the purpose 
of having the calculations made concnrrently by 
proper personB within the United States. Several 
copies of these, aa well aa of your other notce, 
Ahould be made at leisure tiiaeu, and put into the 
care of the most tmatwOrthy of your attendants 
t* gaard, by nmltiplying them agaiust the acci- 
deotal loBses to which they will be exposed. A. 
further guard would be, that one of these copies 
Vol. l.—'2 xrxT 



LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



be on the caticular membraDeii of tte paper-birch, 
as leas liable to injury from damp than common 
paper. 

"The commerce which may be carried oa with 
the people iahabiting the line you will pursue, 
renders a knowledge of those people importaDt. 
You will therefore endeavoTir to make yourself 
acquainted, as far as a diligent pureuit of your 
journey ahaU admit, with the names of the aa- 
tioD« and their Dumber^; 

"The extent and limits of their poBBessioDB; 

"Their relations with other trlhee or DAtiooa^ 

"Their laagnage, traditione, tnoanments; 

"Their ordinary occupationB in agriculture, flah- 
ing, hunting^ war, arte, and the implements for 
these; 

"Their foodj clothing^, and domefitic accommo- 
dations: 

"The dleeaBes prevalent among them, and the 
remedifiB they uee ; 

"Moral and pbyeical circnmBtanceB which dis^ 
tin^isb them ftora the tribes we know j 

"Peculiarities in their I&wh, cuBtoms, and dtapo- 
ntioiLa; 

^'And articlee of commerce they may need or 
fbmifih, and to what extent. 

'^And, coDBideriag the interest which every na- 
tion has in extending and strengthening the au- 
thority of rea»oa and justice among the people 
arodnd them, it will be uaefkil to acquire what 
knowledge you can of the etate of morality, re- 
ligion, and ioformatioa among them; aB it may 
better enable those who may endeavour to civilise 
and instruct them, to adapt their measures to the 
existing notions and practices of those On whom 
they are to operate, 

"Other objects worthy of notice will bfr— 
xxxtI 



LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

'The soil and (kce of the country, itB growth 
and Te|^tabl« productionB) especially thoBe not of 
the United States; 

"The animals of the country generally, and es- 
pecially those not tnown in the United States; 

"The remaiDR and aceounta of any which may 
be deemed rare or extinct; 

"The mineral productionB of every kind, but 
more particularly tnetala, lime-etoue, pit-coal, and 
saltpetre ; ealiaes and mineral waters, noting th« 
temperature of the taut, and each eircumatancee a« 
may Indicate theip character; 

"Volcanic appearance*?; 

"Climate, as characteriBcd by the thermometer, 
by the proportion of rainy, cloudy, and clear 
days; by lightmng', hail, snow, ice; by the access 
a«d recee« of fVoet; by the winds pre-pailing at 
diSbrent Beaeons; the datee nt which particular 
planta put forth, or Iohc their flower or leaf; times 
of appearance of parttcular birds, reptiles or in- 
eecta. 

"Although yoor route wil\ be alon^ the chaimel 
of the Missonri, yet yon will endeavour to inform 
yourself, by inquiry, of the charo^ter and ejiteat 
of the country watered by ita branchea, and es- 
pecially on its southern aide. The North river, or 
Hio Bravo, which maa into the gulf of Mexico, 
and the North river, or Rio Colorado, which niiia 
Into the gulf of California, are understood to be 
the principal streamH headiug opposite to the 
watera of the MiaBouri, and running eouthwardly. 
Whether the dividing grounds between the ilia- 
Bonri and them are mountaiuR or flat lands, what 
are their distance from the Missouri, the charELCter 
of the intermediate Country, and the people in- 
habiting it, are worthy of particularinqniry. The 
northern waters of the UisRonri are lew to be 
xxzyil 



LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



Iflquirecl after, beoAQW they hg.ve been ascertauied 
to a coDeideralile degree, aod are stiJI in ^eoaree 
of aacertaiziiiient by English traders and traTCt 
lera ; but if 7011 cau Eeani any thing certain of the 
most northern aoui-ce of the Mieeieipi, fijid of iC« 
position relatiTcly to the Lake of the WoQdft, it 
will te ipteresting to as. Some Mcount too of the 
path of the Canadian traders trom the MiBSiBipi, 
at the mouth of the OuIbcoeibIu^ to where it 
strikes the Mieeouri, and of the soil and riverb in 
its coufee, is dbtiirable. 

"In all your intercoTLree *ith the natives, treat 
them in the moat friendly and conciliatory maoner 
which their qwr conduct will admit; allay all 
jealonaiea as to the object of your journey ; satiafy 
thent ofits innocence; make them acquainted with 
the position, eitent, character, peaceable andcom- 
mercia! diBpoi^itions of the United States ; of our 
wish to be neig-hbourly, friendly, and ueetlll to 
them, and of oar diepoaitioDa to a commercial 
Intercouree with theoi; confer with them on the 
points moat coDvenient ae mutual emporiums, and 
the articles of most desirable interchange for them 
and us. If J* few of their influential chiefs, ■within 
practicable distance, wish to visit ne, arrange 
Goch a visit with them, and furnish them with 
authority to call on our offlcera on their eotcriiig 
the United Statea, to have them conveyed to this 
place at the public expense. If any of them Bhonid 
wish to have some of their young people brought 
Qp with us, and taught such arts aa may be useful 
to them, we will receive, iostruct, ftnd take care 
of thera. Such a nuBsion, whether of influential 
chiet^, or of young people, would give Bome b6- 
curity to your own party. Carry with yon some 
matter of the kiae-poi; inform those of them with 
"(rhom you may be ofits etBcacy an a preservatiTe 
xxxviii 



TJPE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

from the Bmall-pox, and instnict sod encourage 
them tn the nee of it. This may be especiaSI; done 
■whereTer you winter. 

"As it IB impossible for us to foresee in what 
mfl.n.ner jon will be rweived hy tiiose people, 
whether ^th boapltality or hostility, bd is it im- 
poBBible to preecribe the eiact degree of perae- 
wraace with which you are to putatie your jour- 
ney. We value too much the lives of citiKens to 
offer them to probable destruction. Your Dura- 
bers will be sufficieut to secure you against th^ 
unautborieed opposition of iDdiyiduals.orDf small 
parties; but if a euperior force, authorised, or 
not authorized, by a nation, should be arrayed 
againat your further paasa^, and inflexibly deter- 
miued to flpreftt it, you tnust decline its further 
pursuit and return, in the lose of youratilvea we 
■hould lose also the information you will have 
acquired. By returaing safely with that, yoamay 
enable ub to renew the eBsay with better calcu- 
late means. To your own diacretion, therefore, 
moat be left the degree of danger you may risk, 
and the point fi-t which yon should decline, only 
saying, we wish you to err on the eide of your 
Boiety, and to bring back your party safe, even if 
It be with l«eB inforinatlou. 

"As for up the Missouri aa the white settlementa 
extend, an intercourse will probably be found to 
ezJBt between them and the Spauiab posta of St. 
Louis opposite Cahokla, or St. Genevieve opposite 
KaskasWa, From fttill further up the river the 
traders may fVirniRh a conveyance for letters. Be- 
yond that you may perhaps be able to engage 
Indiana to bring lettePB for the government to 
Cahokift, or Kaekat^kia, oo promising that they 
shall there receive eucli special compensation as 
you ehall h&ve stipulated with them. Avajl yoor- 
sxxis 



UPE OP CAPTAIN LEWra. 



Belf or theae means to coitiTnunieate to ns, at 
BeaHonable intervala, a copy of your journal, notoe 
and observationa of everj kind, putting into 
cjpher whatever might do injury if betrayed. 

"Shguld you reach the Pacific ocean, inform 
yoarstLf of the circumRtancefi wUicli majr decide 
whether the furs of those parts may not be col- 
lected as advantageously at the head of theMis- 
Honri (convenient a^ id sypjio.'sed to the wattre of 
the Colorado and Oregan or Columbia} as at 
Nootka Sound, or any other point of that coast; 
and that tradB be couseciuently conducted tbroiigh 
the Missouri and TTnit^d States mure beneficially 
than by the cireuni navigation now practised, 

"On your arrival on. that coaat, endeavour to 
leata if there be any port within your reach fre- 
quented by the aea Teasels of any nation, and to 
send two of jour trusty i>eople back, by sea, in 
such way aa shall appear practicable, with a copy 
of your notes; and should you be of opinion that 
the return of your party by the way they went 
will be irnUlinently dangerous, thea ship the 
whole, and return by sea, by the way either of 
Cape Horn, or the Cape of Good Hope, as you 
shall be able. As you will be without money, 
clothea, or provl&iona, yon muat endeavour to obo 
the credit of the United States to obtain them; 
for which purpose open letters of credit ehail be 
furnieEied jrou, authorizing you to draw on the 
executive of the United States, or any of it* of- 
QaeiB, in any part of the world, on which 
draughts can be diepoijed of, and to apply with 
our reeomniendations to the eouauls, agents, mer- 
chanta, or citizens of any niit'on with which we 
have intercourse, a&Buriug them, in our name, that 
any aide they may furniKh you eha-U be honoura- 
bly repaid, and on demand. Our coneuU, TbomoB 



UFB OF CAPTAIN LEWIS, 

HewEs, at Batavia, in Jara, ft'illiain Bncbanan, 
En the lelee of France and BourboD, and Jabn 
Elmslie, at the Cape of Good Hope, n-lll be able to 
supply jDur secetiqitiee, bj draugbtd on ub. 

"Should you find it ealfe to return by th« Tvay 
you go, after eendiiig two of your party round by 
eea, or with your whole party, if no eon-veyance 
by bett can be found, do so ; making such obserra- 
ttona on your return a? may aerre to eupply, co^ 
rect, or confirm those mad9 on your outward 
Journey. 

"On reentering the United States and reaching a 
place of aaifety, di^^harge any of yonr attendanta 
who may desire and deserve it, procuriog Ibr them 
immediate payment of all arrears of pay and 
clotbtng which may have incurred since their de- 
parture, and aesure tbem that they aball be rec- 
ommended to the liberality of the legiiilature fbr 
the grant of a Boldier'e portion of land ea^b, aa 
proposed in my me»aage to congress, and repair 
jourBelf, with your papers, to the Beat of govern- 
ment. 

^'To provide, on the accident of your death, 
agaioet anarchy, diBpereioD, and tht conuequeot 
danger to your party, and total failure of the en- 
terpriae, you are hereby authorized, by any instru- 
ment signed and written in yobr own hand, to 
name the person among them who ehall succeed 
to the command on your deceaee, and by like 
ioetrumenta to change the nomination, TrQin tima 
to time, as further experience of the ebaractera 
ac<!Ompanying yon ahalL point ont superior St- 
nefig; and all the po-weto and authorities glvi^ to 
yourself are, in the event of your death, tran* 
ferred to, and Tested in the eucceseor eo named, 
with tUrther power to l^ini and bis succeeaore, iu 
like manner to name each hie euccesBor, who, on 

x]i 



LIFE OF CAPTAlfJ LEWIS. 

tbe death of his predeceBRor, aball be laveBt«d witb 
all the powers and autboritiea giren to youraelC 
Given nnder my hand at the city of Washington, 
this twentieth day of June, 1803. 

"THOMAS JEFFEKSON. 
"Freeident oftbs United States of Aatenc&." 

While these things were going on here, the poim- 
try of Louieiana, lately ceded by Spaia to France, 
had been the subject of negotiation at Taria be- 
tween US and this last power; and had ai^tually 
bben transtbrred to uh by treatiea executed at 
Paris on the thirtieth of April. This inforraation, 
receiTed about the first day of July, increased in- 
finitely the intereat ■w^ Felt tn the expedition., and 
lesBened the apprehensioaH of interruption ibom 
other powera. Every thing in thia quarter being 
now prepared, captaiu Lewie left Washington on 
the fifth of July, 180a, and proceerted to Pitts- 
bnrg, T^here Other articles hftd been ordeted to be 
provided for him. The men too were to be 
e«lected ftom the military Btatione on tbe Ohio. 
Delays of preparation, diffleultiea of navigation 
down the Ohio, and other untoward obstructions, 
retard»j his arrival at Cahokia until the Bea«on 
was 60 fibr advanced as to render it prudent to 
suspend his entering the Missouri betbre the ice 
siiQuld break up in the auccwding spring-. 

From thie time his journal, now published, will 
give the history of hia joarney to and from the 
Pacitic oeean, until hie retura to St. Lonis on the 
twenty-third of September, ISOO. Never did a 
similar event excit* more joy through the United 
states. The hum bleat uf its citizi^nit had taken a 
lively interest iu the isisue of thie journey, and 
looked forward with impatienee Ibr the ".nformA- 
tiOQ it would furnish. Their anxibtios too for the 
slij 



LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS. 



eaibty of tlie corps had been kept Id u ^tate *rf 
excitement by Logubrioua rutoours, circulated from, 
time to tLDie on uacertauj autfioritieSr aod uocon- 
tradictetl by lettere, or other direct inforaiatioiif 
from the time they had left the Mandan towns, on 
their a.Hcent up the tiver in Ayril of the preceding 
year, 1805, until their actual return to St. Looi^, 

It waa the loiddle of February, ISO", before 
captaia Lewie, with his companion captaia 
Clark, reached the city of Washington, where 
cODgreaa wob then in eession. That hody granted 
to the two chietb and their followers the donation. 
of landa which they bod h«ea encouraged to ex- 
pect in reward of their toil and dangers, C»ptadiL 
Lewis wae bo on after appointed governor of 
LouiBiaaa, and captaiii Clark a ^neral of its 
miMtia, and agent of the United States for Indian 
aflalrs in that department. 

A coneid«rflble time interrened before the gov- 
eraor'g arrival at St. Loiiib, H^ found the terri- 
tory distracted by feuda and contentions amoDf 
the officers of the governiuent, and the people 
themeeWea divided by these into f^tiona and 
partiee. He determined at once to take no aide 
■with either; but to use evefy endeayour to cOn- 
cihate and harmonise thetn. The even-handed jus- 
tice he admimistered to all booq establiHhed a 
respect for his perBOn and authority; otid peree- 
verance and time wore down animoaitice, and 
reunited the citizens again into one family, 

Gorernor Lewie bad, ttota early lift, been sub- 
ject to hypochondriac aflectioas. It was a consti- 
tutional tJispoeLtion in all the nearer brauebes of 
the family of his name, and was more immediately 
inherited by him from hiB father. They had not, 
however, been bo Btrong as to give iiiiuaeineBa to 
his family. While he Uved Ti-itJi me in Washiog^ton 
xHii 



LIFE OP CAPTAIN LEWIS. 

I ot served at times eenBilile depresBiona ofniind: 
bat knowinE their conatitutional sourcp, I eati- 
mat«d th«ir ^^otiree hy what 1 bod eeta tit the 
family. During hie western expedition, the coa- 
etantexertioD which that required of all thefacul- 
tiee of body and nuDd, euapended tbess dietreBeing: 
a&Tectioas; but after Iub establishment at St. 
Louis iiL sedentary oecupationB, they returned 
npon him irith redonblfd Tigoor, and b^gati seii- 
onely to alarm his n-iends. Hewas in a paroijsm 
of oae prtbe^e, when hie affair* rendered it neces' 
Barj for him to go to WashiugtoD. He proceeded 
to the Chickasaw Bluffs, where he arrived on the 
eiiteenth of September, 1S09, with a view of 
continuing his journey theace bj water. Mr. 
Neelj, agent of the United States with tte Chickac 
tarw Indians, arriving' there t'wo days after, found 
him extremelj' iDdisposed, and betraying at timeB 
Bome BymptotQB of a deraugement of jnind. The 
romours of a war with England, and apprehen- 
eions that tie might lose the papers he was bring- 
ing- On, among which isere the vOuchera Of hiB 
public accounts, and the juurnalfi and papers of 
hie weatepQ expedition, induced him here tochange 
Me mind, and to take his course hj land through 
the Chil^kaBaw country. Although he appeared 
somewhat relieved, Mr. Neety kindly determined to 
flccompany aad watch OTerbim. Unfortunately, 
at their encampment, after having passed the 
Tennessee one day's journey, they lost two borses, 
which obliging Mr, Keely to halt for their recov' 
ery, the governor proceeded, under a promise to 
■wait for bim at the house of the first white 
iflbabitant on hie road. He etopped. at the 
houae of a Mr. Grinder, ivho not being at 
home, bis wii^, alarmed at the symptoms of 
deraugeoieat ate discovered, gave him up the 
sliv 



uPe of captain lewis. 



Tionse and retired to rest hereelf in an onthonaOt 
the ^ovemor'B and Neely'a servants lodging; in 
QJiotber. About three o'clock in the night he did 
the deed -which plunged tiia Ei-ieads into afflic- 
tiofl, and deprived ixU countrj of one of her moat 
valued citizens, ivhosB valour and intelligence 
would have been now employed in avenging; the 
WTongB of bia country, and in emulating by land 
tte eptendid deede whkh have honoured her arma 
on the ocean. It loat too to tiie nation the benefit 
of receiving ftom hi? oivn hand the naTrative ngw 
oSered them of his BulTeriDga and EucceBBes, in en- 
deavouring to extend for them the boundaries of 
Bcie-nce, and to preaent to their knowledge that 
vast and fertile country, which their sons are 
destined to fill with arts, with eciance, ivithftee- 
dom and happiness. 

To tbifl melancholy close of the life of one, whom 
posterity will declare not to have lived in vain, I 
have only to add, that all the facte I have stated 
are either knoTrn to myaelf, or eommnnicated by 
his family or others, for Whose truth I have no 
beeitation to make myself responsible; and I con- 
etude with tendering you the oeeuraoees of my 
respect and consideration. 

TH. JEFFEHSON. 
Mr. Paul Allen, Fhiladeiphia. 




CHAPTER L 

Tbe part; set out oa tbe ezpedttloD and pasa 
Wood river. Description of the town of St. 
Charles. Oaage Woman river, G-aaconade and 
Osage rivera described. Charfliter of the Osage 
Indi "-"? ; curioua traditiojiarj accouut af ihtaj 
ori^u. The pM'ty proceed aod p««b the MLae 
river. The two Cbaritons. The Kaozaa, No- 
dawa, Newahaw^ Neeehnabatoaa, Little Nema- 
har, each of which are particularlj' described. 
They encamp flt the mouth of the river Platte, 
A particalar dewriptioD of the Burrounding coun- 
try. Tbe various creeks, ba;&, ifilaoda, prairiea. 
£e., given in the coarse of the route. . , S5 

CHAPTBB EL 

Some accoDnt of the Pawnee lodiaon. Coaocil 
held with the Otto and MieaouriliidiatiB. Coun- 
cil held with another party of theOttoea. Death 
of aerieatit Floyd. The party encamp near the 
mouth of WhiteBtone river. The character ofthe 
MlsHOuri, with the risers that enter it. The Bur- 
ronndiiii; country. The various ielanda^ baya, 
creeke, &e., given in the course of the expedi- 
tion. 71 



CHAPTBK HI, 

Whimeical instance of superBtition of the Sioux 
Indiana. Council held with the SiOUx. Char- 
xivii 



CONTEJJTS. 

acter of that tribe, tbeie mannera, Ac. A ridicn- 
loitsinatance of their heroism. ADcieat fortifica- 
tions. Quiciirre river de^rib^, Vagt herds of 
Buffalo, Account of the Petit Chiea or Little 
Dog. Narrow escape of GiMirge Shannon. De- 
scription of White river. Surprieing fleetneea of 
the antelope. Paaa the river of the Sioux. 
Description of the G-rand Le Tour, of Great 
Bend. Encamp on the Teton riTer. , , . 95 

CHAPTEK IT. 

Council held with the Tetons. Their maDnera, 
dances, &a. Chayenne river deecribed. Council 
held with the Ricara Indiana. Their manners 
and habits. Strange instance of Eicara idola- 
try. Another instbnc-e. CaniLoit-bal] river. Ar- 
rival among the Mandane. Character of the 
surrounding couotry, tmd of the creeks, Lelanda, 
&e ISO 

CHAPTER T. 

Council held with the JMandans. A prairie on fire, 
and a Binyuldr instance Of preBervation, Peace 
eatahliBLud between the Mandane and Ricaras. 
The party eucamp for the winter. Indian mode 
of catchiAg goats. Beautiful appearance of 
northern li^lita. Friendly character of the In- 
dians. Some aci^onnt of the Mandane. The 
Anafaftwa^-^ and the MlnnetarecB. The party 
acquire the couhd&nce of the MandfenH by taking 
part in their controversy with the Sioai. He- 
ligrion of the Maadaos, and their fliugul&r con- 
ception of the terra medicine. Their tradition. 
The Sfufltringa of the party from the aeverity of 
theaeaBon, Indian ^ame of billiards described. 
Character of the Missouri, of the surrounding 
country, and of the rivers, flreeks, islands, Ac 173 
xlvtii 



CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER TI. 

'Hie party increti«e Id the favour ot the Moiidaaa, 

t>escriptton of a buffalo dancs. Medicine daoce. 
The fortitude with which the Indians bear the 
wreritf of the aeaaon. Distreaa of the part^ Tor 
want of pruviMons. Tb« great importauce of 
the blackamith la procuring it. Depredatioae of 
the Sioujc. The bnmag^ paid to the medicine 
etone. Summary act of justice among the Min- 
netajees. The process by which the Mandana 
BJid Bicara« mak^ beads. Character of the Mis- 
Bouii, of the surrounding country, and of the 
riyerv, creeks, islaoda, &c 207 

CHAPTEH Vn. 

Indian method of attacking the buffalo On the 
ice, An ena me rati on of the preeeats H«nt to tlw 
pmident of the United 6t&t«B. TEie party an 
TJaited by a Eticara chief. They leave their ea- 
campment, and pri>ceed on their joumey. De- 
Bcription of the little Ailissouri. ^me account 
of the Aeaniboina. Their mode of burying the 
dead. Whiteearth river described, tireat ijuaii' 
tity of ealt discovered ou its baoks. Yellow- 
atone river described. A particular account of 
the eountry at the couff uence of the Teitowetone 
and Miesoari. DeecriptioD of the Mioaouri, the 
surrounding countryj and of the rivera, credka, 
islanda, &c. , 3^7 

CHAPTEK Tin. 

Unnsual appearance of salt. The fbrmldable char- 
acter of the white hear. PoKupiae river d»- 
Mciibed. Beautiful appearance of th« Qorround- 
Ing country. Immense QuantitieB of ^ame. 
xlix 



CONTENTS. 

Milk rivBr deacribed. Eitraordinarr ctaracter 
of Bigdry riser. Ac inBtance of unconimoii 
tenacity of life in a white bear. Narrow eacape 
of one of the party froin that anioial. A Btill 
more remarkable inatance. Museleeliell riTer 
deBcril^ed. ,...,,. 267 

CHAPTER IX. 

The party continue their route. Deeeription of 
Jaditih river. Indian mode of takioi^ the buf- 
&do. Staughter river described. Pbenaiuena 
of nature. Of wolU on the banks of the Mia- 
BOUli, Tb'Q party encamp on the banks of the 
riTer to Eiscertaia which of the Btreome cooBti- 
tute the Mieaouri. Captain Lewie leaves the 
party to explore the morthem fork, and captain 
Clark explores the ftouthem. Tie surrounding 
country described in the route of captain I^ewis. 
Narrow eflcape of one of his party. - . 297 



CHAPTER X, 

Hetum of captajn Lewie. Account of captain 
Clai-k'6 rfKearchea with bis exploring party. 
FerilouH situation of one of biti party. Tansy 
riTer deacribed. The party still believing the 
Boutbera fork the MiaBOuri, captain Lewia re- 
BoiveB to ascend it. Mode of making a place to 
deposit provisions, called cache. Captain Lewis 
esploree the Bouthern fork. Falls of the Mis- 
Boari dlBcovered, w^hieh ascertains the question. 
llomantic scenery of the surrounding country. 
Narrow escape of captain. Lewis. The main 
body under captain Ciark approach "nithin five 
miles of the fiiHa, and prepare for making a 
portage over the rapids. 328 



CONTESTS. 

CHAPTER XI. 

P^wription and ruiiiantlG appearance of the Mie- 
ftoarl at the juQctioQ Qf th« Mmlicirii; riv^r. The 
ditUcuIty of traosportiii^ tha baggage at the 
fallo. The party employed in tLe conatruction of 
aboatof skiDH. The embarroHBrnentB they had 
to entountep for want of proper materialB. Dur- 
ing the work the party much troubled by white 
be^rs. Violent hail-storm, and providential es- 
cape orcaptaiD Clark ajid hia party. Deecrip- 
tjon of a remartiable fuuatain. Siogular ex- 
ploHioc heard (Pom the Black mouutaiod. The 
boat found to be ineueScient, and the serious 
diaoippoiDtment of the party. Captain Clark 
undertakea tO repair the damage by building 
cauoea, aad accomplieheB the ta^k. . . . 356 

CHAPTER Sn. 

The party embarlc on board the canOBS. Deacrip- 
tion of Smith's river. Character of the country, 
<&£. Dearborae'e river described. Captain 
Clark precedeB the party for the purpoae of dis- 
covering the Indiana of the Bocky mouDtaine. 
Magnificent rocky appearances on the hordera 
of the river denonunated the Gatt^H of th-e Eocky 
mountaiiiH. Captaiu Clark arrives at the three 
forks of the Missouri without overtakiag the 
ladiana. The party arrive at the three forks, of 
which a particular and intereating deHCription ie 
given. ^8S 



Voi. I.— 3 



LEWIS ANQ. CLARK'S EXPEDI- 
TION UP.TtIp MISSOURI. 



CHAPTER i..- , 

Tbe part; set oat on ttie espediutni and pass wod tItbt— De- 
scriplloQ of Iha ioWlL of 8t, ChdrleB— Osugfi Womnn 'river— 
GsswnadH BJid Osage' rivers descrlbBl— i''hara*wr»ff 'U19 
OssKQ ludlanB—CurlpUB trndlUtiDarjaccciuat o-r UiBiPOrli^Q'— 
Tb* party proceed aua pas tue nine rtver— T}ie two C'lari' 
tons — Tlie (tonxiLB, NodaiVfi. NewiibiLVi', Ne^shDabatuDa., UVQh 
tfejaatiar, eiujs ot wiiictittre partlcuinr]y i5pi»cr!iH;(i — TLey en- 
camp at (be Enoiilb of tlicrl?(irP1s.ttu~ApBTtlcnlari1eHTlpUoii 
ol the surrouniliiiK country— The tstJoub treefct, bi-ye, laluidk, 
pnJrlea, At;., glwu. In tiu^ ^outei! uf tbn rouu. 

Od tlie ^cqniuitiQi] of LouUituia, in tbe year 
1S03, the attcDticiD or the ^yerameot of tlie 
tlnited StateSj waa early direeted towari^e espior- 
ing and improving the new territory. Accord. 
ingly ia the eumtner of the same year, an expedi- 
tion TTfta planned, by the preiiident for tbe purpose 
of discovering the courses and eovirces of the 
Mlsaoari, and the moat conrenieot water com- 
munication thence to the Pa<;tfic ocean. His pri- 
Tate Beeretary captain Meriwether Lewie, and 
captain William Clark, both officers of the army 
oftbe Uuited Btatee, were aesociated in th« com- 
mand of this eat«rprise. After receiving the requi- 
site inatrQctions, c&ptain Lewift leil the eeat of 
goremmeDt, aad being joiued hy captain Clark 
at Louleville, in Kentuclty, proceeded to St. Louia, 
where they arrived in the month of December* 
Their original intention wa* to pabs the winter at 
Lo Charrette, the higheat settlement on the Mi*- 
35 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



eoQti. But the Spaniah commaadacit ofthe pror- 
ioce, not liaring received an official account of ita 
tranefer to the United States, wa^ obliged bj the 
general policy of hia government, to prerent 
atrangers trOlti passibg through the Bpanleh terri- 
tory. They therefore ^calttpfd at the mouth of 
Wood Tiy^r, on the &iat^D eide of tb« Mieaiseippi, 
out of his jurisdiction, where they paHsed the win- 
ter in diecipliinn^ ihe men, and making the ne- 
cessary itreiiarationa fur Betting out early in the 
SpriQg, th^ore whkh the t&aaioa waa offlcially 
annponcfid. The party coniiiiaied of nine young 
iii»n_'-from Ke^ntuelcy, fourteen soldiers of the 
United States army who rolunteered their aer- 
vieea, two French watermen — an interpreter and 
hunter— and a black servant be^tonging to captain 
Clark~AII tbeae, except the last, were enlisted to 
eerre ae privates daring the expedition, and three 
eergeant« appointed ft-om amongst them by the 
captains. In addition to these were engaged a 
corporal and bis Boldicre, and nine watermen to 
accompany the expedition as far as the Mandan 
nation, iti order to a^blat in carrying the «tore«r 
or repelling an attack which was most to be ap- 
prehended between Wood river aud that tribe. 
The necessary stores were subdivided iuto seven 
bales, and one bi>x, contaiuing a small portion of 
each article in ease of Eceidect. They conaiB ted of 
a great variety of clothing, working utensils, 
locks, Binta, powder, ball, and articles of the 
greatest uw. To these were added fourteen bales 
aud one box of Indian preseatB, distributed in the 
Barae manner, and composed of richly laced coats 
and other articlee of dresB^ medals, fiage, knives, 
and tomahawks for the chteft—om amenta of dif- 
ferent kinds, porticularly beads, looking-glasses, 
baadkerchiefai paints, and generally such aiticleB 

3r> 




UP THE MISSOURI, 

AS were deemed beat calculated for the tarte of the 
Indiana. The party w^ae to embark OD faoat'd o( 
tbrw hoats; tbe flret was a keel boat fifty^-five 
ttetlDDs, drawicg three feet water, carryiD^ oae 
lar^ sguareBail and twenty-two oars, a de«k of 
ten feet in the bow, and atern formed b. foreca«tte 
and cabin, while the middle wae corered by lock- 
(?re, if'hicb mi^bt be raised bo a« to form a breaHt- 
Tork in cage of attack. Tiiie w&a aci-unipaDied by 
two pedoques or open boate, ooe of eti and the 
other of seven oare. Two horaee were at the 
Bam^e time to be led along the banks of the river 
for the pnrpose of bringing home game, or hant^ 
ing ib cAst of M!an:ity. 

Of the proc€«dinga of this expedition, th* follow- 
iag ts ft succinct an^ circumstantial narrative. 

All the prepBrationa being completed, we left 
our encampment on Monday, May llth, 1S04. 
This epot ia at the mouth of Wood river, a email 
fitream which empties itself into the MiaBiasippi, 
opposite to the entrance of the MiaeOuri. It is 
aituated in latitude &S° ^^' l^'t^ north, and 
longitude from Greenwich, 89" 57' 45', On both 
BideR of the MiesiBsippl the land for two or three 
milee ia rich and level, but gradually swella into a 
high pleasant conntry, with leaa timber on the 
WE^etem than on the eaetem side, but all siie- 
ceptible of cultivation. The point which separatee 
the two rivers on the northr extends for fifteen or 
twenty miles, the greater part of which ie an opea 
level plain, in which the people of the neighbour- 
hood cultivate what little grain they raiue. Not 
being able to set sail before four o'clock P.M., we 
did not make more than fbnr milea, and encamped 
on the first lel&nd opposite a small cree^k called 
Cold Water. 

Mstjr IS,— The rain, which had coutinaed yeeter^ 
87 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



day and last nig^t, ceae«d this mQrning. We then 

proceeded, and after paseing two email iRlaniilB 
about ten milee further, stopped for the nigiit at 
Piper'a landing, oppOBite another ialand. The 
wAt«r ia here very rapid and the bauka fallitig in. 
We foand that our boat was too heavilj laden in 
the at*jrii, in coHsequente of which she ran on logs 
three times to-day. It became necesBarj to thruw 
the greatest weight on the bow of the boat, a 
preca.ution very neceaflary in ascending both the 
Missouri and MiSAi^Atppi rivers, in the be<^A of 
trhich, there Ue great quantities of conceal^ tim- 
ber. 

The next momiag vre eet Bail at five o'clock. 
At the diataace of a few miles, we pajie«d a re- 
markably large coal hill on the north side, called 
by the French La Charbonniere, and arrived at 
the town of St. Chariea. Here we remained a few 
dajK, 

St. Cbarlea is a, emtill town oa the north hank 
of the AliE^ouri, about twenty-one milea from ita 
confluence with the MisBiesippi. It is eituated in a 
narrow plain^ eufficiently hijfh to protect it fhiin 
the annual riaingH of the rit-ep in the month of 
June, and at the foot of a range of small hilla, 
which have occa«o^ed ita being cu-Ued Petite Cote, 
a name by which it is more known to the French 
than by that of St. Charlea, One prindpa! street, 
about a mile in length and running parallel with 
the river, divideB the town, which ia composed of 
nearly one hundred email wooden houses, besides 
a fhapel. The tiiha.bitaQtB, abgut four hundred 
and fifty in number^ are chiefly desceadaute Iroiu 
the Freni:h of Canada; and, iu their niannerH, they 
unite all the caretens payety, and the amiable 
hospitality of the beet times of France; yet, like 
moat of their countrymen in America, tiiej are but 
^8 



TIP THE MISSOURI. 



ni qaalified for tlie rude life of a froDtier; not that 
they are withoat telent, for thej? poHsesB much 
aatUTB:] genioQ and vifocity- ttor that t-btij are 
destitute of enterpriee, for tbetr buntingexcursiouB 
are long, laborious, aad hazardous: but their 
exertioaa are all deBultorj- ; their induBtry is with- 
out eyiiteiu, and without peraeverance. The eur- 
rounding country, therefore, though rich, is not, 
in general, well coltiTated ; the inhabitants (;hiefiy 
QubaiatiDg by huntinf^ and trade with the ladiaDB, 
and con&De their culture to gardeolng, ia which 
they excel. 

Being joined by captain IiewiB^ who had beea 
detained by buaine^A at St. Louis, we a^oio Bet 
Bai] on Monday, May 2l8t, in the afternoon, but 
were prevented by T*-ind and rajn from going more 
than about three miles, when we encamped on the 
upper point of an island, nearly opposite a creek 
which foils in oa the Boath aide. 

On the 22d we made about eighteen miles, pass- 
ing several atnall fArms On tfao bank of the rirer, 
a namber of iftlands, and a large creek on the 
Booth Bid«, called Boiibotnme, or (roodmaa's rlrer, 
A amall number of emigraote fhitn the TTuited 
States have Bettled on the siies of this creek, 
which are very fertile. Vie alau passed some high 
Eandg, and eni^atnped, on the north side, near a 
email creek. Here we met with a camp of Kicka- 
poo Indians who had )eft u« at 8t. Charles, with 
a. promise of procuring ua some provisionB by the 
time we overtook them. They now made uh & 
present of four deer, aad we gave them in return 
two quarts of whiskey. This tribe reside on the 
heada of th-e Kaekaekia and IlUnoia river, on the 
other Bide of the MiseiBaippi, but occasionally hunt 
on the Miseouri. 

May Ji3.—Tyfo miiee &om our camp of la^ 



hKWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

night, we reached a riy^r emptying Iteelf on the 
north aide, called Osage Woman river. It is abont 
thirty yards wide, and baa now a aettieTnent of 
thirty or forty f^miUea from the United Sta.t«^8. 
Ahout £k mile and a half beyond thia is a large 
care, od the south BiiJe ftt the foot of cHSb nearly 
three hundred ftet high, OYerhaDging the water, 
which becomeB very swift at thia place. The cave 
is one hundred and twenty fbet widcj forty feet 
deep, and twenty high, it is known by the name 
qfth«Tavera, among the trodera who have writ- 
ten their names on the roct, and painted eotne 
Images which commaod tha homage of tbelDdiane 
and French. About a mile further we passed a 
email creek: colled Tavern creeV, and encamped on 
the aouth tide of the river, having gone nine 
miles. 

Early the next morning vn awend^d a T^ry dif- 
ficult rapid, called the Devil's Race tirouod, where 
the current eeta for half a mile against some pro- 
jecting rocke on the south aide. We were tesa 
fortunate in attempting a eecond place of equal 
»r difficulty. Passing near the southern shore, the 
bank feU In so fast as to oblige ns to cross the 
river instantly, between the northern side aud a 
sandbar which Is eoDutantly moving and banking 
■with the violence of the current. The boat Btruck 
on it, and would have upset immediately, if the 
men bad not jumped into tba water and held bar, 
till the sand washed fVom uiidvr her. We en- 
camped on th« south side^ Iiaving ascended ten 
miles, and the next day, May 2ri, pa«Bed on the 
south side the mouth of Wood river, on the north, 
two Hmal) creeks and several islands, and stopped 
for the night at the fcntrauce of a ereek on the 
north side, called by the French La Charrette, ten 
iiiU«a from our laat encaw-piaeiit, and a> little 
40 



UP THE MiaSOURI. 



Abore a «mall village af the eatii« satue. It con- 
sists of eeven email houet^K, and fib many pggr 
fAmiUe« who havEi Sjted tbeiuHelves hvre for the 
otinrciiieQce o£ trade, aoil tbriii tlie last establifih- 
ment of whites on the; .Mirjeouri. It rained last 
nigbt, yet we found thia moniing that the river 
ittd fallen Beveral inc^hes. 

M^jr 26, — The wind btiing Farourable we mada 
vighteeo milee to-day. AVe passed in the morning 
Heveral ielandB, the largeut of which in £ufaJo 
ialand. Beparated fVom the southern aide by a 
Bmali channel which receives the waters of Buffalo 
Creek. On tb-e so-nie aide is Shepherd's cfeek, A 
little beyond which we encamped on the northern 
aide. The next day we Bailed along & large ielAnd 
called Otter inland, on the aorthero eide, extend- 
ing nearly ten milea in length, narrow but high in 
ftB situation, und one of the moat fertile in the 
whole river. Between it and the northern ehore,-' 
three amall creeks, one of which baa the same 
name with the iBlaiid> empty them^lveQ, On the 
■oathero ahore la a creek twenty yards wide, 
called Ash creek. In the conree of the day we met ' 
two canoes loaded with ftira, which had been two 
months on their route fiivm the Mabar nation, 
residing more than eeven hundred miles up the 
riyer— pne large raft from the Pawnees ob the 
river Platte, and three othere IVom the Grand 
Oeage river. At the diBtance of fifteen milea we 
encamped on a willow island, at the entrance of 
the river Ga«onade. This river falle into the Mia- 
eouri fVom the sOuth, one hundred miles ftom the 
Miseieeippi, Its length!^ about one hundred and 
fifty miles to a course generally Dortheast through 
a hilly eouutry. On its bauke are & number of 
saltpetre cavesj and it is believed some minee of 
lead in the vicinity. lt« width at the mouth is 
41 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'a EXPEDITION 

one hundred and My-aeTcn ^ards, and its depth 
nineteen fbet. 

Here -vre halted for the ptarpose of hunting And 
drying our proTieioua, and malung the nece^e&ry 
celeetial obiservatioDB. This being completed, we 
set sail on the 29tb at four o'clock, and at four 
milea diistance encamped on the eonth side, above 
a email creek, called Deer creek. The nest day, 
30tb, we Set out earlj, and at two miles dletant 
reached a large cave, on the north, called MoDt- 
bniu's tayern, after a French trader of that name, 
Jnfft above a creek called after the same peraon. 
Be/ond thiB k a large island, and at the distance 
of four miles. Rash creek toining in from the 
Kontb, at eleven, Big-muddy river on the north, 
about fifty jards wide; three milee further, is 
Little-mudd; river on the eame side, opposite to 
which we encamped at the mouth of Grindatone 
creek. The rain which began last night continued 
through the day, accompanied with high wind 
and Bome bail. The river has been riding fast fOr 
two days, and the country around appears iViU of 
water. Along the Bides of the river today we 
obfteire much timber, the cotton wood, the syca- 
more, hiekory, white walnut, some grapeviaee, 
and ruBhes — the high weet wind and ruin com- 
pelled UA to remaia all the aeit day, May 31. In 
the afhernoon a boat came down IVom the Grand 
Osage river, bringing a letter from a persoo sent 
to the Osage nation on the Arkansaw river, which 
mentioned that the letter announcing thecBBSion 
of Louisiana waa committed to the flames— that 
the Ihdiatts would not believe that the Amerieana 
were owners of that country, and disregarded St, 
Louis and its eupplies. The party wae occapied 
in hunting, in the course of whieb, they caught in 
the woods several very large rats. We set Bail 



CT THE MISSOURI. 



early the next morning, J une let, and at eix miles 
dietant poeeed Bear creek, a stream of about 
twenty-Bve yards width: but the "wind being 
ahpad and the current rapid, we Trere unable to 
make more than thirteen mileH to the mouth of 
the Osage river] "where we encaniiMKl and rem.a]qed 
tte following day. for the parpoBB of making 
celestial obHarvations. The Osage river empties 
iteelfinto the MiBeotiri, at one hundred and thirty- 
three milea distance from the mouth of tha latter 
river. Its ^Btfal t^ouxHe is west and west aoutli- 
weat through a rich and lerel country. At the 
junction the Misaoun i« about eight hundred and 
Beveoty-Sve yarde wide, aad tb^ Oeage three hun- 
dred and ninety-BBven. The low point of janetioa 
lain latitude 38° 81 IG", and at a short distance 
from it is a high eoniraaucling position, wheote 
■fre enjaywi a delightful prospect of the country. 

The Ohiige riTer gives or owes its name to q 
nation inhabiting its bankH at a conniderable dia- 
taace from this place. Their present name how- 
ever> scemB to have originated from the French 
tradeni, for hoth among themselTefl and their 
neighbours they are tailed the WflsbashaB. They 
nnmber between twelve and thirteen hundred war- 
riora, and consist of three tribes ; the (ireat Oe^ges 
of about fire hundred warriors, living in a village 
on the aoath bank of the rivei^-the Little Osages, 
of nearly hall' that number, reaidtiig at the difr 
tanee of 8Js miles from theiu — and the Arkansaw 
band, a colony of Osfiges, of six hundred warriots, 
who left tlieiu some years ago, under the com- 
mand of a chief culled the Bigfoot, and settled on 
the Vermillion river, a hrani'h of the Arkanaaw. 
In person the 0«agcB are among the largest and 
beet formed Indiana, and are uaid to posaeashne 
miUtary capacities ; hut residing as they do-in Til* 
4U 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



lagcb, atid having made considerable advance in 
agriculture, they seem )esa addicted to war, than 
their northern Bejghboura, to wtoiil thfi use of 
rifles givcB a great superiority. Among the pecul- 
Itiritiet? of thiB ijeople, tliere 1b nothing more re- 
markable than the tradition relative to tlieir 
ori^^in. According to univerRal belief, the founds 
cr of the nntion wns a snail paesing a quiet ei- 
I iBtence jilong the banks of the Oaftge, till a high 
Lflood Bwept him down to the MiEsouri, and le^ 
|him exposed on the uhare. The beat of the eun at 
[leiigth ri()€ned him iuto a man, but with thai 
Ifhan^ of his nature, he hod not for^tten htfl 
[native Htati^ en the Osage, towards wliich, heiml^T 
' mediately laent hie way. He was liowever sooqi 
overtaken by hunger, and jktigTie, when Itappily* 
the (jfreat Spirit appeared, and giying him a bow 
and arrow, showed him how to kill and cook 
deer, and cover hJtneelf with the Hkin, He theo 
proceeded to bis original reMdence, but aa he ap- 
proached the river, he was met by a beaver, who 
inquired haughtily M'ho he vftui, and by what 
authority be came to disturb his poHeeeAion. The 
Oiiage answered that the river wan bi^ own, for 
he had once UvimI on ita borders. As tbey stood 
disputing, the daughter of the beaver came, an^^^H 
having by her tntreatiea reeontiled her father to-fl 
this young stranger, it was proposed that the 
Osage should marry the young beavefj and share 
with her family the enjoyment of the river. Tbtfll 
Osage readily consented, and from this happj^ 
, anion there BOOD came the village and the nation 
Zof the Waebflflha, or Osagee, who have ever since 
V| preserved a pioua reverence for their ancestors, 
abstaining fVom the chase of the beaver, becauae 
in kilting tbat animal, tbey killed a brother of the 
Oaage. Of late years, however, sinee the tradtt 
44 



DP THE MIS80UKI. 



with the whitM haa rendered beftver skiBS more' 

TBluable, the saoctit; of these maternal relatives 
baa vl«ibl; reduced, and the poor animals hare 
nearly lost all the privileges of kindred. 

On the aftemooa of June 3, we proceeded, and 
at tbi-ee mi)e« distant, reached a creek called Cup- 
board Freek, from a rock of that appearance Dear 
its eDtratice. Two milee further we encamped at 
Moreau creek, a stream of twenty yarda width, on 
the Houthem Bide. The next niorniiig, we paased 
at an early hour, Cedar island on the north, so 
called from the abundance of the tree of that 
name; near ^hich is a, ^mall creek, rallied Nig^ht- 
iogale creek, from a bjrd of that Epeclea, who Eians 
for us duriug the night. Beyond Cedar ialand. 
are eome othere of a Bmaller extent, and at seven 
miles distance a creek flfCeen or twenty yards 
wide, entering' fVom the north, and known by the 
name of Cedar ci-eek. At seven and a half nkileg 
farther we passed on the south eida another 
creek, which we called Mast creek, fi-om the cir-"" 
camstance of our matit beini^ broken by rciDning 
nnder a concealed tree; a little above is another 
creek OA th6 iefb, one mile beyond ivliich -we ea- 
camped on the Boutbemnliore under high projecV 
ing: clLff^, The Preach had reported that lead ore 
was to be found in thia place, but on examlniiig 
the hills, we could diecera no appearance of that 
mineral. Along the river on the south, is a low 
land covered with luahea, and high nettles, and 
near the months of the creeks, supplied with oak, 
A8b, and walnut timber. On the north the land i» 
riuh and well filtuat«d. We made Beyentwo and a 
half miles thia day. The river is fatling slowly. 
We continued our ronte the next morning eariy : a 
Amall creek called l/ead creek, On th* eOuth; an- 
other on the north, known to the French by tlia 
45 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S ESPBDITIOM" 



mame of Little E^ood Womiui'a creek, sAd again 
Big Ttocb ereek on the south wertthe oaly Htreama 
We passed this moruing. At eleven o'clock -we met 
a. raft made of two cajtonH joined together, in 
which two Freneli traders were descending, from 
eighty leagues up the rirer Kanzas, where thej 
had wintered, and caught great quantities of 
beaver, but had lost muct of their game bj fires 
from the prairii'8. They told ue that the Kanzas 
nation i(j oqw hunting buffalo ID the pIftinH, hav- 
ing ptiBRed the last winter in this river. Two 
milea fiirthpr, we reaehed on the Boutt Little 
MftnitOTi erwk, which takes its name from a 
strange figure reserabhug the bust of a tn&ii, with 
the horna of a stag, painted on a projecting rock, 
w^hieh may repreeent some epirit or deitj', N'par 
this is a saitdhnr extending BeYer;il mileEi, which 
renders the navigation dltl5cult, and a email creek 
called Sandcreek on the nouth, where we Gtopped 
for dinner, and gathered vn]<\ cresses and tongue 
grasa from the itandbar. The rapidiiy ofthe cui^ 
rents added to our haTing broken our niaet, pre- 
vented our going more than twtlve and n. half 
mllee. The scouts and hunters whom we always 
kept out., report tha.t they have seen fresh tracks 
of Indians. The next moriiiu^ we left- our camp, 
which was Oil the eotith side, opposite to a large 
island in the middle of the river, and at five mtlefl 
reachpd a creek on the north Fide, of about t^^enty 
yards wide, called Split Eock creek, from a fisntire 
in the point of a neighbouring rock. Three milea 
beyond this, on the south ia Saline river, it is 
aboct thirty yards wide, and haa its name from 
the number of salt ]icV«, and Bprings, which ren- 
der it* wfttflr brackish ; the river ia very rapid and 
the banks ftilling in, After leaving Salioe creek, 
"we pBfsed one large iuland and jieveral emaUer 
46 



TFP THE MISaOUBI. 



ones, IiaTiDg made fourteen mileK. TbewaterroK 
a foot duriog tbe loet night. 

The next day, June T, we paused at four and a 
balf miles Big Manitou creek, near which is a 
limestone rOck inlaid with flint of TatiOuB coloure, 
and embelliBLed, or at least covered with unuautli 
paintings of anioials aod iuwriptioDS. We landed 
to examine it, but found the place occupied b; a 
neat of rattleeoakea, of which we killed three. We 
oUo examined aome Eicke and eprings of salt 
water, two Of thfee nulea up this ci'eek. We then 
proceeded b; eome email willow ialandsr and en- 
camped at tbe mouth of Good Woman riTer on the 
north. It is about thirty-flve yards wide, and 
floid t-o be navigable for boats aeveral leagues. 
The hunters, who had hitherto given us only deer, 
brought in this evening three bears, and had seen 
some indication ofbu&Ulo. We had come fourteen 
inile«. 

Jasje S, — Wq saw eereral small willow inlands, 
and a creek on tbe south, near which are a num- 
ber of deer licke; at nine milea diatance we came 
to Mine river. This river, which falls into the 
Miaeouri from the south, ie said to be navigable 
fqr boats eighty or ninety milea, and is about 
oeveaty yards wide at it« mouth. It forks about 
five or siz leagues ftom the Miaeouri, aud at the 
point of junction are some very rich «alt springs; 
the west branch in particular^ is so much impreg- 
nated, that, far twenty miles, the water is not 
palatable: several branches of the Manitou and 
Good Wojnan are equally tinctured. The Freacb 
report alaoj that lead ore hay been found oa dif- 
fereiit parte of the river. We made several eicur- 
siona near the river through the low rich country 
Oh its banks, and after dinner weut on totheieland 
of Mills, where we encamped. We met with a 
i7 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

party of three huntera from the Sioux river; thej 
iad been out for twelve mootlie, and eoUeetedj 
About nine hundred dollars worth of peltrieH and 
flire. We agcended this river twelve mjleg. 

On the 9th, we eet oat early, and reached a clifl" 
of rocks, called the Arrow fiock, nihar to which ia 
a prairie called the Prairiea of Arrowss and Arrow 
creek, a small stream about eight ^arda wide, 
whoee sourct is in the adjoining praitiea on the 
^outh. At thie cliff the Miseouri ie coofined within "^H 
a bed of two bnndred yards; and about four tuilef^l 
to the eoiith-east is a. \arge lick and salt epriog 
of great atrength. Aboat three miles further is 
Blackbird creek on the north aide, opposite to 
which, is an latand and a prairie inclosing a email 
lake. Five miles beyond thiK we encamped on the 
fiontb eii^e, aller making, in the course of the da7,'-^H 
thirteen nules. The land on the north is a hjgli^H 
rifh plain. On the south it is also even, of a good '^^ 
qaality, and riafng from fifty to one hundred (bet. 

The next moming, 10th, we parsed Deer creek,4|^| 
and at the distance of five milea, the two riyersf^V 
called Ijy the French the twp Chamtons, a ctr- 
ruption of Thleraton, the first of which ia thirty, 
the second seventy yards wide, and enter the Mie- 
Bouri together. They are both navigable for--j 
boats: the country through which they pa*8 isr 
broken, rich, and thickly covered with timber. 
The Ayau'way nation, con^sting of three hundred 
men, have a village near its head-waters dd the 
river De Moinee. Farther on we paesed a. large 
island called Cbkot or Stnmp Island, and en-"' 
camped on the «outh, after making ten miles. A' 
bead wind forced ue to remain there all the nest 
day, dnring Tchich we dried the meat Tve had-j 
killed, and examined the surrounding country,' 
which consists of good land, well watered, and* 
48 



gOTIRT. 



Bnpplied with tiiober; tli^ prairiee aEeo difltr ftom 
those eastward of the JlmeiBHippi. Inanmuch as 
the latter are grenerally without acij- covering' ex- 
cept grass, whilst the former ahouud with ha^el, 
grapes and Other fruits, among w^hich is the 
Osage plum of a HUperior sise and (luality. Qn the 
momliig of the 13th, we pai»eed tkroagh difficult 
places in the river, and reached Plum creek on the 
south side. At one o'clock, we met two rafts 
loaded, tlie one with fursj the other with the 
tallow of buSalo^ they were ftom the Sioux 
nation, and on their way to St. Louis; hut we 
were fortnnate enoogh to engage one of then], & 
Mr. DnrioD, who hod lived with that natiou more 
than twenty yean<, and was high in their eonfl- 
dencBj to accompany ue thither. We made nine 
milea. On the 13th, we pasaed at between four 
and five miles, a bend of the river, and two creeks 
on the north, called the Hound Bend creeks. Be- 
tween these two cre^kB is the prairie, in which 
oace Btood the anc;ieat village of the MisBouris. 
Of this village there remains no ve«tige, nor is 
there any thing to recall thia great aTid numerous 
nation, except & feeble- remtant of aboat thirtj- 
fkmllies. Thej- were driven ftom their originaJ 
seats by the i»vaHions of the Baubs and other 
Indians ftom the MieRSsippi, who destroyi^ at 
thie village two hundred of them in one contest, 
and sought rsfuge near the Little Oeage, on the 
other side of the river. The encroachment of thfe 
same enemieg forced, about thirty yeftrs ainW, 
both thette nations from the bants of the Miasonri, 
A. ftw retired with the Osage, and the remainder 
Ibund an asylum on the river Platte, amone the 
Ottoee, who are themselvee declining. Opposite 
the plain there waa an island and a French fortj 
but there is now no appearance of either, the snc- 
Vol. 1,-4 i9 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITION 



oeBetTe inundations having pr&bably waahed thei 
Uw^y, 93 the 'wjlluw island which ia in the tatat 
tiDD described b; Do Fratz, 1b small and of recentl 
foriDUtion. Fire milts from this place is thQ:| 
mouth of ijrand Biver, wliere we encamped. Thlftl 
river rollowa a course nearly south, or 80uth>| 
«aet, and is between eighty and li hundred yard»J 
'wide n'here it enters the AiiBsouri, near a deCighi*! 
fill aad rich plaia, A racoon, a bear, and hoi 
deer were obtained to-day. We proceeded at eh 
o'clock the next morning. The current was sQ'l 
rapid and the banke on the nurth falling in soj 
conetantly, that we were obliged to approach tlw, 
sandbars on the aoutb. These were moving coi^J 
idQQ^Uy, and fornied the TForgt passage ire he 
Been, and which we surmounted with much, dii 
CTilty. We met a trajlintf raft, from the Pawne 
nation on the river Platte, and attempted uneue-l 
ce«ri\illy to engage one of their party to retnm-l 
with UB. At the distfiiiee of eight miles, we cantfrl 
to some high cliffs, called the Snake bluffs, iioi 
the number of that animal In the neighbourhood,! 
and Lmmedjately above these blufi^, Snake creel 
about eighteen yards wide, on which we ei 
eamped. One of our hunters, a half tndias,J 
brought us an awouQt of his havingto day pae^J 
a small lake, near which a number of deer wer 
ftedlng, and in the pond he heard a snake mal 
a guttural noise like a turkey, He fired hiej 
but the noise became louder. He addc^, that bel 
has heard the Indians mention tbid epeciee ot\ 
6na.ke, and this story is conflrmed by a Frencl!-] 
man of our party. All the next day, the river I 
log very highj the sandbars were so rolling and 
numerous, and the current bo strong, that we 
were unable to atem it even with oars added tog 
our sails ; thiB obliged us to go nearer the b£ 
50 




UP THE mesoDEi. 

which were falling in, ao that we could not mak<^ 
thoagb the boat was occaeioaailj towed, mor< 
thaD fourtwo tuilee. We pa«6«d several ielaude 
and one creek oa the eoath &idv, aad encauip&J on 
the north oppoeite & beautiful plain, wliieh es- 
tends OS far back aa the <lfBa^ river, and BOma 
miles ap the MiaHOuri. In EW)tit of our encamp- 
ment &re the remains of on old Tillage ciT tb9 
little Osage, situated at some distance from the 
river, and at the foot of & emull hill. About three- 
mJleB above them, io view of our tamp is the idtii' 
ation of the old village of the Xliuaouriu aft-er they 
fled from the Sauks. The inroads of the same 
tribe compelled the Liittle OaagB to retire from thB 
Uie^ouri afew yeara ago, and establiAh them^elv^fl 
near the (:tri;at Osageu. The river, whieh ia here 
about one mile wide, had riaea in the niurulug, 
but fell towards eveuing:. Early this iooriiiii& 
■Tune Kith, Tre joined the cajnp of our hunters, 
who had provided two deer aud two "heflj, and 
then pae^^ing on island and a i^rairie ou th« north- 
covered with a. 6p«ie« of timothy, made our way 
through bad Baudbara and a, swilt current, to aa 
escampment for the evening, on the north aide, at 
ten miles diatnnee. The timber which we ei- 
amined to^Jay vraa not sulfitientlj strong- for 
oars; the mosquitoes and ticlis are ejit-eedingly 
trooblesomi^, On the ITth, we set out early, and 
having come to a coBremeiit place at one mUs 
distance, for procuring timber and making oanv 
we oceapied oureelvea in that way on this and tha- 
foHowing day. The country on the north of tho 
river is rich and covei^ with tim.ber; amou^ 
which we procured the ash for oare. At tw* 
nuJeB it cbaogee into eKteneive prairies, and at 
seven or eight miles distance becomes higher aud 
waving. The prairie and high landB on the sooth 
51 




LE^IS ANT> CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



. Commeiii« more LDatnediatelf on the rLrer; tti 
["whole i« well ivatered «nd provided with gaii 
■uch aa deer, elk, and bear. Tbe huuterH brought ' 
in B. fat hortie which waa probably loat by eom^ 
war party — this being the craBsing place for the 
SaukH, Ayauwaye, and Sioiix, in thtir excuraiona 
against the Oea^. 

■Juve -J 9, the oara being flnighed, we proceeds 
under a geutle breeze hy two large and some] 
smallerielaDdH. The BaudbarsoreDumerouBaTid i 
bad. that at one placewe were forced toclearawc 
I the driftwood in order to pass : the water too we 
NBo rapid that we were under the neceaeity of toi 
ing the boat for half a mili; round a point of rQcke 
on the Bouth Bid&. We paHsed two creeks, oae 
j «alLed TIgec creek on the aorth, twcaty-five yards 
wide at the extremity of a large island called 
['panther Island ; the other Tabo creek on the 
eouth, fifteen yards wide. Along the shores are 
gooBeberrie« and raspberries in great abundance. 
At the distance of wventeeu and a half milee we 
encamped on the aouth, near a lake abgut two 
miles from the river aud Bevetal in circumference; 
and much n^ueated by deer and all kindfl of 
fbwls. On the north the land \& higher and better 
calculated for farms than, that on the south, whtch 
aaceuds more gradually, but m still rlLh ai 
pleasant. The moequitoea and other aoimaU ai 
■lo troublesome that moequito biere or nets wer 
dietrlbuted to the party. The nest raorniag 
passed a lar^ island, oppoHite to which on tt 
uorth is a Idrge and beautiful prairie, called Kauk ' 
prairie, the land being fine and well timbered on 
both sides the rjv^r, P^ilicauH w^ere bul'u to-day. 
We made six and three tiuarter mile^, and en- 
camped at the lower point of a small island, along 
the north Hide of which we proceeded the nest, 
b2 



DP THE MISSOTTRT. 



daj, Jnne Slat, bat not without danger in cons^ 
qacDCt? of the eands anij th?- rapidity of the "waJ-er 
which rose three inchea lofit night. Behind an- 
other ii^land come in from the eouth two ereeka, 
talEed Ean, Beau, or Cleitr Water ereeka; on the 
north, is a very remarkable bfnd, Trhere the high 
lands approach the river, and form an acute angle 
at the head of a large island jiroduc^ by a nar-' 
row channel through the point of the hend. W& 
paaeed eevertit other iBlondE, and encamped at 
seven and a hali' miles on the bouth. 

22d.— The tivep roae durinj^ the DJ^ht four 
tnche^. The water is very rapid and crowded 
with concealed ttml>er We parsed (wo lar^ 
jislande and an exten^ve prairie on the Houth, be- 
^nnlng with a rich low land, and riaing to the 
difltance of aeventy or eighty fbet of rollini^ clear 
totmtry. The thermotneter at three o'clock P. M. 
waa at 87°. After coming ten and a half mile* 
we encamped on the eowth, opposite a large creek 
caUed Fire Trairie river. 

2Sd. — The wind was against nn thla morning, 
and hecame bo violent that we made only thre© 
aod a half miles, and wert' obliged to lie to during- 
the day at a small island. This is separated fWim 
the northern side by a narrow channel iffhieh can- 
not be passed bj boats, being choked by treea 
and drifted wood. Directly oppoaite on the south, 
is a high commanding position, more than seventy 
feet above high water mark, and oveflooking the 
river which ia here of but little w^idth; this spot 
has many advantages for a fort, and trading 
house with the iDdians.* The river Ml eight 
iQcheB laet nigbt. * 

■Tbe VcAied sui«d built In septcubcT, isoa, a iDittofy and 
fort at tbls gpoc. wblcb te very coDTeDlent tor truUng wiCa Uia 
OaaffeBi Ajauwaya. and Sajizas. 
53 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'S EXPEDITION 

in tbe plains for tbe bufialo which our hunter 
hare aeeo for the Sret time. 

On the 29ch, we set out late in the afternoon;^ 
and having passed a sandbar, near which the 
boat vras. almc^t loat, and a ^a,tge inland on tha 
north, we encamped at seven and a quarter milefl 
oa the eaine g-ide in the low lands, where the 
ruBhes are bo thick that it la troublesome to walk 
through them. Early the next morning, 30th, wo 
reached, at hre mileB diatanee, the mouth or< 
rlrep coming in from the north, and called by tb 
French, Petite Riviere Platte, or Little Shallo-*' 
river; it is about eixtj- jards wide at its mouth, 
A fefT of tbe party who aecended informed ua, 
that tbe landa on both uidits are good, and that 
there are several flille well calculated for mills ; the 
wind waa from the aouth weet, and the weather 
oppressively warm, the thermometer standing at 
9fl' above at three o'clock P. M. One mile be-^^ 
yond this Ih a, small creek on the eoutb, at Qrd^l 
miles ttow. wbtcb we CDcamped on the eame side, 
opposite the lower point of an island called Dia- 
mond island. The land on the north between the 
Little Shallow river and the MiaSOUri is QOt good 
and subject to overflow — on the eoutb it ia higher 
and better timbered. 

JuJy 1st, — We proeeeded nlong the north aide of 
Diamond island, where a Ejmall ci-eek called Biflcuit 
creek emptier itself. One and a half mlleB above 
the inland ia a large sandbar in the middle of tbe 
river, beyond which we stopped to refresh the 
men, who Buffwed very much jrom the heat, 3«re 
tVB ob&erved gi'eat quantities of grapee and rasp- 
berries. Between one and two miles further are 
three iBiands and a ereek on the eouth known by 
the French name of Keiaore. The main curreat 
which, ie now on the south side of the largest of. 



\jp THE Missonai. 



the three ifilanda, ran three ;?ars, as we were 
told, ua the north, and there wa« then no a|i- 
pearance of the two emaller islands. At the dis- 
tance of four and a half mlleB we reached the 
lower point of a cluBter of small JBlanda, tyrd 
large and two small, called IsIbh des TarcH or 
Field Islaudfl. Paccauo trees were tbw day eeeo, 
and large quantities of df«r and turkies on the 
banks. We bad advanced twelve miles. 

Jufy 2d. — We left our encampment, oppoaite to 
which iA a high and beautifiil prairie an the south- 
em edde, and pa«eed up the south of the islands, 
which are high meadows, and a creek on th« 
north called Pare creek. Here for half an hour the 
river became covered with drift wood, which ren- 
dered the navig'atdon dangerons, and was proba- 
bly caused by the giving way Of sOmc sandbar, 
which had detained the wood. AA«r making five 
intleB we paaeed a Btreani on the south called 
Torky creek, near a sandbar, where we could 
acarcel; stem the current with twenty oars, and 
all the polee wehad. On the north at about two 
miles fUrttei* ia a large island ealled b; the In- 
dians, Wau-car-da-war-card-da, or the Bear Medi- 
cine lalaad. Here we landed and replaced our 
mast, which had been broken three days ago, by 
running against a tree, overhanging the river. 
Thence we proceeded, and after night atopped on 
the north side, above the Island, having come 
eleven and a half mileB. Opposite our camp ie a 
valley, iu which wa« situated an old village of the 
Kanza!^, between two high points of land, and oa 
the bank of the river. About a mile in the rear of 
the village wan a email tbrtj buitt by the French 
OB an elevation. There are now no traces of the 
village, but the sitnation of the fort may be retog- 
tilEed by eome remains of chinmies, aad the gen- 
57 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



f^ral outline of the fortificatdon, as well ae by the 
fine spring which supplied it with water. The 
party, who were stfttioiied here, were probably 
cot off by the ludiane, as there are ng awounts of 
them. 

Jjily flf/,— A gentle breeae from the Hoath carried 
ne eleven aTid a quarter milea thie daj-f past two 
lElandg, one a «mall wLLlow island, the other 
lar^, and called bj the French Isle dee Yache», or 
Cow ialand. At the head of this ialand, on the 
northero ehore, is a large pond contiiimng bearer, 
and fbwlB of diSerent kinda. After paaaiag a bad 
Aaodbar, we stopped on the south aide at aa old 
trading hnuse, which is now deserted, and half a 
mile beyond it encamped on the south. The land 
is flae aAonK the rivera, and Kome distance back. 
We obnerved the block walaut and oak, among 
the timber ; and the honey-Buekie and the buck's- 
eyCj with the nuts on them, 

TheTnorningortbe 4 th July waa announced by 
the discharge of our gun. At one mile we reached 
the mouth of a bayeau or creek, coming from » 
large lake on the north eide, which appears aa if 
it had once been the bed at the river, to which it 
ruuB parallel for several miles. The water of it ia 
clear and supplied by a umall creek and several 
eprin^B, and the miinber of goslingji wliich we aaw 
oa it, induced na to call it the Gosliag lake. It is 
about three-quarters of a mile wide, and eeren or 
eight miles loug. One of our men wae bitten by a 
snake, but a poultice ofbark and gunpowder was 
sufficient to ctire the wound. At ten and a quar- 
ter milea we reached a creek ou the south about 
twelve yardu wide «iid coming from an extensive 
prairie, which approached the borders ol the 
river. To thitt creek, which had no name, we gave 
that of Fourth of July creek; above it ie a high 
58 



i 



mound, where three Indian paths centre, and fi-om 
which ie a Ttry exwnaire prospect. After fliteea 
milea Bail we came to on the oorth a little above 
a creek on the Bouthern aide, about thirty yards 
wide, which we called Independence ercck, la 
honour of the dftj, which we could Celebrate only 
hy S.U ei-ening gun, and an additional gill gf 
whiiskej to tbe m«D, 

The next day, uth, we croBsed orer to the sonth 
and came along the baoh of an p^tenoire and 
beautiful prairie, interaperaed with copaes of tim- 
ber, and watered by IndtpendeiLL* trefck. On this 
bank formerly atood the second vitlage of the 
KaDsae ; li-oai the remains it must har^ been on(» 
a large town. We paHeed eeveraj, bad eandbars, 
And a email creek to the BDuth, which we called 
Tellow Ochre creek, from a bank of that mineral 
A little abo-ve it. The river continuee to fall. On 
the ehoree are great qnautitie^ of eummer and f&W 
grapee, berrieiei and wild roeetj. j>eer is not so 
abundant ae UHual, but there are numerous traeka 
of elk around us. We encamped at ten miles dia- 
tance on the aouth aide under a high bank, oppo- 
site to which was a low land covered with tall 
mehee, and some timber. 

Jnlv S.— We uet sail, and at one mile passed a 
aaudbarj three mjlsH further an island, a prairie to 
the north, at the dietance of four mileo, called 
Beevey'B prairie, after a man who was killed 
there ; at which pla^e the river ii* couflaed to a 
Very narrow channel, and by a §andbar from the 
flouth. Four milee beyond is another sandbar 
terminated by a amall willow ieland, and forming 
a very cousiderable bend in the river towards the 
north. The eand of the bar ia light, intermixed 
with email pebbles and some pit coal. The rivef 
Talla slowly, and, owing either to the muddinese of 
59 



LEWIS ANB CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

ite water, or the extreme heat of the weather, tha 
men perspire profueely. We encamped on the 
Bdath having made twelve miles. The bird called 
whip-poor-will sat on the boat for some tjine. 

Id the momittg, July 7th, the rapidity of the 
water obliged ua to draw the boat along with 
Topes. At BIS and three quarter miles, we came to 
a sandbar, at a pomt opposite a fine rich prairie . 
on the north, called St. Michael's. The prairies ■ 
thiB neighbourhood have the appearance of 
tinct farme, divid4»d by Darrow stripH of woodJ^l 
land, which follow the bordera of the small runi 
leading to the river. Above thia, about araile, ia 
a eliff of yellow elay on the north. At fonr o'clock 
we parsed a narrow part of the channel, where 
the water is confloed within a bed of two hundred 
jards wide, the cnrrent running directly against ^_ 
the eoQthem bank with no sand on the north td^f 
confine it or break ite force. We made fourteen^" 
milee, and halted on the north, after which we 
had a Tiotent gust about seven oclotk. One of 
the buntere narw in a pond to the north which w* 
passed yesterday a number of ypung sH^ane, WtfJ 
saw a large rat, and killed a wolf. Another 
our men bad a stroke of the eua; he wae bled, 
and took a preparation of nitre which relieved, 
him considerably. 

Jnlr S. — We Bet out early, and soon passed 
small creek on the north, which we called Ord> 
way's treek, from our sergoatit of tlmt name who 
had been aent on shore witb. the horBee, asd weot 
np it. On the eame aide are three small iBlandB, 
one of which is the Little Nodawa, and a large 
islAjid called the Great Sodawa extending more 
than five miles, and containing seven or eight 
tliQuaaiid acrea of high good laad, rarely overa] 
flowed, and one of the largeet ialaods of the 
60 



UP THE MIBSOCfil, 



■onri. It IB separated from the northern shore by 
& Hiaall tbatltiel of from forty-five to eighty yards 
wide, up which we paasud, and found near the 
weBtem exl^remitj cf the ielaad the moath of the 
river Nodawa. Thie rirer purBuee searly a south- 
ern coDree, ifl navigable for boats to some dis- 
tance, and about Beventy yards wide above the 
DLoDth, thodgh not go wid« immediate]; there, aa 
th» mud ftom the Missouri contracts it« channel. 
At twelve and a quarter toiler, we encamped on 
the north side, near the head of Nodawa island, 
and opposite a emaller one in the middle of the 
river. Five of the men were thia day aick with 
violent headaehes. The river continuee to fell. 

Ju^f 9£i.^Wepa«Bed the ialandoppoaitetowhich 
we last night eocaniped, and saw near the head of 
it a creek fallinK in A-om a pond on the north, to 
which we gave the name of Pike pond, from the 
nnmbera of that animal which Bonie of our party 
eawA-om the shore. The wind ehaog^ed at eig^ht 
from N. E. to S, W, and brought rain. At eii 
mile» we pa^eed the mouth of Mon-ter's creek on 
the south, and two miles abo^e a few cabinB, 
where one of our party had encamped with some 
Frenchmen about two years ago. Further on we 
passed an island on the north, opposite some 
cGSg On the eautb side, near "which Loup Or Wolf 
river falU into the Missouri. This river is about 
aLxty yards wide, it heads near the aame sources 
OB the Kansas, and is navigable for boats, at 
Bome difitance up. At fourteen milee we encamped 
on the south side. 

Tnmda^y 10th.— Vfe proceeded on by a prairie on 
the upper aide of Wolf river, and at four miles 
paeeed a creek flfteeu yarde wide on the south, 
called Pape'a ereek after a Spaniard of that name, 
who killed himeelf there. At six milea we dined on 
61 



I/EWIS AKD CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



an iBland called bj the French Isle de Salomoa, or 
BolomoD's iBlaod, opposite to whiub on the Bouth 
IB a beautiflil ptain covered with graee, intermiied 
with wild rye and a lind of wild potato. After 
making ten miles we stopped for the nig^ht on thd- 
northern Bide, oppoaife acliff of yellow claj. The 
riv«r han celther risen nor fblien to day. On the 
north the low tond la yery exteaBJve, and covered 
with vinea; on the south, the hills approach nearer 
the river, and back of them commence the plains. 
There are a great man; gOHlinge alosg the banks. 

Wednesday 21th. — After three miles eailiog we 
catoe to o- willow ieland oq the north eide, behind 
which entcre a creek «aU(;d by the Indians Tarkio. 
Above this creek on the north the low lands are 
subject to overflow, and flirther back the under- 
growth of vines parti<i^blai-lyr is so abundant that 
they can scarcely be pn«s«d. Three miles iVom thft 
Tarkio we encamped on b, l^rge sand inland on the 
north, immediatelj opposite the river Nemahaw, 

Tbnrsday J^E//.— We remained here to-day for 
the pnrpose of refreshing the party, and inakln; 
lunar obBerrations. The Nemahawemptiea itself 
into the Miasouri iVom the south, and is eightj 
yards wide at the confluence, which i« in lat. 
39° 55' 56'. Captain Clark ascended it in the 
periogue about two miles to the mouth of a small 
creek on the lower side. On going ashore be 
found in the level plain several artificial mounds 
or graves, and on the adjoining hills others of a 
larger ei*e. This appearance Ipdieates safflciently 
the former population of this country, the mounds 
being certainly intended as tombs \ the Indians of 
the AlisBOuri still preaerving the custom of inter-- 
ring the dead on high ground. From the top of 
the highest mound a delightful prospect presented 
itwlf— the level and eitensive mewiows watered 
62 



UP THE MISSOCBI. 



by the N«mahaW] and ealiyeaed by the Ibw treea 
aad flhrube Bkirtiiig the bordera of tbe river and 
ItB tributary etreama— the lowland of the MiaBouri 
covered with undulating grasH, nearly five feet 
high, gradually Haing into a M^O&d plain, where 
rich w«edB and Rowera are interi<p«rHed with 
copsea of the Osage plum ; fUrther back are seen 
email groves of trees; an abundance of grapeB; the 
wild cherry of the Miesouri, reaemblin^ our own, 
but larger, and growing on a Btnn.ll bueh ; and the 
thokecherrj, wtilch we observed for the first time. 
Some of the grapea gathered to-day are nearly 
ripQ. Op the SQuth of the Nemaha^tr, and about & 
quarter of a mile from ita mouth, is a rlifl* of free- 
Btone, in which are various iuBcriptions and marks 
made by the ladiaaa. The Band Uland where we 
are encamped, ia covered with the two species of 
willow, brood and narrow leaf. 

Juij 13th. — We proceeded at sunriBe with a fkir 
wind fi-om the eoutb, and at two miles, paased 
the mouth of a email river on the north, called 
Big Tarkio. A channel from the bed of the Mia- 
souri once ran into tEii» rlvur, and formed an 
island called St. Joseph >, but the thannel is now 
filled up, and the island Sa added to the northern 
sborc, Further on to the south, w ^tuated an 
extenaiye plain, covered with a grass reBembliog 
timothy in ite generaE appearance, except the aeed, 
which IB like flax-eeed, and alao a number of 
grape-TinCB. At twelve miles, we passed an island 
Ob the north, above which is a large sandbar 
covered with willows: and at twenty and a half 
nules, stopped on a large gaudbar, is the Diiddle 
of the river oppOBite a high handsome prairie, 
which est*nds to the hilla four or five miles dia- 
tant, though near the bank the land is low, and 
flobject to be overflowed. TbiB day was exceed- 
63 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

inglj fine and pleaaaat, a storm of wind and rain 
from north northeast, laet ni^ht, baring cooled 
the air. 

JuJj 14. — We had some hard flhowera of r^n 
before seven o'clock, irhen T^e set out. We had 
juat reached the end of the eand iglAiid, and w«D 
the opposite baiik» fitUiug Id, and so lined with 
timber that -we could not approach it without 
43ang«r, whea a sudden Bquall, from the north- 
east, etruck the boat on the starboard quarter, 
and wOnId have certainly dashed her to pieces on 
the sand iRland, if the party had not leaped inti? 
the river, aod with the aid of the anchor and 
cable kept her off; the waveB dashing over her for 
the space of forty minotea ; after which, the river 
b«^ame alrooBt inBtantaneouely calm and smooth. 
Th& two periogueH were ahead, in a eituatioD 
nearly eimilar, but fortunately no damage "was 
done to the boats or the loadLog. The wind har- 
ing ehifted to the southeast, we came at the dis- 
tance of two mile^, to an island on the north, 
where we dined. One mile above, on theaame aide 
of the river, ie a email fectory, where a merchant 
of St. Louis traded with the Ottoee and Pawnees 
two years ago. Near thie 18 an eiten^ive lowland, 
part of which is overflowed occaBionally, the rest 
is rich and well timbered. The wind again 
changed to northweet by north. At Bcven and a 
half miles, we reached the lower point of a large 
island, on the north side. A small distance above 
this point ie^ a river, eall^ by the Maha Indjaos 
NiHhuabbatona. This la a cDnsiderable creek, 
nearly as large ae the Mine river, and runs paral- 
lel to the MiBsouri the greater part of ita course, 
being fifty yards wide at the mouth. In the 
prairiea or glades, we Ba"w wild-timotby, lambs- 
qnarter, cucklebenies, and on the edges of the 
64 



THE MISaOtlRI. 



riTer, BumiDer-grapes, plntos, and firoDeebeiTiee. 
We alao eaw to-day, for the first time, »ome elk, 
at which eome of the party shot, hut at too great 
a distance. We encamped on the north aide of the 
island, a little above Njsknahhatona, having made 
niae miles. The river f^ll a little. 

Jul;^ iS, — A thict fog prerented pTjr leaving 
the eucampmeiit before seven. At about faac 
milee, we reacliecl the extremity of the large ialaod, 
and croBeing to the south, at the diataoce of 
seven miles, arrived at the Little Nemaha, a small 
river from the aouth, fbrty yarda Wide a little 
above ita mouth, but contracting, as do almost 
all the waters emptying into the Mieijoori, at its 
eonfueace. At nine and three-quarter miles, we 
eocamped on a woody point, on thesoath. Along 
the southern bank, ie a rich lowland covered with 
peavjne, and rich weeds, and watered by BmaU 
streaniB rising' in the adjoining prairiea. They 
too, are rich, and though with abuudance of 
grass, have no timber except what growg near the 
water : interspersed through both are grape-vines, 
plums of two kinds, two species of wild -cherries, 
haeelnutH, and gooseberries. On the south there 
i8 one unbrolcen plain; on the north the river is 
Bkirtad with eome timber, behind which the plaia 
extendi four or five miles to the tills, whieh aeem 
to have little wood. 

JuJy J(J.— We eontinued our route between a 
large island opposite to our last night's encamp- 
ment, and an esteneive prairie on the south. 
About sis miles, w<? came to another large island, 
called Fairsnn island, on the e&me eide; above 
which i* a epijt, where about t^venty aerea of the 
hill have fkllen into the river. Near thie, is a cliff 
of sandstone for two miles, which ie much f>e- 
Quented by birds. At this place the river is abont 
Vol. I.— 5 65 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



one mile wide, but not d«ep; »b the timber, or 
sawyera, may be seen, scattered across tbe whole 
of ite bottom, At twenty Tniles dietancej we saw 
on the HOtitb, an ieland caAleA by the French, 
riele Chance, or Bald island, opposite' to a large 
prairie, which we called Baldpated prairie, from a 
rldffe of naked bills which bpund it, running par- 
allel wjth the river aa tkr as we could see, and 
fi-om three to six milea diatance. To tbe Houth 
the hilla touch the river. We encamped a quarter 
of a mile beyond thJB, in a point of wnods on the 
north aide. The riTtc cOnttDues to fall. 

Taemls-j, J\i!j 17,— ^» remained here this day, 
In order to make obeenratioua and correct tbe 
chronometer, which raa dowa od Sunday. The 
latitude wb found to be 40 27 5j^'. The ob- 
servation of the time proved oup chronometer too 
slow, by 6' 51^". The highlands bear from our 
camp, north 25° went, up the river. Captain 
LewiB rode up the qountry, and eaw the NUh- 
nohbatona, about ten or twelve milee from its 
mouth, at a place not more than three hundred 
yarda from the Miaeouri, and a little above our 
camp. It then passes near the foot of the Bald- 
hillB, and ia at least sii feet below the level of the 
JpfiMouri, On its banks are the oak, walnut, and 
mulberry. The Gommoa current of tbe MisHonri, 
taken with the log, is 50 fathoms in 40", at BOme 
places, and even 20". 

Wcdneaday, Jufy 3ff.— The morning waa ftitr, 
and a gentle wind ftom fioutheaet by Aoutb, 
carried ue along between the prairie on the north, 
and Bald ialand to the eouth; opposite the mid- 
dle of which, tbe NiiihaahbatoDa approaches the 
nearest to the Miaeouri. The current here ran 
fifty ftithoma in 41', At thirteen and a half mites, 
yi« reached an ieland on the north, near to which 
66 



UP THE MlSSOnHI. 



f 



the bank? overflow; while od the aoath, the hilli 
project over the river and form high clifia. At 
ooe point a part of the clifT, nearly three-quarters 
of a mile ia leogth, and about two hundred fbet 
in height, has fallen into the river. It is composed 
chieS.y of sandstoDA int^rciixed With. On iruD orS 
of bad quality ; near the bottom ia a soil slnUy 
etone with pebbles. We p^sned several b&d eand- 
bars ia the course of the day, and made ei^bteea 
miles, aad encamped oa the south, oppoBite to tba 
lower point of the Oven ialandB. The country 
around ia generally divided into praiiieBr with Ilt> 
tie timber, except oa low points, islands, and near 
creelu)) a-nd tL&t conaiB-ting of cottOQwopd, mol- 
beiry, elm, and syvamore. The river iailn fa«t. 
An ladiandogcame to the bank; be appeared to 
have beeo lost and waa nearly starved : we gave 
him aome food, lint he would not follow us. 

Thursday, Jufy 19, — The Uvea islanda are small, 
and two in namber; one near the south shore, th4 
other in the middle of tbe river. Opposite to tbent 
is the prairie, called Terrien'e Oven, from a trader 
of that name. At four and a half mike, wa 
reached some high clitfa of a yellow earth, on the 
flOHth, near which are two beautiful ruas of water, 
rising in the Adjacent prairies, and one of them, 
with a (leer-lick, about two hundred yards from 
its mouth. In thle neighbourhocid we obeerred 
eome iron ore in the bank. At two and a balf 
miles above the rnuB, a lar^ portion of the bill, 
for ne&Tij three-quartere of a mile, has fiillen into 
the river. We encamped on the western extremity 
of an ieland, in the middle of the riTer, having 
made ten and three-quarter miles. The river falls 
a little. The eandbarK which we passed to-day^ 
are more nnmeroua, aod the rolling Bands more 
i^quentand dangerous, than any we have seen; 
67 




LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



theee obstacleB increasing as we approa^^h the 
river Platte. The MiBaoari here ia "vrider alao than 
below, where tht timb4;r on the banks resists the 
current; while here the prairies which appros-cbf 
are more easily washed and under mined. The 
hunters have brought for the last Tew daya, no 
quadruped, hut deer: great quantities of young 
giM5Be are seen to-day : one of them brought cala- 
mue, which he had gatiiered oppojsite our encamp- 
meat, and a large quantity of eweet-flag. 

Fridaj', Jaiy 20. — There waa a. hea-vy dew last 
night, and this morning was fuggy ajid cool. We 
poBsed at about three miles distance, a small wil- 
low iBland to the north, and a creek on the south, 
about twenty-five yarda wide, called by the 
French, L'Edu l)a\ Pleure, Or the Weeping Water, 
&nd emptying itself just aboTe a chff of browa 
clay. Thence we made two and a half miles to 
another iBland; three miles farther to a third : bIz 
miles beyond which is a fourth iBland ; at the 
head of which we eneamped on the eouthem 
ehore; in all eighteen mileB. The pa.rt-y, who 
walked on the uhore to-day, found the plains to 
the tiouth, rich, but ranch parched with IVequeat 
£iee, and with no timber, ej^cepc the Bcattering 
trees about the eotirvea of the nina, which are 
numerouB and Sac. On the north, i,; a uitnilar 
prairie country. The river (.'ontinnejj to fall. A 
large yellow wolf was this d.»y kilkd. For a 
mqnth past the party hav? been troubled with 
bifea, and oc<?ai<ionalIy with the dysentery. These 
biles were larg-- tumours which lirohe out under 
the arms, on i:Iie legn, and, gvncially, in the parts 
moatespufled to actiODj which fiooietimee became 
too painful to pcraiit the men to work. After re- 
inaiELng aoiue days, they disaplVeared without any 
assistance, except a poultice o!" the bark of tiie 
tJ8 



THE MISS0T7EI. 

dm, or of IndisD ineaL TUti disorder, which we 
ascribe to tbe muddin^etj of tbB river water, haa 
not affected the geoer&l health of the partj-, which 
ie quite as good, il' not better, than that of the 
B&m» number of men in any other situatiou. 

^iatapJaj-, Jaiy 'JT. — tt'e had a breeze from the 
HDutbeOEt, by the 4^d of which we paeaed, at 
abuut ten na\a&, a willow iHlund un The south, 
near high laadis covered with timljer, at the bant, 
and formed of limestone with cemented shells: on. 
the opposite side ia a had sandbar, aud the laud 
near it ia qut tJiroiiyh at high "vrater, by email 
chaaaelB forming a uuinh^T uf ielandEs. Tbe wind 
Inlled at eeven o'clock, and w«i reat^'hed, in the 
rain, the mouth of the great river P3att«f at the 
distance of fourteen milea. The highlands whielt 
had accompanied iib^ on the eouth, for the laat 
eight or ten loiles, Btopped at ahout three quarter* 
of a mile from the entrance of the Platte. Cap- 
tains Lewis and Clark aecended the river in a peri- 
ogue, for about one mite, and found the current 
very rapid ; rolling over eandBj and divided into a 
numbi^r ofchanuda; none of wliich ai^deepsr than 
five or eix ffeet. One of our Frenchmen, who spent 
two wintevB on it, says that it spreads much 
more at some distance from the mouth; that its 
depth ie generally not more than five or eis *eet ; 
that there are many araali iGlanda scattered 
through it, and that fl"om its rapidity and the 
quantity of ita saniJ, it cannot be navigated hy 
boats or perioguea, though the Indians pass it in. 
email flat caaoee mttdi: of hides. That the ^aliue^ 
or Salt river, wJiich in acme eeaHons ia too brack- 
ish to he drank, falls into it from the eouth about 
thirty miles up, and a Uttle above it Ellthorn 
river from the north, running nearly parallel with 
the Misaouri. The river ia, in fact, much mora 
^0 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'a ESTEDITION 



rapid than the MlBBoari, the bed of which it fllla 
-witb moving Banda, and driree the (Current on the 
northern ahore, on which it ie coQBtantly en- 
croachiag. At itd junctioit the I'latto is ahout six 
hundr^ yards wide, apd tiie same numherof mile* 
trom the MiBsiaeippi. With much difficulty we 
worked round the sandbars near the mouth, and 
came to above the pointj having made fifteen 
mllea. A number of evolves -rrere «eea and beard 
aronnd uk in the evening. 

Jaly 22.—Th-9 next niorpiBg we set eai], and 
having found at the distance often miles from the 
Platte, a hij^b and shaded situation on the north, 
ve encamped there, intending to make the requiT 
site observatLone, and to Bend for the neig'bbour- 
Ing tribes, for the purpose of making known the 
recent change in the ggverament, and the wish qf 
th« United Ijtates to cultivate tLeij" itiendsMp. 



TIP THE MISSOURL 



CHAPTER 11. 

Beme Account of tbe Pawn«i tndtans— C«UBdl bm vritb tbe 
OLto imd MlsuuJi IndJunB— Council beld wttli aDDtber p&rcf 
Ol LbC Otioes — DV^Oi of gerg^DC Flojd--Tbe parts engajup 
aefir the mouUi ol Wtill^aUne rlvar— TLu ^^LurotUir uf tbft 
Missouri, with, the rivers that enter lt--The ■lUTWundlnj 
i^iLiaEj-j'Tbe various ialandB, bafs^ creeks, Ac, ^ven In Q14 
mine fli Ui« expedition. 

Our camp is b^ obeeryatioD in latitude 41' 3' 
11'. Immediately behind it lb a plodii about five 
miles widej one half covered with wood^ the other 
drj aad elevated. The low grounds ob the south 
near the jiinction of the two rirere, are rich, but 
eubjett to be overflowed. Farther np, tbe bank^ 
are h]g;her, and oppodte our camp the &rBt tuUa 
approach the river, aad are covered with timber^ 
such aB oak^ waltiut, aud elm. The iDtermediata 
eountry i« watered by the Papilloa, or Butterfly 
creek, of about eig'hteen ^arde ivide, and three 
mjlea from the Platte ; on the north are high open 
plains aad prairie«, and at nine milea Aotd ths 
Platte, the Moaquito creek, aud two or three 
email willow islande. We stayed here eeveral 
days, during which we dried our proviHtons^ made 
new oara, and prepared our debpatclieb and luapa 
of the country we bad paseed, for the president 
of the United States, to whom we intend to aend 
them by a perio^e from this place. The huutera 
have foand g:ame acarce in this neighbourhood; 
they have seen deer, turkeys, and ^rouH<! ; we have 
alao an abundance of ripe grapeB; and one of our 
men caught a white catfish, the eyes of which 
were HBiall, and its tail resera-bling that ofadol- 
71 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S ESPEWTION 

phin. The present season is that in which the 
Indiana go out itito the prairies to htint the buf- 
falo; but ae we di«cov«red eonie hunter'ii trairkg, 
and observed t!ie plsinis on fire in tlie direction of 
th^ir villages, vrs hoiied thiit ttey might have re- 
turned to gathiir the green Indian corn, aiid 
[.therefore deepatehed two men to the Ottoee or 
Pawnee Tillages with a preeent oi'toliai^co, and an 
invitation to the cliii-'ft to visit us. They returned 
after two duy« al>8eiice. Their &rst course "wae 
through an open (>ruirie to the Bouth, in which 
they i;roa*ied Butterfly creek. They then reached a 
small beautiflil river, called Come de Cerf, or Elk- 
torn river, about one hundred yards wide, with 
cleac water and a gravelly chantiel. Itempti^ a 
little below the Ottoe villag« into the Platte, 
wMcb they uros^ed, aad arrived at the town' 
about forty-Qve miles fbom our camp. They 
found no Indians there, though they saw Bome 
fresh tracks of a email party. The Ottoea were 
one* a powerfiil nation, and lived about twenty 
miles above the Platte, on the southern bank of 
the Missouri, Being reduced, they migrated to the 
neighbourhood of the Fawuees, under whose pro- 
tection they now live. Their village ita on the ■ 
south side of the Platte, about thirty imleBftom 
its mouth; aud their number ih two hundred men, 
including about thirty fkmiliea of Miseoiiri Indiana, 
"whg are incorporated Tvith them. Five league* 
above them, an the same side of the river, r&aideB 
the nation of i'awneeu. Thii^ people were among 
the most numeroue of the Miseoori Indiana, but 
have g^rodually been dispersed and broken, and 
even since the year ITHT, have ondergone BOme 
Be naible changes. Theynon* eonsLst of four bands; 
the firut is the one juat mentioned, of about five 
hundred men, to whom of late y^are have been 
72 



UP TEE MISSODKI. 

added the second band, who art trailed republleoa 
Pawneea, from tieir baving lived on the repub- 
lican branch of the river Kan?fle, whence they 
emigrate to join the prindpal baud of I^awneea; 
the republican Pawaees amount to nearly two 
hundred and fifty men. The third, are the faw- 
neee LoTips, or Wolf Pawnfcte, who reside on the 
Wolf fork of the Platte, ahout ninety miles from 
the piiudpal Pawneee, aod number two buoiired 
and eighty men. The fourth band orlgtcally re- 
sided on the Kanzaa and Arkansaw, but in their 
wara with the Osages, they were ho often deffeated, 
that they at last retired tu their present poeition 
on the Hed riTer, where they form a tribe of four 
hundred men. All these tribes live in Tillages, and 
raise corn; but during the intervala of culture rove 
in the plains in quest of buETiilo. 

Beyond them on the rirer, and westward of the 
Block tnouataiflft, are the KaninavieschjConaiating 
of about four hundred men. They are supposed 
to have emigrated originally from the Pawnees 
nation ; but they have degenerated from the im- 
provemente of the parent tribe, end no longer live 
in Tillages, bat rove through the plaice. 

Still further to the westward, are several tribes, 
who wander and hunt on the sources of the river 
Flatt«, and thence to Bock Mountain. These 
tribes, of which little more ia known than the 
oamea and the population, are fir^t, the Staitaa, 
or ICite Indians, a small tribe of one hundred men. 
They haTe acquired the name of Kites, from their 
flying; that is, their being always on horseback; 
and the gmallneBs of their numbers is to be at- 
tributed to their es.treme feroeity; they ore the 
most warlike of all the we^teru Iiidiaua; they 
never yield in battle; they never spare their ene- 
toieei and tha retaliation of thia barbarity has 
73 



LEWIS AiND CLAUK'S ESFEDITION 



Ajtboat ^xtingiiiebed the Datidii. Then com« tba 
Wetapahato, and Kiawa tribes, associated to- 
£etli«r, and ^.laouatmg to two buDdred m«a; the 
Caetahaoa, of three hundred men, to wbicii are to 
"be added the Cataia of aeventy-five men, and the 
Botami. These wandering tribes, are conjectured 
to be the retanaiitH of the Great Padouca nation, 
who occupied the couatry between the upper parte 
of tbe liver Flatte, and tbe lirer KaDstte. Tbey 
were visited by Bourgemont, io 1124, and then 
lived on the Kanzaa river. The Beats, which lie 
dcflcribes as their residence-, are now occupied by 
the Kanzas nation^ aud of the Padoiica«, there 
does not now exiet even the name. 

Juiy 2T, — HaTiog completed tbe object of our 
Bta^] we Bet sail, witb a pleasant breeze from tbo 
N. W, The two horaea awam over to the Boutbem 
shore, along which we went, passing by an island, 
at thr«e and a haJfmilee, formed bj a pond, fed 
'by sprmga: three miles further is a large saiid 
Island, IB tiie middle of the river; tbe land on the 
south being high, and covered with timber ; that 
on the north, a high prairie, At ten and a half 
miles from our encampment, we saw and exam- 
ined a curious collection of graves or mounds, on 
the south side of tbe river. Not fkr from a low 
piece oi" land and a pond, is a tract of about two 
hundred acree in eircomference, which ie covered 
with mounds of dlflerent heights, Bhapee, and 
fliiee : some of sand, and some of both earth and 
sand ; the largest being nearest the river. These 
mounds indicate the position of the ancient village 
of the Ottoes, before tiiey retired to tbe protection 
of the Pawnees. After making fifteen miles, we 
encamped on the south, on the bank of a high 
handsome prairie, with lofty cottonwood in 
groves, near tbe river. 

71 



THE MSSOmtt. 



July 28. — At am mile, tbie moFDiDg- we readied 
a bluff, on the north, beiii^ the firet hightauds, 
which approach the river ou that side, Bince we 
left the Nodawa. Above tbk, is an ieland and a 
creek, about fifteen yards vride, \rhich, as it baa 
no Qflffiei we called lodiao Knob ci^ek, from a 
namber of rQuod kaobe bare of timber, on tba 
tighlaDda, to the north. A little below the blufl*, 
on the northj ia the epot where the Ajauwaj 
Indiana formerly lived. They were a branch ofthe 
Ottoes, and emigrated from, thia place to the river 
DeemoineB. At tea and three-quarter miles, we 
eneamped on the north, oppoBite an inlaud, ia the 
middle of the river. The land, generally, on the 
north, coneiatH of high prairie and hilla^ with tim- 
ber: on the fionth, low and tovered witheotton- 
wopd. Our hunter brought to ub In the evening, 
a Miaaoarl Indian, whqm he had found, witb 
two othere, dreHsing an elk; they were peribctly 
^endly, g^ave htm. aome of the meat, and one of 
them agreed to accompany him to the boat. He 
ifl One of the fbw reoiaiiiiDg Misecuria, who live 
with the Ottoee: he belongs to a small party, 
whose camp ie four miles ftom the river; and he 
eaye, that the body of the aation ie now hunting 
buffalo in the plains; he appeared quite aprig'htly, 
and hie language reaeinbled that of the Osage, 
patijculariy in hie calling a chief, iuca. We Bent 
him back with one of our party next mOming, 

Sud(Jrj, July Sa, with an invitation to theln- 
diaaej to meet ub above on the river, and then pro- 
ceeded, Wb Hoon came to a northern bentl in the 
rivec, which rune within twenty yards of Indian 
Knob creek, the water of which i& five feet higher 
than that ofthe MleBouri. In les^ tban two miles, 
we paseed Boyer'e cr«ek on the north, of twenty- 
five yaj^B width. We stopped to dine under a 
75 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



ebtide, near the bighlaod on the Houth, and caught 
Beveral largQ catftehj one of them nearly white, 
and all very fat. Above this Mgbland, we ob- 
served the traces of a great hurricane, which 
passed the river obhqnely from X. W. to 8. E. 
and topfc up large trees, some of which perftctly 
sound, and four feet Id diameter, were snapped oF 
near the grouud, W^ made tun miles to a wood 
OD the north, where we encamped. Tbi? MiEBOuri 
1b much more crooked, since we paaaed the rirer 
Platte, though generally speaking, not ao rapid; 
more of prairie, with leae- timher, and cottonwood 
Id the low grounds, and oak, black walnut, hick- 
ory, and etni. 

Jalf' 30. — We went early in the morning, three 
and aqnarter milea, aod encamped on the eouth, 
in order to wait for the Ottoes. The land here 
coDHists ofa plain, above the tlghwater level, the 
BPil of which is :fertile, and covered with a gra^K 
ftom Qve to eight l^t high, int^rsperged with 
copBes of lar^ plums, and a curcant, like thoee of 
the United States. It atso furuisheH two upeciea of 
hofteysuekle; one growing to a kind of shrub^ 
common about narrodshurgh (Kentuefcjj, the 
other is not BO high: the fiowere grow in clusters, 
are Bbort, and of a light pink colour; the Uavea 
too, are diatinct, and do not surround the stalk, 
SfS do those of the cooiiuon houejijutkle of the 
United States. Back of this plain, is a woody 
ridge about seventy feet above it, at the end of 
which we formed our -camp. This ridge separates 
the lower from a higher prairie, of a good quality, 
with grasK, often or twelve incbe^i in Iiti^ilht, and 
extending back about a miie, tfl another elevation, 
of eighty or ninety feet, bejOnd which is one con- 
tinued plain. Near our camp, we eujoy frOm the 
bluSs B. mo.at beaatil\il view of the river, aodth* 
76 



UP THE MiaaouRr. 



adjoiniag coaatrj. At a distance, varyiiig ftom 
four tfO ten mileH, and of a height between eeventy 
and three hnndred feet, two purallel ran^s of 
highland atlbt^B & fiRAsbgt td the MisBOuli, ^vhlcb. 
enriches the low pounds between them. In its 
■winding cpurse, it nourishes the wiESow islands, 
the scattered cottoaw^aod, elm, Hycamore, lynn, 
and asli, and the Rrorea are interepereed with 
hickory, walnut, coffeenut, and oak, 

Jul}- SI.— The meridian altitnde of this day 
made the latitude of our camp 41' 18 1^', The 
hQnters supplied uh with deer, turkeys, geese, and 
beaver; ooe of ttie lost waaca.ught alire, and in n 
Terj eliort time waa perffectly tamed. Catfish are 
Tery abundant in the river, and we have also aeen 
a baffalo fliih. One of our men brought in yeater- 
day ftn Animal eaHed, by the PawnecB, chOcat^ 
tooeh, and, by the French, blaireau, or badger. 
The ev^ningr ie cool, yet the mo^uitoee are etJU 
very troubleaome. 

W« waited with much aniiety the return of 
oor meBBenger to the Ottoes. The men whom we 
dgapatched to our last eDcanipment, returned 
without having seen any appearance of its having 
been vialted. Oar hprgea too had strayed ; but we 
were eo fartunate aB to recover them at the dia- 
tance of twelve mile». Our appreheDBions were at 
length relieved by the arrival of a party of about 
fourteen Ottoe and Miseoari Indians, who eame at 
ennBet, on the second df Anguatj Accompanied by 
a Frenchman, who resided among tliem, and in- 
terpreted for UB. Captains Lewie and Clark- went 
out to meet them, end told them that we would 
hold a council in the morning, In the mean time 
we Bent them Bome roasted meat, pork, flonr, and 
meal; in return for which they aiade us a present 
of watermelons. We learnt that our man Liberie 
77 



LEWIS AXD CLAEK'S EXPEDITIOX 



had Bet oat from tbeir camp a da; before tbem ; 
we were in hopcB that he had fatigued hia horae, 
or lost himBelf in the woods, and wonld booh r& 
tdru; but 'WC n-ever eaw him Bgaia. 

Ajjgast 3, — The n*it morning the Indiana, with 
ttielr BIX chiefH, were all aaeembled under an awu- 
ing, rormed with the mainsail, in presence of all 
our party, paraded for the occasion. A speech, 
wflfl then made, announcing to them the change 
in the government, Our prOmisfea Of prOttCtitin, and 
advice as to their fliture conduct. All the six 
chieft replied to our speech, each in tie turn, ac- 
cording to rank : they expreeeed thejr joy at the 
change in the gaverBiasnt; their Lopea that we 
would recommend them to their Rwat father (the 
president), that they might obtaia trade and 
neceeHariee ; they wanted arms ae well for himting 
as for defence, and ejsked our mediation betweea 
"them and the Mabae, with whom they are bow at 
war. Wepromified to do bo, and wiahed eome of 
them to Sfcompany uh to that nation, which they 
declined, for fear of being kilted lay them. We then 
proc(!eded to dJistribiite niir presentB. The grand 
duefof the nation not heingof the party, we sent 
him a fag, a medal, and Bome oraam«Dte for 
clothing. To the fiix <:hiefB who were present, we 
gave a medal of the second grade to one Ottoe 
chief, and one Missouri chief; a medal of the third 
grade to two infbrior chiefe of each nation: the 
castomary mode of recognidng a chief, being to 
place a medal round hie neck, wtiich 1b couBidered 
among hie tribe as a proof of hie cooelderatloa 
abroad. Each of theee medala was accompanied 
bj a present of paint, garters, and clotli orna^ 
meats of dress ; and to this we abided a canister 
of powder, a bottle of whiskey, and a few presenta 
to the whole, which appeared to ma^ke them per- 
78 



UP THE M^SOUBI. 

ftctly Bfttisfied. The air-gTin too waa fired, and 
oetoniHlied them greatly. The abaent grand chief 
was an Ottoe, named Weahruehbah, which, in 
English, degenerates into Little Thief. Tte two 
principal chieftaiua preaent were, Sbongotongo, 
or Big Horee; and Wethea, or HoBpitalityf alao 
ShoBpiBcan, or White Horse^ an Ottoe; theflrat an 
Ottoe, tbc second a MlBsouri. The incideiite just 
related, induced ua to give to thja place the name 
of the Council-bluff; the Bjtnation of it ie exceed- 
ingly favourable for a fort and trading factory, as 
the soil is well calculated for bricks, and there ib 
an abundance of wood in the neighbourhood; and 
the air being pure and healthy. It is also central 
to the chief ceeortB of the Indlane: one day's 
Journey to the Otto«s; one and a half to the great 
Pawnees; two days IVgm the Mahaa; two and a 
quarter ftom the PawneeH Loups village; con- 
Tenient to the hunting- grounda of the Sious; and 
t-wenty-flTe days jouriifly to i^anta Pee. 

The ceremoniea of the couneil being concluded, 
we Bet Bail in the aflernoon, and encamped at the 
distance of five mile^, on the south side, where we 
fbund the moequitoea very troublefiotue. 

Aagvst 4. — A violent wind, accompanied by 
rain, purified and cooled the atmoBphere last 
night; we proceeded early, and reached a very 
naci-ow part of the river, where the channel is 
confined within a space of two hundred yardsj by 
a sand point on the north, and a bend on the 
Bonth ; tb« hanks in the neighbourhood wanhtug 
away, the trees (klling in, and the channel filled 
with buried logs. Abore this ie a trading houae, 
on the eouth, where one of our party passed two 
yeara, trading with the Mahaa, At nearly four 
mileBr is a creek on the south, emptying opposite 
a large iBland of eand ; between this creek and our 
7Q 



Iwt night'e eneampmeiit, the river has changed 
its bed, and eacroaclied on the southern shore. 
About two JuileB further, is another creek on the 
Bouth, which, like the former, m the outlet of three 
ponds, commuiiicfltmg with each other, and form- 
ing 61 small lake, whith is f^ bj atreamB from the 
lijghlands. At fifteen miles, we encamped on the 
eoath. The bills on both side« of the river are 
nearly twelve or flfteea miles from each other; 
those of the north coDtalniii^ ^ome timber, wiule 
the Mils of the south are without any covering, 
ezcept Bome scattering wood in the ravines, and 
near where the creeks pa^s into the billH, rich 
plarioa and prairies occupying the interia^i^tQ 
Bpace, and portlallf covered, near the water, with 
Cottonwood, Tb&re has been a grtat deal of 
pumice-etone on the shore to-day. 

August 5,— We set out early, and, by meanfl of 
our oara, m^£ tfrenty and. a half milee., thongh 
the river was crowded with sandbarH. On both 
eidee the prairies extend along the river ; the bauka 
being covered with great quaatitiee of grapee, of 
which three dUEerent Bpedes are now ripe; one 
large and resembling the parple grape. We bad 
Bouie rain this morniHg, attended by high wind; 
but geueraUy speaking, have remarked that thun- 
der Btorma are le^ frequent than in the Atiaotic 
staitee, at thla BeaeoD. Bnakes too are leee fre- 
quent, though we kiiled one to-day of the ehapo 
and siae of the rattleenake, but of a lighter colour. 
We fixed our camp on the north side. In the 
evening, Captain Clark, in pursuing some game, 
in an e^i^tern direction, found himeelf at the di-S* 
tance of three hundred and seventy yards from the 
camp, at a poiut of the river whence we bad come 
twelve Toiles. When the water is high, this penin- 
Bula is overflowed, and judging from the cimtom- 
8U 



UP THE MISSOTTBI. 



id notorious chan^B in the river, a f^w 
T^ar^ will be sufficiewt fco force the main current 
of the river acrQBa, and leave th? ^reat bend dry. 
The whole lowlund between the jjaralle! range of 
hiUs seems formed of mud or ooze of the river, at 
some former period, mixed Kith sand aod clQj. 
The eand uf the neighbouriDg banka Eu;cumulat«Q 
with the aid of that hrougUt down the Btream, 
and forma Handbars, projecting into tbe river; 
these drive the channel to the opposite banksv the 
loose texture of which it undermineB, and at 
length deMerta its andent bed for a tiew and 
shorter po^sa^; it is thue that tlie baoke of the 
Misscmri are conatantly falling, and ths river 
changing ita bed. 

August fi. — In the morning, after a violent atorm 
of wind and rain from \. \V. we paaaed a large 
island ta the north. la the channel separating it 
from the shore, a crwfc called Soldier's river 
entcra; the ii^land kept it from our view^, butpqe 
of OQT men who had seen it, representa it aa about 
forty yarda wide at its mouth. At five niilea, wb 
came to a bend of the river towarda the north, a 
sandbar, rtinmng in ftom the bouth, bad turtted 
ita courae so a» to leave the old channel quite 
dry. We agaia saw the same appearance at our 
encampment, twenty aad a half miles diatant on 
the north aide. Here the channel of the river had 
encroached uouth, and tlie old bed was -without 
water, except a few ponds. The sandbars are 
still very nnnieroue. 

Aagust T. — We had another storm from, the N- 
W. in the course of the last evwoiug; in the morn- 
ing we proteedenl, having the wind from the north, 
and encamped on the northern shore, having 
rowed seventeen miles. The river ia here encum- 
bered with sandbars, bat no islands, except two 
Vol. I,— ti 81 



omall oaea, called Detachment islands, and formed 
on the uouth eJde \ty a small Btream. 

We deepatcted four mea back to the Ottoee vil- 
lage in quBRt of our man, Liberte, and to appre- 
hend one of the aoldiers, who left ua on the 4th, 
Duder pretence Of tecovering a knife Tvh.ich he bad 
dropped a short dietance behind, and who we f^ar 
hRBd«Berted. We aUo B«Dt small presentB to the 
Ottoea aod MiBsourie, and requested that the; 
would join n& at the Maha village, where a peace 
might be concluiied between them, 

Aaffust S.— At two miles distance, tMa tnOrning 
we came to a part of the river, where there was 
concealed titnb«r difficult to pasw. The wind was 
fVom the N. W. and we proceeded in safety. At 
six miles, a river emptieB on the northern aide, 
called by the Sioax IndianSj Eaneahwadepon, or 
Stone river; and by the French, Petite Riviere dee 
Sioux, or Little Sioux river. At its confluence it 
ia eighty yarde wide. Our interpreter, Mr, DiirioD, 
who has been to the eourcea of it, and knowe the 
adjuining country, says that it riBes within about 
nine milee of the river DeBmoines; that within 
fifteen leagues of that riyer it pasees through a 
large lalte nearly sixty miles in circumference, and 
divided into two parts by rocks which approach 
each other very closely: its width is various: it 
contains many ielaodB, and ie known by the name 
of the Lacd'EBprit: it is near the Dog-plains, and 
within four days mareh of the MahuB. The coun- 
try watered by it, is open and undulating, and 
may be visited in boats up the river for some dis- 
tance. The Desmoinee, he adds, is about eighty 
yards wide where tJie Little Sioux river ap- 
proaches it : it is ehoaly, and one of ite principal 
branehes ia called Cat river. Two milee beyond 
this river is a long island which we called I'elican 
83 



TIP THE MISSOCEI. 



Idaod, fVom the nuiiiberB of that aniinal whicb 
were feeding on it: one of these being killed, wt 
ponred into his bag five gallons of water. An elk, 
too, waa Kbot, and we huid again to remark tbat 
snakes are rare in this part of the Misaouii. A 
meridian altitude aear the Little Sioux river made 
the latitude 41' 42' 34*. We encamped on the 
north, having: come sixteen mile*. 

August 0. — A thick fog detained us until past 
B6ren o'clock, aftec which Tve proceeded ivith a 
gentle breese ftom the Boutheuat. Aft^r pa^^tng 
two eandbfire we reached, at seven and a half 
mileB, a point of highland on the left, near which 
the river haa farced itself a cbaonel across a 
peninanla, leaving on the right a circuit oftweive 
or eighteen, niilea, which Ih. ilow recogniEed hy the 
ponds and ielands it coDtains. At seTenteen and 
a half mileg, we reached a potat on the Dorth, 
where we encamped. The hills are at a great die- 
tancB from the river for the laet eevera] days; the 
land on both aidea low, and covered with eotton- 
wood and abundance of grape vinea. An elk was 
Been to-daj-, a turkej- aUo shot, and near our 
camp ia a beaver dea; the motiquitoe? have been 
more troobleeome than ever for the two last days. 

AvgUBt 10.—A.t, two and a half milea, we came 
to a place, called Coupee a Jacques, where the 
river has found a new bed, and abridged a cireuit 
of Several milea : at twelve and a half miles, a cliff 
ofjeliow stone on the left. Thisja the first Mgh- 
laod uear ttie river above the Council-bluff. AAer 
paeeing a number of sandbars we reached a wil- 
low island at the diatanee of twenty-two and a 
half milea, which we were enabled to do with our 
oats and a wind from the H. W. and encamped on 
the north eide. 

August 11, — Aiter a violent wind from the N. W. 
83 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S ESPEDITI(yS 

attended with raia, we a&iled alang the right of 
the island. At nearly five miles, we halted gn the 
Boath BJde for the purpojje of eiamiulag a epot 
where odb of the great chiefs of the Mahae named 
Blackbird, who died about four years ago of the 
Binali-pox, w'SLR buried. A hill of j-ellow Boft eand- 
Htone risea from the river in hluffs of Tarions 
)ieig;hta, till it ends in a knoll about thrte hun- 
dred feet above th? w^a.ter ; on the tpp of thie & 
mound, of twelve feet dianiet«r at the base and 
His feet high, in raieed over the body of the de- 
ceased king; a pale of about eig^ht ftet high ia 
fixed in the centre; on which we placed a white 
flag, bordered With red, blue, and white. The 
Blackbird eeems to have been a personage of ^reat 
cousideratioQ ; for ever since bia death be is sup- 
plied with proviBioiiB, from time to time, hy the 
BuperBtitioQB regard of the Mahaa. We deecended 
to the river and passed a email creek on the 
soutk., called, by the Mahaa, Wancandipeethe, 
(Great Spirit is bad. J Near thia creek and the 
adfoLaing hills the Maha^ had a yillage, and lo&t 
four hundred of their nation by the dreadful 
malady which destroyed the Blackbird. The me- 
ridian altitude made the latitude 42' 1 3j_Y 
north. We encamped, at seventeen miles distance, 
on the north eide in a bend of the river. Duriog 
our day's course it has been crooked ; we observed 
a number of pla<:ea in it where tlie old cbanQel ia 
filled up, or gradually beooming covered with wil- 
low and Cottonwood; great numberB of herons 
are observed to-day, and the moequitoea annoy ua 
very much. 

Augnfft J2, — A gentle breeze fVora the soiitt, 

carried ue along about ten niiW, when we Btopped 

to take a meridian altitude, and sent a man 

acroEn to our pl4ice of observation: yealerday he 

8-t 



UP THE MIB80UEI. 

stepped nine hundred and fieventj-rour yards, and 
the distance we had come round, was eighteen 
miles and three-quartern. The river ie wider and 
Ehallqwer thaq u«u&l. Four milee bejond this 
bend a bluffhegios, and continuea aereral mileB; 
on the south it risea froia the water at different 
heights, from twenty to one hundred and fifty 
feet, and higber as it recedes on the rirer: it coa- 
Biste of yellow and brown clay^ "with soft eand- 
etone imbedded in it. and is coTered ivith timber, 
among which may be obBerred Bome red cedar: 
the landa on the opposite Ride are low and Bubject 
to inundation, but contain -willowa, cottonwood, 
and many gropes. A prairie-wolf came near the 
banli (Lud barked at us; we attempted unsuccess- 
fully to take him. This part of the river abgitDde- 
in b«ayer. We encaniped on a Hand-inlaud in a 
bead to the north, having made twenty milee and 
a quarter. 

AuguEt. 13. — Set out at daylight with a breeze 
ttam the southeast, and passed sereral sandbars. 
Between ten and eleven miles, we came to a spot 
qu the south, where a Mr. Mackay had a trading 
eatabliahment in the year 1795 and ITSMJ, which 
he called Fart Charles. At fourteen milee, we 
reat^hed a creek on the south, on which the Mahaa 
reside, and at «event*eo mileu and a quarter, 
formed a camp ou a J^andbar, to the south Bide of 
the rJTer, opposite the lower point of a large 
island. From this place Berg^ant Ordway and 
four men were detached to the Maha village with 
a flag and a preaent, in order to induce them to 
come and hold a council with ua. They returned 
at t'welve o'clock the next day, August 14. After 
crossing a prairie covered with high grass, they 
reached the Maha creek, along which they pro- 
ceeded to itfi three forks, which joia near the ril- 
85 



LEWIS AND CLAEE'S EXPEDITION 

lag«: they cross^ the north branch and wentj 
along the Hoath ; the walk was rery fatiguing', asJ 

they were forced to break their way through.^ 
graea, eundowem and tbistleB, all above ten fbet 
high, and intf rsperecd Trith wild pea. Five milee I 
from our camp they reached the position of the 
ancient Maiia viUage; it hod once consisted of 
three hundred cabiua, but wrs burnt phout four 
years ago, eoon after the emallpox bad destroyed 
four hundred men, and a proportaon of women ^- 
and children. On a hill, in the rear of the village, fl 
are the graveB Of the nation ; to the eouth of 
which runs the fork of the Maba creek r this they 
crossed inhere it ^pag about ten yards Tridp, eqd ^| 
followed its courBo to the Missouri, pauBlng along ( 
a ridge uf hill for oae and a half milej and a long 
pond between that and the Mieaouri; they then 
recroftsed the Maha creek, and arrived at the 
camp, havijig seen no tracks of Indiana nor any 
fngn of recent cnltivation. 

In the moming 15tb, Home tuea were sent to 
examine the canse of a large Binoke fi-om the. 
northeaat, and which seemed to indicate that 
some Indiang were near; but they found that a 
small party, who had lately passed that w&y, had 
left aome trees huruing, and that the wind from 
tliat quarter blew the emoke directly towarda ue: 
Our camp lies about three milea northeaat Grom 
the old Maha village, and ia in latitude ia° 13' 
41". The aocountB we have had of the effecte of 
the emanpoK on that nation are moat distressing; 
it i« not known in what way it was first com- 
municated to them, thongh probably by somewar 
party. They had been a milltai'y aad powerful 
people; but when theae warriors saw their 
Btrength wauting before a malady whieh they 
could not resist, their frenzy was extreme; they 
86 



UP THE MISSODBI. 

bnmt their village, and maay of tb^m pat to 
death their wives and qhildren, to save them from 
BD cruel aa afflietioD, and tbat aU might ^ to- 
gether to some bettfip country. 

On the iGth, we still wait^ for the Indiana: a 
party had gone out j'estecday to the Maha cretk, 
which wa*i dammed up bj the beaver between the 
camp and the village ; a second ~went to-day. 
They made a. Mud of drag- with email willows and 
bark, and awept the creek: the first campaoj 
hrought three hundred and eighteen, the aecand 
npwardA of eight hundred^ coneiating of pike, bass, 
flah reaembling^ salmon, trout, redhoi^e, baffaCo, 
one rodcfiahr one flatbafk, perch, catfish, a email 
BpecieB of perch called, oa the Ohio, BilverQeh, a 
ehrimp of the same eize, shape and flavour of 
those about New OrleanB, and the lower part of 
the MiBsiBBippi. We aleo foand very fat muBcles; 
and On the fiver aa well aa the creek, are difierent 
kinds of ducke and plover. The wind, which in the 
m.ormng had been ftom the uorthweet, shifted 
round in tbe eveoiDs to the Boutheaat, and as 
GEaal we had a breeze;, which cooled the air and 
retieved ua ft-om the moequitoeBj who generally 
give ua great trouble. 

Friday 17. — The wind continued from the sOoth- 
efte-t, and the m-gmlng was fair. We obserro 
about UB a grass rewmbUug wheat, ejtcept that 
the grain \a like rye, also some eimilar to both 
rye and barley^ and a kind of timothy, the seed 
of which branches from the main Htock, and ia 
niore like a flaxseed than a timothy. In tha 
evening, one of the party Bent to the Otfcoea, re- 
turned with the iaforcifttion that the rest were 
coming ou with the dunerter : they had also caught 
Liberte, hut, by a trick, he made his escape : they 
■were bringing three of the chiefs in order to en- 
87 



LEWIS A.ND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



gB.ge oar osaiataace in making peiiite: with the 
Mahas. This nation having left their Tillage, that 
deeiraljle purpo&e cannqt be eS'wted ; but iu crder 
ta bring in nnj ndghbouring tiibes, we t^et the 
BnrrouiKliiii^ prairies ou fire. ThEe ie the tuatom- 
ary signal made by tracers to apprise the Indiana 
of their arrival: it is alfto aswi between diffet-etit 
nationa lis flQ indication of any event which they 
have previously agreed to announce in that way ; 
aad as hood tm it ia seen coll«;tfi the neighbouring 
tribuH, uuieea they apprehend that it is made by 
their enemica. 

August 18. — In the afternoon the party orriTed 
frith the Indiaog, coneiKtiug of the Little Thief and 
the Big Horee, whom we had seen on the third, 
together with six other chieftj and a French in- 
terpreter. We met them under a shade, oud after 
they had flnished a repast with which we supplied 
them, we inquired into the origin of the war be- 
tween them and the Mabaa, which they related 
with great fraakneee. It seems that two of the 
Missoufjs went to the Mahas to Btefll boreeH, but 
were detected ant] tdlled ; the OttoeB and Misi^onriB 
thought themeelvcB bouDd to avengo their com- 
paaions, and the whole nationu were at last 
obliged to share in the dispute ; they a*« also in 
fear of a war from the Pawnees, whose village 
they eutcrod thie suraiuer, while the inhabitants 
were hunting, and etole their com. This ingenn- 
ous confession did not make us the lesa deBtrouB 
of negotiating a peace for them; but no Indiana 
have as yet been attracted hy our Are. The eveo- 
ing "waa closed by a dance ; and the next day, 

Au^st 1&, the chiefs and warrigrij. being as- 

seiubled at ten o'clock, we explained the speech 

WE had already sent from the Conacil-bluffs, and 

renewtJii our advice. They all replied in turn, and 

88 



UP THE MISSOUfU. 

tli6 presents -were then diatri'buted : we exchanged 
the amall medal ^ve had formerly gJ^en to thij Big 
Horse for one of tie same aize with that of Little 
Thief: we also gave a amall medal to u third 
chief, and a kind of certificate or letter of ac- 
knoTvledfjment to fl^e of the warriors expressive 
of our fcLTour and their good iBtentiona: one of 
them, difiRatieded, returned ns the certlficftt«; hot 
the chief, fearf^il of our being' offended^ bcg'ged that 
itmightJbe reBtored to him; this we declined, and 
rebuked them severely for having in view mere 
traffic instead of peace with their neighbours. 
This displeased them at first; but they at length 
all petitioned that it should he given to the war- 
rior, who then eame forward aud made an apol- 
ogy to ua; WB then delivered it to the chief to b« 
given to the moet worthy, and he bestowed it on 
the eame warrior, whoae name was Great Bine 
Gyea. Afler a mure enhstantial present of Bmoll 
articles and tobauro, the council was ended with 
a dram to the Indians, In the evening we ex- 
bibited different otijects of eurioaity, and particu- 
larly the alrgun, whicb gave them great surpriee. 
Thoefc people are almost naked, having no cover- 
ingf eicept a sort of breechcloth round the middle, 
with a loose blanket or bufialo robe paint«d, 
thrown over them. The nauDee of theee warriors, 
besides those already mentioned, were £arkapaha, 
(or Crow's head) and Kenaeawa for Black Cat) 
MlBsourie; and Sananona (or Iron I^yes) Nee- 
waunja (or Big OxJ Sta,geauuja (or Big Blue 
Eyes) and Wasaehaco (or Brave Man) all 
Ottoes. Theee t'lvo tribes epeak. very nearly 
the Bame language : they all begged oa to give 
them whiskey. 

The next morningf August 20, the Indiana 
mounted their horees and left us, having received 
89 



LEWIS AND CLATtK'S EXPEDITION 



a canister of wMekey at parting. We tLen set 
B&il, and alter passing two iHlands od the Dorth, 
came to on that etde uocler Bome bluffe; the fir&G 
iiflar the river since we left the Ayauwa village. 
Here w« had the miBfortune to loee onp of 
our sergeants, Charles Floyd, He was yesterday 
eeized with a hiliouB colic, and all our care and 
attention were laefleetual to relieve liim : a little 
before his death, he eaid to captain Clark, "I am 
going to leave you," hia strength failed him as he 
added, "I want you to wxit* me a lett«r;" but he 
died with a coiapoBure wliich juBtified tbe high 
opinion we had rormed of his firmneBS and good- 
conduct. He waa turied on the top of the bluff, 
with the honours due to a brave soldier ; and the 
pla<^« of hia inttrmetit marked by a cedar poet, an 
which hia name and the day of lug death were in* 
scribed. About p. mile beyond thia place, to which 
we gave hia name, is a Bmall river about thirty 
yardB wide, on the north, which we called Floyd's 
river, where we encami>ed. We had a breCBe from 
the ftoutheaet, and made thirteen miles. 

Aagust 21. — Tbe Hame breeze IVom the eouth- 
east carried vn by a email willow creefe on tbfrj 
north, about one mile and a half above Floyd'S; ' 
river. Here began a range of bluOs which con- 
tinued till near the mouth of the great Sioux river^^ 
three mileB beyond Floyd's. Thia river cornea in 
(rom the north, and is about one hundred and tea 
yards wide. Mr. Durion, our 8ioU5 jntevpreter, 
who \a well acquainted with It, Bays that it ia 
navigable upwanJa of two hundred miles to tbe 
f^lle, and even beyond them; that itB Bources are 
near those of the St. Tetera. He al^ aaye, that 
beloTT the falls a creek falla in from the east^ffArd, 
after passing through giifia of red ropk; of this the 
IndiouB make their pipes; and the necesdty of 
90 



UP THE MISSOUHI. 

procuring that article, has iDtrodaced a sort of 
law of nations, by whicli the banks of tlie creek 
are Bacred^ aod even tribee at war meet without 
liOBtility at these gnarriea, whkh paaaeaB i^ right 
of asylum. Thus ws find even among eavagiw 
cerfcaia prinLiples deemed sacred, bj whicll the 
rigours of their mepcilesB syetcm of wapfhre are 
mitig'atfd. A eeaee of 4;omiQon danger, wht;re 
stronger ties are wanting, pvea all the binding 
force of more solemn obligations. The importance 
of preaerving the known and settled nilee of war- 
fare among' civiliaed nationa, in all their integrity, 
becomes atrikiugiy eTident; dnce even eavagee, 
with their fbw precarious wants, cannot eidBt in 
a Btate of peace or war where tbie faith ie once 
Tiolated. The wind became southerly, and blew 
with such violence that "we took, a reef in our eail ; 
it alao blew the sand from the bare in «iich qnas- 
titieSr tba.t we couLd not see the ebaune] at any 
djatauce ahead. At four and a quarter miles, we 
came to two willow iHlanda, beyond which are 
ecTaral eandbara; and at twelve miles, a spot 
where the Mabas once had & village, now no 
longer existing. We again passed a number of 
eandbare, ^od encamped on the eouth; baring 
come twenty-four and three-quarter mileB. The 
country throagh wbjeh we passed has the same 
nniform appearance ever since we left the river 
Platte: rich low-grOunds near the river, succeeded 
by undulating prairies, with timber near the 
waters. Some woNes were seen to-day oq the 
eaudbeaclies to the south ; we also procured an ex- 
cellent fruit, rflsemhling a red currant, growing on 
a ijhrub like the privy, and about the height of a 
wild plum. 

August 22. — About three miles distance we 
Join^ th^ men who had been sent from the Maha 
91 



LEWIS AJJD CLA.BK'3 ESPEDTTION 



Tillage with onr horeee, and who brought uh two 
deer. The biuffs or hille which reach the river a.t 
this plflce, on the south, cuntuia alam^ CQppwOB, 
cobalt which bad the appearance of BcrftiBioglaas, 
pyritefi, and eaiidstone, the two flrat very pure. 
Above this bluff cornea in a email creek on the 
south, which we call Rologe creek, Seven mile« 
^bove is another clifT, dd the same side, of alum 
roqk^ of a dark bruwn colour, containing io its 
creviceB great q^uaDtitiea of cobalt^ cemented «helle, 
aad red earth. From this the river bend« to the 
eftHtward, and approaches the Sioux river n'ithin 
three or four miles. We aailed the greater part of 
the day, and made tlinete^li miles to our camp on 
the north side. Tlte aandbars are oh ubusI numer- 
oub: tbere ar« also considerable tracea of elk; but 
noae are yet Been. Captain Lewis ia proving the 
quality of some of the substances in the first cli^ 
waa coneiderably injured by the fumes aud taste 
of the Cobalt, and took some §troiig medicine to 
T«Ueye him from its eSect^. The appearance of 
these mluera-l ^ubetanws enable us to account for 
dieordera of the Htomach, with which the party 
had been affected bihcb they left the river Sioux. 
We had beta in the habit of dipping up the water 
of the river inadvertently and making use of ifc, 
till, on examination, the sicknesH was thought, to 
proceed ftom a ^uin covering the surface of the 
water along the eoutbern shore, and which, as 
we now diecovered, proceedtMl from theee bluSa. 
The men had been ordered, before we reached the 
bluffa, to agitate the water, so aa to dihperse tho 
eeum, aud take the water, not at the eurfaee, but 
&t some depth. The coneequeQce 'wa^, that these 
disordera ceased ; the bites too wiilch had afflicted 
the men, were not observed beyond the Sioux 
river. In order to supply the place of aergeant 



UP THE MTSSOTJEI. 

rioyd, ws permitted the men to name three per- 
Bona, and I'aLrick Ga^B having the greatest aaio- 
l«r of votes was made a sergeant, 

August 33. — We aet out earlyj and at fonr milea 
eamt to a Bniall run between cli& of yellow and 
blae earth : tbe wind, however, soon changed, and 
blew BO bard fVoni the west, that we proceeded 
very elowlj-; the fine sand from the bar being 
driven in such clouds, that we could scarcely aee. 
Three and a quarter miles beyond this run, we 
came to a willow it^Iand, and a aaud inland oppo- 
aite, and encamped on the south side, at ten and 
a quarter milee, On the north ejde la an esteneivB 
and delightful prairie, which we called BuflklO' 
prairie, from our having here killed the flr^t buf- 
ftilo. Two elk swam the river to-day and were 
flred at, bat escaped : a deer was killed from the 
boat; one beaver was killed; and aeveral prairie 
wolves were seen. 

August S-t.—^i began to rain Ia«t night, and 
continued this muruiug: we proceeded, however, 
two and a ctuarter miles, to the commeacement of 
abiuffof blueclay, about one hundred and eighty, 
or one hundred and ninety feet on the south side: 
it Heems to have been lately on fire* and even now 
the ground w, »o warm that we cannot keep our 
haiid» in It at aoy depth : there are strong ap- 
pearances of coal, and also great quantities of 
cobalt, or a crystallized sub^tanee resembling it. 
There is a fruit now ripe which looks like a cur- 
rant, except that it i» double the sis*, and grows 
On a bush like a privy, the eize of a dameon, and 
of a dellciouB flavour ; ita Indian name means rab- 
bit-berries. We then paa&ed, at the distance of 
about Heven miles, the mouth of a creek on tbe 
north side, called by an Indian name, meaning 
WhitCHtone river. The beautiful prairie of yes- 
PS 



LEWIS AND CLABK'8 EXPEDITION 

ixtiay, has changed into one of greater height^ 
and Terj smooth and extenaiTe. We encamped 
on the BOath rade, at ten and a quarter milea, 
and fonnd onraelves mach annoyed by the 
mosqnitoee. 



VP THE mseoDEi. 



CHAPTER III. 

WhluMcSl Instance at supeTaiiMon ot tbe Sioux tntliaiis— Oaniw 
cU be)d wlLh the H-Joui— Cbajvcter of that tribe, tbeir mB.D- 
uers, A«.— A naiculoiu issuute oC Uioir lit^rolain— Aacieat 
lortillcationH— Oultuire river descrlheil— VuL herfl* ot Buffalo 
— AccouDt of tbe FeUt Chlenor Little Ddk— Nuroif <«cBpa of 
Goorjie BtannoD — DeMrtpUPD or Whlw river— SarprlBlag 
fleeta-esB «t ibe Antelope— E'aaa [be ilTer of tbe Sli>ux— De- 
sciiptlDn at the Qmid Le Tour, orQieaC Band— Bncacap on 
tbe Tftlon rlYBr. 

.ingast 25. — CsptainB Lewis and Clark, with 
ten taea, went to eee ao object deemed verj extra- 
ordinary among all the neighbounng Indiana. 
They droppM down to the mouth of Whiteatone 
river, about thirty yards wide, where they left the 
boat, and at the distance of two hundred yards, 
ascended a Tialng' ground, Itom which a plain ex- 
tended iteelf aB far as the eye could discern. Aiter 
walking four mileB, tbey crossed the creek where 
it 16 twenty-three yards wide, and waters an ei- 
teneire valley. The heat was so oppressive that 
we were obliged to send back our dog to the 
cre«k, ae he wag unable to b«ar the fatigue; and 
it was not till aft«r four hours march that we 
reached the object of our viait. This was a large 
mound in the midst of the plain about N. 20' 
W. from the mouth of WhiteBtone river, from 
which it 3a nine miles distant. The base Of the 
mound is a regulnr parallelogram, the longest side 
betttg about three huodred yards, tbe abortereiity 
or BeTeuty : ftom the longeBt side it rises with a 
oteep ascent from the north and BOuth to the 
height of Blrty-flve or seventy ffeetj leaving on the 
top a level [flain of twelve feet in breadth and 
95 



LBWia AND CLABK'8 EXPEDITION 



ninety in leng1;3i. The north and south eitremltlee 
are connected by two oval borders whicli sieTve an 
ii6w b-fts^s, ttiiA divid'C the whcilc side into three 
Bteep bnt regular gradations from the plaJn. The 
ontly thing ch«racte7ietic id thi« hill is ite es^treme 
Rymmetryi and this, together with ite being 
totally detached from the uther hills which are at 
the distance of eight or nine mileB, would induee a, 
belief that it wae artifieial; but, as the earth and 
the loose pebbles whicU compoee It, are arranged 
exactly lite the steep grounde on the borders of 
the creek, we concluded fbom tbla similurity of 
testure that it might be natural. But the Indians 
have made it a great article of their superstition : 
it iM called the mountain of Little People, or littla 
Spirits, And they believe that it is the abode of 
little devils, ld, the human form, of about eightesa 
iuohcB high and with remarkably large heada; 
they are armed with sharp arrowjt, with wbich 
they are very skilful, and are always on tha 
watch to kill those who should have the hardi- 
hood to approach their rfesidenee. The traditioa 
is, that many have suffered from these little evil 
spirits, aud among otbtr«, three Maha Indiana 1^11 
a sacrifice to them a few years since. This has in- 
spired all the neighbouring aations, Sioos, Mahas, 
and OttoeSj with eueh terror, that no considera- 
tdoa could tempt them, to viedt the hill. We saw 
none of these wicked little spirits ; nor any place 
for thenij except some small holes scattered over 
the top: we were happy enough to escape their 
vengeance, though we retaaLned Bonie time on the 
mound to enjoy the delightfUl proepeet of the 
plain, which spreads itaelf out till the eye reata 
upon the .N. W. lulls at a great distance, and 
those of the N, E. stJU farther off, enhvened by 
large herds of bufl'alQ feeding at a dietance. The 
90 



TJP THE MISSOURI. 



soil of tbeee plains ie exc«ediagly Soe; there Ib, 
howeveT, no timber except on the MiBaonri ; all the 
wood of the WMteatone river not being aufficient 
to cover thicltl/ one hundred atfea. The plain 
coucitrj wbicl) surrounds thi« mound hoe con- 
trihoted not ft little to its bad repntatiqit: the 
wind driving from every directioii over the level 
ground obliges the insects to seek shelter on its 
leeward Bide, or be driven against ub by the wind. 
The femall birds, who^ food thej are, report of 
course in great numbera in qu^st of subsistence; 
and the Indians al^^^ys ^eeni to diwov«r on un- 
usual aesemblage ofbirds as produced by some 
Bupernatural cauee : amon^ them we observed the 
brown martin employed in looking for ineectB, and 
BO gentle that they did not fly until we got within 
&i few feet of theniv We have also distinguished 
among the nomeroua birds of the plain, the black- 
bird, the wreo or prairie bird, and a Bpecies of 
lark about the eiee of a partrid^, with a short 
toil. The exeeesive teat and thirst forced us from 
the hill, about one o'clockj to the nearest water^ 
wiiich we found in the creek, at three miles dis- 
tance, and remained an hour and a half. We then 
went down the creek, through a lowla^d about 
one mile in width, and eroased it three times, to 
the spot where we first rea(;hed it io the morning. 
Here we gathered eome delifioue pluinsj grapea 
ELQd hiue currants, ajid atterwarda arrived at the 
mouth of the river about eunset. To this plaC6 
the course from the mound is S, twenty miles, 
E. nine miles; we there resumed our periogue, 
and on reafihing our eacampm«nt of last uight set 
the prairiea on fire, to warn the S^ioux of our ap- 
proach. In the mean time, the boat under ser- 
geant Prjor had proceeded in the afternoon one 
mil e, to a bluff of blue clay on the south, and 
Vol. I.-7 ^7 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION' 



after pasBliig a aandbar and tw sand ielanda 
fixed their camp at the distance of aix milea oa the 
«iiDth. In the evening Home rain fell. We had 
killed a duck and several bird^ : iu the boat, they 
had caught some large catflsh. 

SuDclsj', Auffust, ^6".— We rejoin^ the boat at 
nine o'clock before ahe set out, and then paseiag 
hy an iHland, and under a i^IifT on the Bouth, 
nearly two milee is extent Bnd cotnpoHed of white 
and blue eartb, encamped at nine milea distance, 
On a B^ndbar towards the north. Oppamte to 
this, on the south, is & small cret^k called Petit 
Arc or Little Bow, aod a abort distance above it, 
aQ old yllla^ of the eame name. Tbin village, of 
ivhich nothing remaiae but the mound of earth 
about four feet high anrroanding it, waa bnilt by 
a Maha chief named Little Bow, Tvho being dia> 
pleaeed with Blackbird, the late king, seceded 
with two hundred followers and settled at tblB 
Spot, which is now abandoned, as the two Til- 
lages have rennited since the death of Blackbird, 
We have great quantities ofgrapcB, and ptuma of 
three kinds; two of a yellow colour, and diatin- 
gnish^ by one of the species being longer than the 
other; and a third round and red: all have an 
ezcelleat Qavour, particularly those of the yellow 
kind. 

A ugust ^7.— The morning star appeared much 
larger than uaual. A gentle breeze from the 
fcoutheast carried us by Home lar^ aandbars, on 
both sides and in the middle of the river, to a 
bluffj on the south side, at seven sud a half miles 
distant: thia blulT iB of white clay or chalk, under 
which \a much atone, like lime, incrusted with a 
clear eubetance, auppoaed to be cobalt, and eome 
dark ore. Above this bluff we aet the prairie on 
fire, to invite the Sioux. Alter twelve and a half 
08 



UP THU MiaeOUHT. 

mllesj we bad paeeed eereral other sandbam, and 

now reacted the mouth of a river called by the 
Prencli Jftcquea (Jfl-men river) or YanktoiLr from 
the tribe which inhabita ite hanks. It i^ tlbout 
ninetj jards wide at the conflucace; the country 
which it waters ie rich prairie, with little timber : 
ItbecomeB deeper and wider above its mouth, and 
may be navigated a great dietance ; as ite sourtt* 
rise near those of Bt. Peter's, of th6 MiseiNeippi, 
and the red riTsr of lake Winnipeg. Ar iw^ came 
to the mouth of the riTer, an Indian Bwam to the 
boat; and, on our landing, we were met by tmo 
others, who informed oa tliat a large body of 
Sionx were encamped near ub: they accompanied 
three of oui- men, with an in-ritation to meet ng 
at> a spot above the river: the third Indian r^ 
miuned with ve: he is » Maba boy, and aajs that 
hie aatiou hare gone to the Pawnees to make 
peace with them. At fourteen milBn, we encamped 
on a sandbar to the north. The air was cool, the 
evening pleasant, the wind from the aouth«aet, 
and light. The river haa fkllen gradually, and is 
now low. 

Tuendsj, 5Stfi.— We passed, with a etiff bp&eae 
from the BOQthr eeveral Bandbare. On the south 
ie a prairie which rieee gradually from the water 
to the height of a blnfl" which !*, at four miles 
dietance, of a whitiah coloar, and about seventy 
or eighty feet high. Farther on is another bEuff, 
of ft browniBh colour, on the north side; and at 
the diBtanc? of eight and a half miles is the be- 
ginning of Calumet bluff, on the south aide, nnder 
which we formed our tamp, in a beautiful plain, 
to \raXt the arrival of the Sioux. At the flrst bluff 
the young Indian left ue and joined their camp. 
Before reaching Calumet hloffone of the periogueB 
lan upon a log in the river^ and waa rendered an- 



fit fbr eervtce; so tbat all our loading was pat 
into the second periogue. On. both sidee of the 
river are Que prairieti, with cotton wood ; and near 
the blaS' there ie more tiiuljer ta the points and 
Talieya than we have been accustomed to aet, 

Wednesday, 30th. We had a violeot etorm of 
wind and rain laat evening; aad were engaged 
during the day in repairiag the perioguea, and 
other neceesarj qccnpatione; when, at four o'clock 
in the al^emoon, eer^ant Pryor and his party 
arrived on the uppuidte side, attended hy five 
thiefli, and about eeventy men and boj-s. We sent 
a boat for them, and the; joiocd ui», as did also 
Mr, Dnrion, the son of our interpreter, who hap- 
pened to be trading with the Sious at tbiB time, 
He returned with sergeant Fryor to the Indiana, 
with a present of tobacco, cora, and a few ketr 
tles; and told tbem that we would upeak to thdr 
chiefa itt the morning. Bergeaot Pryor reported, 
that on reaching their village, which i.a at twelve 
miles distance from our camp, he was met by a 
party with a, bufiklo robe, oa which they deeired 
to carry their >-tflitorB : an honour which they de- 
c!in«l, infoFraiDE the Indians that they were not 
the commanders of the boats : as a great mark of 
resp>ect, they were then presented with a fat dog, 
already coolced^ of which they partook heartily, 
and found it well flavoured. The camps of the 
Sioux are of a conical form, covered with buBklo 
roheB, painted with variouB flgnrea and coioura, 
with an ap)erture in the top for the HRioke to paaa 
through. The lodges contain from ten to fifteen 
perBona, and the inte]'ior arrangement ia compact 
and handsome, each lodge having a pla«a for 
cooking detached from it. 

Avffust JOf/;.— Thursday. The fog was so thick 
that ive could not see the Iniiiau eaaip on the 
lUU 



MISSOURI. 



Jposite side,' btit it cleared off about eight 
o'cioct. We prepH^ a speech, and somp preeeDte, 
Bod thea sent for tOe'tfhiefB and warriorB, wbom 
we received, at twelve o''!lo?k, under a large oak 
tree, near to which the flag cf the United States 
.was flying:. Captain Lewwy delivered a speech, 
with tha usual advice and couusel ibr their lliture 
conduct. We then a-cknou'ledgeJ' their, chiefs, by 
^ving to the graiid chief a flag, s, niu'dal, a certi- 
ficate, with a string' of wampum; to whlji we 
added a cliiefn coat; that ie, a richly ia^'cd -nai. 
fdi-m of the Tnired Stntee artillery corps, and & 
cocked hat and rc-d [feather. One «?cond chief oifd 
three inferior one»4 "n-ere made or recognieed by 
medals, aud a t^uit^hle pr^Heiit of tobacco, and 
articles of clothing. IVe tiken Bmoked the pipe of 
peace, and the chiefw retired to a bower, formed of 
bnshes, by their young men, where they divided 
amcag ea«h other the preHenta, and emoked and 
eat, and held aeouiicil on the anawer which they 
were to make us to-morrow. The youag people 
Gxercieed their bowa and airowH in Hhooting at 
marks for beads, which we distributed to the best 
markamen; and in the evening the whole party 
daneed until a late hour, and in the course of their 
amuMemeut we threw among them eome knivesj 
tobacco, belle, tape, and binding, with which they 
were much pleaded. Their muaical inRtruments 
were the drum, and a BOrt of little bag made of 
buffalo hide, dreKyed white, with small shot or 
pebbles in it, and a bunch of hair tied to tt. This 
produces a sort of rattling muaic, with which the 
party was annoyed by four musicians during the 
couocil this morniag. 

August 31.— 1r the nioruing, after breaki^t, the 
chieft met, and eat down in a row, with pipes of 
ceace, highly ornamented, and all pointed to- 
101 



LEWIS AND CLABKS ESBEDITION 



warda tbe eents iateoded for CAptbiina Lewis and 
Clark. When tbey arrived ^od were Beated, the 
g:rand cliief, whoae ladtaja name> Weucliaj is, in 
Englif^b, Shake Hand,aDci, in French, is called La 
Liberateui- (the deliverec) roae, &ud apokt: at eoma 
length, approvipg. v4iat we had eaid, and promis-, 
jng to follow; oqr edyice: 

"I eee-beJbre me," BaJd he, ''my great fktlier'a 
two sane. .You aee rae, and the rehit ofoarchiefii 
and .TTtiJricirB. We are very poor ; we have aeither 
P&Wfep^or ball, nop kiiives; atitl our women and 
jchildt^n at the village have ho clotheu. I wish 
4Jl4t as uiy broth^r^ have given m« a flag a4ld Bt 
'medal, they would give eomethiEg to thoBe poor 
people, or let them atop aud trade with the first 
boat which coinea up the river. 1 will bsiug chiefs 
of the rawnees and Mahaa together, and make 
peace bctTveen them ; but it is better that I should 
do it than my great father's bobb, for thej will 
listen to me more readily. I will aleo take some 
chiefs to your country in the Bpring; but before 
that time 1 cannot leave home. I went tbrnierly 
to the Eoglieh, and they gave me a nwwlal and 
Bome clothes : ~wben I Went to the Spanish they 
gave me a medal, but nothing to keep it from my 
skin; but now you give me a medal and clothes. 
But etill we are poor; and I wUh. brothers, yon 
would give ua something for our eijuawa." 

When he sat down, Slahtoree, or White Crane, 
rose; 

"I have listened," eaid he, "to what onr father's 
wordft were yesterday ; apd I am. to-day, glad to 
eee how you have dre&sed our old chief. 1 am a 
young man, and do not wish to take mnch: my 
fathers have made me a chief: 1 hud much sense 
before, but now I thinli I have more than ever. 
What the old chiei'has declared I wiil conhrm, and 
102 



do iphat*Ter he and you please: but I "wiah t^at 
you wauld tafce pity on ub, for we are very 
poor." 

Another chief', called Pawnawnealipahbe, then 
Bald: 

"I am a yontig man, afid know bnf little : I can- 
not epeat ■well; but I have listened to what ypo 
tiave told the old chiefj and will do whatever you 
agree." 

The same aentimenta were then repeated by 
A weawechac h e. 

We were surpnged at finding that the first of 
tlieB« titles means "Struck by the Pawnee," and 
was occeeioDfld by spme hlqw which the chief h«d 
received in battle, from one of the Pawnee tribe. 
The second is, in Eng-lieh, "Half Man/' which 
seems a Bing^ular name for a warrior, tdll it was 
explained to have Itfl origin, probably, in the 
modeaty of the chief; who, on being' told of hia 
eiploitH, wonld say, "I am no warrior ; I am only 
ba[f a man." The other chiefa epoke Tery little; 
but after tbey bad flnlahed, one of the warrJora 
delivered a speech, in which he declared he would 
Bupport them. They promised to make peace with 
the Ottoet^ and MisfioariB^ the Only nations with 
whom they are at war. All these harangues con- 
cluded by deecribing the distr^e of the nation : 
they begged na to have pity on them : to send 
them traders: that they wanted powder and ballj 
and seemed anxious that we should supply them 
with home of their great fathers milk, the name 
by which they distinguish aid-ent apirits. We thea 
gave some tobacco to each of the chiefa, and a 
<Krtificate to two of the warriors who attended 
the chief, We prevailed on Mr. Duriou to remain 
here, and accompany as many of the Sious cihiefa 
as he could collect, down to the seat of govern- 
lUS 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



ment. We also gave hia eon a flag, eome clotheB, 
and proviaioDB, with directiona to bring about a 
peace between the eurruunding tribeB, and to ton- 
rey some of thoir chi^fb to see t!ie preaident. In 
tie evening they left us, and encamped on the op. 
posite hank, accompanied by the two DuriODB. 
During the eveuiug and nigit we had much rain, 
and observed that the river riHea & little. The 
Indians, who have juet left nsj are the Yanktona, 
a tribe of the great nation of Sionx. These Yank- 
tons. Are about two handred men. in number ; and 
inliahlt the Jiwquea, Desmoines, and i:^ioux rivers. 
In peraoQ they are stout, well proportioned, and 
have a certain air of dignitir and boIdneBH. In 
their dresa they differ nothing iVom the other 
bands of the nation whom we Baw, and will de- 
«(irlbt afterwards : they ttm fond of decorations, 
and uee paint, and porcupine quilU, and fhathers. 
Some of them wore a kind of necklace of white 
bear's clawe, three ioches long, and closely struag 
together round their necke. They have only a 
ftw fowhng pieces, being generally armed with 
bows and arrows^ in which, however, they do not 
appear b» expert as the more nortJiem Indiana. 
"What struck us most ivas an In^tHuttpn, peculiar 
to them, and to the Kite Indiaas, further to the 
westwardr fVom whom it 'm eaid to have been 
copied. It is an association of the moot active 
and brave yonng men, who are bound to each 
other by attachment, seeuped by a tow, never to 
retreat before any danger, or give way to their 
eDemics. In war they go forward without shelter- 
ing themBclves behind trees, or aiding their natu- 
ral valour by any artifice. Thia punctiliouH deter- 
mination, not to be turned fi-om their courBe, ber 
come heroic, or ridiculous, a short ume einee, 
when the Yanktona were croASing the Missouri On 
104 



UP THE MI8S0TTHI. 



the ice. A tole laj immediately in their course, 
wluch might easily liave been ayoided, by gtiiD^ 
rouDd. ThiEt the foreman of the band diflduin^Ml 
to do; but went straij^ht forward, and waa loHt. 
The others would have followed hi^ eitample, but 
were forcibly prevented by the reet of the tribe. 
Tbese young men mt, and eocump, and dance to- 
gether, diiitiiict atom the reet of the uatloD: they 
are generally about thirty or thirty-five years 
old; and such ia the deftreuue paid to courage^ 
that their seats in council are superior to those of 
the chieft, and their persons more respected. Bnt, 
as may be supjiOBed^ such indiscreet bravery "wjll 
BOOQ dlmlniBh the numbers of thoae who practiee 
it; BO that the baud is now reduced to four war- 
liorSj who were among our visitors. These were 
the remaina of twenty-two, who composed the 
society not long agt>; but, in a battle with the 
£ite Indiana, of the Black MountoiDB, eighteen of 
them were killed, and thew four were dragged 
fyom the field by their companions. 

Whilst these Indiana remained with us we made 
very minute iuQ^utrieB relative to their situatioii 
and aumbere, and trade, and manners. This we 
did very satisl^torily, by meflna of two difierent 
int-erpreteriS ; and from their accounts, joined to 
our laterviewB with other bands of the sama 
nation, and much intelligence acquired eince, we 
were enabled to understand, with aomo acMJuracy, 
the condition of the Sioqi, hitherto eo httle 
knOivn. 

The Sioux, or Dacorta Indians, originally settled 
on the Missisaippi, and called by Carver, Made- 
weeians, are now subdivided Into tribes, as follow: 

First, the YanktouB: this tribe inhabits the 
Sioux, Desmoines, and Jacques rivers, and number 
about two hundred warriors. 
105 



Second, the Tetons of the burnt woods. Thi> 
tribe numberB about three hundred meQ, who rove 
on both eidee of the Miesouri, the Wliit^, and 
Teton rivere. 

Third, the TetonB OkandandaB, a tribe coneiet- 
ing or abont one hundred And fifty men, 'Who in- 
habit both Hides of the Miaeourl below the 
Chftyerme rirer. 

Fourth, Tetone Minnakenoszo, a nation inhabit- 
ing "both sides of the Misaouri, above the Cbavenne 
river^ and containing about two hundred and 
fifty men. 

Fift,h, Tetone Sfl.one : theat inhabit both eidee oF 
the Misaouri btlow the Warreoonne river, and cOD- 
Hiat of about tliree hundred men. 

Sixth, Yanktons of the Plaina, or Big Devilaj 
who rove on the heads of the Sioux, Jacquea, and 
Uei riTer ; the moBt numeroue of all the tribee, 
and namber about live hundred men. 

Seventh, Wahpatone; a nation residing on the 
St. Peter's, just abpve the month gf that river, 
and unmberiDg t'n'O imndred men, 

Eig-hth, MindaTvarcarton, or proper Dacorta or 
Sioux Indiana. These poeseee the origioat seat of 
the Sioai, and are properly so denominated _ 
They fOve on both sidca of the MisaiBsapp], abouli 
the falls of St. Anthony, and conaiert of three him- 
dred men. 

Ninth, the Wahpatoota, or Leaf Beds. This 
nation inhabita both eidee of the river St. Peter's, 
below Tellow wood riverj amonnting to abont one 
hnndred and fifty men. 

Tenth, Sistoftoone; thia nation numbers two 
hundred men, and reside »t the head of the Bt. 
Peter'B, Of these several tribes, more pardcnlar 
notice ■will be taken hereafter. 

Saturday, Septewber 1, 1S04. — We proceeded 
106 




tluK morning under a light eouttiem breeze, and 
pA«i9(^ the Calwmet biutfsi thesB are composed of 
a yeUowish red, and browQisli clay as Irncd aa 
cliatk, which it much reiieniblt;^, and are one hun- 
dred and seventy, or one hundred and eighty feet 
high. At thia place the hills on each eid* come to 
the verge of the river, thoee on. the Bouth being 
high«r than on the north. OjipoBLte the bliifis i^ a. 
large island covered with timber; aboTe which the 
bighlande form a cliff over the river oa the north 
side, called White Bear cliff; an a.DiiiLal of that 
kind hting; killed in one of the holes in it, which 
are numiirouii and apparentl.r dtep. At nix mileB 
we came to a large saud inland covered with cot^ 
tonw'ood ; the wind wa^ hjgh, and the weather 
raiay and cloudy during the day. We made fifteen 
miles to a pltw^e on the north eide, at the lower 
point of a large ifiEaHd called EonhommCj or Good- 
man's ii^land. The country on both eides has the 
same character of prairies, with no ticiber ; with 
occftaional lowlands coTered with Cottonwood, 
elm, And oak; our buutere had killed an elk vid 
a bearer: the catfish too are in great abundance. 
September 2. — It rained lost night, and this 
morning we had a high wind from the h\ W. 
We went three miles to the lower pact of aa au- 
cient fortification on the aouth side, and passed 
the head of Bonhomme island, which is large and 
well timbered: after this the wiad became so vio- 
lent, attended by a cold rain, that we were com- 
pelled to land at tbur mileB on the northern aide, 
under a high bluff of yellow elayj about one hun- 
dred and ten ieet in height. Dot hUQters supplied 
U8 with four elk^ and we had grapes and plums 
on the banks : we aleo saw the beargraee and rue, 
on the aide of the bluffe. At this place there are 
highlanda on both aides of the river which become 
107 



LEWIS AND CLARE'S EXPEDITION 



Taavt level at «otne dutance back, and contain but 
ftw Btreams of water. On the aouthern bajik, 
during this day, the grounds have not been bo 
elevated. Captain Clark croBsed the riv«r to ex- 
amine the reoiaiiu of the fortilication we had juat 
passed. 

ThiB intereating' object ia on the south side of the 
MiaeQUri, C{]pOHite the Upper eitremity of Bon- 
homme inland, and in a low level plain, tlie bills 
being three milee frpm the river. Jt begins by a 
wall composed of earth, rising immediately fVom 
tbe baok of the river and runniag In a direct 
course S. 70 , W. ninety-eix yards; the base of 
this wall or mound ia aeventy-five feet, and its 
height about elg'ht. It then diverges in a coursB 
H. S4° W, and cuntinuea at the same height and 
depth to the distance of iilty-three yards, the 
angle being formed by a eloping deBcetit ; at the 
junction of these two ia an appearance of a horn- 
work of tbe same height with the first angle: the 
aatne wall then pursuea a course N. G9° W. for 
three hundred j-ards: near ite western extremity 
i^ an opening pr gateway at right anglea to the 
wall, and projecting inwards; tins gateway is 
defended by two nearly seuiidrcular wallB placed 
before it^ lower than the large walls ; and from the 
gateway there BeemB to have been a covered way 
tonununicating With the interval bet\veen thesa 
two walls: westward of the gate, the waU be- 
comes much larger, being about one hundred and 
five fbet at Ite base, and twelve feet high : at the 
end of this high ground the wall eKteuds for fifty- 
sii yards on a couree N. 3:^"' W; it then turns 
N. 23' W. for seventy-three yards: these two walla 
Beam, to have had a double or covered ivaj;th.ey 
are from ten to fifteen feet eight inches in height, 
and itom sere&ty-Qve to one hundr^ and live ieet 
108 



OP THE MieSOUBI. 



in widtb at tbe baae; the deeceut inwards being 
steep, whilst outwards it forms a surt of glacis. 
At the difltance of seventy-three yards, the wall 
ends abruptly at a lar^ hollow plaice miith lower 
than the general la^el oftiie plain, and from which 
is BQiDQ indication of a coTered way to the water. 
The Bpaee between them is occupied by several 
mounds scattered protnuwruously through the 
gorji^e, in the centre of which is a deep round hole. 
From the extremity of the iaat wall, in a eourae 
N. 32" W. IB ft diBtancB of ninety-six yards over 
the low ground, where the wall recpmoiRncea and 
crosses the plain in a courao N. 81° W, for eighteen 
hundred and thirty yards to the bank of the Mie- 
flouri. In this course its height ia about eight 
ffeet, till it enter*, at the distance of fire hundred 
and thirty-tliree yards, a deep cirentar pond of 
seventy-thrw yards diameter; ailer which it is 
^adually lower, towards the river: jt touches the 
river at a muddy bar, which beara every mark of 
being an encpoachment of the water, for a con- 
iiiderable distance ; and a little above the junction. 
is a small circular r-edoubt. Along the banlt of the 
river, and at eleven hundred yards distance, in a 
straight line from thia wall, is a second, about six 
feet high, and of considerable width: it rises 
abruptly from the banh of the Missouri, at a point 
where the river bends, and goes straight forward^ 
forming an acute angle with the laBt wall, tit) it 
enters the river again, not far from the niownds 
juet described, towards wMeh it k obviously tend- 
ing. At the bend the Missouri is five hundred 
yards wide; the ground on the opposite side high- 
lands, or low hills on the bank; and wiiere the 
river pasaee between this fort and Eonhomme 
island,, all the distance from the bend, it ia COn- 
Htantly washing the banks into the stream., a. 
IQ9 



large Bandbank bein^ already talieo IVom t}]9 
shore neac the wall. During- the whole course of 
this wall, or glacisj it is covered with treea, aruong^ 
which are many large cotton tte*B, two or three 
feet in diameter. Imraediatelj opposite the cita- 
del, or the part most strongly fortified, on Bou- 
homme island, is a Rmall worli in a circular form, 
with a wall BurroundiDg it, about six fmt in 
height. The yoonE willowe along the water, 
joined to the gfiieral appearance o-f the two 
shores, induce a belief tliat the bank of the island 
IB eiicroaching, and the Missouri indemDifies iteelf 
bj washing away the baee of the fortiflcation. 
The citadel contains about twenty acres, bat the 
parts l^etween the long walla must emhrofte nearlj- 
flTe hundred acres. 

Theae are the- first reinAiils of the kind which "we 
have had an opportunity of examining^; but our 
French inte-rpreters assure ue, that there are great 
numbers of them on the Platte, the Kanaaa, the 
Jaeques, &c., and some of our party eay, that 
they ohaerved two of those fortresFwa on the upper ' 
aide of the Petit Arc treek, notferft-om ita mouth; 
that the wall wae about six tfeet high, and the 
Bldee of the angles one hundred yards in length. 

September 3. — The mormng was cold, and tb&i 
wind flrom the northwest. We poeeed at Bunriae, 
three large Bandhare, and at the distance of teu 
miles reached a small creekj about twelve yards 
■wide, coming in froiu the north, above a ivhite 
bluff; thiB creek has obtained the name of Plum 
creek, from the Dumber of that IVuit which are ia 
the neighbourhood, and of a delightAjJ quality. 
Five miles farther, we encamped un the south 
near the edge of a plain ; the river is wide, and 
covered with sand bar* to-dayr the banks are high 
and of a whi-tish colour; the timber scarce, but on 
110 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

abundance of grapBH. Beaver hguse? tQO hO-TQ 
been observed in great numberB on tlie river, but 
none of the aniauiU tbeciBelveB. 

Sept£rnher4. — We Bet otit earty, with a very cold 
wiud from S. S. E. and at one mile and a hal^ 
reached a email creelc, caiied Wliiteiime cr<%k, on 
the equtb aide. JuHt above tliu ie a ciilT, cQvered 
with c^;dar trees, and at three milea & creek, 
fiolled W'hJtepaitit creek, of about thirty yards 
wide: on the game aide, aQ<3 at four and a lialf 
miles distance ftom the Whitepaint creekj is the 
SApid ri¥er, dt, as it in called by tlie I'reiidi, la 
Bivere qui Court; thia river emptiea into the Mia- 
eouri, ia a course S. W. by W. and is oue huadred 
aad fifty-two yards wide, and four feet de«p at the 
confluence. It riseB in the Black mountains, and 
passes throaj^h a hilly couatry, with a. poor Hoil. 
Ca{]taia Clark afteended three miles to a l>eautirnl 
plain, on the upper side, where the Pawneee onc» 
ii*d R village; he fonnd that the river widened 
above its mouth, and much divided by sande and 
Ifllanda, which, joined to the great rapidity of the 
current, makea the navigation very difficult, even 
for «mall boats. Like the I'latteitB wateifl are of 
a itght colour; like that river too it throws out 
into the MisBOuri great quantitiea of sand, coarser 
even than that of the Platte, which ftirm Band- 
bare and ahoala near its mouth. 

We encampi^ just above it, on the BOutk, haTing 
made only eight miles, aa the wind BhifCed to the 
fcuutb^ and blew i^o hard that in tbo course of the 
day we broke our mast: we saw some deer, a 
number of gee^e, and shot a turkey and a duck: 
the place in which we hatted is a fine low-ground, 
with much timber, Buch as red cedar, Loueylocust, 
oak, arrowwood, elm and coCeeutit. 

September i*, Wednesdaj"^. — The wind was again 
111 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



liigh from the aaufh. At five milea, we came to a 
lar^ tHland, called Pawnee iBland, in the middle of 
the river; And stopped to breakfast at & email 
creek oa the north, which bs-e the Dam« or Gpfl-t 
creek, at eight and a half milea. Near the mouth 
otihia creek the Leaver had made a dam ocroBB bo 
BB to forni A large pond, in which they built their 
bouaee. Above this ieland the river Ponc^ara fliUs 
intci the Mieaouri itom. the eoath, and is thirty 
jarda wide at the entrance. Two men whom we 
despatched to the village of the same name, re- 
turoed with Informatloa that they had found tt 
on the lower side of the creek; but ab thia is the 
hunting ee-ason, the town waa so completely de- 
serted that they had killed a baSalo in the Tillage 
itself. Thie tribe of I'oncarne, who are ^eaid to 
have once xnimbered four hundred men, are now 
reduced to about filty, and have aaeociabed for 
mutual protection with the Mahoa, who are about 
two hundred in number. Theae two natione are 
allied by a similarity of miafortuue; they were 
onc« both numerOuB, both raided in village, and 
cultivated Indian corn ; their common enemiea, the 
Bioux and umail-pox, drov^ theoi frQva their 
towDB, which they vipit only occaaioiially fbrthe 
pnrpoees of trade; and they now wander over the 
plains on the sources of the Wolf and Quicurre 
rivere. Between the Pawnee ialand and Goat 
creek on the norths is acliff of blue earth, under 
which are several mineral epringB, inipregnated 
with salts: near this we observed a number of 
goatfl, from which the creek derives its name. At 
three and a half luiles from the creek, we came to 
a large islaad on the south, along which we 
paseed to the head of it, and encamped about four 
o'clock. Here we replaced the meat we had lost, 
with a new one O'f cedar: some buclu and an elk 
112 
) 



CP THE mSSOTJRT. 

■were procnred to-day, and a black tailed deer wa* 
Been neitr the Poticftra's village. 

Thnrsda^Y, September 6,— There was a storm 
thlB mDrniog from the N. W. a^ad though it moder- 
ated, the wind was etill high, and the weather 
very cold; the numher of eandbars too, added to 
the rapidity of the cnrrent, obliged us to have 
i-ecOnrBfe to the towline : with all our exertione we 
did not make more than eight aad a half mileH, 
and epcamped qn the north, after poasing high 
cliffs of soft, hliie, aad red coloured stone, on the 
aouthera share. We saw some ^ate^ and great 
nnmbere of buffalo, in addition to which ths 
hunterfi furnifthod uh with ellt, deer, turtles, geese, 
Jmd one befliYer: a large catfish too was caught in 
the evening. The ground near the camp was a 
low prairie, wittiout timber, though juat below ia 
a grove of cottoDwood. 

Friday, September T'.— The morning was very- 
cold and the wind aonthea^t. At five and a half 
mileR, we reached and encamped ftt the foot of a 
round mountain, on the south, having passed two 
small lelande, This mountain, which ie about 
three bundriKl f^t at the hose, formB a voue at the 
top^ reBembling a dome at b, distance, and eeventy 
feet or more above the anrroDiidinf^higrhtands. Ab 
we descended ftom thia dome, we arrived at a 
spot, on the gradual descent of the hill, nearly 
four ncree in e-stent, and covered with small holes; 
these are the reaidenct; of a little animal, callul by 
the French, petit chicn (little dog) who eit erect 
neap the mouth, and make a whistling noise, but 
when alarmed take refuge in their holes. In order 
to bring them out, "we poured into oae of the holes 
five barrels of water without filling it, but we. 
diEilodged and caught th« owner. Alter digging 
down another of the holea for sii ftet, we found. 

Vol. 1.— a 113 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S EXPEDITION 



on running a pole into it, that we had not yet 
dag: lia3f way to the bottom; w* dUcovtred, bow- 
erer, two froga in the hole, ajid near it we killed 
a dark rattlesoake, which had swallowed a small 
prairie dog: we were also informed, though we 
never witneesed the fact, that a. sort oflizard, and 
a Bnakg, Uve habituallj' with these animale-. The 
petit cliiea are jngtlj named, as thej re^mble a 
email dog in some particulars, though thej haTe 
alBO eome poiate of eimilartty to theHquirrel. The 
head reeemtleB the equirrel in every respect, except 
that the ear is flhorter, the tail lilte that of the 
grdund-bqiiirrel, the tce-noOs ai^ long, tht fhr is 
fine, aad the long hair is gray. 

Ss-turday, September S. — The wind stiU con- 
tinaed from the southeast, but moderately. At 
Beven miles we reached a house on the north aide, 
colled the Pawnee house, where a trader, named 
Tmdeau, wintered in the year 1796-7: behind 
this, hills, much higher than ueual, appear to the 
north, about eight miles ofT. Before reaching this 
houBe, we came by three email islands, oa the 
north Bide, and a small creek on the eouth^ and 
after teaving it, reached another, at the end of 
BsventeeiL milee, on which we encamped, and called 
it Boat island : we here nnw herda of buSalu, and 
some elk^ deer, turkie», beaver, a ciquirrel, and a 
prairie dog. The party on the north represent the 
conntry through which they paaaed, as poor, rug- 
ged, and hilly, with the appearance of having 
been lately burnt by the Indians ; the broken hills, 
Indeed, approach the river on both aidea, though 
each is bordered by & strip of woodland near the 
water. 

Sandsy, September 9.^We coasted along the 
island on which we had encamped, and then 
paaaed three sand and willow islande, and a oum' 
114 



CP THE MSSOUBL 



ber of smaller eaudlnsTe. The river is shallow, 
and joined by two email ereeke froin the north, 
and (-ne from tlie aouth. In the plaine, to the 
Bonth, are great numbere of buffiilo, in herds of 
neatljf Ave hundred; all the copses of timbet flf> 
pear to contain elk or deer. We encamped on a 
B3,ndbar, on the aouthem ^hore, at the distance of 
foiirbet^D and a quarter miles. 

September 10, Monday, — The nest day we made 
twenty miles. Tte inornrtig was clondyand ctitrk, 
but a light breese from the southeast carried ne 
paat tfrO alnall ialaadH on the south, and one on 
the north; till, at t!ie distance often and a half 
miles, we reachinJ an i^Eand, ejctending for two 
miles in the middle of the riyer, coTered with red 
cedar, from whii^h it derives ita name of Cedar 
ialand. Just below this it^land, on a hilt, to the 
south, ia tha backbone of a fish, fortj-flre feet 
long, tapering towards the tail, nnd in a perfect 
state of petrification, fragmentB of which w^ere 
collected and sent to ^VaI;hiIl^0Q. On both sides 
of the river ara higli dark-<'t>1oured bluQe. About 
B mile and a half from the isiund, on the eoutliern 
shore, the party on that si<3e discovered a larg^ 
and very strong' impregnated, spring of 'water; 
and another, not so Btrongty impregnated, half a 
mile up the hiti, Thn.'c ■npl^n beyond Cedar island 
i» a large island on the north, and a number of 
eandbarci. .-Vfter which ia another, about a mile 
in length, lyin^ in the middle of the river, and 
separated by a small channel, at its extremity, 
from another above it, on which w^e encamped, 
Thew two ietanda are tialled JJud islands. The 
river ia sballow during thia daj'H course, and is 
foiling a little. The elk and bufialo are in great 
abundance, but the deer have become scarce. 

September 2 1, TufstlAy.—Kt six and a half milea 
115 



LEWIS AXD CLAEKS EXPEDITION 



vre passed the upper estremlty of an inland on the 
eauth; four niil^B beyond whieli le another an th« 
fiame aide of tlitj river; and about a quarter of a 
mile distant we visited a large Tillage of the bark- 
Ing-equirrtl. It "wfla sittiattd Ou a gtn tie declivity, 
and covered a space of nine hundred and Beventy 
jards long, and eight liuHdred .v^rda wide; we 
killed four of them. We then resumed our couree, 
■and during five and a half miles paused two 
islandB on the north, nnd then encamped at the 
distance of eLste«D milH3a, on the aouth ^de of the 
river, and juat above a Bmaii run. The inoroing 
tad been elondj^ but in tlie afternoon it began 
raining, with a high nurthwvBt wind, whii;h con- 
tinued during the greaur part of the night. The 
country seen to-day coneiat^ of narrow BtripB of 
lowland, rising into iineyen grounda, which are 
succeeded, at the distance of three milee, by rich 
and level plains, but without any timber, The 
river itself is wide, and erowdud with eandbarB. 
Elk, deer, Bquii't'eiSj ci iwUean, and a very large 
porcupine, were oar game this day; some foxes 
too were seen, but not taught. 

In the morning we observed a man riding on 
horseback down towards the boat, and we were 
much pleased to find tbat it was* (ieqrge Shannon, 
one oi' our party, for whoae safety we had been 
very uneasy. Our tv.o lionsee having dtra^-ed 
from ui on the 2tHh of August, he was sent to 
search for ttiem. j\fter he bad found them be at- 
tempted to rejoin Ub, but seeing eunie otbertrHcks, 
which muHt have been those of Indiana, and which 
he mistook for our own, he eoucladed that we 
were ahead, and had been for sixteen dayu fol- 
lowing the bank of the river above ua. During 
the fii'st four days he exhaui^tt'd his bullets, and 
WSUi then nearly Starred, beiug obh^L-d to nnbaiiit, 



DP THE MISeOUKI. 

for twelT* dajB, on a ffew grftpea, and a rabUt 
whivb he killed by making- une oi' a hard piece of 
stick for a ball. One of hia horsee gave oat, and 
was left, behind ; the other he kept as a laat re- 
Murce for food, Despairing of overtafcing ue. He 
was returning down the river, in hopea of meeting 
aome other boat ; and irae on the point of killing 
bj^ boree, "wbea he was bo fortanate an to join ua. 
We/Jnesdas', Septen)fipr J5.— The day was dark 
and cloudy; the wind from the northwest. At a 
short distance we reached an island in ihe middle 
of the river, "vrhich i« covered ivith timber, a rure 
object now. VVe with great difficoHyw^eroenabled 
to vtm^le tbroagh the aaodbant, the wat«r t>eiag 
very rapid and Bhaliow, eo that we were several 
hoiira in making a laile. Several timee the boat 
wheeled on the bar, and the men were obliged to 
jump out and prevent her from upeetting^; at 
OtherB, after making a way Tap one channel, the 
sboalnegs of the water forced ns back to seek the 
deep channel. We advanced only four miles to 
the whole day and encamped on the eouth. Along 
both sides of the river are high grounds; on tiia 
■outhern side particnlarly, they form dark bttiffii, 
in which may he observed slate and coal inter- 
mixed. We eaw also several vUIagee of barkjng- 
^qolrrels; great numbers of grouse, and three 
fbxee. 

September 13, Thursday. — We made twelve miteB 
to-day through a number of sandbarB, which 
make it difficult to find the proper channel. The 
hills on each gide are high, and separated froni 
the river by a narrow plain on its borders. On the 
north, the^e lowlands are covered in part with 
timber, and great quantities of grapes, which are 
now ripe: on the eouth we found plenty of plums, 
hut they are not yet ripe; and near the dark 
117 



LEWIS AND 



:pedition 



blaSs, a run tainted with a!um fljid copperas; tha 
aoiithern aide being more i«t.rongly impregnat*!!! 
witli miueralE tbau the northern. Lardt night Tour 
beaver M'ere caught in the trapH; a porcupine waa 
ehot as it was upon s, eottoutree, feeding on. its 
Ifeavee and hranchfls. We encamped on the north 
Bide, opposite to a small wi!]ow island. At night 
the mosquitoes were very troubleBqme, thpughthe 
weather waa cold and rajjiy and the wind frock 
the northweBt. 

I-'iiday, September 14. — At two rnilee wereafihed 
B. round island on the northern Bide; at abont 
fire, a run on the south; two aild a, half iliilts 
further, s. small ore«k ; and at nine mile^ encamped 
near the mouth of a creek, on the st^me sidt. Th« 
eandtiare are very numerousj and render the river 
wide and Hhaliow, and obliged the crew to get 
into the water and drag the boat over the bara 
Several timea. During the whole daj^ we inarched 
EloDg the Boutiiern ehure, and at some diRtaoee 
into the ittterior, to find an ancient volrano which 
we beard at Bl, Charlea was somewhere in this 
neighbourhood ; but we could not diecern the 
elighteat appettrance of any thing volcanic. In the 
course of their eearth the partj shot a buck-goat 
and a hare. The hills, particularly on the south, 
continue high, but the tiniber js qonflued to the 
islauda and banks of the river. W^ had oceaalon 
here to obuerve the rapid undermining of tJie&e 
hilla by tte Missouri: the first attacks seem to be 
on the hills which overhang the river j aa aoon aa 
tlie violence of the current deetroya tiie grass at 
the foot of them, the whole texture appearB loos- 
ened, and the ground dis^olvea and taises with the 
water: the muddy mixture in then Ibrued over 
the low-grouiids, which it covers sometimes to 
the depth oi' three inchea, and gradually deetroya 

iia 



DP THE MISSOITHI. 



the herbage; after which it can ofler no peBiBtanw 
to the -n-ater, and becomes at Iflat covered with'] 
sand. 

SaturdHy, September 16,— W^ pasged, at an 
early hour, the creek near oar la^ oight'a en- 
campment; and at two mi!e» distance reached the 
month of White river, coming in from the eooth.H 
We ascended a sliort distance, and sent a aergeant*! 
and aDotibtr mad to examine it higher up. Thla | 
riTer has a bed of about three hundred yards, 
tbongh the wat^r ie confined to one hundred and 
Mty: in the moath i^ a sand ieland, and Bereral'" 
Bandbara. The current is regular and swift, with' 
eandbara protecting fl-om the points. It diSers 
very mttch ftorn the Piatt*, and Qnicurre, in 
throwing out, comparatively, tittle Band, but Of 
general character is lite that of the Mlseoari. 
TbJH reeerablance was eoufirmed by the Burgsaat, 
who ascended about twelve miles ; at which dis- 
tance it was abont the same width as near the 
month, and the course, which was generally west, 
had been interrupted by islands and eaadbars. 
The tiniher con§iBted chiefly of elm ; they eaiv pine 
burrs, and stieks of birch were seen floatiug down 
the river; they had also met with goatB, aucb as 
we have heretofore seen; great quantities of buf- 
falo, near to which were wolves, some deer, and 
villages of barking-ftquirrela. At the cOnfl.uence of 
White river with the MisHouri is an excellent poai- 
tion Ibr a towu ; the land rising by three gradual 
ascents, and the neighbourhood furniBhing more 
timber than is usual in thia country . After pasa- 
ing high darli blaifs on both sides, we reached the 
loivei" point of an idand towards the south, at the 
distance of sit miles. The Island bears an abun- 
dance of grapes, and is covered wjtb red cedar: it 
also contains a number of rabbita. At the end of 
119 



LE^TS AND CLASK^S EXPEDITION 

this iiilaDd, Tcliich ie Hmall, a □arrq'n' ch^QD'el 
eeparates it from a large aaad island, which we 
paeacHl, and encamped^ eight iiiileB on the; nurth, 
nnder a liigli point of land oiiiioalte a large creek 
^to the Bouth, on wMcli we obaerve an uoueual 
quantity of tiinber. Tte wind -w&s from the 
northweat this afleruoon, and tigt, the -weather 
cold, and its dreariness increased ^3y the howliiigB 
of a number of wolves arouud uh. 
September J6, SuniJaj: — Eariy this morniDg, 
Eitaving reached a convenient apot on the south 
aid*, and at one mile and a C)^u.arter distance, we 
encamped ju^t aliove a amatl creek, which we 
called Coryua, having kJU^ an suimal of tLst 
geuus ooar it. Pindlng- that we could not pro- 
ceed over fh^ sandbars, b.b fast as we desired, 
while the boat was ho heavily loaded, ■vve eon.- 
[iCluded not. to Mild ba<!k, (lb we originally ia- 
I tended, our third perioguer but to detain the sol- 
l4ierB uutil spring, and in th« mean tioie lighten 
the boat by loading the periogue: this operation, 
[■added to that of drying all our wet articles, de- 
Itained ua during the day. (vur camp ie in a 
'beautiful plaio, iivith timber thinly scattered for 
three-quarteia of a mile, aud consisting chiefly of 
elai, eottopwood, some a^li of an indifferent qual- 
. ity,. and a couaiderablv quantity ot'a Huiall species 
1 of white oak: this tree seldom riaes higher thaji 
I thirty feet, and branches very much; the bark is- 
trough, thiek and of a light eolour; tlie leaves 
iSniaU, deeply indented, aad of a pale green; the 
cup winch eoiitaiuB the acorn is fringed on the 
edgeH, atid embracer it about oue half; the acorn 
itself, wliich ijrowe in great profueion, is of an 
excellent flavour, and has none of tlie ronf^hnese 
which, most other ilcoras pos.se.s8; they aj'e bCW 
lulling, and liai-e probably attracted the number 
120 



TIP THE MISSOUEI. 



of deer which we aaw on this place, as all tlie 
animals we have Been areibuJ of that food. Tiie 
^ound having been retenWj burnt by tlj« Indians, 
is covei^ with younj^ ^reeli (i;'''^S'^r '^^''■d. ill the 
seighbotirb-ood are givat quaiitiLiL.''t« of &ae plums. 
We killed a ll;w de<;r for ihv sa:ke of thtir sldiiB, 
■which we wanted to cover the perJOHuee, the meat 
being too poor for food: the told seoHoii coming 
on, a flonne) ahirt was given to each man, and 
fVeeh powder to thoef! who had exhausted their ■ 
supply, 

Moudn-j, September JP.— Whilst some of the- 
party were engaged in the earae way aa yeater-: 
day, others were employed in esamioing the aur- 
routidinf^ country. About a quarter oi' a mile 
behind our camjji and at an elevatioil of twenty 
fwt above it, a plain extendi nearly three miles 
parallel to the river, aud about a mile biick to the 
lulls, towards which it gradually osceode. Here 
■we saw a grove of plum-trees loaded with fruit, 
now ripe, and differing in nothing from those of 
the Atlantic states, except that the tree is snLallef'i. 
ajid more thickly set. The ^ound of the plain iar 
occupied by the burrows of multitaiiee of harking i 
Bquirrela, who entice hither the woives nf a buulU 
kind, hawks, and polecats, all of which aninialB 
yre aaw, and presumed that thej fed on the Bqnir- 
Wl. This plain ia intereeftted nearly in its AvhoJe 
extent by deep ravines and steep irregular rising . 
grounds fi-otn ooe to two hundred feet. On as- 
cending the range of hilla which border the plain, 
we saw a second high level plain stretching to the 
Houth U8 far an the eye eould reach. To the weat* 
ward, a high range of hills about twenty nlilea 
distant ruua nearly north and Houth, but nut to 
any great extent, a* their rise a«d terminatiou in 
embraced by one view, and they seemed covered 
121 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



■with a verdure Bimilar to that of the plaiDB. The 
same view extended over the irregular hilU ■whioh 
border the northern side of the Miaeouri: all 
around the tountry had been recently burnt, and 
a young green graae about fuur inches hi^h cov- 
ered the ground, which was enlivened by herde of 
antelopes and buffalo; the last of whi<!h were in 
(tuch multitudes, that we cannot exaggerate in 
Baying that at a single glance ~we sa^v three thoU' 
sand of them before ub. Of all the animals we had 
Been the antelope BeemB to possess the most won- 
derful fleetneBti: 8hy and tiinoroue they generally 
repoBe only on the ridges, which command a view 
of all the approaches of an enemy : the acnteness 
<^r their gight digtltigiiishcs the most dietant datk- 
ger, the delicate sensibility of their smell defeatti 
the preeautione of concealment, aad wheq alarmed 
their rapid career seems more like the flight of 
birda than the movementB of an earthly being. 
After many unancccBaful attempta, captain Lewis 
at last, by wiading around the ridges, approached 
a party of seven, which were on an eminence, 
towards which the wind wne unfortunately blow- 
ing. The only male of the party frequently en- 
circled the Bummit of the hill, as if to announce 
any danger to the females, who formed a group 
at the top. Although they did not Bee captain 
Lewia, the emell altirmed them, and they fledTrheo 
he was at the distance of two hundred yards; he 
immediately ran to the spot where they bad been, 
a ravine concealed them fVom him, but the next 
moment they appeared on a Becond ridge at the 
distance of three miles. He doubted whether it 
could be the eame, but their number and the ei- 
treme rapidity with which they continued their 
course, convinced him that they must have gone 
with a Hpeed equal to that of the most dietin- 
122 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

igniiibed racehorse. Among our acqoiettioiie t^ 
' da; was a mule-deer, a magpie, the ciuinnion deet, 
ftnd buffalo : captain Lewia abo saw a hare, and 
killed a rattleanake near the hurrowa of the bark- 
ing equirret^n 

Taeeifiiy, September IS, — Having every tiling ia 
readiness we proceeded, with the boat much light- 
ened, but the wind being tVom the N'. W. we made 
but Uttle way. At one mile we reached an island 
in the middl« of the river, nearly a mile in length, 
and covered ivith red cedar; at its eitreoiitj" a 
email creek cumee in from the north ; we then met 
some sandljare, and the wind being very high and 
ahead, we eii«ainped on the south, having made 
oul; seven miles. la addition to the cominaa 
deer, which ivere in great abundance, w^e saw 
goats, elk, buffalo, the black tailed dwr^ tha 
large wolves too ore very numeroue, and have 
long hair with coar&e fur, and are of a light 
colour, A small species of wolf about the size of 
B gray foe was al^o killed, and proved to be the 
ADima] which we had hitherto mistaken for a fox: 
there are also many porcupines, rabbits, and 
barking Bquirrela in the nejghbpurbood. 

September 19.— Vie this day enjoyed a cool clear 
morning, and a wind fi'um the sontheast. Vi'b 
reached at three mileH a bluff on the souths and 
four milea further, the lower point of Prospect 
ialaud, about two and a half miles in length ; op- 
posite to this are tigh bluffs, about eighty feet 
above the water, beyond whi+ih are beautiful 
plains gradually rialug tm they recede from the 
river: these are watered by three Btreama which 
empty near each other : the first ia about thirty- 
five yards wide, the ground on its eidee high and 
rich, with BOme ttniber; the second about tw'elve 
yards wide, but with leas timber; the third ia 
12a 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



neartjoftbe Bamesiie, and contaJne mor« water, 
but it scatters ita waters pv^r the large timbered 
pLaiD, and empties itself into the riv^r at three 
places. These rivers are called by the Frencli Lea 
troiB rivieree dee Siouij the three Sious rivers ; and 
ae the Sioux generally cross the Mii^ouri at this 
plsc«, it ie called the Sioux paaa of the three rivers. 
These streaniH have the same right of asylnm, 
though in a less degree thaa PipeHtone creek al- 
ready mentLoned. 

Two miles fVom the Island we paased a creek 
fifteen yards witlp; eight miles further, another 
twenty yards Wide; three miles beyond which, is a, 
third of eighteen yards width, all on the soutii 
Bide: the second whieh parses through a high 
plain we called Elm ereelL; to the third we gave 
the name of Kight creek, having reached it late at 
night. About a mile beyond this i» a Bmall island 
on the north side of the river, and is called Lowep 
island, as it ia situated at the commencement of 
what ie known by the name of the Grand Detour, . 
or CTieat Bend of the Mlasourl. Opposite Iba creek 
on the south abont ten yards wide, which waters 
a plain where there are great Qiiinbera of the 
priekly pear, which name wo gave to the creek. 
We entamped on the south, opposite the upper 
extremity of the Island, having made an excellent 
day's sail of tweiity-eii and a quarter milee. Our 
game this day coiisi&ted chiefly of deer, of these 
four were black tails, one a buck with two maia 
prongs of hornB on each aide and forked equally. 
Iiarge herds of hu^lo, elk and goat«j were also 
Bsen. 

Thursday, September 30.— Fifldiqg we had 

reached the Big Bend, we despatched two men 

with oar only horse across the neck, to hunt there 

and wait onr arrival at the flret creek beyond it. 

124 



TIP THE MISSODBL 



We tbeo set out with Mr wet^tb«r and the wind 
from S. E. to laake tbe circuit of tbe bend, Near 
the lower iblaud the Baadbara are numerous, and 
the river ghalluw, At uine and a half milts is a 
sacil island, OD the «outberii side. About ten 
mileH bcjoud it ia a small ieland oa the Bouth, 
opposite tu u emci'll creek on th? north. This 
idand, which !b near tbe N. W, eiitremity of the 
bend, la called ii^olltary iulatid. At about eleven 
milee Hirtber, we eDcamped on a sandbar, having 
made twenty-aeven and a half milea. Captain 
Clark, who earlj' tbia morning had crof<sed the 
neck of the bend, joined ua in the evening. At the 
narrowest part, the gorge k composed oThigh and 
irregular hjlle of about one hundred and eighty 
or one hundred and ninety feet in elevation; from 
this (iescenda an uubrokeu plain over the whole of 
the bend, and the countfj ia separated from it bj- 
this ridge. Great numbera of bnffalo, elk, and 
goa-ta are w.andering over theee plaiim,. accom- 
panied by groase and larks. Captain Clark saw 
a hare also, on. the Great Bend. Of the goata 
killed to-da^j one ib a female, differing JVom the 
male in being smaller in Biae; Ita horna too are 
Smaller and atraighter, having Ubt short prong, 
aad no black about the neck: none of these goats 
tave any beard, bat are delicately formed, and 
very Ijeautiful. 

FiitJuy, September 21. — Between one and two 
o'clock the eergeant on guard alarmed uh, by cry- 
ing that the «andbar on which we lay was sink- 
ing'; we jemped up, and found that both above 
and below our camp the sand vroM undermined 
and falling in very fast: we had scarcely got into 
tliG boats and puHhid otf, when the bank under 
which they had been lying, fell iuj and would cer- 
tajjiy have sunk the two periogueu if they had 
1^5 ■ 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



Temained ihero. By th& time we reached the op' 
posite Bhore the ground of our encampment eunk 
BO. We fanaed a Becond camp for the rest ol" the 
jht, and at daylight prcjcwded on to the gorge 
Or throat of the Great Bend, where we break- 
fasted, A man, whom we had despatched to Bt*p 
off the diHtftnce across the bend, made it two 
thousand yarde; the circuit is thirty miles. Dur- 
ing the whole course, the land of the bend ie low, 
Trith occasional liluifa; that on the opposite side, 
liigh prairie groaud, and long ridgee of dark 
bluflTu. After breakfest, we passed through a high 
prairie' on the north Bide, and a rich cedar low^- 
land and cedar bluB'on the BOuth, till we reached 
a willow inland below the mouth of a small creek. 
This creek, called Tyler's rlverj is about thirty-five 
yarda wide, comes in on the aouth, and iRatthe 
dis-tance of eix milee from the neck of the Great 
Bend. Here we found a deer^ and the eltin of a. 
■whit-e wolf, left ub by our hunters ahead: large 
qnantities of difitrent kinds of plover and brants 
are in this neighbourhood, and seen tolJectjng and 
moving towards the south; theeatflsh areBmall^ 
and not in Buch plenty aa we hod found them. 
below this plot^e. We passed several sandbars, 
which make the rlver very shallon' and abQvt ft 
xoile in width, and encamped on the eouth, at the 
diHtauce of eleven and a lialf miles. Ou each gide 
the Bhore la lined with hard rough galleyHtoncB, 
rolled from the hills and amall brooks. The most 
coDLmoa timber ie the cedar, thongh, in. the prai- 
ries, there are great quantities of the prickly pear. 
From this place we passed several Hftudbare, 
which make the river ohallow, and about a mile 
in width. At the distance of eleven and a half 
miles, we encamped on the north at the lower 
point of an ancient inland, which hoD since been 
120 



UP THE MISSOOItl. 



connected with the main l&nd by the filling ap of 
tbe ni^irthern cbaanel, and is now covered with 
Cottonwood, Wehereeaw eome tracks of ludlaoB, 
but they appeared three or four weeks old. TbJs 
da.f waa warm. 

September S3.— A. thick fog detained na until 
eeven O'clock; our courae waa throagh iucliti^ 
prairieB od each side of the river, crowded with 
buffalo. We baited at a point on the north eide, 
near a lugh bluffoa the south, and took a merid- 
iao altitude, which ^ave lu the latitude of 44° 
ir 33j^'. On renewing our conrser we reached 
firat a Bmall island oa the eouth, at the dJBtance 
of four and A half milea, immediately abore which 
\» another island opposite to a creek fifleea yards 
wide. This creek, and the two Ulands, one of 
which is half a uiile long, aud the second three 
siilefl, are called the Three Sifllera; a beautiful 
pl^n extending on both sides of the river^ This is 
ibUowud by an ieLaiid OD the nortb, called Cedar 
ialaud, about one mile and a half in length and 
the same di^taace in breadth, and deriTing its 
name Oroia the quality of the timber. On the 
floath side of this ielaad, ie a fort and a large 
traditig-houae, built by a Mr. Loisel, who wintered 
here during the last year, in order to trade with 
the Bioux, the remains of ^vhose camps are in 
great number^ about tbie place. The eatablish- 
ment is aLxty or seventy fbet equare, built with 
red cedar and picketted in with the same mate- 
rials. The huDtera who had beea Bent ahead 
joined ub here. They mention that the hills are 
ivaabed in gulhes, in paesing over which, some 
mineral eubetancee had rotted and destroyed their 
moccasinaj they bad killed two deer and a beaver. 
At slxteea mileB distance we came to oa the north 
Bide at the mouth of a Hmall creek. The large 
127 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



Btoneitf ■which we e^w yesterday ou the shorea ara 
now some diBtance in the rl^er, aoil render the 
navigation dan^roua. The moHquitoea arp still 
nomeroua in the low ^oundH. 

StindfLj, September 23.^\\'6 -poHsed, with a light 
breeie iVom the aOutheast, a Bniall ieland on the 
north, called Roat {eland ; above whiqh is a smali 
creek, called hj the purtj Smoke creek, as we ob- 
served ft great emoke to the eouthwest on ap- 
proaching it. At teu miles we came to the lower 
point of a large islandj having passed two small 
willow island a "vrith Band bar a projecting from 
them, ThiB ieland, which we called Elk island, is 
about two and a half miles long, and three-quar- 
tera of a mile wide, Bituated near the Bouth, and 
covered with cottoawood, the red currant, and 
grapea. The river ia h*re almost straight for a 
considerablfe dlatance, wide and Bhallow, with 
many sandbars. A small creek on. the north, 
about BJxteea yards wide, we calltid Reuben'^ 
creek; as Reuben Fields, one of our men, waatli& 
first of the party who reached it. At a short dis- 
tance above this we encamped for the night, hav- 
ing made twenty mile^. The country, generally, 
conaists of low, richj timbered ground on the 
aorth, and high barren lands on the MOUth : on 
both sides great numbers of buShlo are feeding. 
In the evening three hoys of the Sioux nation 
swam acroea the river, and infbrmed ue that two 
parties of Sioux were encamped on the next river, 
one consisting of eighty, and the necond of aisty 
lodgeu, at some distance above. After treating 
them kindly T?e sent them back, with a present of 
two carrots of tobacco to their chiefa, whom we 
invited to a conference in the morning. 

Monday, September SJ.— The -ft-ind 'was Itoro the 
east] ami the day fkir; we soon passed a baud* 
139 



DP THE MISSODBI, 



■ome prsJrie on the north side, (rovtred with ripe 
plamB, and th? mouth of & creek on the south, 
called Highw^ter creel;, a, little above our en- 
campment. At about five milvs we reached an 
ialand two and a half miles in. ten^h, and Bitn- 
ated near the Bouth, Here we were joined by one 
of our hanters, who procured foui" elk, but -whilst 
lie waa in pureuit of the game the IndianH had 
Btoteo hi« horee. We left the island, and epou 
overtook five IndlanB on the shore: we anchored, 
and told them from the boat we were friende and 
wished to continue bo. hot were not afraid of any 
Indians; that aome of their young men had stolen 
the horee which their great father had sent for 
their great chiefi and that we could not treat 
with them uatil he was restored. They eaid that 
they knew nothing of the horee, but if he had been 
taken he abould be ^ven up. We went on, and at 
eleven aikd a half railee, pa^Bed an island on the 
north, which we called Clood -humoured island; it 
is about one and a half miles long, and abouniia 
in elk. At thirteen aod a halfmUes, we anchored 
one hundred yards o£f the mouth of a river on the 
BoutL aide, where we were joined by both the 
perioguea and encamped ; two-thlrda of the party 
rem^iued on board, and thereat went as a guard 
on shore with the cookB and one periogue; we 
have seen along the sideg of the liillB on the north 
a great deal of stone; besides the elk, we also 
observed a hare; the five Indians whom we had 
seen followed uh, and slept with the guard on 
shore. Finding one of them waa a chief we 
HTQoked with liitu, and made him a present of 
tobacco. This river in about ^venty yards wide 
and hoH a coneiderable current, Aa the tribe of 
the Sioux which inhabit it ore called Teton, we 
gave it the name of Teton river, i . -.1 . i^ 
Vol.1.— 9 1J9 



CLARK'S EJtPEDITIOM 



CKAPTER IV. 

Ooandl faeld with -Uie Tctona— Tbeir mannere. daJicee, Ac— 
Cliajeane rtrer— CouDcil TieJH wlUi xne Rlrwra iDtllaoH^Tbelr 
mutcerH and babiu— auaaKe InsteDce ol BJoira ldo]&tr7— 
Anotlier iDBlaace — CaiinuDliall river— Arrival amoBB' the 
tloDdana— Cbsxarler of ttut surrauxidliig ooiLiilry, and pf Qlfl 

September 25. — The morning wae fine, and the 
wind coatinned from the southeast. We raised a 
fiagstaffand an awtun^, uiid^r whieb we aesem- 
bled at twelve o'tlock, with all the party parad- 
ing under arms. The chieft and warriors from the 
camp two mile^s up the river, met us, about filly 
or Bisty la number, and after smoking delirered 
them a speech; but as our Sious interpreter, Mr. 
Durion, had been left with the I'anktonB, we were 
oblij^ to make uae of a Frenchman who could 
not «peak fluently, aiid therefore we eartailed our 
barapgue. After this "we went through the q«re- 
mony of acknowLed^ing the chiefs, by giving to 
the ^and cbi^ a medal, a flag of the United 
Stat«B, a laced Bntform coat, a cocked bat and 
father : to the two other chiefs a medal and eome 
email preeenta; and to two wamora of eoDBidera- 
tign GertiBca.t«a. The name of the great efaief ih 
Untongaeabaw, or Black Euflalo; the Bccond 
Tortohonga, or the Partiaan; the third Tartonga- 
waka, or Buffiilo Medicine; the name of one of 
the warriors wsh 'VVawringgo; that of the aeeond 
Matocoquepa, or Second Bear. We then invited 
the chiel^ on board, and showed them the boat, 
the airgua, and euch cunositiee ag we thought 
might amuse them ; in thie we succeeded too well ; 
130 



UP THE raSSOCEJ. 



for after ^yipg them a. quarter qf a glaas of 
wbiekey, irhlcli they Beemed to like very mach, 
and Bucked the bottle, it wa« with much diffic^ulty 
that we {!ouId get rid of them. They at last ac- 
companied captain Clftrk on shore in a periogue 
with five mcB.; but it seems they had formed a 
design to stop us; for no eoouer h&d the party 
landed than thcMe of the Iiidiaoa eeiafld the cable 
of the perioguc, ajid one of the soldiers of the chief 
put hia arms roucd the mast: the second chief 
who affected intoxication, then sadd, that we 
Bhould not ko oti, that the-y had not received 
pree^nta enough &otn ua: captain Clark told him 
that he would not be prevented ft-pm going on; 
that we were not aquawB, but warriorB; that we 
were eent by our great father, who could in a 
moment es^rminatc them: the chief replied, that 
be too had warriors, and was proceeding to oflfep 
pereonal Tlolence to captain Clark, who immedi- 
ately drew bis Hword, and tnadp a gjgnal to the 
boat to prepare for action. The Indians who sar- 
pounded hira, drew their arrowa from their q.uivera 
end were bending their hows, when the ewirel in 
the boat was instantly pointed towards tbeni, 
and twHilre of our Tuost determined men jumped 
into the periogue and joined Captain Clark. Tiiia 
movement made an impreaaiou on them, for the 
grand chief ordered the young men away tram the 
periogue, and they withdrew and held a short 
council with the warriors. Being unwilUng to 
irritate them, captain Clark then went forwacJ 
and offered hie hand to the flret and second chiefk, 
who refuiied to take jt. He then turned il'oni 
them and got into the periogue, but bad not gone 
more than ten pacea when both the cbie^B and 
two of the warriors waded in after him, and he 
brought them on hoard. We then proceeded on 
131 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



ftr a mile and anchored off a willow island, which 
ttom thp cireumstaiHjea which had juat occurred, 
We failed Badhumoured ieland. 

Wednesdnyt September 26.— Oar condact yegter- 
daj fie«tned to ha-ve io^pired th« Iiidis-ns with fear 
of U8, and as we were doairou^ of cultivating their 
acquaintance, we complied with their wiiib that 
we ahould give them on opportunity of treating 
Ub well, aud atao suffer thtir squaws and children 
to Btte us and our boat, which would beperfktti; 
new to them, AnKordingly, after passing at ooe 
and a half mile a email willow island and eeveral 
aandbare, we caia« to on the Houth side, where a 
crowd of meDj women and eUitdr&n were waiting 
to fMeive UB. Captain Lewia went on HJiot« and 
remained eeverai hours, and obserTing that their 
disposition waa friendly we reeolTed to remaio 
during the night to a dance, which they were pre- 
paring for UB. Captaine Lewie and Clark, who 
went on shore one after the other, were met on 
landing bj ten well dresaed 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 dresbed buffalo ekin by the side of 
the ^and cbief. The ball or CDuncil-rooia wae in 
the ebape oftbree-quarterR of a circle, covered at 
ttaetop and aides withshine well dreua^d and sewed 
together. Under this shelter eat about seventy 
men, forming a circle round the chief, befiire whom 
were placed a Spaoinb t^ag and the one we had 
given them yssterday. Thia left a vacant circle of 
about six tfeet diameter, in which the pipe of peace 
was raised on two forked eticks, about six or 
eight inches from the ground, Abd Under it the 
down of the swan wae scattered: a large fire. In 
which they were cooking i>rovieioDB, stvod near, 
and is the ceutre about four hundred pounds of 
1312 



etueUent btiOklo meat a« 4 preo^nt for ae. As 
BOOH OB we were seated, an old luQii^otup, aad 
after approving what we had done, begged ub to 
take pity on their unfortunate Bituation. To this 
were plied witli aggiipauces of protection. After he 
had ceased, the gre^t chief roue and delivered an 
harangue to the eftme effect; then with great 
fiolemnity he tool^ Bome of the most delicate pactH 
of the dog, wliich was cooked for the (t«tira1, and 
held it to the flag by way of Bacrifice ; this done, 
he held up the pipe nf peacCf and first pointed it 
towardw. the hedvena, then tO the four ■qoarterB of 
the glohe, and thea to the earth, made a ehorfc 
speech, lighted the pipe, niid preaeDted it to ub. 
We smoked, and he agais harangued hie people, 
after which the repaat was aerred up to ub. It 
consisted of the dog which they had juBt been 
cooking:, tliie being a great diah among the Sioui, 
and U8ed on all festivals; to thie were added, 
pemitigon, a di«h Tuade of bTiflalo meat, dried or 
jerked, and then pounded and mixed raw with 
greaee and a kind of prouDd potato, dresBed like 
the preparation of Indian corn ralEed hominy, to 
which it is little inftpior. Of alE these luxuriea 
which were placed before us in platters with horn 
epoonij, we took the pemitigon and the potato, 
which we found good, ^ut we could as jet par- 
take but Bparingly of the dog. We eat and 
emoked 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 hoii^e, 
giving at once light and warmth to the ballroom. 
The orchestra was composed of about ten men 
who played on a sort of tarabourin, formed of 
ekin stretched across a hoop ; and made a jingling 
noise with a long stick to which the hoofa of deer 
and goats were hung; the third instmrn^ent was a 
138 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



email eMn bag with pebblt^s in it: these, with £t? 
or six yuung men for the vocal part, made up the 
band. The women thfiti came forward highly 
detorated; some with potes in their hands, on 
which Tvere hang the scAlps of their enemies; 
otb^ra with gniia, BjieacH ur different trophies, 
takenia war bj their buebaiide, brothers, or con- 
nexiooB. Raviag an'aiiged theinselves in two 
columoB, one on eaeh eide of the fire, as soon as 
the musie began thi?y danced towards eaoh other 
till they met in the centre, "w-heii the rattles were 
shaken, and they all shouted and returned back to 
their plac«B. Th«y have no step, but phuifle along 
the^ound; nor does the muHic app&ac to be aoy 
thing more than a confiiBion of nnisep, distin- 
gnished only by harii or gentle blawa upon the 
buffalo fekin: the song m perfectly extemporane- 
ous. In the pauses of the dance, nny man of the 
comp^Dy eomes forward and rwite^, in a. sort of 
low g:uttural tone, BOme little story or ini^ideati 
which is either martial or ludicrous; or, as was 
the case this ereaiing, Toluptuoue and Indecent; 
thi« is taken up by the orchestra and the dancepa, 
w^ho repeat it in (u higher strain and dance to it. 
SometinLes they alternate; the orchestra first per- 
formiiigj and when it ceaeee, the women raiee their 
voices and make a music more agreeable, that la, 
leBS tatolerable than that of the muBLcianB. The 
dajicea of the meOj whi«h are always separate 
from those Of the women, are tonducted very 
nearly in the same way, except that the men jump 
up and down instead of shuffling; and iu the war 
danced the pecitationa are all of a military cast. 
The harmony of the entertainment had nearly 
been disturbed by one of the musiciana^ who think- 
ing he hod not received a due share of the toba«o 
we had distribated during the eveiiing, put himself 
134 



TIP THE MISSODEI. 



Into a paesion. broke one of the druma, threw two 
of them into the fire, and left the band. They 
wer* tak<;ii oat of t!ie firfc: a bufl'alo robe held in 
one hand and beaten with the other, by several of 
the COCnpany, eupplitd the place of the lost drnnj 
or tambDuria, aad no notice w&s takea of the 
ofibaBiye conduct of the man. We etald till twelve 
o'clock at night, when we informed the chieft that 
they ntuat he fatigued with all these attempts to 
amase us, and retired accompanied by four chiefs, 
two of whom sfient the night with tin on board. 

While on ehore w« saw tw^aty-flve squaws, and 
aboQt the same number of children, who had been 
taken priBonere two weeks ago, in a battle with 
their countrymen the Malios. In thia engagement 
the Sioux destroyed forty lodges, killed Beventy- 
Atb men, of which We aaTv many of the scalps, 
and took these prisoners; their appearance ia 
wretched and dnjietted; tlie women too eeem low 
In stature, coarse and ugly ; thowgh their present 
condition may diminiBh their beauty. We gave 
them a variety of email articlesj audi on bwIb and 
needles, and iaterctded for th^m with the thielfe, to 
whom Tve recommended to ibllow thti advice of 
th^r great father, to restore th« prisoners and 
live ia ideate with the .Nf aUau, which they promiwd 
to do. 

The tribe whieh we this day saw, are a part of 
the great Sioui nation, and are known by the 
name of the Teton Ukondandaa: they are about 
two huadred men in number, and their chief resi- 
dence is on both sides of the MisAouri, between the 
Chayenne and Teton rivers. In their peri^oaa they 
are rather ugly and ill made, tbeir le^ and arniB 
being too aniall, their cheekbones high, and their 
eyea projecting. The females, with the aame 
character of form, are more haudjiome; and both 
135 



LEWIS AND C LAKE'S EXPEDITION 

Bexee appear dieerfUl and ppriglitlj; but Id oar 
intercDur&B with them we dietovtred tLat they 
trere cunning and vicioue. 

The men ehiive the hair off their heada, except a 
small tuft on the top, iThic^h thej BuHiCr to ^oW 
aad wear in plaits over the shoulderB ; to tbLe they 
Beem oiucli attach<jd. as th* |Q«e ol'it ie the ui»ual 
aocritice at the death of near relatioDs. In full 
dreas, the men of conBideratJos wear a hawk'a 
feather, or calumet tbatlier worked with iiorcupine 
quills, and fastened to the top of the head, from 
which it fh.lU back. The face And body are gtnfr- 
ally painted with a mixture of greaae and toal. 
Over the Bhould^re is a tooee rob« or mantle of 
iDuifalu Bkiu dreeacHl white, adorned with poreu- 
fpipB quillB loosely fixed eo aB to make a pngiliiig 
noiae when in motion, and painted with Tai-ioua 
Uncouth figures uuintelll^lile to ua, but to ttaeni 
emblematic of military exploits, or any other inci- 
dent; the hair of the robe ie "worn next the ekia in 
fair weather, but when it rains the hair Ib put 
outf'ifie, and th« robe is eitbar thrown over the 
ai-ni, or wrapped round the body, all of whieii it 
may cover. Under this in the winter fleason they 
wear a kind of ahirt reutubling ours, and made 
either of akin or cloth, and covering tfie arms and 
body. KoTind the middle U fl:xed a girdle of doth 
or procured dressed elk-sklu, about au ineh in 
width and eloBely tied to the bodj-, to this iu at- 
tached a piece of cloth or blanket or ekiw about a 
foot wide, which passed between the legs and is 
tneked under the girdle both before and bebind; 
from the hip to the ancle he is covered by leggiiig'j' 
of drcBsed a-atelope ekius, with eeamu at the sldvn 
two inches in width, and ornamented by little 
tuftH of hair the prodnte at" the ecalpe they have 
made in war, wluch are scattered down thti leg. 
186 



UP THE MISSODEI. 



The ■winter rnoccafitfis are uf dreaaHl buffklo- 
akin, the hair being wora iawarda, and eoled 
with ttjcfc elk-skin parchment: those tor Hummt^r 
are of (iE>eF or ell^-tikln, dreesiMi without the bail*, 
and with nolea of elk-Bkio. 0^ great occtiaions, or 
wherever they are in full dreBs, the j-o-nng men 
drag after them the entire Bidii df a polecat fixed 
to thff h«el of tha moccasin. Another akin of the 
Bame animai is either tTi«ked into the girdle or 
carried in the band, and serves as a. pouch for 
their tobfl^:co, or what the French traders call the 
boie roule: this is the irmer bark of a epecies of 
red willow, which being dried in the Hun or over 
the fire, IB robbed betwrgen the hands, and brolien 
into email pi«!«s, and ia used alone or minted with 
tobacco. The pipe is gvnerall; of red earth, the 
etem made of aeb, about thr«« or four feet long, 
and highly decorated with feathers, hair and por- 
cupine quiiis. 

The hair of the WOmeb ie suffered ta giOV lOOf, 
and is part«d from the forehead aerobe the bead, at 
the back of which it la either collected into e, kind 
of bag, or baoge down over the shoulderB. Their 
moccagina are like tboee of the men, as are also 
the leggiugB, which do not however rea«^h beyond 
the knee, where it id met by a long loose fehia of 
skin whicli reaches nearly to the ancleB; this le 
ftwtened over the shoulderB by a Htriug and has no 
eleevea, but a ftw pieces of the skin hang a short 
dietance down the arm, RometiineB a girdle 
f^tens this ykin round the woiatj and over all 
is thrown a robe like that worn by the men. 
They seem fond of dreas. Their lodges are Tery 
peaijy constructed, in the same form as thoae of 
the Yanktone; they constat of about one hundred 
cabins, made of white buffalo hide dreaeed, witiL 
a larger one in the centre for holding couueil^ and 
137 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



daacee. Thej ore bailt round with polea aboot 
flilesD or twenty feet hjgh, covered with white 
eiinaj these lodgea may ha taken to pieces, packed 
up, and (larried with the nation wierever thej go, 
by dogH whith bear great Lurdens. The women 
aE« chiefly employed in dressing hnfft^lo ekiDB: 
they seem perftxtly well disposed, but are addicted 
to stealliif any thiug which they can take with- 
out beings obBerred. This nation, although it 
makes bo many ravages among it* neighbours, ie 
badly supplied with guna. The water which they 
carry with them is contained chiefly jn the 
paunches of deer and other animals, and they 
make use of wooden bowls. Some had their 
heodfl shaved, which we found was a species of 
mourning for relatione. Another usage, on theae 
CtCCaeiODa, is td run arrows through the fleeh both 
above and below the elbow. 

While on ehore to-day we witueesed a quarrel 
between two squaws, which appeared to be grow- 
ing every moment more boit^teroua, when a man 
came forward, at wboae approach every one 
seemed terrified and r4n. He took the equAwfl, 
and without any ceremony whipped them ee- 
vereJy ; on inquiring into the nature of euch enm- 
mary justice, we learat that thk niau wae an 
oMcer well known to this and many other tribes. 
Eia duty ta to keep the peace, and the whole 
interior polic^e of the village ia confided to two or 
threeoftheee officers, who are named by the chief 
eund remaiD in power some days, at leaet till the 
chief appoints a euccei^Bor ; they Beem to be a sort 
of coHBtabk or sentinel, since they are always an 
t^ watch to keep tranquillity during the day^ and 
guarding the camp in the night. The Bhoet dupa- 
^Ijon of their office is. compenaated by it» author- 
ity: IiLB power is eupreme, and in th« «Qppre«eiqa 
138 



'I'HK MISBOUHL 



of any riot or dieturbaTice no reBistancG to him Is 
BuflortHl: hie perBOu la sabred, ajid if in theex^u- 
tion of luB duty he Btrikes even a chief of thfl 
eecoDil claijSj he canuut be iDuniehed fur thJa salu- 
tary ioBolence. la general they aotompanj the 
person of the chief, aud when ordered to any duty, 
however dangerous:, it ie a point of honour rather 
to die than to refuae obedienGG. ThuB, when they 
attempted to stop us yeHterday, the chief ordered 
one of" theae men to take pOBSfBHion of the boat; 
he im mediately put his arm& round the tnaat, and, 
a? we tiTideratood, no fbrce except the conimaud 
of the chief would have induced him to release bis 
hold. Lilie the other men their bodice are black- 
ened, but their distinguishing marli is a eoHection 
of two or three raven skins fixed to tlie girdJe be- 
hiod the boi^k id Buch a way, that the talis 6tif:k 
oat horisontaliy from the bcwiy. Ob his head too 
is a raven ekin split into two parts, ttnd tied so 
ae to let the beak project from the forehead. 

Thursday, September 27. — We rose early, aad 
the two chieffl took off, aa a matter of course and 
according to their cuetoni, the blanket on which 
they had slept. To tliiB "we added a peck of com 
aa ft present to each. Captain Lewie and the 
chiefs went on shore to see a part of the nation 
that was expected, but did not come. He re- 
turned at two o'clw!fc, with fijur of tliethiefa and 
a warrior of distinction, called Wodrapa, (or on 
hie gniard) ; they '•xamincd the boat and admired 
whatever was strange, during half aa hour, when 
they left it with great rehictance. Captain Clark 
accompanied them to the lodge of the grand chief, 
who invited them to a dance, where, being joined 
by captain Lewis, they rtmaineil till a late hour. 
The dance wns very eimilar to that of yesterday. 
About twelve "roe left thenij taking the second chief 
139 



LT:wra AlfD CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

and one priDcipal warrior on board; rb we cams 
near the boat the man who uteered the periogiie, 
by miutake, brought her broadinide against the 
boat cable, and broke it. We called up all hands 
to their oare; but oar noist; alarmed the two 
Indians; they called out to their compftnioas, and 
immediatelj' the whole camp crowded to the 
ehore; but after half an hour they returned, leav- 
ing about sixty nifln near us. Tie alarm giren by 
the chieft was aaid to be that the Mahae had afc- 
tacbed us, O.nd that thej- were desirous of'aeaist- 
ing' UB to repel it ; hut we suspected that thty 
were ali'aid we meant to set Bail, and intended to 
prevent ue from doing bo; for in the nig-ht the 
Maha priaonerB bad told one oT our men, who 
linderatood the language, that we were to be 
flrtopped. We therefore, without giving any indi- 
cation of our euapieion, prepared every thing for 
as attack, as the Idsb of our ancbor obliged to 
come to near a falling bank, very unfavourable for 
defence. We were not mJBtaken iu these opinions; 
for when in the morning, 

-Fridajj September 28, after dragging uuHuccee^ 
(blly for the anchor, we wished to set sail, it waa 
wltb great difficulty tbat we could make the chiefs 
leave the boat. At length we got rid of all except 
the great chief; when juat ae we were Betting out, 
aeveral of the thief a aoldiere sat on the ropewhith 
held the boat to the shore. Irritated at this, we 
got every thing ready to fire on them if they per- 
sisted, but the great chief said that these were his 
Boldiera and only wanted eome tobacco. We bad 
already reused a flag and some tobacco to the 
second chief, who had demanded it with great 
importumtj ; but -wilUng to leave them ^'ithoat 
going to extremities, we threw him a carrot of 
tobacco, saying to him, "Yoq have told Qa that 
140 



UP THE MIBSODBI. 



70a were a great man, aud hare influeace; now 
ahow j-uur iiiduencej by taking the rope firotn 
those rneiir and wt will then go without any tUf- 
ther trouble/' This appeal to hie pride had the 
dedr^d efit^ct; he wtat oat of the boat, ga.vt> the 
eoldJerB the tobacco, and puEliitg the rorHi out of 
their hands delivered It on board, and we then set 
nail uuder a breeze from the S. E. After saiUng 
about two mllea we observed the third ehiej' beck- 
onicig to us : we took iini On boa±d, and he in- 
formed UH that the rope had beeu held bj the 
order of the eecood chief, who was a dguble-faced 
num. A 1{ttl« farther on we were joined by the 
flon of the chief, who came on board to aee hia 
father. On his return, we sent a speech to the 
nation, eiplaituDg what we had done, and advia- 
iag them to peace; but If they persisted in their 
attempts to stop ws, we were willing ami able to 
defend oureelvea. After naaklug eix unleB, during 
which we paesed a willow iHland on the Boath 
and one sandbar, we encamped on another in the 
middle of the river. The toantry on the eoath 
eide waa a low pridrte, that on the north high- 
land. 

September 29. — We net out early, but were again 
impeded by sandbars, which made the river shal- 
low; the weather was however fair; the land on 
the north Side low and covered with timber coa- 
traeted with the bluffii to the south. At nine 
o'cloek we saw the seeond chief and tivo 'n'omen 
and three men on uhore, who wished ub to take 
tTVO women otfered hj the Bpcoiid chief to make 
friends, which was refuHCd; he then requeBted us 
to take theiu to the other biiiid of their natioa, 
who were on the river not fu.r from us: this we 
declined ; but in epite of our wishes they fqlipwcd 
ufl along Bhore. The chief aek&d an to give them. 
141 



LEWIS AKD CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



BOm« tobacco; thja we did, and gave more as a 
present for that part of the nation wliii!h we did 
not Esee. At eeveu and a lialf milea we tame to a 
email creek oti tlie southern side, where wii aaw 
great Qumbcrd of elk, and n-iueJi tvg culled Notim- 
ber creek from Hs bare ajipeartmce, AboT^' tbe 
mouth of this stream, a I^icar^ band of rawneea 
had a village five yeara nj^o: but tbere are no re- 
majne of it except the rnouod which eDtlrcled the 
town. Here the eitfcond chief went on Hhore. We 
then proceeded, ftnd at the di^t'clticEi of elfcTen nliled 
enca-mped on the lower part of a willow islaud, in 
the middle of the river, Ijeing obtigf?d to substitute 
large BtoacB in the place of tLe anchor which w« 
lost. 

Septpmber 30.— TtiB wind waa thia morninBvery 
high from the southeast, so that wt were oblij^ 
to proceed under a double-reefed muLuettil, tlirough 
the raio. The flOHntcy pregenttHl a l^gi^ Iqw 
prairie covered with timber ou the aortli Bide ; on 
the Bouth, we first had high barrun hlllB, but after 
Bome mile* it betamo of the same character ae 
that OB the opposite Bide. We had not gone iivr 
when an Indiun ran aiter ns, and begged tO b6 
carrjed on board aa far aa the Kicaras, which W9 
reftsed: eooa all«r, we discovered ou the hiile at 
a dietaace, a great number of ludiauH, who came 
towards the river and encamped ahead of us. We 
stopped at a aandbar, at abont eleven, miles, and 
after breakfOHting proceeded on a short dtdtance 
to their camp, which consisted of about tbnr hun- 
dred bduIh. We anchored one hundred y«rde from 
the Bhore, and discovering that they were Tetona 
belonging to the band whi«h we had just left: we 
told them that we took them by the hand, and 
would maJce each chief a ptei»ent of tobacco ; that 
w^e had been badly treated by some ol' their band, 
142 




MISSOTJRI. 

and that fa&Tiag waited for thtm two A&jm belov, 
we could not stop here, bnt referred them to Mr. 
DaiioQ for our talk and &n explanation of our 
views: thej' then apologiEed for what had past, 
aaeured us tliat they were frieadly, and very dc- 
Birona that we should land and eit with them : 
thiB we refused, but mat the periogue aa §hore 
■with the tobacKO, wliicli was delivered to one qf 
the aoldiera of the chief, whom we tad 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 onr 
couneeU; on whith. they immedtately returned to 
their lod^«. We then proceeded paet a continaa^ 
tioB of the low prairie on the north, "where we had 
large quantitiea of grapes, and oq the Bouth saw 
a nmall creek and an UiaDd. Six miles above thi», 
two Indians came to the bank, looked at mb about 
half an hour, and then went without speaking 
over the hilla to the BOutbwe«t. After some time, 
the wind roge still higher, and tlie boat Htruck ^ 
log, turned, and was very near taking: in water. 
The chief became BO much terrified at the dan^r, 
that he hid himself in the boat, and as hood as we 
lauded got his gan and told us that he wanted to 
return, that we would now see no more Tetonsj 
and that we might proceed unmolested: we re- 
peated the advice we had already given, presented 
him with a bianltet, a knile, some tobaeco, and 
atter smuking with him he set out. We then eon- 
tinned to a Haudbar on the north side, where we 
encamped, having come twenty and a hatf miles. 
In the course of the day w^e saw & number of 
sandbars which impede the navigatioQ, Tha only 
animal which we observed wae the white gull, 
then in great abuadaoce. 
October iBtf 1804,— The weather waa very cold 
113 



LEWIS AND CLABK'8 

and the wind Mgh from the Bouthea«t daring the 
night, and continued so thiB morning. At three 
mile^ di^t^nce, we had pasBed a. lB.ige iBlaad in the 
middle of the river, opposite to the lower end of 
which the Rlcaraa once had a villa^ on the Houth 
Bide of the river: there are, however, no remnanta 
of it now, except a circular wall three or four feet 
in hrigbt, which eDcompaaeed the town. Two 
ni)le« bejond tbis lelaod is arirer comiD^iafrom 
ths BDuthweet, about four huodred yards wide; 
the current gentle, and diechar^ng not much 
water, and very httle Band ; it takes its Fine in the 
BMond range of the Cote Noire or Black moun- 
taina, fljid its general course is nearly east: thi* 
riYer haa been ocpaaionally eallt^ i^og river, UDdflT 
a DUBtakea opinion that its French uaioe was 
Chien, but itB true appellation is Chayenne, and 
it derives this title ftom the Cbajenne Indians: 
their history ie the short and melancholj rela- 
tion of the calamities of almost all the Indiaiuip 
They were a numeroua people and lived on the 
Chayenne, a branch of the Ked river of Lake Win- 
nipeg, The invasioD of the tiioux drove them 
weHtward ; in their progresa th^y halted on the 
Bouthem aide of the Miasouri bulow the Warre- 
conne, where their ancient fortiflcatione »Cill exist; 
but the same impulse again drove them to th* 
heads of the Chayeuno, wheie tliey now rove, and 
occoidoaaLly viBit the Ricaran. Thuy are now 
reduced, but etill number thive hundred men. 

Although the river did uot spcm to throw out 
much sandj jet near and above its month we find 
a great many sandbars dittlcult to pass. On both 
Hides of the MisijQurj, near tbe Chayeaae^ are rich 
thidly timbered lowlands, behind whuch are bare 
hiJle. Ab we proceeded, we faond that the eand- 
bars made the river ho shallow, and tlie wind wao 



DP THE MISSOUET. 

K Us^t that w« Cduld 6can:«ly find the chaooel, 

and at one place were forced to drag the ho4t 
over a Baadbiir, the Misuouri beiag rery wide and 
foiling a little. At esvuu and a halTmilee "we came 
to at a point, and rt-inained three hourB, during 
which time the wind abated: -we then pa^eed 
■within four miles two creek* on the eonth, one of 
which we called Centlnel creek, and the other 
Lookout creel?. This part of the river has but 
little timber ; the hillH are not bo high aa we have 
hitherto seen, and the number of saiidhara extends 
the river to more than a -mile in breadth. We con. 
tiuued about four and a half miles further-, to a 
sandbar in the middle of the river, where we spent 
tbe night, our progress being ^JsteeD i«il?8. Oa 
the opposite shore, we saw a liouae among the 
willows and a boy, to whom we called, and 
brought him on board. He proved to be a jonng 
Frenehman in the employ of a Mr. Valte a trader, 
who is nOw here pursuing his commerce ^th the 

Biaax, 

Tnesday, October ^.— There bad been a violent 
wind iVom the S. E. durin;? the night, which hav- 
ing nioderated we set sail with Mr. Valle, who 
Tisited ua thia morning and aecompanied tui for 
two n]ilea. He ie olie of three French traders ^sho 
have halted here, expecting the Bioux who ar& 
coming down from the Riearas, where they now 
are, for the purposes of traffic. Mr, Valle telle ua 
that he posaed the laet winter three hundred 
leagTiea up the Chayenne under the Black moan- 
taine. That river he represents as very rapid, 
liable to sudden swells, the bed and shores formed 
of coarse gravel, and difficult of ascent eveQ for 
canoes. One hundred leagues from it-s moutb it 
divider into two brancheR, one coming from the 
Boothj the other at forty leagues from the junction 
¥oI. I.— 10 lio 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



enters the Black mouutaioB, The land which ic 
wattiFB frora the MIsHDuri to the Black mountaiDB, 
reBemblee the country on the MiBsouri, except that 
the former has even, leas timber, and of that the 
greater proportion is cedar. The Chay-ennes re- 
Bid« chiefly oq the heads of tie river, and steal 
from the Bi>aiUHh settl&meut, a pltiuderiag excur- 
eioD which they perform ia a months time. Thg 
Black mouiitainB he obflervea are very high^ 
covered with great quantitiea of pine, and in Rome 
parts the enow remaJna during tht summer. 
There are alwo great quantities of joatB, white 
bear, prairie cocts, and a species of animal which 
from hie descriptioa must resemble a small elk, 
with large tireular hornB. 

At two and a half mileH we had paBBen! a wil^ 
low ieland on the aoutbj on the nurtb aide of the 
river were dark bluffs, and on the aouth low rich 
prairies. We tppk a meridian altitude on oar 
arrival at the upper end of the isttaioua of the 
'bend, which we called the Lookout bend, and 
found the latitude to be 44" 19" SS". This bend 
is nearly twenty milce round, and not more than 
t^vO tnilea flcrOBB. 

In the afternoon we heard a shot Qred, and not 
long after obaerv^ eome Xodiaos on a hilt; one of 
them came to the shore and wished ua to land, aa 
there w«re twenty lodges of ^'anktons or BoIb- 
bmle there ; we declined doing eo, 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 thiB iBiaud, which we 
called Caution iBland, aud after pasBing a email 
146 



TTF THE MlSSOnSI. 



Cpeek OD the eoath encamped en a ^andtiar io tti« 
middle of the river, haTing made twelve mi\ea. 
The wind changed to tbe northweet, and became 
very high aud cotd. The iiurrent of the river is 
less rapid, and the water thong-h of the same 
colour coiLtaina Igbb sediment than below the 
Chayenne, but its Width continuee the e-ame. \Ve 
were not able to hunt to-day ; for &s there 4re ho 
many Indiautt is the ueigbbourhood, we were lo 
constant expectation of Ijeiog attacked, and were 
therefore forced to keep the party together and be 
on onr guard. 

Wfidnesd/iy, Oetober3.—The wind continued bo 
high fVotn the northwegt, that we could not set 
out till after eeveD ; we then prwjeeded till twelve 
o'clock, aad lauded on a bar towards thoBOuth, 
where we examlued the perioguea, aud the fore- 
castle of the boat, and found tbat the mice bad 
cut several bags of corn, and spoiled some of ouc 
clothes-: about O'ne o'clock an ludiati camemaniDg 
to the ehore with a turkey on his back: several 
others sooq joined bim, but we had do intercourse 
with them, We then went on for tliree miles, but 
the ascent soon became bo obstmcted by sandbara 
and n}ioal water, that after attempting in vain 
Beveral channels, we determined to Te»t for the 
night under some high bluSa on the eouth, and 
Bend out to examine the beet phaEmei. We had 
made eight milea along high bluUk on each side. 
The birds we saw were the white gulls and the 
brant which were flying to the aouthward in 
large flocks, 

Tbutsda}; 4-th. — On examinatioa we found tbat 
there was no outlet practicable for ua in this chau- 
nel, and that we must retread onr steps. We 
therefore returned three mileB, aad attempted an- 
.otfaer channel la which we were more fortunate. 
147 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'S EXPEDITION 



The Indiana were in small numbeni on the «hore, 
aud seemed ^villing had they been more sum«roas 
tQ molest us. They calliid to deeire that we "waultl 
land, and ose of tbem gaY« three jelk and fired a 
ball ahead of the boat: we however took no 
notice of it, but landed oii the Bouth to breaktust. 
One of these Indiana Awam acroBB and begged for 
Bome powder, we gave him a piece of tobacuo 
onlj. At eight and a half miles we bad passed an 
island m the middle of the river, which we called 
tioodhope island. At one and a half mile we 
reached a creek on the eouth side about twelve 
yards wide, t-o which we gave the name of Teal 
creek. A little abov« this is an island on the 
north side of the eurrent, about one and a half 
inile in length and three-quarters of a mile in 
breadth. In the centre of this inland k an old 
village of the Ricaras, called Lahoocat; it waa 
Burrounded by a circular wall, cuntaining seven- 
teen lodges. The Ricaras are known to have lived 
there in 17B7, and the village seems to have been 
deserted about five years since: it does uot con- 
tain much timber. Vie encamped on a Handbai* 
making out iVom the upper oiid of this it^laud ; our 
journey to-day being twelve milea, 

Friday, October 5.— The weather was very cold ; 
yesterday evening and this morning there waa a 
'v>'hite IVoat. We i^ailed along the higblandH on the 
north side, passing a amall creek on the south, 
bet^veen three and four miles. At seven q'qlockwe 
heard some yells and saw three lodians of the 
Teton hand, who asked uh to come on elioreaod 
begged for some tobacco, to all which we gave 
the same answer ajj hitherto. At eight miles we 
reached a small creek on the corth. At fourteen. 
we passed an island on the south, covered with 
wild rye, and at the hejid a Jarge creek coiuea in 
148 



tTP THE MTSSOnRi. 



from the eonth, whtch wt named Whltebrant 
creet, ftom seeing Bevcral white brants among 
flockB of darfc-colonred ones. At the diatance of 
tiventy mileB- we came to dd a §andbar towards 
the north ride of the riyer, with a willow island 
opposite; the hilla or blufik come to theban'ke of 
the river on both eides, but are not eo high 00 
ttef are "below r the river itself iowerer t^ontinuea 
Ofthe^ame width, And the Bttndhflra are qnite fla 
mimerone. Tie Boil of the banka is dark coloured, 
»Tid many qfthe blufiu hare the appearance of be- 
ing on fire. Our ^a-iue thin day waB a deer, a 
prairie wolf, ani some goats out of a Bock that 
was swimming across the riTcr. 

Sa-tJirds.y, October 6.~The morning was still 
eold, the wind being from the north. At eight 
Diile^ we came to a irillow inland on the north, 
opposite a point of timber, where there are many 
large etones near the middle of the river, which 
seem to have been washed from the hilla and high 
plains on hnth eides, or driven from a diPtanee 
down the etreiiin. At tivelTft miles we halted for 
dinner at a Tillage which we suppose to fanre be- 
longed to the Bicaras : it is situated in a low plain 
on the river, and coneiat^ of abotit eighty lodges, 
of an octagon form, neatly covered with earth, 
placed as c^oBe to e^ch other as possible, and 
picliet«i round. The skin canoes, mats, buckets, 
and articlee of furniture found in the loclgea, in- 
duce U9 to swppoee that it had been left in the 
spring, We found three different Borts of squaflhea 
growing in the village; we alBo kiiJed an elk near 
itj and eaw two wolves. On leaving the village 
the river became shallow, and after searching a 
long time for the main channel, which was con- 
ceal^ among sandbars, we at last dragged the 
boat OTGF one of them rather than go back three 
14& 



VP THE MISSOUBI. 

piilesfor the deepest cbaanel. At foart^en aod a 
lalf roilee we stopped (or the night on a aandhar, 
opposite a creek on the north, called Otter creek, 
twefltj-tTcO jarde in "width, aad containing' more 
'water than is common Tor creeka of that dxe. 
The eitlee of the river during the day are varie- 
gated with high blufia and low timbered grounds 
on the banks: the river is very much obatructed 
by eandbars. We. saw geese; swan, brants and 
ducka of difierent kindg on the batidbara. and on 
sTjore numbers of the prairie hen; the magpie too 
i^ very common, but the gnlja and plov-er, which 
WQ eaw in bucIi uumbera below, are now quite 
rar«. 

SuniJof, October 7. — There waa frost ag'ain last 
evening, and this morning 'was cloudy and at^ 
tended with rain. At two mileB we came to the 
mouth of a river; called by the Ricaras, Sawaw- 
kawna, or Pork river ; the pftrtj who eiamined it 
for about three milee up, Hay that ite current ia 
gentle, and that it does not aeem to throw out 
much aand. Ita sources are in the first range of 
the Black mountains, and though it hoa now onljr 
water of twenty yards width, jet when ftill it 
occapiee ninety, Juflt below the mouth » another 
Tillage or wintering camp of the liicaroe, com- 
poHed of about eixty lodges, built in the aame 
form OB thoBe paawd yesterday, with willow and 
Htraw matSj basket's and bufialo-eikia canoes re- 
maining entire in the camp. We proceeded undera 
geatle breeze from the southwest; at ten o'clock 
we uaw two Indians on the north side, who told 
UH they were a part of the lodge of Tartonga- 
waha, or Buffalo Medicine, the Teton chief whom 
we had seen on tha twenty-fifth, that they were 
on the 'way to the Ricarae, and begged ub for 
BOmetliing to eat, which we of course gave them. 
150 



j 




UP THE MISSODBI. 

At seren and a half Tailed is a willow island on 
the north, Uad another on the same Bide hre milea 
beyond it, in the middlB of the riTer bet"ween high- 
lOiDde OQ lioth tiidea. At eighteen and a half mileB 
is an ielaod called ^TrouBe ittland, ou which are the 
walU of an old village: the iBlood has oo timber, 
but is covered with graaa and wild ryt, and owes 
its name to the number of grouse that freqnent it. 
We then went on till our journey for the day was 
twentj-two milee r the country pree&nted the saioe 
appearance aa uBual. In the low timbered ground 
near the mouth of the Hawawkawna, we saw the 
tracks of large wlitte bear^ and on Carouse iuEaiid 
killed a female hlaireau, and a deer of the black- 
tailed species, the lArgest wb have ever Been. 

Monday, Octobm S, — We proceeded earlj with a 
cool Qorthweet wind, and at two and a hiilf miles 
abore G^ronse island, reached the mouth or a creek 
on the south, thea a email willow JBland, which 
diridea the current equally; and at four and a, 
half mileiB came to a rive^r on the southern side 
where we halted. This river, which our meridiaa 
altitude fiiee at 4.j' 39 ^ north latitude, ie 
called by the lUcaras Wetawhoo; it riae* in the 
Black mountains, and its Led, which flows at the 
mouth over a low soft, elate intone, ia one hundred 
and twenty yards wide, but the water ie now 
confined witliin twenty yards, and is not very 
rapid, discharging' mud with a email proportion 
of sand: here aa in every bend of the river, wb 
again observe the red berrisH resembling corrantB, 
vhieh we uientioiie(3 before. Two luitea above the 
Wetawhoo, and on the same side, Ie a amall river 
called Maropa by the Indians; it is twenty yards 
in width, but eg dam.med up by mud that the 
stream creeps through a channel of not TDore than 
an inch in diameter, and discharges no sand. One 
151 



CLARE'S EXPEDITION 



mile Turtlter we r«a(;be<l an island cloge to the 
Bouthem shore, from which it is separated by a. 
deep thanne! of Mity yards. About half way a 
nuoiber of Kicura IndiauB came out to ae« ue. We 
Btopped aad tuuk o. Frenchman on board, who 
accompanied ua paet the iitland to our camp on 
the north side of the riTCFj whicli is at the distance 
of twelve miles from, that of yefit-eriiay. Captain 
Lewis then returned with four of the party to eee 
the village; it i» situated ia tbu eentre of tiie 
island, near the (southern shore, under the foot of 
earoe high, bald, uneven hilla, and cotLiains about 
sixty lodges. The island itself ia three mileB long, 
and cocered with fields in which the Indians raise 
corn, bean:^, and potatoes. Several Frenchmen 
living among these Indians tt^ iuterpreWfB, or 
traders, came back with captain l^wis, and par- 
tlcnlarl; a Mr. (^ravelinej, a man who has ac- 
quired the langua£;e. On eettiug out we had a 
low prairie covered with timber on the north, and 
ou the south highlande, but at the utouth of the 
Wetaw'hop the eouthern country changes, and a 
low timbered plain ez.t«ndti along tbe south, while 
the nortli hoB a ridge of barren hilEa during tbe 
reat of the day'e course. 

Tuesdaj, Sth.—Tbe wind waa bo cold and high 
last night and during all the day, that we could 
Dot aeaembie the Indians in council; but aome of 
the party went to the Tillage, We r«reived the 
TiHitB of the three priudpal chiefs with many 
others, to whom we gave some tobacco, and told 
them that we wonld speak to them to-morrow. 
The namea of these chiefs were first, Kakawieeasea 
or Lighting Urow; eecoud chief Pocaese or Hay; 
third chief i'iatieto or Kagle'e Feather, Xotwith- 
Btandiug tbe liigh waves, two or three ei]uawB 
rowed t{) us in little canoes made of a uingle buf- 
15:^ 



UP THE MISSOURL — " 



fo].Q skin, stretched over a frame of boBglie intel^ 
woven like a basket, and with tbe mapt yerfevt 
composure. The object which appeared to aetDu- 
lab the Indians moet, was captain Clark's Bervant 
York, a remarkable stout atroiig negro. Tlity 
bad never seen a being' of that colour, and there- 
fore flocked round him to examine the estraordi- 
mtrj moneter. By way of amusement he told 
tbem that he bad oaae been a wild animal, and. 
caught and tamed by Ub maat^r, and to convince 
thi^nij showed them featB of streD^th wliich added 
to his looks made Um more terrible than we 
wished him to be. Opiioeite our camp ia a, small 
cre^k pn th^ south, Tvhtch xre di^tjng^gbed bf th« 
name of the chief KakawiB&aasa. 

Weilnesda^v, lOtb. — The weather waa thie day 
fine, and as we were deeirouB of aBseinbllug the 
whole nation at once, we despatched Mr. GroTCv 
Unee, who with Mr. Tabeau another French trader 
liad hreakfasttHl with VH, to invite the chiefs of the 
two upper Tillages to a eoul^reace. They all aa- 
aembled at one o'clock, and after the aeual eere- 
monies we addreBHed them in ths same way in 
which we had already apoten to the Ottoea 
qnd Sioux: we then made Of acknowledged 
three cbJefa, one for each of tbe tliree villages; 
giviDg to each a fag, a medal, a red coat, a 
cocked bat and ^ther, also some ffoodB, paint 
and tobaL'co, which they divided among tbem- 
fielvee: after this tlie airgtin was eshibitud, very 
much to their aetotiishment, nor were they leas 
eurprieed at the colour and manner cifTork. On 
our side we were equally gratified at diacOTering 
that these Kicaraa made nue uf nu Bpirituuus 
liquors of any kind, the example of the traders 
who bring it to them ao fur It-ora tempting iiaving 
In fact diagueted them, ^upposin^ that it was aa 
153 



LEWIS AND CLABK^a EXPEDITION 



agreeable to them ae to the other IndiaiiB, we had 
at first ofiered them whiskey; but they reftised it 
with this eensible remark, that they were sur- 
prised that tb-bir father ahoald present to tiiem a 
liquor which would make them fools. On another 
occHBioti the; obe^rved to Mr. Tabeau, that no 
man could be their friend who tried to lead them 
into such folliee. The council being- over they re- 
tired to eonsTiIt on their answer, and the next 
moimiu^, 

Tbarsda^, lltb, at eleven o'clock we again met 
Id council at our camp. The grand chief made a 
Bhort speech of thanks for the advice we had 
giyen, and promiaed to follow it; adding that the 
door waa now open and no one dare shut it, and 
that we might depart whenever we pleased, allud- 
ing to the treatnteiit wb had received fV'om the 
Sioux: they also brought ua Kome corn, beaqg, 
and dried »q.uaBheB, and ia retura we gave them a 
eteel mill with which they were very much pleaaed. 
At one o'clock we left our camp with the grand 
ehicf and his nephew on board, and at about two 
mile« anchored below a creek on the eouth, sepa- 
rating the eecond and third village of the RicaraS] 
which are about half a mile distant from each 
other. We vimted both the vUlagea, and eat con- 
vereiog with the chiefb for aoine time, dnring 
which they preeented ub 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 
(he prairie, who discover and collect it. Thea© 
two Tillages are placed near each other in a high 
Bmooth prairie ; a fine situation, except that bav- 
ing no wood the inhabitants are obliged to go for 
it aerosB the river to a timbered lowland opposite 
to them. We told them that we would tpeak to 
them in the morning at their villager separately. 
15i 



Thnrsday, i^tft.— Accordingly aft«c breakfast 
we wenC oa shore to the house of the chief of the 
second FiMage named LasBel, where we found faia 
chiefs and warriors, llwj made ue a preeent of 
about Bereo bueheU of com, a pair of leggings, » 
twiat of their tobacco, aud the aeede of two dit^ 
fferent species of toliacco. The chief then delivered 
a Bpeech expreasiTe of Ida gratitude for the pre-8- 
entB and the good counAela which wo had given 
him; hie intention of visiting hin great father but 
for fear of the Sioux ; and requested uB to take ong 
oftihe llicaraehleia up to the Mftudaiis aud uego- 
ciate a peace betweeo th« two aatiane. To tbia 
we repliiMi in a suitable way, and then repaired to 
the third village. Here we were addressed by tha 
cHef in nearly the same terms as before, and enter- 
tained with a present often buaheU of eoni, some 
beans, dried pumpkins, and equaehes. Aft^r wo 
had answered and explained the magnitude and 
power of the United States, the three chiefs came 
with TIB to the boat, We gave them eome eug-ar, a 
httle ^alt, atid a Huu^lai^ij. Two of them theu left 
us, aud the chief of the third, by name Ahketah- 
nasha or Cliief of the Town, accompanied iis to 
the Mandane. A.t two o'clock we left the Indiaae, 
who crowded to the ultore to take leave ofue, 
and after raaking seven and a. half miles lauded on 
the north aide, and had a tleaCj cool, pleasant 
evening. 

The three villages which we have just left, are 
the reaideiite of a nation eo-ilcd the liicaras. They 
were originally colonies of Pawneea, who eetab- 
liahed themaelvea on the Missouri, below the 
Chayenne, where the traders Btill remember that 
twenty years ago they occupied a number of Til- 
lages. From that situation a part of the ICicaraa 
emigrated to the oeighbourkood of the Mandana, 
155 



LEWIS AWD CLABK'S EXPEDITrON 

■with wbgiii thej were then in alliance. The rMt 
of the oatioD continued near the Chajeane till the 
year 1797, in the couree of wticli, diBtreeeed by 
their wara with the Sioux, they joined their eoan- 
tpymen near tie Mandans. Soon after a new war 
arose between the Ricaraa and the Mand&na, in 
qoneequence of which the former came down the 
river to tbeir prewnt position, In tWw niigrfttion 
those who had first gone to the Maiidane kept 
together, and now live in the two lower vllla^reB, 
which may th<;noe be conflidered aa the Rfearaa 
proper. The third village waa compoaed of such 
remnants of the villages as had survived the ware, 
tiqd a^ these n^ere nine in number a difference of 
pronnuciation aud aome differenca of language 
may be observed between them and the Kicaras 
proper, who do not understand all the worda of 
these wanderera. The villages are within the 
distance of four miles of each other, the two lower 
ones eoneiating' of hetween qne hundred and Blty 
and two handn^ men each, the third oi' three 
hundred. The Kicaraa are tall and well propor- 
tioned, the women handBome and lively, and aa 
among other eava^R to them falls all the drud^ 
ecy of the field and the labonre of procuring: sub- 
BiBtencfij except that of hunting: both «exes are 
poor, but kind and generous, aud although they 
receive with thankliiUiefla what m given to tlieoi, 
do not beg ae the Sioux did, though tbia praise 
should be qualified by mentioning tha.t an axe waa 
stolen last night from our cooks. The dreaa of the 
men le a simple pair of moccaeins, leggings, and a, 
cloth i-ound the middle, over whith a buSalo robe 
is occaBionally thrown, with their hair, errae and 
eara decorated with diffirent ornaments. The 
■women wear moccasins, legginga, a long shirt made 
of goate' skina, generally whit* and ftinged, which 
156 



UP THE mseocHi. 



U tied roDTid th* waiet; to these they add, like 
tbe men, a butlklo robe without tht? hair, in sum' 
mer. Tbeae women are liaudaomer than th« 
Siau3 ; both of them ar« however, disputed to be 
amorous, and our men found nu difficuitj in pro- 
Hiring compamonalbr the night by tufc&ns of the 
interpreters. These interriewa were chiefly clan- 
dentine, and were of courge to he kept a- e*?cret 
i'ruui tbe buebaod or reL&tlona. The point of 
honour indeed, ie completely reversed among the 
Kiimraa ; that the wilfe or the siHter should Hubnait 
to a Btranger'fl embraces witbont the conscDt of 
her husband or brother, is a eaaae of great dis- 
grace and offence, especially ae for many purposee 
qf civility or gratitutio tlie husbaDd and brother 
will tbemaelves present to a etranj^r these femaleB, 
and be (Ratified by attentiuns to then]. The 
Sioux tad offered us squaws, but while we re- 
mained there having declined, they followed ua 
with offers of females for two days. The Ilicaras 
had been equally acqommodatiqg ; iv-e had equally 
-withstood thdr temptation; but sneh was their 
desire to oblige that two very handsome young 
equnwu were sent on board this evening, and per- 
secuted us with civilities. The blaok man Vork 
participated largely in these favours; for instead 
of inspiring any prejudice, his qolonr seemed tO 
procure him additiooal advantaj^s from tiie la- 
dians, who desired to preserve among them some 
memorial of this wonderful stranger. Among 
other inetances of attention, a Itieara invited him 
into his bouee and presenting his wife to him, 
retired to the outside of the door: while there one 
of York's coniradee who was looking for Iiim 
came to the door, but the gallant husband would 
permit no interroptlon before a reaeonable time 
had elapsed. 

157 




LEWIS AND CLATlK^S EXPEDITION 



Tte Bivara lodges are in n circalar or octagoiud 
form, and geaeralif about thirty or forty feet in 
diameter: they are made by placing forVed posts 
abont sii ftet hi^h round the pirpumlerence of the 
circle; theefe are joined by poles I'roni one fork to 
anotter, which are supported also by other ibrfced 
poles slaating from the ground ; ia the ceatre of 
the lodge are placed Ibur higher forks, abont 
fift-een feet in length, connected together bybearaa; 
from, these to the lower polea the rafters of the 
roof are extended bo ae to lefiTfi a TflcanCy ill the 
middle for the emok*: the ft-ame of the building ia 
then covered with wiJIow braiiches, with which 
is iiiterwoTen graas, and over thi& nnid or clay: 
the aperture for the door is about four feet wide, 
and before it ia a Bort of entry about ten feet 
from the lodge. They are very warm and com- 
pact. 

They cultivate maiM or Tudian com, beait^ 
pompkiuB, watermelons, aquasbee, and a Bpedee 
of tobacco peculiar to themselTfa. 

Their commerce ia chiefly with the traders who 
eupply them with goods in return for peltries, 
which they procure not only by their 0"vrn hunt- 
ing, but in exchange for com from their leae civil- 
ised ntighbourB, Thf^ ohj^t chiefly in demaad 
Bcemed 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 re- 
turn a pair of moccauine. 

They exprese a dlepoeition to keep at peaae witlj 
all uatlonB, but they are well arnjed with fuHiisj 
and being much under the influence of the Sioux, 
who exchanged the goods which they get from the 
British for Ricara ^orn, their minde are sometimes 
poiHoned and they caonot be always depended oa. 
15S 



UP THE Misaonnr. 



At the present moment they are at war with the 
MandanB. We are idformed by Mr. GraTelinea, 
who bad pasaed tbroagb that country, that the 
Tanbton or Jbcijiles riTei* riaee about forty miles 
tQ the e&Bt or northeaiit of tine, place, the Chay- 
euoe brtiDcb of tli« I{«d ri?er about twenty milea 
further, paseiug the Sioux, and the &L Peter'a 
about eighty. 

Saturday, 13tb. — In the morning our Tieltora 
leTt tiB, except the brother or the chief who ac- 
CompanieB us and one of thesquawa. We passed 
at an early hpur a. camp qf Siogx on the north 
bank, who merely looked at qb without Baying a 
word, and from the character of the tribe we did 
not Bolicit a conrereation. At ten and a half 
miles we reached the mouth of a creek on the 
north, which takes its liee ftom same pouds a 
ehort distaD'W to the northeast ; to this atreani we 
gare the name of Stoneidul creek, for alter passing 
a. willow and sand ieland juBt above its mouth, 
we diBcovered that a Ifew miles back ftora the 
Missouri there are two atouea rcsemhling human 
figures, and a third like a dog'; all ^rhich are Ob- 
jects of great veneration among the tticaras. 
ThflirhUtory would adorn the metamorphoses of 
Ovid. A young man waa deeply enamoured with 
a jgitX whoBe parents refuited their coueeot to the 
marriage. The youth went out into the fields to 
mourn hia misfortunes; a Hympatby ofiteliogled 
the lady to the eiime epot, and the faithful dog 
would not ceaee to follow his master. After wan- 
dering together and having nothing but grapes to 
Bubaiet on, they ^'ere at lost converted into etone, 
which beginning at the feet gradually invaded the 
nobler partfl, leaving nothing unchanged but a 
bunch of grapeg which the female holds in her 
handa tothlj^day. WhenerertheKicaraspasHtheee 
159 



LEWIB A?n) CLARE'S ESPEMTIOH 

saeicd Htones. thej «top to make ponie offering of 
drew to propitiate tbeae dettieB. Sach ii^ the ae- 
«Jont pTen by the Ttkara chief w^hich ire had no 
mode of eianuning, Mcept that we found one part 
of the Ftorj- very agrees blj eonfinned : for on the 
ri^er near where the erent ia eaid to hav? oc- 
eoned, we foand a greater sbandauee of Sw 
grapes than we had ;et bg^d. Above this la a 
email creefa four and & haif milea from Stoneidol 
creek, which is fiftwri yards wide, comea in ftom 
tb« Boath. and recrired from its the name oT 
Pocasee or Hajr Creek, in honour of the ■chief of 
the second village, AboTC the Ricara itlaod. the 
Miseonii beeomee narrow aad deeper, tbe paodbars 
being- generally confined to the pointe: the cur- 
rent too ifl mnch more gentle; the timber on the 
lowlands is also in much greater qnantiliu, 
thongh the hig'h gronndB are etill naked. We pn^ 
cceded on nnder a fine breeie from the vpstbeaet, 
and after making eighteen miles encamped on tb« 
north near a timbered low plain, after which we 
had flome rain and the evening was cold. The 
hunterA killed one deer only. 

Sandsy, 14ib.^-Vi'e set oot in the r^n -which 
eootinced daring the day. At Sre mile^ weeam^ 
to a creek on the south, about Sfteeu yards wide, 
and named by us Fiafaeto or Eagle's Feather, in 
honour of the third chief of the Ricaraa. After 
dinner we stopped on a sandbar, and executed the 
eectence of a court Taartial irhich inflicted Cor- 
poral ppniehment on one of the soldit^re. This 
operation aflected the Inditm cbiffvery wnsibly, 
for he cried aloud darinR the puraehment: we ex- 
plained the offenc* and the reaeons of it. He 
acknowledged that examples were necessary, and 
that he himself had giveii them by ptmishing -with 
d6ath ; but bin nation never whipped eren children 
160 



tJP THE MISSOURI. 



^ 



&om their birth. After tbie we continued with 
the wind iVom the northeaHt, and at the dintance 
of twelve iniiea, encamped in a cove of tlie sonth- 
ern bank. Immediately opposite our camp oq the 
north eidp (tre the ruina of an anpJent f'ortiEi;«.tion, 
the greater part of wliieli iti washed into the river : 
nor could we diatinguiiih mere than that tlie walls 
were tight or ten feet high. The evening ia wet 
and disitgreeaible, and the rifer which isHoinewhat 
wider than yesterday, continues to have an unu- 
HHal quantity of timber. The country waa level on 
both aides in the morning, but ofterwarda we 
passed some black blutfa on ths Bonth. 

Monday, latb. — Wo stopped at three miles on 
the Dorth a little above a camp of Kicaras who 
are hunting, where we were TJ^ited l>y about 
thirty Iqdiajjg, They caroe over in their ukia 
caaoea, bringing us meat, for which w& returned 
them beads and fiahhoohs. About a mile higher 
we found another eneampmetit of IticaToe on the 
ftouth, coni^atiug: of eight lodgei^: here we aj^ain 
ate and exchanf^eil a few preeetits. As we went 
we discerned nnoibera of qther Indians OH both 
Bides of the riv^r; and at abont nine miles we 
came to a creek on the Houth. where we eaw many- 
high hllla reaembiing a house mth a slanting' 
toof; and a little below the creefc an old villa^^e of 
the Wharhft cm* Chayenae Indians. The morning' 
had been elondy, hut the evening bei^aine pleasant, 
the wiud fVom the northeast, and at sunset we 
halted, alter coming ten miles over several sand- 
bars and iHilntti, above a camp of ten Ricara 
lodges ou the north side. We visited their camp, 
aiul linioked and eat with several of thetn; they 
all appeared tind and pleased with our attenttons, 
and the fair sejt received our men with more than 
hospitality. York was here ogaia an object of 
Vol. I.-ll 161 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITIOX 



astoaiBlinient ; the cbildrea would follo'n' him con- 
titautlj', and ifbe chanced to turn towards them, 
rua with great terror. The countrj of tcuJaj- ia 
genemUj' low and covered with timber on both 
sidea, though in the mOming we parsed QiO-niQ bar- 
ren hillH on the south. 

Tuesday, 16th. — At thU camp the squaw who 
accompaoied the chief luft ub; two othera were 
yery anxioud to go on with us. Just above our 
camp we pa&aed a circular work op fort where the 
Sharha or Chajennes formerly lired : and a abort 
dUtaace beyond, a creek w^hLch ~wg called Cbay- 
eone creek. At two miles is a willow island with 
a large Bandbar on both eldea above it, and a 
creek, both on the Bouth, which we called So- 
haweh, the Ricara name for gtrl; and two miles 
aboTB a second creelt, to wliich we gave the name 
of Chapawt, which meana woman in the ganie 
language. Three mile« farther is an island situ- 
ated in a bend to the north, about a mile and a 
half long, and covered with cottonwood. At the 
lower end of this island comeB in a Bmall creek 
from the north, called Keetootiheahawna or PIom 
of Beaver. At the upper extremity of the inland a 
river emptier itself frpm the north; U 14 call'ed 
Wairecouue, or Elk Sbufi their Horns, and ia 
about thirty-f ve yardb wide: the island itaetf la 
Darned 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 
aft«r saw lar^ ^ocks of them id the water: thej 
had been gradually driven into the river by the 
Indiane who now lined the shore aa as to prevent 
their escape, and were flring on them, while eome- 
times boya went into the river and killed them 
with eticka : they seemed to he very succeasfiil, for 
we counted fifty-eight which they bad killed. Ws 



UP THE MlSSOimi. 



Duraelvea killed ^oiue, «od th^n pasHlns the lodges 
to wtLLcIi tbe»e IndLEOB ^^looged, encamped at the 
dietaace of half a mile on the south, baring- made 
fourteen and a half miloa. We were Boon visited 
by numbers Of thecte Uicaraa, who croaeed the river 
hallooing and einging: tiTo of them then returned 
(br sotne goats^ fleeh and bnffalo meat dried and 
fteah, with which they made a fi?aKt that laet«d 
till late at nij^ht, and caused much music and 
merriment. 

WednesdAf, lTtb> — The weather waa pleasant: 
we passed el low gi-ouad eovered Trtth Bmall tim- 
her qn the south, and barren bilU on the north 
which eame cloee to the river; the wind from the 
northwest then became bd Btrong that we could 
Bot move after ten o'clock, until late in the after- 
noon, when we were forced to use the towline, 
and we therefore made only six rrulea. We all 
WBnt out hunting and examining the country. 
The goats, of w^hich we see large flotkn coming to 
the north baak of the river, ispeud the aummer, 
saya Mr. tTravelLnes, iu the plains east of the Mie- 
Bouri, and at the present soason are returning to 
the Black mountains, where they aubBist on leaves 
and shrubbery duriny the w^inter, and reBume their 
migratione in the ei*ring. We alao itaw buftiaJu, 
elk, aad deer, j^ud a number ofeaakee; a beaver 
house too was seen, and we caught a whip-poor- 
will of a small and uncommon kind: the leaves 
Br& fast falliug; the river wider than uenal and 
flill of aandbare ; and on the Bides of the hilla are 
large Btonea, and aorae rock of a broTrnieh colour 
in the BOnthem bend below ns. Our latitude by 
obatfrvation waa 40" 23 37'. 

Thursday 18. — After three mileB we reached the 
mouth of Le Boulet or Cannoobal! river: this 
stream riaea in the Blach mountaina, and falls Into 
168 



LEWIS AiND CIARK'S KXPEDITION 



the Missouri dn ttie flddth; it» chanQd is about 
one huudred aad forty jard» wide, though the 
water ia now conflned withjq forty, Rod its Dame 
is derived from the numberB oi' jjeriectly round 
large atones on the shore and in the bluSe juBt 
above. We here met with two Frenchmen in the 
employ of Mr. Gravelines, who had been cobbwi 
by the Maudiiiia of their traps, tbre, and other 
articles, and were descending the river in a peri,- 
ague, hut thtf turned ba^k witli us la expectation 
of obtainiog redress through our m«ane. At 
eight milea ia a creek on the north, about tweoty- 
eight yardd wide, rising in the northeast, and 
tailed Llhewah or Fish river; one mile abore this 
is saothercreek on the south: we encamped on a 
sandbar to the eqqth, at the dietaQce of thirteen 
miles, all oV which we had made with oars aad 
polea. trreat numberB oi" gotita are cruHsing the 
river and directing their course to the weMward ; 
we also saw a herd of buffhio and of ellt; a peli- 
can too was killed, and six flailow deer, having 
fovnd, as the llinara^ jnibrnied uh-, that there are 
uoue of the blaek-tail species as high up as this 
plaee. The country iu in general lev^I aud finer 
with broken Bhort high grounds, low timbered 
moundH on the river, and a rugged range of hills 
at a distance. 

Friday 19. — We set sail with a fine moming, 
and ft eontheaet wind, and at two and a half 
miles pasoed a creek on. the north side : at elevea 
and a half miles we came to a lake ur large pond 
on the Hameside, in whii^h were MOme BwaiiH. On 
both banks of the Ml^aouri are low groniida which 
have mueh more timber than lower down the 
riT-er; the hilts are at one or two milee distance 
trom the bankn, and the streams which rise iu 
them are brackJBh, and the mineral ealta appear 
164 



UP THE MISSOTTRT. 



on the Bides of thfl bilU and edgee of the rxm?. In 
walking along the Hhore we counted flftj-two 
herds of buffalo, and three of elk, at a single 
view. Beeidee thene we also obeerved elk, dwr^ 
pelif^ans, and wolves. Alter seventeen and a half 
miles we encamped on the north, opposite to the 
npperiMOst of a number of round hilla, ('onuing a 
cone at the top, oue being about ninety, another 
fdsty Ifeet in height, and eome of lem elevation. 
Onr chief tel][^ uh that the calntnet bipcl liTea in ths 
hole^ formed by the filtration of the water from 
the top of these bjiln through the Btdes, Near to 
one of thege mo'es, on it point of a hill ninety feet 
aibore the plain, are the remains of an old vllla^ 
which in high, strong, and has been fortified; this 
our chief ti^Ws ub id the reniains of one of the 
Mandan Tillages, and are the first nrna which we 
have seen of that nAtion in aBeending the Mis- 
eouri ; opposite to our camp is a deep bend to the 
south, «t the extremity of ivhich is a pond. 

Satarrlsy 20.~\ve proceedf d early with a aouth- 
eaet wind, which continued high all day, and cams 
to a creek on the noith at two miles distanee, 
twenty yarda "wide. At eight miles w^e teathed the 
lower point of an ieland in the middle of the river, 
though there is no current on the south. This 
island is covered with willows and extends about 
two milea, there being a email t^reeh coming in 
from the Bonth at its lower extremity. Aftermak- 
ing twelve milea we encamped on the eotithj at the 
upper part of a hhiff containing atone-coal of an 
inferior qnalitj" ; immediately h^low this bluff and 
on the decliTity of a hill, are the remaius of a Til- 
lage covering six or eight acres, formerly occupied 
by the Mandane, who, eayw our Hieara Khief, once 
lived in a number of villages on each side of the 
rive^, till the BioUi forced them forty miles higher; 
X66 



L^^mS AND CLARK'S EXPEDTTtON 



TTheocft, afber a ftw years residence, they moved to 
their present poaition. The conntry tttough 
"which vre paeaed bus. wider bottom^ and. more 
timber tlian thoBV we hare been accuatoiDcd to 
Bee, the liille rising at a dietauce and hy ^adual 
ascents. U'e have eeen great nuinbers of elk, deer, 
goats, and buSalo, and the usual attendanta at 
these last, tte "woWes, who follow their move- 
ments and feed upon those Vrhp die hy accident, 
Dt who are too poor to keep pace with the herd j 
wa also wounded a white bear, and saw eome 
fi^Bh tracks of those animalB which are twice aa 
lar^ ae the track of a man. 

Sunday 21. — Last night the weather n'as cold, 
the wind high iront the northeast, and the raoq 
which fell froee on the grouad. At daylight it 
began to snow, and contiDiied till the afternoon, 
when it remained cloudy and the ground was 
covered with enow. We however, set out early, 
and jnat above our camp t^Ame to a creelt oti the 
south, called Chteahetaw, about thirty yardB wide 
and with a considerable quantity of water. Our 
lilcara cluef tells ue, that at some distance up thJa 
river ia situated a large roLk which ie held in 
great Teneration, and visited by partiee who go 
to consult it aa to their own or their natiooa' 
destiniefi, all Of Which they discern in H0ni6 BOtt of 
flguree or paJJitiiiga with whieli it is covered. 
About two miles off Ehjni the mouth qf the river 
the party oa shore saw another q£ the objects of 
Bicara euperatitioiL ; It is a large oak tree, staad- 
ing alone in the open prnirie, and as Jt aloue haa 
withstood the fire which has toneumed every 
thing around, the Indiana naturally ascribe to it 
eytraordinary po^vers. One of their ceremonieB is 
to make a hole in the skin of their uecic^ through 
which a Btriug is pa^Bed and the other end tied to 
IfiS 



UP THE MIBSOTTBI. 



the todj of the tree ; and after remaining in tM8 
way for some titn* they think they become traver. 
At two mlefl from our encampmeqt ire came to 
the ruins of a Eecoad !Maii(laii Tilluge, which waa 
in exiBtencfl at the saine time with that just men- 
tioDcd. It is Bituat«d on the north at the foot of 
a hill in a beauttftil and extenftive plain, M'hieh is 
now covered ivith he-rdei of buffalo : nearly oppo- 
site ai-e remaJDB ofa tbird Tillage on the qouth of 
the MisBDurl ; and there is anotber also about two 
mjles further on the north, a little off the rimr. 
At the distance of seven milea we encamped on the 
south, and Hpent a cold night. We procured to- 
day a buffalo and an otter only. The river ia 
wide and the Bandbara numerous, and a Ip^r 
island near our encampraent. 

Mosdaj 22. — ^lu the morning we passed an old 
Mandan vjllagie on the eouth, near our camp; at 
four miles another on the same Hide, About BeTCn 
o'clock we came to at a camp of eleven Sioux of 
the Teton tribej who are almost perftctly naked, 
haviug only a piece of atin or cloth cpund the 
middle, thoagb we are eufiering from the cold. 
From their appearance, which, is warlike, and 
flfom their giving two different aiwounts of them- 
AelveB, we believe that they are either goitig to or 
returning from the Mandans, to which nationa the 
Biouz^ frequently make excnrsiona to steal horwfl. 
Ab their conduct displeased ms, we gave them 
nothing. At six we reached an ieland ahout one 
mile in len(?th, at the head of which in a Mandan 
village on the north in ruina, ond two miles be- 
yond a bad sandbar. At eight miles are remains 
of another Mandan village on the south ; and at 
twelve milee eneiiniped on the i^outli. The buatere 
brought io a huffalo buttr and mentioned that of 
about three hundred whtch they had seen, there 
HiT 



LEWIS AND OLAKK'S EXPEDITION 



■wBB not a Enngle ftmale. The beaver is here in 
Jjletlty, ahd the two FreDchmen ivho are returning 
■nritb ue cati^li several CTSry night. 

These viUages which are niue iu namber are 
ecattered along eaeEi eide of the river within a 
spacG of twenty milcB ; almost all that remains of 
them ia the wull Tviiich surrounded thcni, the fall- 
en heaps of earth wbith ooTtfed the houses, and 
occasionally human Hkulk and the t«eth and bonea 
of men, and different animulg, which are ^ecattered 
on the eurface of the ground. 

Tuesday 2S. — The weatlier was tluudj and we 
had 80IOB anow; we soon arrived at five lodges 
where the two Frenchmen had bptn roLlj4?d, but 
the Indiana had lejt it lately at^ Ve found tlie hrCa 
still burning. The vountrj consists as usual Qf 
tiiabered low grouuds, with grapew, ruehee, and 
great quantitiee of a email it^d LU.-id fruit, known 
amon;;: the Indiana Ijy a name signifying rabbit- 
berriea, and calJed hj the Frenuh graiflse de bnffie 
or buffalo fet. The river too, i« obfitrueted by 
many eandbars. At t^velre mile* we p&Ht^ ftji 
Q)d village on the north, which was the Ibrmer 
residtince of the AlmaJiawajs who now Jive be- 
tween the Maudang and Miunetnrees. After mak- 
ing thirteea mileB we encamxied qu the eouth, 

Wedues/iay S4, — The day wbb again dark and 
it Bbowed & little In the moroLiig. At three miles 
we came to a point on the south, where the river 
by forcing a channel acroug a former bend has 
formed a large island on the north. Oa this 
island we found one of the grand chlelb of the 
JIandane, who with five lodges waa oa a hunting 
eicureion. He met his enemy the RicJira diief, 
with grea,t ceremony and apparent cordiality, and 
emoked with tiim. After vieiting hia lodge*, the 
£TBnd chief and hia brother came on board our 
168 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



boat for a short time; we tbe^i proceed^ and eo- 
camped oa the north, at uevf n mileH Itoiii uur last 
nig:litB HtiLtioQ and below the old village of the 
Mandaiis Jind Rieariif?. Here four Mandane came 
■dowti. from Q. CdiQip abOTe, and our Ilicara chief 
returned with them to their camp, from which Wfl 
augur ftLvourahlj gf th^fir pacific viewa towards 
each other. The laud is low and beautifkl, and 
coTcred with oat and cottonwood, hut has been 
too recently huiited to afford much game. 

2StIi. — The morning was cold and the wiud 
gentle from the southeaet: at ithree miles we 
passed a handsome high praine on th& south, itnd 
on au eminence about forty feet aboye the water 
and extendiujt; ba^k fur gevEiiral miles in abeanti- 
fiil plainj was Bitunted aa old Tillage of the Man- 
dan natJoji which ba« been deserted for uany 
jeara. A abort distance above it, on thecontinua- 
tjpn of the eame ci^ng ground are tw^O old vil- 
lages of Ricaras, dub oa the top of the bill, the 
other in the level plain, which have been deBerted 
only Ave years atjo. Above these villages le an 
eitenaive low gronnd for Beveral miles, in which 
are eituated, at three or four miles fronl the 
Iticara villa^a, three old villages uf Mandan$ 
near together. Here the Maadans lived when the 
Eicaras came to them for protection, and A*om 
thia they moved to their present situation above. 
In th& low ground the squaws raised their com, 
and the timber, of which there -wan little near the 
villages, was supplied from the opposite aide of 
tli9 river, where it was and Htili is abundant. 

As we i]i-oceedi;d several parties of Alandanfi 
both onibot and horseback eame along the river 
to view usj and were very deairoua that we 
should land and talk to them : this we could not 
do On account of the aandbreaks OH the shore, but 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXi 



we Bent our Ricftra chief to them in a perjogUB- 
The wind too having shifted to the eo-uchwtet and 
being very hijfh it required all our precautionB on 
board, for the river ivtis full of Randbare ■which 
made it very difRtvtitt to find the chaDDel. We got 
aground flev^?^al timps, and passed a very had 
point of rocka, after which we encamped on b 
eandpoint to th« north, above a handtf^ome plain 
covered with timber, and oppoBtte to a high hill 
oa the eouth eide at the diBtance of eleven mileB. 
Here we were joined by our Hicara chief, who 
brought an Indian to the camp where he remained 
all night. 

2Gth. — We set out early TPith a southwest wind, 
and after putting the Kicara chief on shore to 
join the Mandane who were in great numbera 
aloD^ it, we proceeded to the camp of the grand 
chiefs fonr miles diatant. Here we met a Mr. 
M'Cracken one of the northwest or Hudeon Bay 
company, who arrived with another person 
atout nine days ago to trade for horse? and buf- 
falo robes. Two □[* the chiefb carne on board 
with some oftbetr household furniture, such ae 
earthern pots and a httle com and went on with 
ua; the reet of the Indians followiDg on shore. At 
one mile beyond the camp we piisi^ed a small 
creek, and at three more a bluff of coal of an in- 
ferior quality on the south. Afttr making eleven 
milQB we reached an old field where the Mandaiu 
had cultivated grain lust Buniiner, and encamped 
for the night on the south Ride, about half a mile 
below the firnt Tillage Of the Mandane. In the 
morning M'e had a willow low ground on the 
south and highland on the north, which occ&- 
Bionally varied in the course nftheday. There is 
but little wood on thia part of the river, which la 
here Bubdi-\'ided into many channele and ob- 
170 



tTP THE MTSSOTTHI. 

vtruct^ by eaiidbB.r^, Aa sqqil a,ft ~we axriv^ % 
crowd of mea, womvu, and vMIdreD came down to 
aeeuB. Captain Lewis returned with the princiyal- 
cbiefe to the village, while the others remained 
■with us during the eTeniugj the object ■which 
aeemed to Burpriee them moRt, wag a com-mill 
flietl to the boat which we had qqqaeian to use, 
Hud delighted them by the ease with which It re- 
duced the grain to puwdt^r. Among othere who 
Tiaited us was the eon of the (jrand chief of the 
Mandana, who had his two little fingers cut off at 
the B^c^ncE joiatB. Oc Enquiring' into this accident, 
*e fouud that it waa customary to expreea grieF 
for the death of relatione by some corporeal 8uBer- 
ing, and that the usual mode was to lo^e two 
joints of the little fingers, or eometimea tho other 
fingers. The wind blew very cold in the evening 
frotri the Bouthwest. Two of the jjarty are a£- 
fected with rheumatie camplaiota. 



ITI 



LEWIS AMD CLAEK'S EXPEDinON 



CHAPTER T. 



Oonnctl lield wicb tlie MiindB.Da— A pralrln en DtRv uid a AtOKU- 
lur Inslaace ol (ireeervaUun— FewM establklied betw«>n tii« 
Mtmdaua una nii;araa--Tlie puny eaea4Qp for am WlQler— 
iQ'dlen luudt) »I micIilUE EUHta— BeauCIful Appearance oT 
northern Mirhts.— Friendly character ol tbe Indians — Some ae- 
CQiintaf Lbu Mujidona — Tbe AhnatLBways sjid the MIiLD(!ljtre£9 
~Tna puny uu^uIk tbe cuTia{l«ni;e <>f tbe MusrliuiE by ta^ng 
part In. their ramtroverey with the Sioux —Religion of the 
MlkDilQOK. 9-nd tbeir aln^lar i^DcepUaEi gt Ul-e t^Tiu uiQillUllie 
—TSelrtmaiUon— TUeBuffcrtUBs of Uio party from the sererltT 
of the Heason— Indl&n (CBJue ot bltUarda defn^bed — CbBxacter 
ol tbti Ml«Kiuri, Qt U>B aviToupEiintr couutf y, sad tt me rlTen, 
ctnIes. ialjmds, Ac. 

SatujrJay, October 27. — At an early hour we 
proceeded and anchored off tbe Tillage. Captain 
Clark went on shore, and after emoking a pipe 
with the chieft, "waH. desired to renlttiii ftod eat 
with them. He declined an ncuount of his being 
tiDwell; bat hia refaeal gave gr^at offeuM to the 
Indiana, wbo considered it diBreepectrul not to eat 
when invitedj till the cause waa explained to their 
laatienicticin. We aent them Bome tobacco, and 
then proceeded to the eecond village on thft north, 
pa^^ing by a bank containing coal, and A eecond 
village, and encamped at four miies on the north, 
oppoflite to a Tillage of" Ahnahaways. We here 
met with a Frerchman, named JeBaeaume, who 
lives among the Indians with hia wife and chil- 
dren, aud who we take a& an interpreter. The 
Indians had flocked to the hank to see ue fts we 
passed, and they Twited in great nnmbera the 
camp, where some of tbem remained all night. 
We Bent in the eTening three young Indians with 
iTa 



DP THE MISSOUBI. 



a preeent of tobacco far the cbief^ of the three 
npper villages, iDTitin^f them to come (town in the 
morning to a council with ub. Accordingly the 
next daj, 

Sunday, October 28, we were joined by many gf 
the Mionetareee and AhDah^waye from above, but 
the wind wae uo violent IVom tJie suuthweat that 
the cliifjra ofthe lower villagcBcoald not come up, 
and the council was deferred till to-morrow. In 
the meaa "while We eutertaiaed our visitors by 
showing them what was new to them in the 
boat; tkll which, as well our black aerv&ot, they 
ca.lled Great Medicine, the meaning of which we 
afterwards lEamt. U'e also eontiulted the grand 
chief of the Mandanis, Itlack Cat, ajid Sir. Jes- 
Beaume, as to the namej^, charaeterB, Slc, of the 
chief!) with whom we are to hold the council. In 
the couree of the day we recwved sevwal pre«- 
Qnt,a from the "women, vonblsttng of corn, boiled 
hominy, and ^ardeu Htuif^; in our turn we grati- 
fied the wife of the great chief with a, gift of & 
glased earthen jar. Our hunter brought ua two 
beaver. In the afternoon we eent the Minnetaree 
chiefs to gmoke for uM with the- great chief of the 
Mandarifi, and toLd them we would sjieak la the 
nioTDing. 

Finding that we ehall be obliged to paaa the 
winter at thid place, we went up the river about 
one and a hiilf niile« to-day, with a vieiv of find- 
ing a. convenient Hpot for a fort, bnt the timber 
was too scarce and Btuall for our purpoftes. 

Monday, October 20. — The morning was fine 
and we prepared our preaents and Bpeecb fbrthe 
council, .ii'ter brenkikst we were viuit^d by an 
old chief of the AhualitLwflya. %vliO fiijding lllmself 
growinjf old and w«ak had trauBfctred hii^ power 
to hi* eon, who is now at war against the ^h^ 
173 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



shoneeB. At ten o'clock the chiefb were all Beeem- 
liled under an awning of our Bails, stretched so aa 
to exclude tie wind which had become high ; that 
the impreasion might be the mare forcible, the men 
were all paraded, and the- counqiE npen^il by a 
diacharge ftom the Bwivel of the boat. We thea 
delivered a speech, which like those we had al- 
ready made interiuinglwl advi{!e -with aemirances 
of frienddhip and trade : while we wece speafeing 
the old Ahiiohaway chief grew very reatleBit, and 
observed that he could not waitloog as his camp 
waa exposed to the hOFtilitiey of the iStoBhonees; 
lie was inetantly rebuked with great dignity by 
one of the chiefe for thia violation of decorum at 
biich a moment; and remained quiet during the 
reat of the council. Tovrarda the end Of OUr 
Speech we introduced tlie Bubject of our Hieara 
chief, with ■whom we recomiaended a iirra peace; 
to this they eeeraed well diisposed, and all emoked 
with him very amicably, \^'e all mentioned the 
goods which had been taken from tiie frenfthmen, 
and espresBed a wiah that t!iey fiijould be Tfl- 
fitored. This being over, we proceedfid to distrib- 
ute the presents with great ceremony : one chief 
of each town waa acknowledged by a gift of a 
flag, a medal with the hkenesu of the preeideot 
of the United States, a unit'orm coat, hat and 
fcather: to the eecnnd chieiU we gave a medal 
representing some domestic animala, and a loom 
for weaving; to the third chiefs medala with the 
impreBBJonfi of a f^Dier sowing grain. A variety 
of other presents were distributed, but none 
Heemed to give them more aatiB/kction than an 
iron corn rail! which we gave tu the Mandans. 

The cliieft who were made to-daj are r Shabaka 
or Big White, a first chief, and Kagohami or IJt- 
tie Bavea, a second chief of the lower Tillage of 
174 



UP THE MlSSOlTftl. 



the Maodaoa, called Matootoalia: the other chiefb 
of an iul^rior quality who vrem recommended 
were, 1. Ohheenaw, or Bi^ Wan, a Cbayenne 
taken priaoner by the Mandaim who adopted bim. 
and he nttw frnjojH great coiisideratioti amnDg the 
tribe. 2. Shotahawrora, or Coal, of the second 
Mandan village -which is called nqoptahee. We 
made Poacopisahe, or filach Cat, the &rst chief of 
the village, and the ^and chief of the whole Man- 
dan nation: his oeoond chief la Ka^onomohahe, or 
Rareu man Chiefs inferior chiefs of thia villagft 
were, Tawnuheo, and Bellahsara, of which we did 
not learn the trajislatioa. 

In the third village which U called Mahawha, 
and where the ^rwacahwaa rsBide, we made one 
first chief, Tetuekopinrebaj or White Buffalo robe 
unfolded, and recognized two of an inferior order: 
MinniHgurraree, or Xeighin^ Karat, and I.ocoii> 
gotiha, or Old Woman, at a distance. 

Of the fourth Tillag« where the Minnetareea live, 
and which is called Metabarta, we made a first 
chief, Ompeehara, or Blaclt Moccasin: a eecond 
chiefj Olihaw, or Little Fox. Other distinguiehed 
cbiefa oFthia village werCj Mahnotah, or Big Thief, 
A man whom we did not see as he is out fighting, 
and was killed ^oonafter; and Mahseraaaa, qrTail 
of the Calumet Bird. In the fifth village we made 
a firet chief Eapaaopa, or Red Shield; a eecond 
chief Wankeraaea, or Two Tailed Calumet Bird, 
both j-oung chiefs; other persons of distinction 
are, Shahakohopinnee, or Little VVolf'i^ Medicine; 
AhrattanamocksLe, or Wolfmau chief, who ia now 
at war, and j^ the son of the old chief w? hav^ 
mentioiied, wboae name ia Caitaheota, or Cherry 
on a Buah. 

The presents intended for the grand chief of the 
Miimet£ireea, who was not at the council, were 
1T5 



LEWIS AKD CLAHX-a ErPEDITION 

Bent to him by the old chief Caftahcota; and wo 
delivered to a joung chief thoae intended for the 
chief Cif the loTrer viilage. The council was coa- 
cluded by a ahot from our swivel, and after firing" 
the airgTin for their amueemeut, they retired to 
deliberate on the answer which they are to give 
to-morrow. 

In the evening the prairie took fire, either by 
Bcddent or design, and bupiied with great fViry, 
the whole pl&in heing enve-loped in flamea; so 
rapid w^ag its progresB that a man and a "n'omaa 
were burnt to death before they could reach a 
place of safety ; another man with hia wife and 
child were much burnt, and several other jieraona 
narrowly eacaped destruction. Among the t-ea* a. 
boy of the half white breed escaped unhnrt in the 
midst of the flames; [lis safety was ascribed to th& 
great medicine spirit, who hod preeerved him on 
account of hie hdng white. But a much mora 
natural cause wrb tho preBence of mind of hie 
mother, who seeing no hopefl of carrying off her 
aon, threw hira on the ground, and covering him 
with the fresh hide of a baffalo, escaped herself 
ftom the flames; as soon a« the fire had p&esedj 
she returned and found him untouched, tbe skin 
having prevented the flame from reueliing the 
Erasa on which he lay. 

Tue.8da,y 30.— "We were this Tnorning visited by 
two perBOns from the low^er village, one the Big 
yMiite the chief of the village, the other the Chay- 
enne called the Big Man; they hod been hunting, 
and did not return yesterday early enough to at 
tend the council. At their recjui-st we re-^ieated 
part of our speech of yeeterdajj and put the medal 
round the neck of th<! chief. Captain Clark took a 
periogue and vrent up the river in search of a good 
wintering place, and returned alter going seven 
176 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



milefl to the lower pofnt of an island on the north 
side, about one mile iti length ; he fonnd the banks 
on the north side higli, with coqI o€ca«ionally, 
and ttie country flne cm a]] sides; but the want of 
wood and the scarcity of game up the river, in- 
duced ua to decide on fixing ourBelves lower down 
during the winter. In the evening our men danced 
among" themselvea to the great amusement of the 
Indians. 

Wednesday 31, — A second qhief arrived tbi» 
morning with a^ iovitatiijn from thti grand chief 
of the MaEdane, to come to Ma village where he 
wished to present eome corn to ub and to speak 
with U8. Captain Clark walked down to hig vil- 
lage j he tvAH fir^t Beated With great ceremony on 
B. robe by the side of the chief, who then threw 
over his Hhouldere another robe bandsomdy oma- 
meoted. The pipe wa« then smoked with BeveraJ 
of the old men who were seated around the chief; 
after eome time he began his dia^ouree, by observ- 
ing- that he believed what we had told iiiiu, and 
that they should soon enjoy iMace, which would 
gratify him aa well as hia people, because they 
cDiiJd then hunt without fear of heing attacked, 
and the women might work in the fields ndthout 
looking every moment for tho enemy, ami at night 
pot off their moceaEjins, a phrase by which ia con- 
Teyed the idea Of security When the women eoul3 
undress at night without fear of attack. As to 
th& It-icaras, be continued, in order to *how jou 
that we wish peace with all men, that chief, point- 
ing to hia aecond chief, will go with some war- 
riora baeh to the Iiiearaa with their chief now here 
and amoke with that nation. When we heard oT 
your coming all the nations around returned (torn 
their hunting tq see you, in hopes of receiving 
large preBenta; all are disappointed and eome diis- 



Vol. i.-ia 



177 



LEWIS AND CL£RKTESP EDITION 

-cootented; for hia part ha waa Dot much eo, 
thoug-h tiie vllla^ wau. He adilt«d that he would 
go and eee bia great father the president. Two of 
the stetl traps stolen from the I'feaclinien were 
tbea laid before cfiptain Clark, and the women 
brought about twelve bushels qf corP. After the 
chief bad finlahed, captain Clark made aa auBwer 
to the Bpet»:h and then returned to the boat, 
where he found the chief of the third village and 
Kagoliami (the Little Itaven) who ismoked and 
talked about an hoUl*. After they left the boat 
thegraud ^ihitiif of the Mandans came dree eed iuthe 
clotbea we bad given him, witli hia two cluldren, 
aod begged to eee the meu dance, ia which the; 
willingly gratified htm. 

Tbumdsj, Noreinber lat. — Mr. M'Cracken, the 
trader whou we found here, set out to-daj on hia 
return to the British fort and factory on the As- 
einiboin river, about one huudred and fifty railee 
i^om this place. He took a letter from captain 
Lewis to the northwest company, inclosing a 
copy of the paasport granted by the ISritish min- 
ister in the United Stat*s. At t«n o'clock the 
chiefs of the lower village arrived ; they requested 
4^at we would call at their village for BOme porn, 
that they were willing to make peace with the 
Bicarae, that they had never provoked the war 
between them, but as the Ricaras had kiUed same 
of their chiefa they had retaliated on thera j that 
they had killed them like birds, till they were tired 
of kilhng them, so that they would send a chief 
and some warriors to Rmoke with them. In the 
erening we dropped down to the lower tillage 
where captain Lewis went on Bhore, and captain 
Clark proceeded to a point of wood on the north 
.nde. 

Fiidny, November 3. — He therefore went up to 
178 



UP THE HISSOUEI. 

tie village where eleven buBhels of corn were pr^ 
aented to \u.p.\. Id the meantime captuin Clark 
went down with the boata ibtee mileSj and hav- 
ing fouud 6. good position ivhere there w-a** plenty 
of timber, oncampfd and began to fe]] trwe to 
build our huU. Our Iticaraohltf set out with one 
Houdauchiei and HL'vera! MJnnetaree and Uandan 
warrioFB; the wind waa from the eoutheaat, and 
the weather being; fine a crowd of Indiana camt 
down to vUit ue. 

Suturdsiy 3. — We now began the building of pup 
cabiq«, and the Frenchmen who pre to return to 
St. Louii are building a periogue for the purpose. 
We Bent six men Iq a periogne to hunt down the 
river. We were alBO f^rtuiiate enough to engage 
in our service a Canadian Frenchman, who had 
been with the Chayenne Indiana on the Klock 
Otountaina, and last Bummer descended thence by 
the LLttie llieeouti. Mr. Jesseanme our inter- 
preter aleo came down with iaa uquaw aad cbil- 
irea to live at our camp. In the evening we re- 
edved a visit irom Ka^faami or Little Baven^ 
whoee wife acx^ompanied hiiu, biin^^ng about 
Biitj weight of dried meat, a robe and a pot of 
in«al. We gave him in return a piece of tJ^bacco, 
to hie wife an axe and a few small articles, and 
both of them spent the night at our camp. Two 
beavBTB were caught in trapa this morning. 

Sundaj' 4. — We continued our labours : the tim- 
ber wliich we employ is large and heavy, and 
chieSy conBiete of eottonwood and elm with boiqq 
oab of au inferior eifs. Great uumberB of the In- 
dians pa«e our camp on their buntlug excuruiona : 
the day waa clear and pleaaant, but last night 
waa very cold and there was a while frosts 

\foBda_v 0. — The Indiana are all out on their 
Jjnnting partieK; a camp of Mandans caught 
179 




AND CLARK'B EXPEDITION 

we aent Our Ricara chief to them in a perio^e. 
The wind too haying sliift«(J to the eoucbwest and 
beiflg very high it required all oop prwautioDB on 
board, for the river waa full of sandbars "wMch 
made it very difficult to find the channel. We got 
aground several tim^g, and passed a very bad 
poinb of rocke, after which we encamped on b, 
eandpoint to the north, above a hamJeome pltiin 
covered with timber, and opposite to a bigh bill 
oa the south aide at the distance of elevea miles. 
Here we were joinrf by our Hieara chief, who 
brought an IndjAn to the camp where he remained 
all night, 

2Sth.—yfe Bet out early ivitb a southwest wind, 
and after putting the Ricara chief on ehore to 
join the Mandans who were in great numbers 
along it, WB proceeded to the camp of the grand 
ehitfk fouf miles distant. Here "we met ft MP, 
M'Cracken one of the northweat or Hudson Bay 
company, who arrived with Another person 
about nine daya ago to trade for horeee and buf- 
falo robes. Two of the ehiefk came on board 
with BOme of their houaehold flirniture, such aa 
earthem pots and a little eorn and west on with 
ua; the rest of the Indians following on shore. At 
one mile beyond the camp we passed a emaU 
creek, and at three more a bluff" of coa] of an in- 
ferior quality on the Bonth. After making eleven 
miles we reni^hed an old field where the Alandana 
had cultivated grjiin last summer, and encamped 
for th^ night on the south eide, about half a mile 
below the first viElage of the Mtindaas. In the 
morning we Iiad a willow low grinind on the 
south and highland on the north, whii^h occa- 
sionally varied in the coiiraeoftheday. There is 
but little wood on thiB part of the river, which \% 
here subdivided into many channels and Ob- 
170 



UP THE inSSOUKI. 



Btrocted by Band burs. As soon ae we arrired a- 
crowd or men, women, and childri^n came down to 
eeeus.. Captain Lewis rtturtieii with the principal 
dueTs- to the village, 'n'bile tlie othera remained 
with UB during the ^ve^iijng; th« object which 
eeemed to surpriiie them lauBt, was a c:orD-tmll 
fixed to the boat whi<;h we had occasion to use, 
aod dehglited them by tiie eaae with which it re- 
duced the groia to powder. Among others who 
viaited us wan the son of the grand chief or the 
Handang, who had bia two little fiogerB cut off at 
the eecood joiats. Ou inquiring iLto tliis accident, 
we found that it wait customary to expreae grief 
for the death of relationa by eome corporeal Buffer- 
ing, and that the usual mode -wA» to lose two 
joints of the little flngera, or 80iuetimes the other 
fljjgere. The wind blew vtry cold id the evening 
IrODi the south west. Two of the party are at 
fected with rheumatic complainte. 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



vithin two days one tundred goats a tibatt dis- 
tance beloTF HB : their mode of hunting' them ie to 
form a lai^e strong iwn or fold, from "which a 
Itnce made of buehe«! graduaUy wideoB on each 
Bide: the animals are E^urroimded by the hunters 
and gently driven towards this pen, in which they 
imperceptibly find themflelveB inclosed and are then 
At the mercy of the hunters. Tht weather ia 
clondy and the wind moderate IVom the north- 
west. Late at night we were awaked by the 
eergeant on guard to see the beautiful phenomenon 
called the north^ru light: along the northern sky 
was a lat^ dspace occupied by a Eight of a pale 
but brilliant white coloart which rifling frona the 
borizon eitetided itself to nearly t"wenty degrees 
Bbove it. After gUttering for some time its 
colours would be overcast, and almost obscured, 
but agaia it would buret out with renewed 
beauty ; the uniform colour was pale light, but its 
flbapes were various and fantaKtlc: at times the 
flky was lined With Uj^ht coloured etreakft rising 
perpendicularly from the horizon, and gradually 
expanding iuto a body oflight in which we coold 
trace the floating columus Bometlnies advancing, 
HometimeB retreating and shaping into infinite 
forms, the apatm in which they moved. It 
all faded away hefore the morning. At day- 
light, 

Tiiesdny e, the cloude to the north were dark- 
ening and the wind rose high fVoni the northwest 
at eight o'clock, and coatinued cold during the 
day. Mr, Gravelinea and four othera who came 
with us returned to the Ilicaraa in a small peri- 
Ogue, we gave him directioua to ac^^oinpany eotnt; 
of the Eicara chiefj« to the ^at of government in 
the spring. 

WBtiaeadaj T.— Tiie day wbb temperate bat 
l&O 



UP TEE MISSOURI. 



cloud; and fo^gy , asd we w£r^ enabled to go on 
with our work with touch expeditioo. 

Tfiursdaj' S. — The mgrning sgnin tLoudy; oar 
bats advance very well, and we are Tieited by 
numberB of Indians who come ta let their horecH 
graae near ub: in the day the horaea are (et loose 
ia quest ofgraes, in the nig-ht they are coI[ected 
and receive ati a.rmf\i]] of eniall boughs of the 
CQttoQwgod, which beiag very juicj^r soil; and 
brittle, form natritjoui] and agreeable food : the 
&ost this morniDir was very aeverc. the weather 
during the day ckiudy and the wind from the 
northweat. We procured from an Indian a ■weaeel 
perfectly white except the extremity of the tail 
which ivas black; great numbers of wiEd geege a.re 
passing to the Houtb, bat their Sight Ib too high 
for HM to procure any ol'them. 

NovejBber 10. — We had again a raw day, & 
northwest wind, bnt rose early in hopcB of finish- 
ing our woi-li* befoi* the extreme cuJd be^ns, A 
cliief whois a half Pawnee came to ue and brought; 
a pr^^nt of half a buffalo, in return for which 
we gave him aome email preaenta and a tbw arti- 
clea to hia wife and eon: he then erosaed the river 
in a buffalo skin eaaoe; hia wife took the boat on 
her bflyck and carried it to the village three tntlea 
oQ! Large flockij of geese and brant, and also a.. 
fbw ducks are pasaing to^vards the ^outh, 

Sunday 11. — Tbe wenthep is cold. We received 
the vteit of two ecLuawe, priaonere IVom tbe Kock 
mountaina, and pureha«ed by Chaboneau. The 
^Uandane at this time are out hunting the bnf- 

tBi.O. 

Moadsj 13. — The last night had been cold and 

thiq pLoming we bad a very hard frqst ; the wind 

changeable daring the day, and some Ice appears 

on tbeedgeid of tbe nvera; swans too are paa&in^ 

181 



LEWIS Am) OLARE'S EXfEDmON 



t© the Bouth. The Pig White came dowa to ue, 
hftving packed on the back of Mb aquaw about 
one hundred pounds of Terj fine meat; for which 
we gave him aa ^ell as the bi^uAH taOm^ prt^entfi, 
particularlj^ an axe to the "womaa with which ahe 
was rerj- much pleated. 

Tuasdaf IS. — We this morning unloaded the 
'beat and Ktowed a^raj the contentB in. a etore- 
fiousB which we haye bnilt. At hatf past ten ice 
Ijiigiii to float down the river for the firat time: 
m the courae of the moruing^ we were visited by 
tb« Bicwk Cat, Pqscapeahe, whq brought au Ab- 
sirilboln chi^f and aevea warriors to see ua. This 
man, wbass name ie Chechawk, ia a chief of one 
out of three baada of AjsainiboinB who wander 
over the plains between the MieBouri and AMini- 
boin during the aammer, and in the winter carry 
the tspQila ai* their hunting tg the trader? on the 
ABsiuiboio dyer, and occasionally come to this 
place: the whole three bands coDBi^t of about 
eight hundred men. We gave him a twiBt of 
toltacco to BDLoke with his people, and a gold 
cord for himaelf : the Sioui also fl«ked for Whiskey 
which we refused to give them. It snowed all 
day and the air wag vc-fy cold. 

Wednesday 14, — The river roee last night half an 
inch, and is now filled with floatiag ice. Thia 
morning-waB doudy with some enow: about eev- 
*nty lodges of Aflflimboina and eome Knietenaui 
ure at the Mandan Wllage, and thia being' the 
day of adoption and exchange of property be- 
tween them all, it la oc^ooipaiued by a dance, 
irlilch preventB our Heeiiig more than two Indiana 
to-day: these Knistenaus are a Land of Chippe- 
waya whose language they eiw-^ak: they Ure on the 
Aeainiboin anil .S/uilCiishawait rivers, and are 
about tivo Inindiv^d fl.nd forty men. We eant ft 
lH-2 



TJP THE JUSBOUHI. 



man down on horseback to see what had become 
of our buaterH, and ae we apprehetif] a faJare of 
proi-iBions we have recourse to our pork this 
evening. Two Frenchmeq who had \)^n below 
returned with twentj beaver which they hod 
caught in traps. 

Tbarsd/iy Jii.— The moriiiug again cloudy, and 
the ice niaaing thicker than j-eat^rday, the wind 
Tftriable. The man cftme back with inlbrmatioa 
that oitc hunters were ahout thirtj^ milbta below, 
aod we laiDii^at«ly sent an ord^r to tbi^m. to 
make their way through the floatixig ice, to assist 
them in which we sent eome tin for the bow of 
the periogue and a towrope. The ceremony of 
yesterday seem to contiAtie atill, for we were not 
visited by a single Indian. The ewa-n are Ktill 
parsing to the eouth. 

Friday 10. — We had a very hard wiute Croat 
thifl mornicig, the treea are all covered with ice, 
and the weather cloudy. The men thia day moved 
into the tuts, although they are not finiahed. In 
the evening Bonifi horBes. "were aent dowTi to the 
woods near uh in order to prevent their being- 
Btolea by tUe AssLiiiboiDe, with whom eome diffi- 
culty is now apprehended. A.n Indian oame down 
with four bufliilo robes and some corn, which he 
oflfered for a pistol, hnt was reftised. 

Saturday, November iT.— Last night WJia very- 
cold, anil the ice in the river to-day in thicker than 
hitherto. We are totally occupied with our huts, 
but received visits from Beveral Indiana. 

Sunday, Kovember Ji*.— To-day ^ve had a cold 
windy monjijig; the Black Oat eaine to Bee ae, 
and occupied ub for a long time with quefltions on 
the usages of our country. He mentioned that a 
council hod been held yesterday to dehberate on 
the atate of their affaire. It eeeioB that not long 
163 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'3 EXPEDITION 



fl^o, a party of Sioux fell in with some baraee 
belonging to the MinnetartftH, flnd carried therq, 
off; but in their fliglit they were met by Home 
AeBiniboin^, who killed tlie Sioux and kept the 
torses: a, FreDchniaa too who had lived many 
yearB umong the Mftndima, waa lately kilted on 
hifl Tout* to the BritiHh fectory on the Asainiboin ; 
boue eiiialier difiereneee existed between the two 
nations, all of which being diecuseed, the council 
decided that they would not resent the receilt in- 
BuJta irom the AsBiidboins and Knigtcaaux, until 
they had seen whether we had deceived them or 
Dotin owr promieeH of lUrraehiug them with arma 
and fimmunition. They had been disappointed in 
their hopes of receiyiBg them from Mr. Evans and 
■were afraid that we too, like him, might tell them 
Tvhat was aqt true, ffe advised tbetn to continue 
at peace, that supiiUee of every kind would no 

' doubt arrive for them, but that time was neces- 

I Aary to organize the trade. The ftict is that the 
Aenniboins treat the Mandaiu a« the Sioux do the 
Ulcaras ; by their vicinity to the British they ^t 
tdl the supplies, whieh they withhold or give at 

[pleasure to the remoter Indians: the consequence 
1b, that however badly treated, theMandaoB and 

■ Sicaras are very slow to retaliate lent they should 
lose their trade altogether, 

Monda,Y l^- — The ice eontinuea to float in the 
river, the wind liigh fVom tlie northwest, and the 
weather cold. Our hunters arrived from their 
excorfiioii below, and bring a very fine supply of 
thirty-two deer, eleven elk, and five buffalo, all 
of which waa hung in a smokehoune. 

Tuesday SO.— We this day raoved into Our huta 

which are now completed. This place which we 

call Port Matidan, is eitiiated in a point of low 

ground, OQ the uortb side of the MioBOiudj covered 

184 



UP THE MTSSOUBT. 

"With tall and heavy cotton wood. The works con- 
siat of two rOTVH of huts or aheds, forming An 
Angle where they joined each other; each row con- 
tainirig four roome, of fourt^a feet Bqnare and 
Beven feet high, with jAank ctiiling, and the roof 
ulanting bo aa to form a lolt above the roomBf the 
highest part of whicli ia eighteen feet from the 
ground: the backi of the huts formed a -wall of 
that height, and oppoi<ite the angle the plage of 
the waJl was eapplied by picketing: in the area 
were two rooma for storea ani3 provisions. The 
latitude by obaervation is 47° 21' 47", and the 
computed distance from the mouth of tie MisHoari 
Bsteen hundr^ miles. 

In the course of the da.y several Indians came 
down to partake of our JVeeh m«q,t; anjopg the 
reat, three chiefs of the second Maudan village. 
Thej inform ob that tbt: Bioux on the MisBODri 
above the Chayenne river, threaten to attack 
thera this winter; that theae Sioni are much irri- 
tated at the Ricaras for having made peace 
fdirough our meana with the Mandans, and have 
lately ill treated three Tticarae who carried the 
pipe of peace to tbem, by beating tbem and tak- 
ing away their horees. We gave them aasurancea 
tiiat we would protect them from all their ene- 
mias. 

A^remfterSlsf.— The weather was thia dayfine: 
the river clear of ice and risiag: a- little: we are 
now settled in oar new winter habitation, and 
shall wait with much anxiety the first return of 
apring to contimie our journey. 

The villages near which we arc established are 
five in number, and are the residence of three dis- 
"tinct nations; the Mandans, the Ahnahaways, and 
the Minnetareea. The luqtory of the Mandans, as 
we received it from our interpreters ajid irom the 
1S5 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S EXPEDITION" 

chiefs themeelT^, and Blb it is btteat^d by existing 
moaumentB, illaatrateB more than tbat of any 
other oation the uneteadj taoyemeota and the 
tottering fortunes of the American aa-tiooB. 
Within tie recolleetion of Jiving witneBsea, the 
Mandana were settled forty years ago in nine vil- 
lage., the rtAaa of which %*-e passed about eighty 
miieH below, and eituattd eeren on the w^et and 
two on the eaet side of the Migeauri. The two 
flodio^ themselreB wasting away before the ftmall- 
pos and the Siuux, unitiid into one village, and 
moved up the river appoBite to the Ricarae. The 
ftame oauses reduced the rettiaining Beven to 
:8v« Tillages, till at length they emigrated in & 
hodj to the Eicara natioa, w^here they formed 
tbemaelves iato two villageB, and foined those of 
their couotryiaea who bad gone before them. In 
their new residence they were still insecure, and at 
length the three villagea ascended the Miesourito 
their present [lOsitiOn. The tw^o who had emi- 
grated together still settled in the two villages on 
the Qortbw«et aide of the Mie«oari, wbik the single 
village took a poHitioa on the southeast side. In 
this aitnation they were found by those who 
visited them in 1790 ; siace which the two villagea 
have united into one. They are now in two vil- 
lages, one on the sontbeaet of the Missouri, the 
other on the opposite side, and at the dista-DCe of 
thie« roiled acroe^. The Qrst, in an open plain, 
fontalDS about forty or fifty lodges, built in the 
same way aa those of the Riearas; the second, the 
same number, and both may raise about three 
hundred and fifty Uien. 

On the same side of the river^ and at the dis- 
tance of four miles from the lower Mandao village, 
ifi another called Mahaha, It is situated in a high 
plain at the mouth of Knife river, and ia the reai- 
1S6 



XfP THE MISSOUET. 

denw of the AhnahawayB. This nation, wfaofle 
name indicatee that thtty were "people whose vil- 
lage is on a hill/' formerly resided on the Missouri, 
about thirty miles belair ■where they now live. 
Th* AssLiiiboins and Bioux forced theci to &■ spot 
five mileB higEier, where the greatest part of them 
were put to death, and the reat emigrated to their 
present eitiiation, in order to obtain au aeyliiin 
near the Minnetareee. They are called by the 
Frencli, Soulier Noit or Bhoe Indiane; by the 
Mfi-ndan)^, W'attaeoons, and their who3e force is 
about flfty nn>n. 

On the RQUth aide of the same Xnife river, half a 
mile above the Mahaha and iu the eame open 
plain -with it, is a village of Minnetareee euroBtned 
Metahartn, who are about one hundred and fifty 
men in number. On the Opposite side of Knife 
riv^ and one and a half mile above this village 
ia a Becond ofMinu^tareee, who may be considered 
as the p^opl^r Minnetarce natiou. It Ib isituated in 
a beautiful loiv ijlaln, and contains four hundred 
ajid fifty Trarriora. The accounte which we re- 
ceived of the MiunetarecB were cnntradictory. 
The Mandaue say that this people eame out of the 
water to the east, and settled near them in their 
fbrmer eEtablishineut Id uin? villages; that they 
were very numerouer and flxed themeelvee in one 
village on tho eouthem Hide of the MJBHOuri. A 
quarrel about a buffalo divided the nation, of 
which two bands went into the plains, and were 
known by the name of Crow and F'aunch Indians, 
and the rest moved to their present eatabliah- 
ment. The Miooetarees proj)er aasert, on the con- 
trary, that they grew where they now live, and 
will never emigrate from the spot ; the great spirit 
haviag declarrf that if they moved they would all 
die. They also eay that the MinnetnareeB Meta- 
187 



LEWIS AKD CLARK'8 ESPEDITIOI 

hArtA, that is Miimetiaret^B or the WiDo^rs, whoBQ 
language with verj" httle variation is their own, 
camv umtiy yeana ago IVom the pl&iua and settled 
near tb^m, and perhaps the two tr^itionB may 
be recoQiiiled by the oatural preeumption that 
theae Minnetareea ■were the tribe known to the 
Mandftas below, and that they aacended the rivei- 
for tfie purpose oC rejoining the Minnetareea 
propw. These Minnetareea are part of the grea^t 
nation called Fall IndianB, who occupy the inter- 
mediate coutitry between the UiBBOuri and the 
Saekaekawa]], and who are known by the name 
of Minnetarees of the ilieaouri, and Minnetareea of 
Fort de Ppairife; that is, tesidinjj near or rather 
frequenting the eetabtiehuient Id the prairie on the 
Sftekabkawan. These Minnetareea ind^d, told ub 
that they had relations on. the BasJiaskawan, 
whom they had neyer known till they met them 
in war, and having eng'ap!d in the night were 
afitonifihed at discovering that they were fighting 
with men who apoke their own language. The 
name of GrosTentres, or BigliellieB, is g^ven tq these 
Uinnetarees, as well aa to all the Fall Indians. 
The iuhabitantfi of theui; five Tillages, all of whicli 
are within the dwtance of six milee, live in har- 
mony with each other. The Ahnahaways under- 
Btaud in part ttie language of the Miimeta)*cea : the 
dialect of the Mandans differs widely from both; 
but their lo'Ug residence together has jnaensib^ 
blended their mauners, and occasioned some ap- 
prosimatioa in language, particularly as to ob- 
jects of daily occurreace and obvioua to the sengea. 
November 23. — The morning wfla fine, and the 
day warm. We purchased from the Maiidana A 
quantity of com of a mixed colour, which they 
dug up in ears from holes made near the IVont of 
their lod^e, ia which it is buried during: the wia- 
188 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



ter: tbie raorotng the Beotinel iofornied ae that an 
Indian was about to kill hia wife near the fort; 
WB Trent down to the honae of our interpreter 
where we found the partita, and after forbidding 
an; violence, inquired into the cauee of his intend- 
ing tc commit eucb an atrocity. It appeared 
that Qome daya ago a quarrel hud taken place 
between him and hia wife, in conBequence of which 
she had taken refuge in the house where the two 
aquaws of our interpreter lived : by ninniBg away 
she forfeited her life, Tvhich niight have been Ja^r- 
Ihlly taken by the husband. About tivo days ago 
ehe had returned to the Tillage, but the same 
evening came back to the fort much beaten and 
etabbed in three places, and the husband now 
came for the purpoBe of completing his rcTenge. 
He observed that he had lent her to one of our 
Serjeants for a night, and that if he wanted her he 
WQold give her to bim altogether: we gave him H 
ibw preeentB and tried to persuade Mm to take his 
wife home ; the grand chief too happened to arrive 
-at the same moment, and reproached bim with 
hie violente, till at length they went off together, 
Wt by no meana in a state of much apparent 

November 2!}. — Again we had a fair and warm 
day, with the wind fVom the Boutheast: the river 
is now at a stand having rieeQ four inches in the 
whole. 

NoTember 2ii. — The vrind continned from tha 
*ame quarter and the weather wa« warm : W* 
were occupied in finialiing our liute and making a 
laj^ge rope of etk-akin to draw our boat on the 
bank. 

Sunday, Norembet 32. — The weather is stili flne^ 
warm and pleasant, and the river Ib.Ila one inch 
and a half. Captain Lewis went on an eieureion 
169 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

to the Tillft^B accompanied by eight men. A 
Minnetaree i^tiief, tht first who h&a vieitedua, c&ma 
down to the I'ort: hu name was Waakeraasa, bqt 
as both the int«rpreter8 h«d gODe witb captain 
Lewie we were oblig^ed to confiiio our civilitiee to 
aoiue preaentB with which he waa much pleased; 
we now completed onr hutfij and fortanately too, 
for the neit day, 

Monday, No vember 2B, before daylight the wind 
shiiled to the northweet, a4id blew very hard, 
with cloudy weather and a keen cold air, which 
coafiued ue much and prevented ub ftom working; 
the night continued very coM^ and, 

Tuesday 27, the weather cloudy, the wind con- 
ttnuisg from the northvFest flind the river Crowded 
with Soating ice. Captain Lewis returned with 
twi? chiefe Mahnotab, an Abaabaway, aud Min- 
neBsurraree a Minnetaree, and a. third warrior: 
they explained to ua that the reason of their not 
having come to eee ub^ was that the Mandana 
hftd told them that we meant to combine with the 
Sioux and cnt them off in the course of the win- 
ter; a suspicion increaaed by the strength of the 
fort, and the circum^tanee of our interpreters hav- 
ing been removed therewith their families: theee 
reports we did not fail to disprove to their entire 
aatiBfaction, and amused them by every attention, 
pEliTticularly by the dancing' of the mSD vrhich 
diverted them highly. All the Indians whom cap- 
tain Lewia bad viBited were very well dispn^, 
and received him with great kindneee, except a 
principal chief of one of the upper villa^ea, named 
Mahpahpaparapaseatoo or Horned Weasel, who 
made use of the civiJiaed indecorum of refuelnj; to 
be seen, and when captain Lewis called he was 
told the chief waa not at hom^. In the course of 
tte day eevcn of the northwest company's traders 
190 



tfP THE MTSSOtTKI. 

arriral fVom the Aaeiniboiii river, and one of thrfr 

interpretera having undertaken to circulate among 
the ludiaoA unffttfouifable teports, it become nece»- 
aarj to warn thtMii of the coniseiiueDceH if they did 
not denist from e«eh procwdinge. The river fell 
two inches to-day and tlie weather becaioe verj' 
cold. 

WednesdajrSS. — About eight o'clock laBtovening 
it began to enow and continued till dajbreak, 
alter whicli it ceased till seven o'clock, hut tbea 
resumed mid eontinaed during the dajj the 
weather being cold a»d the river fVill of fioatiiig 
ice : about «ight o'clock PoHcopeahe came down to 
visit U8, with some warriorB; we gave them prea- 
anta and entertained them with all that might 
amtiAe theif curiosity, and at parting we told 
them that w« had heard of the British trader, Mr. 
Laroche, having attempted to dletribHte DiedaJs 
and Bags among them, bnt that thoBe emblems 
could not Lti received ftom any other than the 
American nation without incurring thediflpleoBare 
of their great father the president. They left ue 
much pleased with their treatment. Th« river fell 
one inch to-day. 

Thursdaj' 29.— The wind in again ftom the 
northwpst, the weather cold, and the eaow which 
fell yeeterday and last night is thirteen inches in 
depth. The river eloaed during the night at the 
village aho™, and ftll two feet; but this afternoon 
it began to rise a little. Mr. Laroche, the princi- 
pal of the eeveq traders, came with on* of hie mett 
to see ub; we told him that we should not peruiit 
him to give medals and flags to the Indians; be 
declared that he had no such intention, and we 
then suffered him to make use of one of out- inter- 
ppKters, on hifi stipulating not to touch any8ui>- 
}eet but that of his traSle with them. An unfortu- 
191 



^1 



w 



Date accident occarred to sergeant Pryor, who in 
tP'kiog dowQ tbe boat's mast ditilocated hie eboul- 
der, Dor was it tilt after fonr trials that w« re- 
placed it, 

I'ridRy 30.— Aiout eight o'clock an iDdian cama 
to the opposite bank of the river, calling out that 
Le had soniethiDg iiaportaat to eominiiiucatej aod 
on sending for him, he told UB that five MaadaoB 
had been met about eight leagues to the Houth- 
weet tj a party of Sious, who had killed one of 
them, wounded two, and taken nine horses^ that 
foTir of the WattaBOons were misaiug, and that tha 
Maiidana expected an attack. We thought this -an 
excellent opportunity to disconnte nance the injuri- 
ous reports agaiuat uh, and to fix the wavering 
coofidence of the Qatioo. Captain Clark therefore 
instantly croeaed the river with twenty-three mea 
Btrongty armed, and circling the town approached 
it flrom behind. His nntipected appearance aar- 
prieed and alarmed the chleik, who came out to 
nteethiKL, and coadacted him to the village. He 
then told them that having heard of the outrage 
iUBt committed, he had come to a^eist hie dutifal 
children; that if they -wonid assemble their war- 
riors and those of the nation, he would lead them 
agaisst the >t^ioux and avenge the blood of their 
countrymen, jiffcer some minqtea convereation, 
Oheeuaw the Chayenne arose: "We now jjee," 
Baid he, "that what you have told ua is true, 
Bince OR Boon ua our enemies threaten to attack 
uft you eome to protect U6 and are ready to chaa- 
tiee thoae "who have wfiilt Our hlood. We did in- 
deed listen to your good talk, for when you ttJd 
US that the other nations were inclined to peaca 
with ue, we went out careleaely in email parttea, 
and some have been killed by the Sioux aod 
Kicaras. Bat I knew that the Hicarse were liara, 
193 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



and I told their chief who accampanied you, that 
his whole nation were liars and bad meD ; that we 
hp4 several tim«(i made a ppqce with them which 
they were the firat to break; that wheHever we 
pleased we RiLg;ht Bboot them like huSato, hut 
that we had no wish to kill th<?m; that we would 
Dot BUfifer thecn to kill li», nor etejll our horses; 
and that although we agreed to makt^ pBoce with 
them, becauw our two fathers desired it, yet we 
did not believe that th«y would he faithful long;. 
Such, father, was my language to them in your 
preeenee, and you Bee that instead of liat^nin^ to 
your good counaela they hare spilt oar blood. A 
ftw days ago two Hicarae came here and told us- 
that two of their TillageB w^ere m.aking mfXKaeins, 
that the Siou^ were Htlrrli]^ them up egalnBt as,. 
and that we ought to take care of our horaee; 
yet these very Ricaras wo eeot home aa aoon aa. 
the newa reached ua to-day, leat our people Bhould 
kill them in the first moment Of grief for their 
mnrdered relatives . Four of the Wattasoons 
whom we expected back in sixteen daye have been 
abeent twecty-fonr, and we fear have fallen. But 
father the enow iB now deep, the weather cold, 
and our horses cannot travel through the plaine: 
the murderers have gone otf; if you will conduct 
Hb in the BtJring, when the snow has disappeared, 
we "will aBsemble all the eurroqadiag warriors and 
follow jou." 

Captain Clark replied that we were alwaya 
willing: and able to defend them; that he was 
BOrry that the enow prevented their marching to 
meet the i^iuux, since he wished to show them 
that the warriorn of their great fiither would 
chastise the enemiee of Ms obedieqt children who 
opened their ears to his advice; that tf some 
Eicarus had joined the Hioux, they should remem- 
Vol. I,— 13 193 



iiEwia 



cTask's ttsp edition 



"bep that there were bad men in every nation, and 
that they Khould oot be offended at the Hicaraa 
till they saw whether these ill-diapoaed men were 
countenanced by the whole tribe; that the SiOui 
posaesJied great induetice over the Kiearaa, whom 
they supplied with military etoree, and eometimes 
led them astray, betauae they were afraLd to 
oppoee them: but that this should be the leas 
offenaive since the Mandana themaelveB were under 
the same apprchensiona tVom the AsHioibciinu and 
Knistcnaui, and that while they frere thuR de- 
pendant, both the Biearaa and Mandang ought to 
keep on terms with tbeir powerfhl neighbourB. 
whom they may afterwards aet at defiance, when 
we ahall supply them with arme, and take them 
Tinder our protection. 

After two hour* tonversation eaptain Clark 
leEl the Tillage. The chief repeatedly thanked him 
ftjT the fatherly protection he had given them, 
ohseryiug that the whole village had been weeping 
aU night and day for the brave young man who 
had been elain, but now they would wipe their 
eyea and weep no more as they saw that their 
father WJuld protect them. He then crosaed th* 
river on the iee and returned on the north side to 
the fort. The day as well as tb& evening WM 
cold, and the river rose to its former height. 

Saturday, DeeembeT 1. — The wind was from the 
northwest, and the whole party engaged in pick- 
eting- the fort. About ten o'clock the half-brother 
of the man who had been killed, came to inform 
119 that h\% ^barbae or Chayenne Indians had 
arrived, bringing a pipe of peace, and that their 
nation was three days marth behind them. Three 
Pawnees had accompanied the Sharlias, and the 
Mandane being afraid of the Sharhaa on account 
■of their Ijeing at peace -with the- Siotis, wished to 
19i 



CP THE MISSOURI. 

pat both them and the three Pawnees to death ; 
but the tbidb had forbidden it aa it woald be con- 
trary to our wigheB. We gave him a. present of 
tobacco, and although from his connexion w^itii 
the &uSerer, he woe more enibittered agniQEt the 
Pawnees than any other Mandon, yet he eeemed 
perfectly satiehed with our pacific coudikIs and 
ad'rice. The Mandana, we obnervef caU all the 
Ricaras hj the Dam« df Pawnees ; the name- of 
IUcara« being that by which the nation distiq- 
guishes itselT. 

in the evening we were viBited by a Mr. Ilender- 
Bon, who came from the Hudsua Bay (Jumiianv to 
trade with the Minnetareee. He had been about 
eight days on hia route iti a direotioii Qearly 
mtuth, and brought with hini tobacco, beads, and 
other merchoadlae to tradp (or furu, and a few 
^DS whitrii are to be exchaa^ed for horaee. 

A'unday, Decewber 2,— The latter part of the 
erenin^ was warm, and a thaw continued till the 
morning, when the ^vind shifted to the north. At 
eleven o'cloclt the chiefs of the lower village 
brought down four of the Sharhas. We explained 
to them our intentionB, and adviued them to re- 
maiii at peaee with each other : we alao gave them 
a flag, Bome tobaceo^ and a speech for their nar 
tiou. Theae were accompanied by a letter to 
meesrii. Tabeau and tK'avelines at the Eicara vil- 
lage, requesting them to preserve peate if possibECj 
and to declare the part whjeli we should be farced 
to take if the Eicaraa and Slou^ made war oa 
thoue whom we hod adopted, After distributing 
a few presents tu the Sliarhsd and Mandans, and 
shifting then) our curiosities we diumisBed them, 
apparently well pleased at their reception. 

Monday, Decambe^r 9. — The morning wag flne, 
but in the afternoon the weather became coldwitb 
195 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S EXl 

the wind from the fiOrthweet. The father of the 
Mandan who was killed brought ua a present of 
dried pumptiq^ and aome pemitigon, for which we 
g&ve liini tjome Bmall articles. Our offer of assiBt- 
aace to avenge the death of Ms eon seemed to 
iave produced a grateful respect from him, as well 
RM from the brother of the deceased, whii^h pleased 
me taach. 

Tuesday 4th, — Tha winij ccntioues from the 
iLorthwest, the weather cloudy and raw, and the 
river rose one inch. Oacnpaahe and two young 
chiefs pans the day with ub. The whole religion of 
I the Mandane coneieta in the belief of one great 
spirit preeiding over their destiniea. This being 
piust be in the nature of a good genlug siace it ie 
OBBOciAted with the healing art, and the gjeat 
Bpirit is eynoayiuous with great medicine, a najne 
a,lao applied to every thing which they do not 
■comprehend. Each individual selects for himself 
the particular ohject of his devotion., "which is 
termed hie medicine, and ia either some invi^hte 
Ireing or more coianionly eome ajumal, which 
thenceTorward becoines hia protector or his inter- 
cesaor with the great Bpirit ; to propitiate whom 
«very attention is laviHhed, and every personal 
couaideration ia Baerificed. "I was lately ownerof 
seventeen horses," said a. Kfandan to us one day, 
"but I have oflfered them all up to niy medicine 
and am now poor." He bad in ri^ality taken all 
lis wealth, hlB horBee, into the plaia^ and turn- 
ing them loose coiiiniitt-ed theni to the care of 
his tnediciiie and abandoned them forever. The 
horseH It'iSB religioua took: care of themselves, and 
the pious votary travelled home ou foot. Their 
belief in a future state is counected with this tra- 
dition of their origin : the whole nation resided in 
one large village under ground near a Bubterrane- 
196 



UP THE MIS80UBI. 



01U lake: n grape- Tine f st^nded its rotate dovd to 
their habitation and gave them a view of the 
light; aojne of the mout qdv^nturous climbed up 
the vine and were delighted with the eight of the 
earth, which they fooiifl covered with buSklo and 
rich with every kind of ftuita: returning; with the 
grapes they had gathered, their countrymen were 
so pleased with the taste of them that the whole 
natipn. resolved to leave their dull reddeuce for the 
charms of the upper region; men, women, and 
children attended by means of the vine; but when 
about half the nation had re-aehed the Burfaceof 
the earthj a corpiiient -n-oraau who wa« cJaniber- 
ing Tip tlie vine broke it with her w^eight, and 
closed upon herself and the rest of the nation th* 
Uglit of the euu. Tbatfe who were left on earth 
made a village below where we saw the niue vil- 
lages; and when the Mandans die they expect to 
petum to the original seats of their forefathcra; 
the good reaeliing the ancient village by means 
of the lake, which the burden of the wns of the 
wicked will not enable them to cross. 

Wadaeaday 5. — The moraing waa cold and die- 
agreeable, the wind ft-om the southeaat accom- 
panied with snow : in the eTcning there waa snow 
again and the wind shifted to the northeaat: we 
Were visited by several Indians with a present of 
pumpkins, and by two of the traders of the north- 
weat companyr 

Thursday <i. — The wind wa8 violent fl-om the 
north northwest with some snow, the air keen 
and cold. At eight o'clock A. M. the thermometer 
Btood at ten degrees above 0, and the river rose an 
inch and a half in the course of the day. 

Friday, Decep^ber r.— The wind still coutiaued 
tVom the northwest and the day is very cold: 
Bhahaka the chief of the lower village came to 
19V 



LEWia AND CLARK'S EKPEDITIOIf 



appriflfi na that the buffalo were near, and that 
' tiH people were waiting for uh to join them in the 
chaee: taptaln Clark with fifteen men went ont 
ftnd found the Indiana engap^d in killing^ the bnf- 
falo, the hunters mounted on horsehe-cU and 
Brmed vrith bowa and arrOTrs eneirele the herd, 
aoi] ^aduallf drire them intti h plain or an open 
place fit for the moveraent of" horse; thej then 
ride in among therUj and einf^liiig out a buffalo, 
A female being prefi.Tret], go eLh close att possible 
and wound her Tvitli arrows till they think they 
have given the mortpl stroke; lyben thty pursue 
OBOther till the quiver is exhausted: if, which 
rarely happene, tho wounded huffiilo attacks the 
hunter, he evades hie blow by the agility of his 
horfee whif h ie trained for the combat with great 
dexterity. When tbey have killed the requisite 
number they collect tbeir game, and the t.q«awB 
and aiteudaQts come up rrom the rear and Rkm 
and drens the aniraala. Captain Tlark killed ten 
buffalo, of which five only were brouR-ht to the 
(brt, the rest which could wot be conveyed home 
l^Tieing Beised by the Indians, among whom the 
ctiatoui itj that whenever a huflhlo is found dead 
ivithout an arrow or any particular mark, he ia 
the property of the finder; bo that often a houter 
BecureB scarcely any of the game he kills if the 
arrow happens to fall off; whatever \b left out at 
night fall* to the share of the wolvea, who are the 
constant and numerous attendants of the buffalo. 
The river clo**ed opposite the fort last night, an 
Id (rh and a half in thicknees. In the morning the 
thermometer stood at one degree below 0. Tiiree 
men were badly ftoBtbitten In cooBequence of their 
exposure. 

Satardaj ^.^The tbermonieter stood attwelv* 
degrees below 0, that u at forty-two degrees be- 



DP THE MISSOUM. 



low the IVeeiiDg point: the nimd was fVom the 
northwe&t. Captain Lewis with fifteen men went 
out to hunt the bufiiilo; great numbera of which 
darkened the prairieafor a toneiderahle diatanee: 
they did not return till a£t^t dark, hansg kitted 
eight bnffalo and one deer. The hunt was, how- 
ever, very fatiguing, a^ th^y were obliged to make 
a circuit at thediatance of more than seven niHee: 
the cold too, waa bo excesaive that the air was 
filled with tc; particles reeembliDg a fog, and the 
eitf>w generally s]:x or eight iuthbeA deep and aome- 
timea eighteen, in con^quence of wbieh two of tho 
party were hurt by fflUe, and Beyeral had their 
ffeet froBtbitten. 

SuBflay 9. — The wind was thia day fWim the 
east, the thermometer at seven decrees above 0, 
and the enn ahone clear: two chieft visited ua, one 
in a eletgh drawn by a dog and loaded with meat. 

Monday 10, — Captain Clark whp had gone out 
yesterday with eighteen men to bring in the meat 
we hod killed the day before, and to continue the 
hunt, came in at twelve o'clock. After killing nine 
buffalo and preparing' that already dead, he had , 
6peat a cold disagreeable night on the aaoW,. with 
no covering but a. amall blanket, sheltered by the 
hides of the buffalo they hftd killed. We observe 
Jarge herds of bufialo croaking the river on the 
icBf the men who were froatbitt«n are rec oven ng^ 
lint the weatlier ia still exc^eding^ly cold, the wind 
beidg ftom the north.,, and the thermometer at tea 
and eleven degrees below ; the rise of thi> river is 
one inch and a halU 

Tumdiiji 11. — The weather became «o intenaely 
cold that we sent for all the hnntera who had re- 
mained out with captain Ciark'a party, and they 
returned in the evening fieveralof themfVofttbitten. 
Tie wjnd waa frqm the north and the thermom- 
1^9 



LEWIS AND CLAHK-B EXPEDITION 

eter at ennrise atoori at tTrenty-one IwIott 0, the 
Jce iu the ittiDdBpherg lit^itlg bO thick as to render 
the weather hazj' and give the appearance of two 
Buofi reflecting each other. The rir^r continued at 
a stand. Focapsahe made qb a riait to-day. 

WedneseJa^v, DecHmber IS. — The wind ia still 
ftova the norths the thGnnoroftter being at aunrise 
thirty-eight degrees below 0. One i>f the Ahnaha- 
-w&ys hrought U8 down the half of an antelope 
IdlLed near the fort; we tad been informed that 
all these animals return to the Elack oiouiitaina, 
hut there are ^reat numberB of them about us at 
this aeaaon which we might eaaily kill, bnt are 
Hawilliiig to venture out before our con^titutiaiia 
are hardened grudually to the climate. We meas- 
ured the riTPr on the ice, and find it five hundred 
yarda wide immediately opimaitfi the fort. 

Thursday 13. — Laert night waa clear and a very 
heavy frost covered the old enow, the thermom- 
eter at ftunrise being twanty decrees below 0, aad 
foUokved by a fini> day. The rivc,' fallB. 

Friday 14, — The morning was fine, aod the 
weather having moderated b;; fr.r, 'hat the mer- 
cury stood at 0, captain Lewis went down with 
a party to hunt; they proceed -d aboii+, eighteen 
mileB, but the buC-lo having left the banks of the 
river they Baw only two, which "w^re so poor aa 
not to be worth killing, and ahot twu deer, Not- 
witli&ta»ding the enow we were viaited Ly a large 
number of the MandaoB. 

Satard&y IS. — Captain Lewie flnding no game 
returned to the fbrt hunting on both sides of the 
river, but with no auccesB. The wind being fVon: 
the north, the mercury at sunrtge eight degrees 
below 0, and the enow of last uight an inch aud 
a half in depth. The Indian chiefs contiuuB to 
Tfslt 118 to-daj with preseuta of meat. 
200 



THE MISSOTTRL 

SuDffay Jfi. — The mormtig- ia clear and cold, the 
mercury at eunrise 22' below 0, A Mr. Haaey 
with two other persons from the BritiHh eBtabliBh- 
ment on the Aaainiboin, arrived in aii clnys with 
a letter from Sir. Ghariee ChabouilleB, one of the 
company, who with much politeneea offered to 
render q« any wrvic? in hiB power. 

Monday IT. — The weather to-day w^aa colder 
than any we had yet experienced, the thermonieteF 
at Bunrise being 45" below 0, and about eight 
o'cloefe it ftll to 74^ below the ft-eezing point. 
Frbm Mr. Hanej, who is a very Bensihle intelH- 
gent man, we obtained mqtrh geographical infor- 
inatloii with resard to the eouatry between the 
MiRBOurl and Mi&aiBuippi, and the ■various tribes of 
Sions who inhabit it. ■/ 

Tumd&y 18. — The thermometer at eunriee -wba^ 
32° below 0. The Indians had invited ub yester- 
day to join their chase to-day, but the tteven men 
whom wp eent retumed In coneeqnence of the 
coldj wliich was ho severe lost night that we were 
obliged to have the eentinel relieved every half 
hour. The northwest traders however left ub on 
their retarn home. 

Wednesday 19. — The weather moderfited, and 
th» river rose a little, so that we were enabled to 
continue the pii;ketiaK oftbe fort. Notwithstand- 
ing the extreme cold, we obaerve the Indians at 
the village engaged out in the open air at a game 
which resembled bilUarda more than any thing we 
had seen, and which we inchned to eu&pect may 
have been acquired by ancient intercourse with the 
French of Cauada, From the first to the second 
chiefB lodge, a distance of about fifty yards, was 
covered with timber Hmoothed and joined so as to 
be as level as the floor of one of our housi^B, with 
a battery at the end to stop the rings: these 
201 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITION 



riiL^ were of clay-Btooe and flat ttke the cbetiuere 
for drafta, and the Hticks were aboat four feet 
long, with two abort pieces at one end in the 
Corni or A mace, ao fixed that the whole will 
elide aluag the btiflrd. Tiro men fix themeelveE) 
at one end, each provided with a etkk, and ooe 
of them with a ring; thej^ then run along the 
boajn], and about half' way Blide the Bticks after 
the ring. 

Tbansdaj 30— The wind waa from the N. W, 
the weather moderate, the ther mo meter 24° 
above at aum-iae. We availed our^lre? of this 
change to picket the fort near the river. 

Friday 21. — The day waB fine and warm, the 
^ wind N. W. by W. The Indian who bad been pre- 
vented a ffew days ago from killing hia wife, came 
with both his wivta to the fort, and was verj 
deeiroue of reconcUing our interpreter, ajeaJoue/ 
agaiDflt wbom on account of his wilfe'e taking 
refuge in hia house, had tieen thecaueeof hia ani- 
moeity. A woman brought her child with an 
abs<!ees in the lower part of the bn^k, and odered 
aa much com as ehe could carry for some medi- 
cine; "we administered to it of course very cheer- 
ftJlj. 

SatuTday, 22d.—A number of dquawB and men 
dreseed like uguawe brought corn to trade for 
Bmall articles with the men. Among other thinga 
we procured two horns of the animal ca.lled by the 
French the Hock mountain sheep, and known to 
the Mandans by the name of ahsahta. The ani- 
mal itaelf Ib about the eize of a small elk or large 
deer: the boros winding like those of a ram which 
they resemble also in texture, though larger and 
thicker. 

Sunday, 33rl. — The weather waa fine and warm 
bke that of yesterday: we were again visited by 
202 



UP THE MISSOtJHI. 

erowde of IndianB of all descriptions, who came 
eithjjr to trade of fl"oin tnere curioBity, Among' 
the rest Kogahaiuif the Little Raven, brought hia 
■wife and son loaded with eoru, and sbe then 
eatprtained us with a fiivounV) Manijan diab, a 
mixture of pumpkins, beans, com, and choke- 
eherriea with the etonefl, all boiled together in a. 
kettle, and forming a composition bj no meariB 
Unpalatable. 

Mondsy, 34tb.—Ths day continued warm and 
pleasant, and the aamber of visitors became 
troubleaome. Aa a present to tbree of the cbiefb, 
we divided a flLiflt of eheep-Bkin which we broug^ht 
for epunging into three pieeea each of two inches 
Id width; they were delighted at the gift-, which 
they deemed of equal value with a fine horee. We 
this day completed oar fqrt, and the next moroing 
being Christmoar 

T^esdny, 25th, we were awakened before day 
by a discharge of three platoons from the party. 
We liad told the Indians not to vifdt ua ftB it waa 
One of Our great nieditine days ; BO that the men 
remained at home and amused themselves in va- 
rious ways, particularly with daocing in which 
they take great pleasure. The American flag waa 
hoisted for the first time in the fort ; the beat pro- 
Tiaions we had were hroaght out, and this, tvith a 
little brandy, enabled them to pass the day in 
great festivity. 

Weduesds^-, 20th. — The weather m again tem- 
perate, bat no Indians hnve come to see u». One 
of the northwest traders who came down to re- 
qoest the aid of our Minnetaree interpreter, in- 
forms ua that a party of llinnetarees who bad 
gone in pursuit of the ABsiniboins who lately etole 
their horses had jast returned. As m their cue- 
torn, they came back in small detachments, thfi 
303 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

iMt of which brovgtt home eight horseB which 
they had captured or etoleii tirom an ABsinibota 
camp on MouBe river. 

Thursday, 27th. — A little fine anotv fell this 
morning and the air was colder than jcsterday, 
with a high northwest "wind. We were fortunate 
enough to liaFe among' our men a good hlack' 
fimitb, whom we set to work to make a yariety 
of articles: Ms operatioDs eeemed to Burpriee the 
Tndians who came to eee ns, but nothJD^ could 
equal thdr aBtuniHliLnient at the bellows, which 
thej considei-ed as a very great ineditiae. Having 
heretofore promiaed a more particular account of 
the Sioux, the following may eerpe ag » geaeral 
oatlioe of their history: 

Almost the whole of that vast tract of country 
comprised between the Mississippi, the Red riverof 
Lake Winnipeg, the SaskaHkawan, and the Mis- 
souri, is loosely Occupied by a great nation whosa 
primitive name ie Dartota, but who are called 
Sioux by the Preuch, Suea by the English. Tbdr 
original HeatB were on the Miseiseippi, but they 
have gradually spread themaelves abroad and be- 
come subdivided into numerous tribes. Of thcse^ 
what may be considered as the Darcotas are the 
Mindawarcflirton, or MiDOwakanton, kno'wn to 
the French by the name of the Gens du Lac, or 
People of the Lake. Their reeidenee is on both 
Bides of the Miesisaippi near the falls of Si. 
AiLthony, and the probable nnmber of their war- 
riofB about three hundred. Above them, on tha 
river St. Petcr'H, ia the Wohpatone, a smaller band 
of nearly two hundred men ; and still further Up 
the aame river belo^v Tellowwood riyer are the 
Wahpatootae or Gens de Feuillea, an ioltrior band 
of not more than one husdred luen; while the 
sotirceH of the St. Peter's are occupied by the 
304 



^atooaeB, a btmd conaiating of aboot two how 
dred warriors. 

These bands rarely ifever approach the MiaBonri, 
irhifih i>^ oixupied by their kinflmen the Yanktoue 
and the Teton*. The Tanktona are of two tribes, 
those of the plajnB, or rather of the north, a, wan- 
dering r«ce of about five hundred men, "who room 
oyer the plame at the h^ada of the Jaequey, the 
Slons, and the Ked river; and thoHe of the south, 
who poseeaa the country between the Jacques and 
Sioux rivers and the DesTaoine. But the bands of 
Bioni most knowa on the Missouri arethe Tetone. 
The first irho are uiet on ascending the Mie^oqri 
iB the tribe calial by the Frt neh the Tetonu of the 
"Boise Umle or Burntwood, who reside on both 
Bidea of the MiE^sourj, about White and Teton 
liTere, and number two hundred warriors. Above 
them on the Missouri are the Teton OkandandAiS, 
a band of one hundred and fifty men living below 
the Chayenne rirer, between which and the W'etar- 
boo river is a third baud, called Teton MJQQa- 
benozso, of nearly two hundred and ^y men; 
and below the Wanrconne ia the fourth and last 
tribe of TetoaH of ahoat three hundred men, and 
called Teton Soone. Northward of theae, between 
the Assiniboin and the MieaourJ, are two bands of 
AaBiniboina, one on Mouae river of about two hun- 
dred men, and called AHsiniboin Menatopa; the 
other^ reaiding on both Bidea of White river, called 
by the French Uens de Feuilles, and atnounttng to 
two hundred and fifty men. Iteyoud these a band 
of AsaLuiboini^ of four hundred and ilfty men, and 
called the Fig DevUij, wander od the heads of 
Milk, i'orcupiue, and Martha's rivers; while Btill 
farther to the north are seen two bands of the 
same nation, one of five hundred and the other of 
two hundred, roriiig on theSaakaskawan. Those 
205 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



OHAPTES VL 



Tbe poTtT IncreasQ la Che (btouf at the ManduH — Descrijitlon of 
ft buCaio dHDce— Hemclne ilftciK— Tim forUtude wltb vnicti 
the Indians beu- tbe uverlt? or tbe aeaun— Discresd 0/ Lba 
party lor wajil ot [rmvlslona— The great Impoiiajite ut the 
lUBctsmjUi m pTwurtng it— PepreilE-tlyiia or en* sioui— THa 
tioinaffa pall to tlie medicine stJ^ine— Summarj b>^ at JohUcq 
■mouK the JKnnebireM— The pztKesA b; which the Uandami 
ana Blcaraa tnttke beafls— Cbaraewr oC IHB MteWUrt, ol tno 
euiTouDillDG' country, uid of tbe rlrers, creeka, ljlA.ni^, Ac. 

Friday, SStb. — The wind continued high laet 
night, the froet severe, and the snow drifting; in 
great quantities through the plaitta. 

Satardsy, 29th,— Tb^re was a frost fell lart 
Bight nearly one qqart^r qf an jncb in depth, 
which cQntiiiiied to Ml till the suq had gained 
Bome height: the mercury at eunriae stood at 9' 
below D; there were a number of Indians at the 
fort in the course of the daj'. 

Sunifaj; 30th. — The weather was cold, and the 
thermoTO^ter 20° below 0, IV^ killed one deer, 
and yeaterday one of the men shot a wolf. The 
ImJiuDH brought corn, beans, and squashee, which 
they very readily gave for getting their aiea and 
kettles mended. In their general conduct during 
these visits tliey are honest, but will occaeionally 
pilfer any enaall article, 

Moadny, HI. — Duriug the night there was a high 
■wind which covered the ice with hillocks of mixed 
Hand and anowj the day was however fine, and 
the ladiauB came in great numbere for the purpose 
of haviug their utensila repaired. 

Tuesday, January 1, 3^05, — Th^ new year was 
207 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



welcomed by two ehot from the Bwivel and a 
rDund of amall arms. Tlie weather was cloudy 
bat moderate; the mercury which at BHiiriBe was 
at 18 , in the cauree of the day row to 34" atove 
: towards evening it began to rain, and at night 
T?e had bdow, the temperature for which m about 
0, In the morning we permitted sixteen men with 
their muEiC to go up to the fir^t village, ^?liere 
they delighted the whole tribe with their dancea, 
particularly with the movements of one of the 
FreuchiQen who danced on. Ma head. In return 
they presented the dancecB with eeveraj buffalo 
robes and quaatitifie of com. We were deairous of 
showing this attention to the village, bet^ausethey 
had received aji impreHsion that we bad been 
waotiug in regard fgr them, and because they had 
In conaequence circulated inviduoue eomparieooa 
between ub and the northern traders : all these 
howcTer they declared to captain Clark, who 
visited them in the courae of the morning, were 
made in jegt. Ab captain Clark was about leav- 
ing the village, two of their chiefs returned from a 
miHBion to the (iroeventree or wandering Miane' 
torees. These people were encamped about ten 
miles above, and while there one of the Ahnaha- 
waya had stolen a Miimetai'ec girl : the whole na- 
tion immediately eapoused the quarrel, and one 
hundred and fifty of their warriora were marching 
down to revenge the Itieult on the Ahnahawaya. 
Thu chief of that netiou took the girl from the 
ravisher, and giving her to the Mandans requested 
their interccBBion. The m.esBengerB went out to 
m.eet the "warriors, and delivered the youngdamsel 
iato the hands of her ooantrymen, emoked the 
pLpti of peace with them, and were fortunate 
enough to avert their indignation and induce 
thfcm to return. In the evening aome of the men 
208 



TIP THE MISSOURI. 



Mnpe to the fort and the re«t slept in the village, 
Focap&ahe also visited ub and brought aoiae meat 
on his wiffe'B back. 

WedneBda^y, January 2. — It snowed iaat night, 
abd during this da; the Mame Bceue of gajet; wa« 
renewed at the secoud village, aad all the men 
returned is the evening. 

Thursday 3. — Laat oight it became very cold, 
and this morning we had some enow: our huutera 
were sent out for buffalo, but the game had been 
flightened Itotn the rivee by the lodiane, so that 
they ohtaiaed only one: they however killed a 
hare and a ivolf, AmoDg the Indians ivho visited 
UB was a Mianetarec who came to seek his wii^: 
she had been mucih abuided and came here for pro- 
tectJOD, but returned with him, aa we had no 
authority to separate thoae whom even the Man- 
dan eitea had nnited. 

Fridaj it. — The morning wa« cloudy and warm, 
the mercury being 2B^ above 0; but towards 
evening the wind changed to northwest, and the 
weather became cold. We sent some hunters 
down the river, but they killed only one butlklo 
and a wolf We reteived the visit of Kagohami 
who is very friendly, and to whom we gave a 
handkerchief and two files. 

Saturday a. — We had high and boiBterons winds 
last night and this morning: the Indians continue 
to pnrchaae repairs with grain of different kinds. 
In the flrat village there has been a buffalo dance 
for the la«t three nights, n'hidh haa put them all 
into coniniotion,. and the description which -we 
received from those of the party who visited the 
viUage and fbom other eources, ib not a little 
ludicrous: the buffalo dance ia an institution 
originally intended for the benefit of the old men, 
and practised at their suggtstion. When buffalo 
Vol. I.— 14 20y 



LEWIS AM) CLAKK'S EXPEDITION 



becomes 8cdxc« thej send a man to harangue th# 
TiUagie^ deglaring^ that the game ia far qS and that 
a feaet is net:efisary to brlog it back, and if the 
Tilla^ "be dispoBed a da; and place is named far 
the cetebration of it. At the appointed hour the 
old Toen arrive, and seat themeelvea croaslegged on 
skina round a fir6 in the middle of the lodge with 
a sort of doll or amaJl image, dredged like a 
female, placed before them. The yoaug men 
bring with tbem a platt«r of proTlaioaB, a pipe of 
tobacco> and their wivea, whoae drees on the occa.- 
Bton IB only a robe or mantle loosely thrown 
round the body. On their arrival each youth 
ttelecte the old man whom he means to dietinguish 
by hie favour, and spreads before bim the pro- 
Yiaions, after which be preseotB the pipe and 
Bmokea with him. Max eenex rir Himulacruia 
parvae puellae oetenBit. Tunc egrediena caetu, 
jecit effigium eolo et BuperincumbeDfi, genili ardore 
Teneris coraplexit. Hoce&t eignum. Deniqne nior 
e turba recessit, et jaqtu corporis, fovet araplenw 
viri solo recubante. Maritua appropinquans seuex 
Tir dejecta vultu, et honorem et di^jtatem ejos 
conaervare ampteiu uxoriB ilium oravit. Forsitan 
imprimia ille relMUt; dchinc, maritua multua pre- 
Cibiis, multis lachrymiK, tt multiB donia veht- 
menter interceseit. Tunc «enex amator perculsus 
mieerecordia, tot precibus, tot laclirymis, et tot 
dooiB, Gonjagall amplexu submisit. MuJtum iUe 
JQCtatiia est, sed debilis et effbetna senectute, 
fhiBtra jactatUB est, Maritua iuterdum stana 
joxta gnMit multum honore, et ejus dignitati 
qic; cunservata. Unua nostrum aodatium mnltum 
alacrior et potentior juventute, hac nocte honorem 
quartuor maritorum cuatodivit. 

Sunday G. — A clear cold murning with high 
wind : we 4;aiight in a trap a large gray wolf, and 
210 



UP TEE MISSODEI. 



last tiiglit obtaiufd in the same wa; a fox who 
had for «ome tLmB iiii^8t«d the neighbourhood of 
the fort. Only a (few JcidiaJi^ vieit^d us tcniay. 

Monday 7. — The weather was agaia clear and 
cold with a high northwest ivind, and the ther- 
mometer at Hnnrise 22° below [t: the river fell an 
inch. Shabaha the Bi^ White chief dined with ua, 
and gave a connected eietch of the country aa far 
aa the mountELJnB, 

Tuesday S. — The wind was Btill Scorn the north- 
-WBHt, the day coid, and we received few IndiajiH 
at the fort. Beaidea the buffalo dance we have 
just described, there ia another called medicine 
danee, an entertsinmeiit given by any person de- 
airoue of doing Loaour to hiH mediuine or genius, 
He HQDDuacee, that on euch a day lie will sacrilice 
hie boreea, or other property, and invites tlie 
youn^ females of the village to aeBiflt in rendering 
homage to hia medicine ; all the inhabitants may 
join la the solemnity, whii^li in performed in the 
open plain and by dayhght, but the dantre ia re- 
Berved for the yirgiaa or at least the unmarried 
fbmales, who disdain the incumbrance or the orna- 
zaent of dresB. The feaat is opened by devoting 
the goo(t» of the maBter of the ffea^t to hia medi- 
cine, which iB repeesented by a head of the animal 
itself, or by a medicine bag if the deity be an in- 
-vielble being. The young women, then be^Q the 
daoce, in the iotervalu of which each will pros- 
trate her^lf before the aBi^mbly to challenge or 
reward the boldness of the yonth, who are often 
tempted by feeling or the hopes of diatiDCtlon to 
achieve the adventure. 

WednejidHj' 9.— The weather i^ cold, the ther- 
mometer at BunriBe '2V below 0, Kagoliami 
breaidkHted with ua, and captain Clark with 
three or four men accompanied him and a party 
211 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'3 EXPEDITION 



of IndiaDs to huiit, in which they were bo for- 
tunate as to kill a number of buffalo: but they 
were intoiiiiiiodwl bj snOw, hy high and squallj" 
winds, and by extreme cold : aevtral of the IndianB 
ca.me tq the fort n^tarly iVoseu, Others are miBBing;, 
and we are uaeasy, for one of our men who was 
Beparabed from the rest during: the chaae haB not 
returned ; In the ciorning, 

Tbursdsy 10, howftTer, he came back just a» we 
were eeniiing out five men in search of bim. Th« 
nigbt had been eieee«ively cold, and this morning 
at Buarlse the mercury Htood at 40' below 0, or 
73 below the freeaiug jioint. He had, however, 
made a fire aud kept iiimaelf tolerably warm. A 
joung Indian, about thirteen years of age, also 
came in Boon after. Hie father who came last 
night to inquire after him very aQsioaaljj bad 
aeat him iu the afternoon to the {brt: he was 
overtaken by the ni^ht, and was obliged to aleep 
on the 8aow with no covering except a pair of 
anteiope skin moccasins and leggiuga and a bof- 
fh,Jo« robe : hia feet being froien we put them into 
cold water, and gave him every attention la our 
power. About the same time an Indian who had 
aleo beeit miBBing returned to the fort, and al- 
though his dresa wan very thin, aud he hod alept 
on the HDow without a ftre, he had not suffered 
the elightest intonTeUlence. We have indeed ob- 
served that these Indians support the rigonre of 
the BeaeoQ in o, w&j which we had hitherto 
thought inipoeeible. A uore pleasing refiecdon 
occurred at aeeing the warm interest which the 
situation of these two persona had exdted in the 
village, the boy had b^n a prisODer and adopts 
from charity, yet the dietresB of the father proved 
that he felt for him the teadereBt afiection, the 
man was a person of no dietliLctioa, yet the whole 
2ia 



UP THE MISSOUHI. 

TDlaEB wflB fhll of anxiety for hie eaftty, and 
irhen they came to ns, borrowed a aleig-h to 
iHiiig them hOTDe trith ease, if thej Burrived, or td 
carry their bodies if they had p^riebed. 

Fiidny 11. — We dtwpatcbed tUree -buntere to joia 
the name number whom we tad sent below about 
Bevea milefl to bunt elJc. Like that of yeeterday 
the weatber to-day Tvaa cold and clear, the ther- 
mometer etatiding at S^'- below 0. Po^opaahe 
and ShotahawTora viaited us, and paseed the 
nigit at the fort. 

Satardaj' 1^. — The weather continues very cold, 
the mercury at saorjae being 20' beiow 0. Three 
of the hunterB returned, having killed three elk. 

Stitsd/iy 13. — We have a coiittniiation of clear 
Weather, and the cold has increased, the mercury 
having aunk to ^■^° below^ 0, Nearly oae half of 
the JUandaD nation poesed down the river to hunt 
for several daye; la these excureiona men, women 
and children, with their dogy, all leave the village 
together, and after discovering a ppot convement 
for the game, fix their tentn ; all the family bear 
their part in the labour^ and the g'arae is equally 
divided among the famlLieB of the tribe, When a- 
BLDgie hunter retiirnB from the chase with more 
than is necessary for hiB own immediate coneump- 
tlon, tbe neighboura are entitled by custom to A 
Kbare of it: they do tiot however aek for it, bat 
Bend a. eqnaw, who without eajing any thing. 
Bits down by the door of the lodge till the master 
imderatandB the hint, and gives her gratuitously 
a part for her femily. Chaboneau who with one 
man had gone to some lodges of Minnetarees near 
the TartJe mountain, returned with their fbces 
much frostbitten. They had tieen about ninety 
milea distant, and procured from the inhabitants 
Bome meat and grease, with which they loaded 
213 



■ the horses. He ioforma us that ttte agent of tile 
Hivdeon Bay company at that piiwe, had been 
endearourinj^ to make uoi'avourable impr&iisiona 
with regard to ub on the mind of the great chief, 
and that the S. W. companjr intend building a 
foirt there. The jjreat chief had ia cotisequence 
spoken sliglitly of th« Americans, but said that if 
we would give him qur great flag be would come 
and see ub. 

Monday 14.— The Mandaiia continue to paBS 
doTTO the river on their hunting P'i-rtj-, and were 
joined by eix of our men. One of those sent on 
Thursday returned, TFith inform ajti on that one of 
his companions had his feet bo badly frostbitten 
that he could Dot walk home. In their excurBloa 
they hod killed a. bufialo, a wolf, two porcupines 
and a white hare. The weather waa more moder- 
ate to-day, the mercury being at 18' degrees be- 
low 0, and the wind fVom the S, E. we had 
howerer some suq'w, aft«r whigh it remained 
cloudy. 

Tuead^r IS. — The morning ia much warmer 
than yeaterdaj-f and the enow begins to melt, 
though the wind afl^r being for some time IVom 
the B. E. suddenly shifted to N. W, Between 
twelve and three o'clock A. M. there was a total 
ecbpse of the moon, IVom wMch we obtained a 
part of the observation nweesory for aecertaioing 
the longitude. 

We were visited tiy four of the most distin- 
guiehed men of the Mlnnetareeft, to whom we 
ahowed marked attentions, ae we knew that they 
had beep taught to entertain strong prejudicea 
against ds; theee we succeeded bo well in remov- 
ing, that when in the morning, 

M'ednfsdaj Iti, about thirty Mandans, among 
whom ebt were chiefb came to see u«, the &liuD«- 
214 



UF THE MISSOUEI. 



taxees reproached them with their f&lsefaodds, de- 
claring that they were bad meu aud ought to hide 
theniBelveH. They had t^ald the llinnetflTWe that 
we would kill them if thsy came to the fort, yet 
oa thti contrary they hod bp«nt a. nig-tit there &nd 
been treati^i vn.th luudnesB by tJie whites, who 
had smoked with thtm and danced for their 
Hiinusement. Kagoh&ciL Ti§ited ua and brought ua 
a little torn, and booh aft«m'ardH one of (he first 
war ehiefd of the Mlauetareca uaine accumpuDied 
by hie Bquaw, a hajideome womaD, whom he woa 
deairouB we ahould use during the night. He 
fovoured ua with a. more acc£;ptahle present^ a 
draft i^f the Mi&Minri in his mnjmer, and informed 
QB of hlH itit«iitiou to go to war in the epring 
againiit the Snake Indiana; we adviewd bim to re- 
flect aeriouely before he comniitted the peace of hta 
nation to tlie hasarde uf war ; to look back on the 
DumerouB nations whom war has destroyed, that 
if he wished his nation to be happy he should 
cultivate peace a-ud intercourse with all hie neigh- 
bour?, by "whiqh meun^ tht^y would procure more 
hoFB^, iDcreaBe in DuniberSr BJid that if he went to 
war he would di^plea&e his great father the presl- 
deat, and forfeit his protection. We added that 
we had spoken thus to ail the tribea whom we 
had tnet, that they had all opened their ears, and 
that the president would compel those who did 
not voluntarily Listeo to hi» adTlce. Although a 
young man oC only tweoty-six yeojTB oT age, this 
diseourfle seemed to atrike him, lie obaerved that 
if it would be tlispleaaing to us ha would not go 
to war, siiice he had hor^ea iftiongh, aud that he 
Would adi'ise all the nation to remaia at home, 
until -wei had Keen the Snake Indian^, and dlsCDT- 
ered whether their intentions were pacific. The 
party who went down with the horaes for the 
215 



1,EWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



nian who was frostbitten returned, and wb ore 
glad to fl&d his complamt not Benoua. 

Thursday J 7.— The day wan very winfly ftom 
the north; the mornjng clear aad cold, the ther- 
mometer at HunriBe being' at 0: we had ee-veral 
Indians with uh. 

Friday IS. — The weather is floe and moderate. 
Meeara. LartMshe and M'Kenzie, two of the N. W. 
company's tradersj virated us with aome of the 
Minnetareea. In the afternoon two of our huntats 
returned, haTitig killed four wolvee and ahlalrean. 

Suturd^y 10. — Another cloudy day. The tw^O 
traders set out ou their retam, and weaeottwo 
meo with the horses thirty mileB below t« the 
hunting camp, 

Sandaj 50,— The day f^ir and cold. A numbep 
tif Indians visit ub with com to tschange for arti- 
cle^r and to pay for repaira to their household 
utensils. 

Monday 21. — The weather wae fine and moder- 
ate. The huntera all retnrned, having killed dur- 
ing their absence three elk, four deer, two porcH- 
pines, a fox and a hare. 

Tuesd/iy 22. — The cold baring moderated and 
the day pleagant, we atterapted to cut the boatfl 
out of the KB, but at the distance of eight tnchee 
came to water, under which the iva became three 
feet thick, 80 that we were obliged to deaist. 

Wednesday 33. — The cold weather returned, the 
mtirCuFy having Sunk '2 helow 0, and the enoW 
fell four inehes deep, 

ThjirsfJa-y 24. — The day was colder thaa any we 
have had lately, the ttiermomieter being at 12" be- 
low <J. 't'he hunters whom we sent out returned 
nuBueceBsful, and the rest were occupied in cutting 
wood to make charcoal, 

Friday 23, — The thermometer was at 2S' below 
21(J 



DP THE MISSOmtT. 



0, the wind from N. W, and the day Mr, so that 
tkB men were employed in iireparing coal, and 
cattiug the boats out of the ice. A band of As- 
aitiibciiiis he^ed bj tbfir chief, tailed by tha 
French, Sod of the Little Calf, have aniTed at the 
■villages. 

Saturday 2G.~L fine warm day: a auiuber of 
Indians dine witt ub: and one of our men is at- 
tacked with a Tiolent pleuriey. 

8unduy Sr.— Another watm aud pleasant day: 
we again attempted to g^ the boat out of the 
Ice. The mao who haa the pleuriey w&s blooded 
and sweated, and we were forced to take offthe 
toea of the young Indian who was tVoetbitten 
Bome time since. Our interpreter returned from 
the villages, iieitlging with him three of Mr. La- 
roche'e horeee which he had sent in order to keep 
them out of the way of the ABeiaiboina, who are 
very much disposed to steal, and who have just 
returned to their eamp. 

Mondaj .0S.— The weather to-day ia clear and 
cold: we are obliged to aba^idon the plan ofcut- 
ting the boat through the ice, and therefore made 
another attempt the neit day, 

Tuesday 29, by heating a quantity of etoaea so 
aa to warm the water in the boat, and thaw the 
Burrounding ice: but in this too we were disap- 
pointed, as ati the stones on being put into the 
fire cracked into pieces: the weather warm and 
pleasant; the man with the plenriay 19 recovering, 

Wedaesduy -30.— The morning wae fair, but af- 
terwards hecame cloudy. Mr. Laroehe the trader 
from the northwest company paid us a viait, in 
hopea of being able to accompany us on our jour- 
ney Westward, but this proposal we thought it 
beet to decline. 

Thoisday 31. — It enowed laet night, and the 
217 



LEWIS AND GLABK'S KSPEDITION 



moralD^ is cold and diBagreeable, with a. high 
wind from the northwest: we sent five liunt^ra 
down the rirer. Another man is taken Trith the 
pleurisy. 

Fridaj, Fehmary 1. — A cold windy day; oar 
hunters returned hnviag killed only ouo deer. One 
of the Miunetaree war chiefs, a young man named 
Maubukebeahokeah or Seeing Snake, came to see 
QB and procure a war hatchet: he also reqtieet^ 
that We "wonld Buffei" hinl to go to "wflr eugainst 
the Sioux and Bicaras who had killed a Ma^dtm 
some time ago : this we r^sed for rt^aeons wliicb 
we explained to him. He acknowledged that we 
were right, and promiaed to open hia eara to our 
connselBt 

Sa.tvTda.f 2. — The day la fine : another deer was 
killed. Mr. Laroche who ha« been verj anxioustg 
go with U8 left the fort to-day, and one of the 
equawa of the Miuuetaree interpiettir is taken ill, 

Sar)da.y 3, — The weather is again pleasant: dis- 
appointed in all our etfbrts to get the boats tree, 
%e occnpied ourHelvea in making iron spikes «o &a 
to prize them up by meaiiB of long poleK. 

MoTidity ^.— The moriung fair and cold, the 
mercury at BunidBe being 18" below 0, and the 
wind from the northwest. The Btock of meat 
which -we had procured in November and Decem- 
ber beinfj now nearly exhausted, it became necea- 
aary to renew our supply j captain Clark there- 
fore took eighteen men, and with two eleighe and 
three horses deeeended the river for the purpose of 
hunting, as the buOalo has diuappeared from our 
neighbourhood, aud the Indiana are theinselves 
STiflering for want of meat. Two deer were killed 
to-day but they were very lean. 

Tuesday 5. — A pleasant feir morning with the 
wind from northwest: a number of the Indians 
213 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

come with corn for the blacksmith, who being 
now providM -with coal has become one of our 
greatest reeourCes for procuring grain. Theyseem 
particularly attached to a battle axe, of a very 
ioconveaieDt figure : it U made wholly of iron, the 
blade extremely tlila, und from esvea to nine 
inches long; it is sharp at the point and fire or 
fiii inches on each Bide, whence they converge to- 
wards th« eye, which ie circular and about an 
iach in diameter, tlie blade iteelf being not more 
-than an inch wide, the handle ie straight, and 
twelve or fifteen Inches lou^; the whole wuigliiag 
about a pound. By way of omamBnt, the blade 
is perforattd with several circular holea. The 
len^h of the blade compared with the Bhortntaa 
of the handle render it a Tveapon of very little 
strength, particularly as it i* alwiiya uaed oa 
horaeb^k: there le etitl however another form 
which IB even worse, the same sort of handle be- 
ing fixed to a blade reeembling au espontoon. 

WedD^day, Febmasj 6.^The morning was fair 
and pleaaant, the wind N. W. A number of In- 
'diaachiefe vieited ua and ^thdre'n' aEler we bad 
Bmoked with them contrary to their cuBtom, for 
after being once introduced tato our apartment 
they are fond of lounging about during the re- 
mainder of the day. One of the men killed three 
autelopes. Our bjacksuith ham liiti time cam> 
pletely occupied, ao great is the demand for uten- 
^la of different kinds. The Indians are particu- 
larly fond of sheet iron, out cf which they form 
pointe for arrows aud iDstrument^ for eeraplng 
hides, and when the blatkBniith cut up an old 
eambouae of that metal, we obtained for every 
piece of four inches square seven Or eight gallonj* 
of corn from the Indiana, who WVK delisted at 
the excbfVDge. 

219 



tEWra AND CLARE'S ESPEDITIOK 

TbTirsdpy 7. — ^The morning was fair and much 
"trarmer than for Aome daye, the thermometer 
beings at 18° above 0, and the wind from the 
S, E, A nuniber of Indian^ contiiiu^ to visit U4; 
but learning that the interpreter's eqiiawa had 
been B«cuBtoni(Ki to uubar the gate duriDg the 
night, we ordered a lock put on it> and that no 
Indian should remain in the fort all night, nor 
finy jjerSOn admittel dcring the houra when the 
gate 1b cIohM, that is from enaKet to sunrise. 

Friday 8. — A fftir pleaennt moraiog, Mith S. R 
winds. Pocopeahe came down to the fort with a 
bow, and apologized far hia not having finished a 
shield whii^h he had promised captain Iiewia, and 
which the weathtr had prevented him from tom- 
pleting. This cliief poas esses morefirmiieBS, iatel- 
ligence, and iiit«grity> than any Indian of this 
country, and he might be rendered highly eervice- 
able in our attempte to civilize the nation. He 
mentioned that the MandanB are very much in 
want of meat, and that he himself bad not tasted 
any for several days. To thifi dietreea they are 
ofteil reduced by their oivn improvidence, or by 
their unhappy Bituation. Their princEp&l articleof 
food le buGTalo-meat, their corn, beane, and other 
grain being reserved for summer, or aa a last re- 
source against what they conatiaiitly dread, an 
atta^^k from the Siom, who drive off the game 
and confine them to their villager. The same 
ftar too prevents their going out to hunt in small 
partieBto relieve their occaeionai wants, eo that 
the bufialo is generally obtained in larg« quaati- 
tieB, and wasted by carelessness. 

Saturday 9. — The morning woa fair and pleas- 
ant, the wind from the S. E. Mr. M'KenBie ftom 
the N. W. company eatabliebment visited us. 

Suiidaj 10.— A alight enow ifcU in the course of 
220 



UP THE mSSODBI. 



tim nightr the morning was cloadyr bjiA the nortfa- 
tpcst ^nd blew so high that although the theiv 
mometer was 18 above 0, the day waa cooler 
thaa yesterday, ivhea it was only 10' above the 
sa.me point. Mr. M'Kenzie left rm, and Chaboneaq 
returned with informatloo that our horses loaded 
with meat were below, but could not crose the 
ice not being shod. 

MoDiliiy ll.—Vsf. sent down a party with aleda, 
to TelieTe the boreeB from their loads ; the weathei' 
fmr and cold, with a N. W. wind. About five 
o'clock one of the wives of Chaboneau was de- 
livered of & boy; this heing her first child ahe waa 
BuSering conBJderable, when Mr. Jeeaaume told 
captain Lewis that he hod freqnently adminia- 
ter«d to persona in her mtaatiob, a amAll doM of 
the rattle of the rattlesnake which had never 
felled to baat«Q the delivery. Having gome of the 
rattle, captain Lewia gave it to Mr. cTeBsaume 
who crcmbled two of the rings of it between his 
flngerB, and mixing it with a small (quantity of 
water gave it to her. What effect it may really 
have had it might be difficult to determine, but 
captain Lewie wae informed that she had not 
taken it more than ten minutes before the delivery 
took place. 

TneEdny 12. — The morning is f&ir though cold, 
the mercury being 14" below 0, the wind from the 
S, E. About four o'clock the horsea were brought 
in mu-ch fatigued; on giving them m.eal bran 
OLoieteu^ with water they would not eat it, but 
preferred tlie bark of the cottonwood, which aa ta 
already ohBgrved forms their principal food during 
the winter. The horses of the Mandaiis are bo 
often stolen by the Sious, Kicaraa, and AasLni- 
boine, that the invariable rule now is to put the 
toreee every pight in the same lodge with the 
221 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

family. In the gunitdef th^y ramble in the plains 
in the vicinity of the camp, and feed on the grass, 
bwt duriiiff col*I weather the equo.w8 cut dowo the 
cottoDTvood trees as tbey are wauted, and the 
hOTHes ft^d on. the bought and bark of the tender 
branihheB, which are alBO brought into the lodges 
at night and pLaced neof them. These aoimala are 
very severely treated ; for whole days they are 
piumiiDg' the buSaEo. or burdened with the fhiita 
of the ehaee, duiiag which they scarcely ever taata 
food, and at nig-ht return ta a. Bcunty allowaQce 
of wood; yet the spirit of thia valnable animal 
sustains bim through all thi^se diflictilties, and he 
is rtLrely deficient either in flesh or vigour. 

Wednffsda^- 13, — The morning wag cloudy, the 
thermometer at 2" below 0, the wind irom the 
flouthtiaet. Captain Clark returned lajst evening 
with all hia hunting party : during their escursioa. 
they had killed forty deer, three buffalo, and six- 
teen elk ; but moat of the ganiQ "wafl too lean for 
UBCj and the wolves, who regard whatever lie* out 
at night a* their own, had appropriated a large 
part of it : when he left the fort on the 4th la- 
Btant, he descended on the ice tweoty-two milea to 
New Mandiui islaad^ near aome of their old vil- 
lages, and encamped, having killed nothing, and 
therefore without food for the night. 

Early on the 5th, the hunters w^ent out and 
killed two bulfalo and a deer, but the lost only 
coaLd be u^d, the others beiug too lean. After 
breakfast they proceeded down to an Indian lodge 
and hunted during the dayr the next morning, 
6th, they encamped forty-four miles from the fort 
on a sand paint near the mouth of a creek on zhe 
Boathwest side, which they call Hunting ereek, 
and during this and the following day huutei^ 
tiLTOUgh all the adjoining plaine, with much hu&- 
222 




UP THE MISSOTJHI. 



iXBBr having killed a namber of dwr sad elk. On 
the Stih, the beat of the meat was eeot with tha 
horeee to the fort, and such parts of the remaiader 
as -were fit for une were brought to a point of tha 
river three tnilea below, and after tlie bones -were 
taken out, secured in pena built of logs, bo as to 
keep off the w^olves, ravens and magpjea, who are 
Tery aumerDUB and eotiBt&ntJj' disappoint the 
hunter of his prej; they then went to the low 
grounds near the Cbiashetaw river where they en- 
camped, hut flaw nothing except some wolvee oa 
the hille, and a numbtr of buffaEo too poor tO 
be worth himtdng. The next morning 9th, as 
there was no game and it woutd have been incon- 
Tenient to eeud it back alxty luilee to the fort, 
they returned up the river, and for three daya 
hunted aiong the banks and plaiOB, and rea^^hed 
the fort in the evening of the twelfth much 
fatigued, having walked thirty miles that day on 
the ice and through the enow^ in many places knee 
deep, the moccasius too being nearly worn out: 
the only game which they saw besides what Ib 
mentioned, was some grouse on the sandbara in 
the river. 

Thijrsdsj-' 14.— Last uij^ht the snow fell three 
inches deep; the day was, however, fine. Four 
men were despatched with sled* and three horaes 
to bring up the meat which had bcea collected by 
the huDtera, They returned however, with intelli- 
gence that about twenty-one miles below the fort 
& party of opwards of one hundred men, whom 
they Hupposed to be Sioux, rushed on thsui, cut 
the traces of the sleds, and carried offtw^q qftte 
horses, the third being given up by interaeHaion of 
an Indian who seemed to poBeesB Bome authority 
over them ; they also took away two of the men's 
knivea, and a tomahawk, which last however the/ 
223 



retomed. We Kent up to the Mandans to infonn 
tbetn Qf it, and to know whether any of ttem 
would join a party which iatended to pureue the 
robbers in the morning. About twelve o'clock 
two of their chiefe came down and said that all 
their young men wera out hunting, and that there 
■were fe*r gnnft in the Tillage. Sereral Indians 
however, armed some with bowa and aixowe, 
BDuie with apeare wid battle-ozee, and two with 
fiiailB, accompanied captalu Lewie, who eet out, 

Friday 15, at aumlfie with twenty-four men. 
The morning waB fine and cool, the thermoiueter 
being at 16' below 0. In the conree of the day 
one of the Mandan chiefs returned from captain 
Ijewis's party, Ida ey«-Big'ht having become sg bad 
that he cuuM not proctied. At tblb seaaon of the 
year the reflectioik from the ice and buow is ho in- 
tense aB to occaston almost total blindnesB. This 
complaint is Tery common, and the general 
remedy ie. to aw^eat the part aSeCted by holding 
the face over a hot stone, and receiving the f^imea 
fWfin. enow thrown on it. A large ri^ fox was 
killed to-day. 

Saturday 16. — The morning was warm, mercury 
at 32' above 0, the weather cloudy: seTeral of 
the Indians who went with captain Lewis re- 
turned, as did also One of OUT men, whose feet 
had been frostbitten. 

SuBflaj IT. — The weather contioued ae yester- 
day, though in the niteraooa it became Mr. 
Shotawhorora and hie boq came to see ub, with 
abdnt thirty pounds of dried buffalo meat and 
eome tallow. 

Moaday IS. — The morning was cloudy with 
some enow, but in the latter part of the day it 
cleared up. Mr. M'Kenaie who had Hpent yester- 
day at the fort now left ua, Our stock of meat 
224 



UP THE MISSOTJRI. 



IB ezhauBted, ao that vre msEt con^Dc ourwlveB to 
vegetalile iiet, at leaat till the return of the party : 
for this, however, -we are at no loss, since hith oa 
this and the folloTFiiig; day, 

Tuesday 10, our blaqkemith g^ot iarg? qnantiticB 
of com from th« Indiaas vrho caiue in gr^at num- 
bers to aee ub. The wtwither wan fair and warm, 
the wind from the Bouth. 

Wediieedft^, ^Oeft.— The day was delightfully 
fine; the mercary being at eunrise 2^ and m the 
course of the day 22^ above 0, the "wind Hoath- 
erly. Ka^ohami came down to see as early: Ills 
TiUa^ is afflicted by the death of one of tbrir 
eldest men, who *Vom hii* amount to ua muBt have 
Been one hundred and twenty winters. Just ae he 
was dying, he req^tiested his grandchildren to dreea 
him in hie best robe wh<;n he waa dead, and theq 
carry him on a hill and eeat him on a stone, with 
his face down the river towards their old vlUagee, 
that he might go etraig-hc to his brother who had 
parsed before him to the ancient Tillage under 
^Ound. We have Been & number CirMandauB "who 
have lived to a great age; chiefly however the 
men, whose robust eserci»efi fortify the body, 
while the laborious occupations of the women 
Bhopten their exist-ence. 

Thursday 31, — We had a continuation of the 
same pleasant tfeathet. 'Oheenaw and Shahaka 
came down to aee us, and mtntioned that eeTeral 
pf ttdr countrymen had gone to consult their 
medicine stone ss to the proapectB of the Ibllowing 
year. Thia medicine stone is tlie great oracle of 
the Mandn.ns, and whateyer it annouTicea ie be- 
lieved with implicit conBdeace. Bvery spring, and 
on aoroe occasions during the summer, a depata- 
tioR visits the sacred spot, where there is a thick 
porous atone twenty feet in circa miference, with a 
Vol. I.-15 235 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



BTDOoth Burfoce. Having rua/ahed the piece the 
ceremony of emoking to it ta performed by the 
depiitUSr ^^tio alternately take a whifi* tliemeelTefl 
and then present tlie pipe to the stone; after ttuH 
they retire to an adjoiDing wood for tbe night, 
during which it may be eafely presumed ttat all 
the embaBBj do not Bleep; ami in the morning 
they read the deHtiiiies of the nation iii. the white 
mfi-rkd on the stone, ivhich those Ti'ho made them 
are at no loss to decipher. The Minnetarees hay? 
a atone of a, eimilar kind, whioh haa the satae 
q,aalities and the Bame tuflueace aver the natian. 
Captain I>ewia returned from his e^ccurBion in 
pureuit of the Indianfl. On reaching; the place 
where the Sioui had stolen our hOrSes, thfty 
found only one sled, and sereral pair of moccaaina 
which were recognised to be tbos^ of the Sioux. 
The party then followed the Indian tracks till 
they reached two old lodges where they elept, and 
the next morning pursued the courBC of the river 
till they reached some Indian eampSi, wher* cap- 
tain Clark passed the night aome time ago, and 
which the Sionx. had qow set on Are. leaving a 
little corn near the place in order to induce a be- 
lief that they were BiearaB. From this point the 
Sioux tracks left the river abruptly and crOHBed 
into the plains; but perceiving that thei^ was do 
chance of overtaking them, captain Lewis went 
down to the pen where captain Clark had Irfl 
Borae meat, which he found untouched by the 
IndiaiiB, and then hunted in the low grounds on 
the river, till he returned with about three thoD- 
sJtnd pounds of meat, some drawti itl a sled by 
fifteen of the men, and the rest on horseback; 
having kilied thirty-aii deer, fourteen eSk, and on^ 
wolf. 
Friday 22d. The morning waa cloudy and a 
236 



rP THE MISSOTJBI. 

Bttle fiHOW frl!, bnt in the afbemoon the weather 
became Jliir. VA'e were visited by a mimber of 
ladian^, among whpm wa^ Shotawhorora, a chief 
of mucli coodderatioD among the MaodauE, al- 
though by birtb a Hicara. 

Saturday, 23d. — The day ia warm and pleasant. 
Ha-ving worked industriously yesterda^y and all 
this morning we were enabled to disengage one gf 
the periognee and haul it on «hor«. and also 
Dearly to cut out theBscoad. The father of the boy 
whose foot had been bo badly frozen, and whom 
we had now cured, came to-day and earned him 
home in a sleigh, 

Hund^j; 24fh. — The weather is again fine. We 
eacceeded in looisening the eeeoud periogue and 
barge, ttioagh w^ found a leak in the latter. The 
whole of the nest day, 

Monday, 2oTh, we were occupied in drawing np 
the boats on the hank: the BmalleHt one we car- 
ried there wi-tb no difficulty, but the barge was 
too heavy for our elk-skin ropes which constantly 
broke. We were visited by OrupBehara, or Black 
Moceasin, and eeveral other cMefe, who brougrht 
ne iireaents of meat on The baeia of their squaws, 
and one of the Stinnetareea requested and obtained 
permission for Mm^If and lii» tiro wives to re- 
main all uight in the fort. The day was exceed' 
ingly pleasant. 

JVssdaj^ 2f>. — The weather is again fine. By 
great labour dnrio^ the day we got all the boata 
on the bank by BUHBet, an operation which at- 
tracted a great number of ludinua to the I'ort. 

W^aesday 37. — The weather continues fine. All 
of us emplr>yed in preparing took to bulLd boats 
fbr oar voyage, as we find that eraall perioguea 
will he much more eoiivenieut than the barge in 
ascending the Migaouri. 

237 



rWD CLARE'S EXPT^TTtON 

Thursday 2S, — The day is clear and pkaaant. 
Sixteen men were seat out to examine the country 
for trees suital^le for boatfi, and were Rucceesful in 
finding them. Two of the K. W. company traders 
arrived with letters; they had U3Eewi§e a root 
■which is used for the cure of pemone bitten by 
mad dog8, snakes, and other ventunou^ animalB: 
it is found oa high groanda and the aidca of tiilla, 
and the mode of amag it is tu scarify the ^n-ound, 
and apply to it an iacli or more of the chewed or 
pounded root, which ia to be renewed twice a 
du.y ; th* patient HmSt sot howeTer chew or 
Bwallow any of the root, aa an inward appljcft' 
tion might be rather iajqrious than beneficial, 

Mr. G-raveliues with two Frenchmca and two 
Indians arrived from the Iticara nation, witb let- 
tera from Mr. Anthony Tabeau. Thia last gentie- 
maii Luforme ub that the Bicaroa express their 
deternaiiiation to follow our advice, and to remain 
B,t poace with the MaadaiLs and Mianetareea, 
whom tbey are desirous of vi^ting'; they also 
wish to know whether theide uationa would per- 
mit tlie Ilicaras to settle near them, and form a 
league against their common enemies the Siotir. 
Ob mentioning this to the Mandans they agreed 
to it, observing that thej always desired to culti- 
Tat« tViendsbip with tlte Bicaras, and that the 
AhnahawayB and Jkllnoetarees have the same 
friendly views. 

Mr. GravelineB states that the band of Tetons 
■whom we had seen waa well disposed to us, oft'- 
ing to the influence of their chief the iBlat^k Bni^ 
fUlo; but that the three upper bands of Tetone, 
with the Sii^atoouB, and the Vanktoae of the 
north, mean eoon to attoek the Indians in this 
quiartec, with a resolution to put to death every 
tvliite man they encounter. Moi^over, that Mr. 
229 



■CP THE MTSSOUEI. 



Cameron of St, Peter's has Armed the Sioux 
agaiaHt the Chippewaye, who have lately put to 
death three of hia men. The men who had Etolea 
our horaea we found to be all Sioux, who after 
comiaittiflg the outrage went to the Ricara *iL- 
lagcK, where they said that they bad hesitated 
flhout tilling our nie-n Tpho were with the horaeSf 
but that Id future they would pat to death any of 
UB they could^ as we were bad medicineB and de- 
6erTed to be killed. The liicarAS were displeased 
at their conduct and refused to give them any 
thing to eatr ^^hich is dei^med the greatQet act of 
hostility short of a^jtual violencCr 

Fridfij', Maivh J.— Th^ day is flue, aad the 
"Whole party m engaged, Boiue lu making ropee 
and perioguea, othert; in burning coal, and making 
battle-aies to sell for corn. 

SRtnrdit^ 2.—S\t. Laroche one of the N. W. 
CO mpany'B traders hne just arrived with merchan- 
dise from (.he ErJtiah ^BtabU^hmentij on the Aseini- 
boin. The day ts fne, aad the rirer begins to 
break op in Bome places, the mercury being be- 
tween 26" and aS" above Oj and the wind from 
the N. E. We were Tieitcd by several Indiana. 

Stinds^ 3. — The w^eatter pleasant, the "wind 
from the E. with clouds; in the afternoon the 
clouds diaeppeared and the wind 4;ame from the 
X. W. The men are all employed in preparing 
the boats; we are visited by Poacapeahe and Bev- 
eral other Indians with com. A flocfc of dacha 
passed up the riTer to-day, 

Monday 4, — \ cloudy morning with N. W. wind, 
the latter part of the day clear. We bad again 
some Indian visitors with a email pre^nt of 
meat. The Aaniniboine, who a lew dayB eince 
TiBlted the Mandana, returned, and attempted to 
take horses t^om the Alinnetareea, who fired on 
329 



LEWIS AND CLABKS EXPEDITION 



tliem; a circumBtance which may occaeioo some 
dietur'ba.Dce between the two nations. 

Tumday 5.— About four o'clock in the momiiiK 
there 'w&h a aLight faU of edOw, bub the day b&< 
came qlear and pleasant with the mercury 40" 
above 0. We Beet dowu an ladlaa aad a Erench- 
mao to the Jiicara village with a letter to Mr. 
Tabeau. 

Wednesdaj fl. — The day was cloudy and 8010117 

In «otiee4Ui;iic« of the hm-aing of the plaina by the 

Minnetareeti ; they have eet all the neighbouring 

couotrj on Are in order to ohtaitt an early crop of 

Braae which may anewCT foe the coneuoiptioo of 

their iiorsea, and also aa an inducement for the 

buffalo and other game to Tieit it. The horeea 

. Gtolen two A&s^ ago by the AeHiuibolbA have been 

returned to the Miiinetareei^. Ohhaw secoiid chirf 

. of the Ip'wer Jlinn^taree village came to B^ ns, 

- The river rose a little aad overran the ice, eo aa 

to reader the croH&ing difficult. 

Thursday, Tth.—Tbe day wae eomew hat cloudy, 
and colder than ueual; the wind from the north- 
cast. Shotawhorora visited us with a sick child, 
to whom Bqme piedicine was adminiBtered. There 
were also other Indiana who brought com and 
dried buSalo oieat is exchange for blackemith'a 
work, 

i-Vidaj- S.— The day cold and fair with a high 
ea^teriy wind: we were visited by two Indtaos 
who gave ua an account of the country and peo- 
ple uear the Bocty pjou-ntaing where they had 
been. 

Satardsty 9. — The morning cloudy and cool, the 

wind from the north. The grand chief of the 

Mibnetai-ees, who ie called by the French Le 

Borgae, from his having but one eye, came down 

[for the &r9t time to the fort. He was received 

aao 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



with much attention, two guns were flred in hon- 
onr oF ilia arrival, the curiodtiBB were eihiblted 
to lliiu, and BS he Ha4.d that he had not reeeived 
tbe preBeotfl whlcb we had Bcot to him on iile 
airiral, we a^aia gave hJni a flag, aiaeda], shirt, 
armbraces and the UHual presenta on such occar 
sionfi, with all which he waa much pleased. In 
the course of the converaation, the cliief observed 
that some foolish joung men of his natioo had 
told him there woe a ptireoQ among as who was 
goite block, and be wished to know if it could be 
tme. We ae^ured hira that it was true, and sent 
for York : the Bor^e waa very much aurpriaed at 
hla iLppcartLDce, ^xandned him closely, and spit on 
tuB Snger and nibbed the skin in order to wa^Ii 
off the paint; oor wag it until tbe negro uncov- 
ered Mb head, and ehowed hie short hair, that the 
Borgne could be persuaded that he was not a 
painted white man. 

Sunday 10.— A cold windy day. Tetutkopin- 
reha, chief of the Ahna.hawaya, and the Minne- 
tnree chief Ompechara, passed the day with us, 
and the former remained during the night. We 
had occuaion to see an ioHtaiicu of tbe eumniary 
juBtica of the Indiana: a youn^ Minnetaree had 
carried off the daughter of Ca^onorookahe, the 
Raven Han, second chief of the upper village of 
the Mandanq; the father n^ent to the village and 
ibund Ma daughter, whom he brought home, aad 
too^ with Mm a boree belonging to tbe offender: 
thia reprisal watisfied the vengeance of tlie father 
and of the nation, aa the young man would not 
dare to reclaim his horse, which from that time 
became the property of the injured party, Tlie 
stealing of young women is one of the most coin- 
moD offences againat the poKce of the village, and 
the puniahment of it always meaeured by tie 
231 



LEWIS AND CLAKK'S EXPEDITIO^f' 



j>ower or the pasraons of the Mndred of the femaja. 
A ToSuntary elopement is of course more llgor- 
oualj cbaatiBed. One of tbe wives of the Borgne 
deserted him in fayour of a man who had been her 
lorer before the toarriage, and who after some 
time EcfC her, and she was obliged to return to her 
father's house. As soon as he heard it the Hor^e 
walked there and found her ^tting near th^dr^: 
witliDiit UDtidn^ his wife, he begfiii to amoke 
■with thefiitber; when they were joined by the 
old men of the village, who knowing hia temper 
had followed in hopes of appeaeing him. He con- 
tinaed to smoke ijuietlf with them, till rising tO 
retui^, he took liis wife by the hair, led her as far 
OB tbe door, and with a. eiogle etroke of his toma- 
hawk put her to death before ber father's eyes: 
then turning fiercely npon the epectators, be said 
that if any of her relations wished to avenge her, 
they might always find him at his lodge; but tlie 
fate of the woman had not eufUcJeat interest to 
excite the FeBgeance of the i^mily. The caprice or 
the generosity of the name cliief gave a very dif- 
ferent reeult to & eimilar incident which occurred 
Bome time aJlerwarda, Another of hie wives 
eloped with a young man, who not being able to 
support her as she wished they Loth returned ta 
the village, and she presented herself before the 
LuBband, Bupplicating liiB pardon for ber conduct: 
the Gorgne sent for the lover: at tlie momoiit 
■when the youth eipiwted tJiat he would be put to 
death, the chief mildtj' asked them if they still 
preserved tiiitir afTection for earh other; and on 
their declaring that want, and not a 4;hange of 
aShition had induced tbem to return, he gave up 
bJa wife to her lover, with the liberal preeeut of 
three horeea, and reatored them both to hie 
favour. 

232 



UP THE MISaOTJRI. 



Monday 11. — The weather w«« cloudy in the 
moroiog and & little buow &11, the wuid tbea 
ahifted from eoutheoet to northweat and the day 
became fair. It anowed again in the eveniiig, but 
the next dftff 

TaesdA^y 12, waa ftiir with the Trind frma the 
northwest. 

Wednesday 13. — We had a fine day, and a aonth- 
weet wind. Mr, M'Kenzie came to aee ub, Budid 
aiao many IndianB who are so aimoua for battl&- 
0x66 that OLLf etuithB have not a uomenta Idanre, 
and procure ub an abundance of corn. The river 
roe* a. little to-day, and bo continued. 

TbuTBday 3i.— The wind being from the weat, 
and the day fine, the whole party were employed 
in building boata and in shelling com. 

Frid&y 15. — The day is clear, pleasant and 
warm. We take advantage of the fine weather to 
liang all our ladian preeent« And other articles 
out to dry before our departure. 

Saturday 16. — The weather is clondy, the winfl 
front the southeast. A Mr. Clarrow, a Frenchman 
who hail redded a long time among the Ricara« 
and Mandaas, e:cplaiQod to ns the mode in which 
they m.ak.e their large beads, an aj^ which they 
are said to have derived from some priBOoers of 
the Snake Indian nation, and the knowledgre of 
which is a secret even now confined to a few 
among the Mandana and "Bicaras: the proceea Ih 
as foUowa: glaBS of different colours is first 
ponnded fine and washed, till each kind, which is 
kept Geparate, ceasee to Btaia the water tlirowu 
over it: eoine well seasoned clay, mixed with a 
sufficient qaaatity of eand to prevent its becoming 
very hard when exposed to heat, and reduced by 
watet to the COnBistency of dough, is then rolled 
on the palm of the hand, till it becomes of tll9 
2it3 



LEWIS AND CLARE'S EXPEDITION 

tl^ekneBB wanted fbr the hole in the bead; these 
Btidrfl of clay are placed upng'ht, each on a little 
pedestal or ball of the Bame material ahoiit an 
OlinCB in weight, and dietribwted over a small 
earthen piatt«r, which is laid on the Are for a few 
minutea, when they are taken otTto cool: with 
a little paddle or shovel three or four inehtie longf 
and aha-rpencd at the end of thp handle, the wet 
pounded glaeg is placed in the palm of the babd: 
the bead» are made of an oblong form wrapped in. 
a cylindrical form rouad the stick of clay which is 
laid crosBwiHe over it, and gently rolled back- 
■wards and fbrwarda till it beconiea perfectly 
nmouth. If it be desired to introduce any other 
colour, the Hurface of the bead is perforated with 
the pointed end of the paddle and the cavity SUed 
^th pounded glasB of that colour: the Etieks 
with the string of beads are then replaced on thear 
pedestalB, and the platter deposited on burning' 
coals oe hot embers: over the platter an earthen 
pot containing about three gallons, with a month 
Jarg^ enough to cover the platter, U reverHed, be- 
ing completely closed ex.cept a small aperture at 
the topj through which are watched the bead; a 
quantity of old driisd wood formed into a sort of 
dough or paste is placed round the pot so as 
almost to cover it, and afberwatda set on fire : the 
mSDuTactarer th^n looks through the email hol» 
in the pot, till he eees the beads atjsume a deep 
red colour, to which snceecda a paler or whitish 
red, or they bLH?ome pointed at the upper es- 
tremity; on which the fire is reraoTed and the pot 
B-uffered to cool gradually : at length it is removed, 
the beads taken opt, the lilay in the hollow of 
them picked out with an awl or nsedl?. anditia 
then fit for use. The beads thus formed are in 
l^reat demand amon^ the Indians, and naed aa 
234 



TIP THE lIiaSOITRI. 

pendants to tbetr ears and hair, and are aome- 
timeB worn rounfl the neck. 

Stindaj' 17. — A winiiy bnt clear and pleasant 
day, the river ribing ft little and op«n Id ^veral 
places. Our MLnnetarec interpreter Chaboutau, 
whom we intended takiiijf witli ua to the Pacific, 
had Eionie days ag-o been worked upon by the 
Brtcinh tradersj and appeared unwilling to a<y!Oiii- 
paay ua, except on certain terms: Huch aa tie not 
being Hubjwt to our orders, and do dntj, or to 
return whenever he chqse. As we ea-w clearEy the 
BOunjB of hia heaitation, and knew that it wae in- 
tended aa an obstacle to out viewe, we told hini 
that thfc tettna were inadmissible, and that w© 
could dispftnsB mth his strviceB: he had accord- 
ing^ly left ua "with Bome displeasure, Since th^D ho 
' had made an ndvance towards joining us, whicli 
we ehowed no anxiety to meet j but this morning 
he sent an apology for hie improper conduct, and 
a^eed to go with ub and perform the same duties 
&a thfc rest of the eorpa; wft therefore took him 
again into our fwrvice. 

Monday 1^. — The weather was cold and cloudy, 
the wind from the north. We were engaged ia 
packing up the goodi) into eight dfWaluns, ^o aa 
to preserve a portion of each in case of accident. 
We hear tiiat the Sioux have lately attacked & 
party of AsBiniboiniii^ and KniatenAuT, near the 
AsBioibcin riyefj and killed fifty of tbem. 

TaeaiJay ID. — Some enow fell last night, and 
this morning was cold, windy, and cloudy. Sha- 
haka and Kagohumi came down to uee ua, as did 
another Indian with a sick child, to whom we 
gave eonie medicine. There appears to be an ap- 
proaching wafj ae two parties have already gose 
£x}m the Mianetarees, and a thiid ia preparing. 

Wednesday- i'f?.— The morning waa cold and 
33ii 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'3 EXPEDITION 

cloudy, the wind high from the north, hut tha 
afbemoon was plta^aat. Tte canoes being fln- 
iahed, four of them were carried down to the riTer, 
at tb.e distance of a mX^ a&d a half flrom where 
they were conertructed. 

Thursday 21.~ThQ remaining periogueB were 
hauled to the same place^ and alt the men except 
threGj who w^re left to watch them returned to 
the fort. On hia Wfly down, which -w&b about eii 
miles, captain Clark paased along the points of 
the high hills, where he saw large quantities of 
pumlceBtone on the foot, eidee and tope of the 
hillB, which had every ftppearance of having been 
at Bome period on fire. He collected specLmenB of 
the etone itaclf, the pumieeatone, and the hard 
earth ; and on betng put into the furnace the hard 
earth melted and glazed, the pumice^tone melted, 
aod the hardstooe became a pumiceatone glazed. 



sss 



THE 



)TTRr. 



CHAPTER Vn. .. 

Indian nietfaod ot attack! Dg the biifTalo !■□ iiie lc« — Aneaaoieni. 
tliiit of tHe i>r'e8ei]ia teui 10 tbe presiuent ur Uie UnLied SDUes 
— TliB party are visJtftd bj a lUcara clilet — They leave their 
enrauLpment, wid pnweed on their Journey— DescrtpClon o( 
tbe Lttile iiiasoiiri— Romo bcmuoi ot tue Ajsinlijolas— Their 
tnodp (if burylnS the dend — Wblleeartti rJTcr descrilted — fireat 
qoanti:.; of iolt dtxcdvered nn lu baata— Yellows Iohb rlrcr 
aescrlbsa— A poi^lculsj' Accouat or tbe oauutTT ai Uie coaflu- 
eilce ot [be YeIlaWaU>ti« und HlaSoUrl— DmcrlpUun of the 
Hlsaouii. tbe gurroundiDE coimtry, and of tbe rlvera, craeks, 
Ulaads, Ic, ' 

FriK}ay22. — Thia was aclearpleasoDtday, with 
the wind IVom the S. S. W. We were viaited by 
the Becond chief of tlie MinnetareeB, to whom we 
gave a medal and Bome pre«ente, accampaoied hj 
a apeech. Mr, M'KeDsie aod Mr. Iiaroche also 
came to Bee as. Tliej aJl took thdr leare next 
day, 

Saturday 23. — Soon after their departure, a 
brother of the Borgae with other iadians came to 
tiie fort. The weather waa fine, but in the even- 
ing we had the first rain that has fallen during 
the winter. 

Sunday 24.-~1'h& morning cloudj, but the after- 
aooa Mr, the wind IVom th^ N, E, ffe are em- 
ployed in preparing for our joumej. This evening 
awauB aad wild-geese flew towards the N. E. 

Monds,y 2u, — A fine daj-j the wind S. \V. The 
riTtr rose nine inches, and the lea began breaking 
away in. sercraJ placta, bO as to eudatigbr oiir 
canoes whi«h we are hauling down to the fort. 

TuemJay .?ii.— The river rtjse only half an inch, 
and being choked up with ice near the fort, did 
237 



LEWIS AND CLAKK'S ESPEDITION 



not begin to rtin till towards evening. This day- 
is clear and pleagant, 

WmiaQ8diiy27.—ThB wind ia ettll highfVomtha 
S. W. : the ice which 1b occasionally stopped for & 
fewhonre is thfcn thrown over ahallow aandbarB 
when the river nitis. We had all our canoes 
brought down, and were obliged to cauk and 
pitch very attentively the cracke 80 commoQ la 

COttQUWDod. 

TbuTsda^y 2S.— The 3ay is fair. Some obataele 
flbove hoa prevented the ice from running. Oar 
canoes are now nearly ready, and we expect to 
aet out as soon as the river ib B-ufflcientlj clear to 
permit ub to pass. 

Friday £0.— The weather clear, and the wind 
A^im N. W. The obcitniGtioo abov-u gave way 
this morning, and the ice came down in great 
qaantitiea ; the river having fallen eleven inches in 
the course of the iaat twenty-four houn*. We hai?e 
had few Indians at the fort for the laet three or 
four dflyB, us they are pow busy in catching the 
floating butfalo. Every spring aa the river is 
brBaTring up the Bnrrounding pliuna are set on fire, 
and the buffalo temptM) to croea the river in 
Beojvh of the freeh grass which immediately auc- 
ceede to the burning: on their "way they are often 
insulated on a large take or moss, of ice, wliich 
floats down the river: the IndiaQB now select tbe 
moBt fUvou^at^le poiata Tor attack, and as the 
buffalo approaches dart with aetoniahing agility 
acroHa the trembling ice, BometdmeB preeeing 
lightly A cake of not more than two ffeet square: 
the animal is of eourse unsteady, and his footeteps 
inHecure on this new element, so that he can malt? 
but littLe resietance, and the hnnter, who bus 
given him his death wound, paddles hie icy boat 
to the shore and secureu hij) prey. 

:i38 



TJP THE MISSOURI. 

SatuMay 30.— Ths day was clear and pleasant, 
-the wind N. W. and the ice running in great 
.qtiaiititiea. -Ml our ladian preeeats w*re again 
espoaed to the air, and the barge made ready to 
descend the MiBSdmii. 

Monday 31. SthcXj this morning it rained, and 
iUte weather cootinued cloudy during the day ; tiie 
river rose nine iaehes, the ice not rimning ag much 
ae yesterday. Several flouke o( geeee and ducks 
Ay up t!ie river. 

' Motid&y, April J, ISOii.— This morning there 
~wae & thunder Btorm, accompanied with larg^ 
^lail, to which euceeeded rain for about half an 
.hour. 'We availed ouraelvea ofthis interval to get 
all the boata in the water. At four q"cIoc1i P. M. 
it be^an to rain a second time, and contiDued till 
twslve at night. With the ei&eption of a few 
drops at two or three different times, this ia the 
firat rain we have had since the loth of October 
last, 

Taesdajr ^.~The wind wa« liigh le«t night aad 
i,tliia morning from X. W. and the weather con- 
tinued tioudy. The Mandans killed j-eaterday 
, "twenty-one eik, about fUteen mitea below, biiEthey 
■were so poor aa to be scarcely fit for use. 

Wedneac/aj' 3. — The weather ie pleasant, though 
there was a white frost and Home iqe on the edge 
of the water. Wa were all engaged in pocking up 
our baggage and merchandise. 

Tttursdaj ^.— The day is clear and pleasant, 
though the wind ia hijjh from N. W. We now 
packed up ia dilferent boxes a variety of articles 
for the president, which we shall send in the 
barge. They conai^ted of a etuffed male and 
female antelope with their Ekeletona, a weasel, 
three sQuirrek f^oin the Uoeky mountaiua, the 
skeleton oftlie prairie wolf, those of the white 

2a9 



LEWR 



CLlRK^^^EDITrOJT 



aad gray hare, a male And female blalreau, or 
burrowing dog of the prairie, with a skeleton of 
the female, two burrowing BquirrelB, a white 
weasel, and the ekiu of the louaervia, ttie horns of 
thfc racuntain ram, or big-horn, a pair of large elk 
honiB, the horns and tail of the black-tailed deer, 
and A vari«tj of ekioH, such as tboe« of the r^ 
foi, white hare, martic, yellow bear obtained 
from the Sioux; also, a Dumber of articles of In- 
dian dress, among: which was a buffalo robe, 
representing a battle fought aboat eight years 
eiace between the Sioux and Kicatafe against the 
Mandans and MinnetareeBf in which the combats 
ants are repr^eeated od hqruebacli. It ba^i of late 
^ars excited much diacuBsion to ascertain the 
period when the art of painting was first discov- 
ered : how hopetesa all reaearches of this kind are, 
is eyident from the foregoing fact. It is indebted 
for its origin to one of the atrongee-t paaaiona of 
the human heart; a wleli to preserve the features 
of a departed ftiend, or the memory or some 
gloriouB exploit: this ioherita equally the bosoms 
of all men either civilized or savage. Such 
BketcheB, ruile and imiierfect as they are, deSineata 
the predominant character of tlie savage nations. 
If they are peaceable and inoffensive, the drawings 
usually consist of local Bcenery,and their favonrit* 
diveraions. If the baud are rude and Ibrocioua, we 
obBbTve tomahawks, Hcalping-kuivee, bowB, ar- 
rowB, and all the engines of deatruction, A Man- 
dan bow and quiver of arrows; also some Eicara 
tobacco-seed and an ear of ilandan torn ; to these 
were added a box of plants, another of insects, 
and three caaea containing a burrowing squirrei, 
a prairie hen, and fbur niagpiee, all alive. 

friday 5th. — Fair and pleasant, but the wind 
high fi^m the northwest: we were viaitcd by a 
240 



tP THE MISSOURI. 



number of Mandans, and are occupied in loading 
our boats in order to proceed on oar joumej. 

SattllfJay f?th. — Another fine day "n-jth a gentla 
breeze from the south. The MaudauB continue to 
come to the fort; and in the course of the dajtn- 
formed ua of the arrival of a party of Ttiearae oa 
the other eide of the river. We sent our inter- 
preter to inqoire into their reoBOH for coming ; and 
in the morning, 

Suaday 7th, he returned with a Ricara chief 
and three of his nation. The chief, Tchose name ia 
Kagohweto, or Brave Raven, brought a letter 
from Mr. Taheati^ mentioning the wish of the 
grand cbiefa of the Hicaraa to visit the preaident, 
and requesting permisBion for liimself and four 
men to join onr hoat when it descends ; to which 
we coDBented, aa it wiEl then be manned with. 
fifteen hande and be able to defend itself against 
the Sioui. After presenting the letter, he told ns 
that he waB iient ■with ten warriors hj his nation 
to arrange their settling near the Mandans and 
Minnetarees, "whom they wished to join ; that hd 
considered all the neighbonrlng natione fViendl^ 
except the Sioux, whose persecution they would 
no longer withstand, and 'R'hom they hoped to 
repel by nnidng -with the tribes in this qaarter: 
he added that the Hicaraa intended to follow onr 
advice and hve in peace -with all nations, and re-' 
quested that we would epealc in their fevoiir to 
the Afisiniboin Indians, This we iviUingly prom- 
ieed to do, and aesnred them that their great 
fatter would protect- them find no lon^r eufier 
the Sioux to havt good gunsj or to injure his 
dutifhl children. We then gave Mm a small medal, 
B certificate of hie good conduct, &. carrot of 
tobawo, and some wampuEi, with which he d&- 
partied for the Mandan village well eatisBed with 
Vol. 1.-16 241 



Id 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITION 



biB reception, Kayiiig made aU our arrange- 
meiitB, we 5eft thfl fort about five o'clock in the 
afternoon. The party now conHiBted of thirty-two 
pereone. Besideji ourselvea Tvere eorgeaDte John 
Ord'way, Natiaaiel Pryor, and Patrick Gase: the 
privates were William Bratton, John Colter, John 
CoUiaB, Peter Cruxatte, Bobert Fraiier, Keabea 
Fields, Joseph Fields, G«orge (ribsoa, Silaa G-ood- 
rich, Hugh Hall, Thomae P. Howard, Baptiete 
Lapage, FranciB Labiche, Hugh M'Neal, John 
Potta, John Shields, Geor^ Shannon, John B. 
Thompson, Witltam Werner, Alexander WiUard, 
Hichard Windsor, Jueeph WhitehouHej Peter Wiser, 
and captain Clark's black eerrant York. The two 
interpreterB, were George Drewyer and Touaeaiat 
Chaboaeau. The wift of Chaboneau also accom- 
panied ua with her young chiLd, and we hope may 
be u»Eful aa an interpreter atnoDg the Snake In- 
diaoB. She was herself oneof that tribe, but hav- 
ing been taken in war by the Minnetaree?, by 
whom eiie waa sold as a Blare to Chaboneau, 
who brought her up and afterwarda married he*. 
One of the MandauH likewise embarked with ub, in 
Order to go to the Snake Indiivna and obtain a 
peace "with ttem for hie countrymen. All this 
party with the baggage wae stowed in hlx amall 
caooea and two large pedogues. We leit the fort 
with fair pleasant weather though the northweat 
wind wan high, and after making about four miles 
encamped on the north side of the MiflflOiui, nearly 
-opposite the &rBt Alandau rillagfe. At the eame 
time that we took our departure, our barge 
mauued with Beven soldiers, two Frenchmen, and 
Mr. Graveliaea as pilot, sailed for the United 
^tatea loaded with our prefiente and deepatchea. 

MoBdA,y ^th.—The day wbb elear and cool, the 
viod from the noethweat, eo that we traTelled 
242 



UP THE MISSODTII. 



(lowly. After breakfasting at the Becoiid Jfandan 
Tillage, we pasaed the ^f abaha at the mouth of 
Knife rirer, a bandBome etream about eighty 
forde wide. Beyoud tluB we reached the island 
which captain ClJirk bad yieited on the 30th 
October. This ielaad hae timber aB we]] an tbe 
lowlandfi on the north, but its distanee froni the 
water had prevented our cncampiiig there during 
tbe winter. Prom the bead of this island we 
mode three and a t&If mllea to a. point of wood 
on the north, paeiiiiig a high bios' oa the eouth, 
and having eome about fourteen milee. In tbe 
courae of the day one of onr boats fllied and was 
neat- sinking-; we however saved her with the loMt 
of a little biscuit and powder. 

Tuestlej', April ff- — We set off as Boon aa it wag 
light, and proceeded Q.xe miles to breakfkBt, paea- 
ing a low ground on the south, covered with 
groves of cottouwood timber. At the distaaeeor 
Bis milee, wo reached on the north a hunting camp 
of Minnetarcea ConaBtiiig Of thirty lodges, and 
bnilt in the usual form of earth and timber. Two 
miles and a quarter farther, comes in on the- 
sa.me Bide Atiry ereuk, a small Btream about t«a 
yarda wide, wMeb, rising in eome lakeii Dear the 
MouBC river, pasBes through beautifVil level fertile 
plains without timber in a direction nearly aoutii- 
west; the banks near its entrance being Steep, anfli 
ragged on both sides of the Miseonri. Three tniles 
above this creek we came to a bunting party of 
Minnetarees, who 'had prepared a parh or incloB- 
ure and were waiting the return of the anablope: 
this animal, wbieh in the autumn retiree for food 
and shelter to the Black monntainn during tho 
winter, recroes the river at this beason of the year, 
and spread themsehes through the plains on tht 
Dorth of the Jilii>eouri, U'e halted and amokcd • 
248 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

short time i^th them, aud then proceeded on 
tliraagli handsome piaiaB on each Bide of the dTer, 
and encamped at the dietanca of twenty-three and 
a half milea on the north uide: the day Traa cle&f 
and pleasant, the Wind high fVoiu the south, but 
afterwards changad to a western steady breete. 
Thy bluff's Tvhich we p&^eed to-day art upwards qf 
one hundred feet high, composed of a mixture of 
yellow {.'.lay and Baud, with mauy horizontal 
Btrata of carbonated wood reBeitibliug pit-coal, 
from one to five iiist in depth, and scattered 
through the bluff at different elevations, Boni£ &a 
high ag eighty feet above the water; the hi'll^ 
along the rlTer are broken, nod present erery ap- 
pearani;e of baving been burned at eonie former 
period ; great quantities of yumiceBtone and lava 
or rather earthj which Beema to have be«n boiled 
and then hardened by espoaure, being eeeu in 
many parte of theHe hiUa where they are brolcen 
and washed down into gullies by the raiu and 
melting enow. A great number ofbrauts paaa Dp 
the river ; there are some of them perfettly white, 
except the large feathers of the first and second 
joint of the wing wiiicb are black, thouj^b in everj 
other characteriatic they reaenible coiumon gray 
brant: we also saw but could not procure an 
aaimal that burrowe in the grouud, aad eijoilar 
in every respect to the burrowing squirrel, ejcept 
that it ifl oaly one third of its size. This may be 
the animal whose works we have often seen iu the 
plains and prairies ; they resemble the laboure of 
the aalaniander in the e&nd hills of South CarO- 
Uita -and (.jeprgia, and like him, the aoJuialM rarely 
come above ground) they coajgiet ofalitcle hillock 
of ten or twelve pouudB of looae grouud which 
would seem to have been reversed from a pot, 
though no aperture is seen through which it coold 
344 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

hSre been thro-wn .• on remoTing gently the earthy 
you discover that the soil has been bfoken in a 
circle of about an inch and a half diameter^ where 
the ground is loowr though etiU nq qpening ]» 
perceptible. When we stopped for dinner the 
equaw went out, and after penetrating with a 
sharp stick the holes of thfl mice, near eoine drift 
■wood, brought to ne a quantity of Tvild arti- 
chokes, which the mice collect and hoard in large 
uumbere; the root ie white, of an ovate form, 
from one to tliree inches long, a.nd generally of the 
eize of b, man's Anger, and two, four, and some- 
times aix roots are attached to a Bingle etalli. Ita 
flavonr aa well aa the Btalk which isfiues from it 
resemble those of the Jerusalem artichoke, except 
that the latter is mnth larger, A large beftTCx- 
wa^ caught in a trap lost night, and the mos- 
qoitoea begin to trouble us, 

Wednehday 10. — We again Bet off early with 
clear pleaBant ■weather, and halted about ten for 
breakfast, above a sandbank which wae tilling in, 
and near a Hmall wiHow island. On both sides of 
the MisBoari, after ascending the hills Sear the 
water, one t^rtil? unbroken plain extends itaelfe^ 
far as the eye con reach, without a solitary tree 
or ahmb, except in moist eituatioas or in the steep 
decliritiea of liille where they are aheltered from 
the ravages of fire. At the distance of twelve 
miles we reached the lower point of a bluff on the 
south ; wliich is in some parts ou fire and throws 
ont quantitiee of auioke which has a etrong sul- 
phurous smeU, the coal and other appearauceti ia 
the bluffs being: like those deacribed yesterday : at 
one o'clock we overtook three Frenchmen who 
left the fort a Ifew days before ub, in order to make 
the first attempt oh this river of hunting iieaver, 
which th^y do by means of traps: their eSbrta 
i45 



LEWI3 AND CLAItK'S EXPEDITION 



promise to be aucceflAf^l for thef hare alrudj 
*a.ugh.t twelve which are finer ttaa &nj wehav* 
«V^r Ht^t^n; thej meaD. ta accoinpaJiT' ii* 3* f4r A* 
the Veilowfttoue river in order to obtaiu oar pro- 
tection a^oiuab tbe AesLoiboiaid wko might attack 
them. In the eveniiLg we encampiid on a wtltoir 
■poiiit to the auuth opposite to a taiuff, above 
which a amall cteek fallg in, and juat above a 
tyimarkable bend ia the river to the southweat, 
■which we ca-Ued tlie Littli^ Uaeia. Th* low 
•g^ouuds which we passed to-daj possess more 
itimbcr than ia asual, and are wider; the current ie 
moderate, at leant not greater than that of the 
Chio in high tides; the banks too fiiU in ^tlt lit- 
"tla; 60 that the navigation comparatively "with 
"that lower down the Missouri ia ipafe and ssmj. 
We were 9Dab]«d to make eig-hteen aud a ho-lT 
miles: wc »aw the track of a lar^ white bear, 
there were also a herd of aotelopeB in the plaioB; 
the geeae and HWan are now feeding in conaidera- 
.ble quantitiefi on the young grae^ in the low 
prairie«; wo ahot a prairie hen, aud a bald eag'Ie 
of which there were many aeats lh. the tall cotton- 
"wood trees ; but could procure neither of two elk 
which were in the plain. Our old companiona the 
moaqtiitoea have renewed their visits and gave ua 
much uneaaineas. 

Thursday lltb.—Vle. set out at daytight, and 
&fber paaidng bare and barren hiUs on the south, 
G-n.d a plain covered witli timber on the aorth, 
br<>aki>uited at five mllee dietaace: here we were 
regaled with a deer bronght in by the haaters, 
wlucb waa very acceptable aa we bad been for 
flsveral days ^vithont fresh meat ; the Country be- 
tween this aud fort Maudan being bo fn:q.nently 
^iatuFbed by huatere that the game has becoiae 
eoacoe. We then proceeded with a gentle breeza 
246 



UP THE MieSOUBI. 



from the Bouth which carried the periognea on 
very well; the day tvAb iowever ao warm that 
eeveriil of th* men ivorked 'with no clothe^ except 
round the waiet, which Ib the less IncooTeuJent as 
we are obliged to wade in some placee owing to 
the BhallowneBS of the river. At aeren miteB we 
reached a large gandbar making out ftom the 
north. We again atopped for dtniker, after "which 
we went on tu a emaU plain on the north covered 
with Cottonwood where we encamped, haviug 
made aijieteea milee. The country aronud ismuch 
the eame as that we pBBsed yesterday; on the 
ddes of the MUb. and even on the banks of the 
riverfl, ad well as od the uandbars, is a white sub- 
Btance which appears in conraderable quantities om 
the surface of the earth, and tastes like a mixtqre 
of common salt with glauber salts r inaD; of the 
etreame which come from the foot of the bills, are 
BO BtrongEy tmpregsated with thiB eubHtance, that 
the water haa an nnpleasant toete and a purgo- 
tiT* eflect. A bearer waa caught last night by 
one of the Frenchmen; we killed two geeae, and 
aa.v/ eoine cranes, the largeet bird of that kind- 
common to the Misaonri and MisBiBBippl, and per- 
fectly white except the large fl^athera on the two 
first jointfl of the wing which are black. Under Sk 
blnff opposite to our encampment we discovered 
flome Indians with horseB, whom we Bupponed 
w^M^ Minnetareee, bnt the width of the river pr^ 
vented oar speaking to them. 

Friday, 12th, — We set off early and passed & 
high range of MIIb on the «outh Bide, our perioguee 
being obUged to go over to the south, in order to 
avoid a aandbank which waa rapidly falling in. 
At six miles we came to at the lower side of the 
entrance of the Little MJSSOU-ri, Tphere weremained 
during the day for the purpoae of making celestial 
247 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



obe^rradoiM. TMh river emptier itself an tbe 
eouth eldeorttie Missouri, one tliotieaad dx hnu- 
drad and oinety-tbree milea iVooi its coniluenee 
with the Missiaaippi. It riaea to tLe west of the 
Black mountainaj acruas the northern extremity of 
■which it finds a uarrow rapid pflanage along- high 
.perpendicular baiil:^, then seeks the Mieaouriina 
,;iiQrthea*tem directioQ, througli a broken couDtry 
I with higtilaads bare gf timber, and the low 
j^ounda particularly Bupphed with cottonwood, 
iielm, amall ash, box, aldefj and an under^ruwth of 
', TriUow, redwood, sometimes called red or swamp- 
willow, tha red berry and chokecherry. la its 
cour^ it ptisBe^8 near the northivest aide of tho- 
^ Tortle mouutaio, wliich is said to be only twelve 
r.,or fifteen mileid iVom its mouth ia a, etraigbt line a 
little to the Bouth of west, so that both the Little 
,_Mi880uri iind Knift river have been laid down too 
I Sax southwest, it entera the Mi^ouri witb a bold 
eurrentr ajid ie one hundred e.nd thirty-four yards 
wide, but its greatest depth ie two f^et and a 
jjmjf, and. this joined to its rapidity anditHMUid- 
ibare, make the navigattoa diQjcult except for 
canoeSf which may ascend it for a conaiderable 
^distOQce. At the mouthj and aa far ae we could 
.discern from the hille between the two rivers 
about three mile« ttom their junction, the country 
■JM much broken, the gqil sonneting uf a deep ricli 
, .dark coloured loam, intermixed with a ^mall pro- 
portion of &ne aaud and covered gbuerally with a 
jihort gfBMa reeembha^ blue g^a^s. In its colour, 
the nature of its bed, aud its general appearance, 
it reaemblea no muek the Misisouri aa to induce a 
b^U^ that the eouiLtrit^S they water are similar la 
point of soil, From the Alandau villogi^ to this 
place the conntry is hilly and irregular, with the 
-Bame appearance of glauher salts and carbonated 
:^48 



UP THE MISSOUKI. 

wood, th^ lo'cp groimd^ smooth, aaadj, and ^fkV- 
tiaSlj cov*r«l witt cottunwood and email aah; at 
fiome dktaatK! back tliero a-n tmtenvivs pimaa oS a 
good soilj but without timber or water. 

We f'oimd great qutuntitieB ofBiiiaJl onions which 
grow flingte, the bulb of u-n oval form, white, 
about the size of a. bullet with a leaf reae milling- 
that of tite Bliive. Od the aide of aiieEghbourin^ 
hill, tbere ih a- epwiw of dw^rf c^ar ; it spreads 
ita limbe along the eurface of the eurrth, which tt 
aJmoBt conceals by ItB cloBBii<;Ba und thJckneSB, and 
ia flometinies corered by Ltj having always a minj- 
^bec of roots on the under eide, wMlt on the ui^per 
arc a quantity of «hoot« which with their leaves 
aeldom rise higher thaji s\s or eight inches ; ii is 
an evergreen, ite leaf more delicate than that of 
thecommoo cedar, though the taBte and amell ia 
the same. 

The conntrj around has been eo recently hunted 
tbAt the g&me Are extremely shy, ho th&t a white 
Tabblt, two beaver, a deer, and a bald eai^le were 
■aH that we could procure, Tlie weather bad been 
clear, warm, and pleasant in the niomiug, but 
about three we had a Bquall of high wind and 
rain with some thunder, which lasted tiU sSter 
suiuet when it again cleai^ off. 

Saturday IS. — We set out ab sunrEHe, and at 
nine o'clock having the wind in our favour went 
on rapidly pact a tiuibered law groimd on the 
south, aad a creek on the north at tlw dlHtance of 
nine mtleB, which we called Onion creak, fVoni the 
qnantity of that plant which growa in the plaJaa 
near it: this cr6ek. is about t<ixt(f«a yards Avide at 
a mile and a half above its mouth, it diHcharge^ 
more water thaa i« usual for creek's of that slse in 
tikis country, bat the whole plain which it waters 
is totally deetltute of timber, Tht; MisBourl itaolf 



h. 



2-tO 



LEWIS AND OLABl 

widfena Tery remarkably jast above the junction 
with the Little iliesourj ; j mined fately at the en- 
trance of the latter, it is not Eiore than two hnn- 
dred yards wide, anil ao shallow that it may be 
passed in caaoes with setting poles, ivliile a few 
milefl above it 58 upwards of a miie in width : ten 
tnil wi beyond Onion creek Tre came to another, 
discharging itself on the north in the centre of a 
deep bend : oa asceadisg it for about a mile and a 
half, we found it to be the diacharge of a pond or 
Bmall lake, which seemed to have been once the 
bed of the MiSBoari; near this lake were the tg^ 
iDaisH of forty-three temporary lodj^s which Mem. 
to belong to the AsBiniboins, who are now on the 
river of the same name, A great number of eT*ail 
and creese were eIbo in it, and f^m thia cireum- 
stance we named the creek Goose creek, and the 
lake by the aame name : theae geese we observe do 
not build their neata on the ground or in sand- 
bars, bnt in the tops of lofty cottonwood trees: 
we saw Kome elk and buffalo to-day but at too 
great a distance to obtain any of them, though & 
number of the carcaeea of the tatter animal are 
Htrewed along the shore, having^ fallen through the 
ice, and been swept alongf when the river broke 
up. More bald eagles are Ae«u on thie part of the 
MisBouri than we have previously met with; the 
email or coninion ha^vk, eoninion in most parts of 
the United States, are also found here: great 
quantities of geese are feeding in the prairies, and 
one flock of white brant or geese with black 
wings, and some gray brant with tbem pass up 
the river, and fVom their flight they Heem to pro- 
ceed mvch (krther to the northiveet. We kilted 
two antelopes which were very lean, and caught 
laet night two beaver: the French hunters who 
had procured seven, thinking the neighboufhood 
250 



HP THE MIfflBOtlHI. 

of tJie Little MiBsonri a convenient tiuating gronnd 
for that animiil, remained behind there : in the 
evenLng we encamped Ui a bea.utiful plain on the 
north thirty ftefe above the river, having made 
tweiity-tw^P and a half miles. 

Saitd&y 14. — We aet off eadj with pleoaant and 
f^lr weatber: a dog* joined ub, wbicb we auppoee 
had strayed flrom the Absiaiboin cfimp on the lake. 
At two ajid a half miiea we pfteeed timbered low 
grounds and a smfdl (^reek: in these low g:roiiada 
are several tminhabited lodges built with the 
hougha of the ehn, and the remoina of two recent 
encatupmeate, which t^m the hoops of ^mall kega 
foond in them we judged could lieloug to AsHini- 
boiuB only, ae they are the ouLy MiBoouri Indians 
who use spirituouB liquore: of these they are bo 
paasionately fond that it forniB their cltief induce- 
ment to viait the Biitiah on the AHainiboin, to 
wLom they barter for ki^gs of rum their dried acd 
pouod^d meat, their grease, and the skine of large 
and small wolvee, and small foxes, The (laDg;er' 
ouB exchange iB transported to their camps ivith 
tbeii* fViendi^ aud relations, and Boon ejthaiiBted in 
brutal intoxication: ao fas from considering 
dmnkenneaa as dtBgracefnl, thp woiPQQ and ctlil' 
dren are permitted and invited to shajre in these 
excesaee with their husbandB and fathers, who 
boast how often their ekil! and iucluetry as hunt- 
ers has suppUed them with the means of intoxica- 
tiou : la thifi, rut in their other habits and customs, 
they resemble the Sioui Jtom whom they are 
deecended; the trade with the Aeeioibqina and 
Kuistenuux is encoaiaged by the BritlBh, because 
it procures pruvialon for their aagnges on their 
return from Rainy lake to the Enghah river and 
the Athabasky country where they winter; these 
men. being obliged duhug that voyage to pa«a 
251 



LEWIS AKD CLARE-S EXPEDITION 

lapidly through a eonntry but scftntily Bupplied 
-with game. We halted for diimec- near a large 
Tillage op hurrpwing flquirrele, who \re observe 
generally select a southeaeterly exposure, though 
they are aometimeB found in the plaine, At ten 
and a quarter milee Tve came to the lower point 
of an island, which ttom the day of our arrival 
there we called Sunday island: here the river 
Vfaehea the baeeR of the hilla on bcth (iid^S nnd 
above the island, whicli with its Baudbar extenda 
a mile ani a half: two email creeks ftUl in from 
the south; the upperiaoat of theae, whith is the 
largeat, we called Chaboneau's creeli, aft#r our 
interpreter who oncB encamped on it several weeitH 
with a party of Indians. Beyond thig np whit* 

, man had ever been except two Frenchmen, one of 
whom Lapago m with ub, and who having lost 
their way straggled a few nulea fhrther^ though to 

'what point we could not aecertain: about a mile 
and a half beyond this island we encamped on a 

I point of woodland on the north, having- made in 
all fourteen railes. 

The Afislniboiaa have bo reeently left the river < ' 
that game is scarce and shy. One of the haatera "J 
ehot at an otter last evening; a buBklo too woS'U' 

skilled, and an elk, both so poor aa to be almost 

'nnfltfor use; two white bear were also Been, and 
a muskrat Bwitmning acroea the river. The river 
cootintiefl wide and of about the same rapidity aa 
the ordinary current of the Ohio. The low 
grounda are wide, the moiBter parts containing 
timber, the upland extreuieiy broken, withont 
wood, and in some places Keem as if they had 
aJipped down in maiiaee of several aerw in surface. 
The mineral appearances of salte, coal, and sul- 
phur, with the burnt hill and pumice^tone con- 
tinne, and a tiituminoua water about the colour 
252 



UP THE MiaSOTJBT. 



of Btrong l^e, with the taste ofglaub^r B&ltR aixd 
a Blight tiutfture of alum. Many geeen were feed- 
ing m the prairies, and a numlier uf magpies who 
build their Jieeta mut;h like tboee of the bla4;kbird 
in trees, acd composed of small sticks, leaves and 
gr&Bs, open at top: the egg ia of a bluish brown 
colour, freckled with reddiBb brown apota. We 
h\bo killt>d a Jar^ bootinj^ owl rtJBtiinbliag that of 
the United Stateu, ex<;ept that it was nLore buoted 
and elad with feathers, On the hilla are man; 
arumutic herba, resembling in taat-ej Btuell and ap- 
pearance th(^ s&g^, hfasap, Tvurniwood, BOd.thern 
■wood, juniper and dwarf cedar; a plant also 
abont two or three ft?et high, similar to the cam- 
phor Id sm^ll and taete, and another plant of tLe 
Bame size, with a long-, narrow, amooth, soft leaf, 
of an aj*re«able sniell and flarour, which ib a 
fttvourite food of the antelope, whose necka are 
often perfumed by rubbing against it. 

Monday IS. — Wb proceeded under a fine breeie 
from the Booth, aad clear pleasant weather. At 
BflTeri mileH we readied the lower point of an 
island in a bend to the Bouth, which ib two miles 
in length. Captain Clark, who went about nine 
miles aorthward from the river reiicb«i the high 
grounds, which, like those we have eeen, are level 
plaiuB without timber; here he oliaerved a number 
of drains, which deecending from tlie bills pursue a 
northeast course, and probably empty into the 
llonae river, a branch of the Aesitiiboin, which 
from Indiam a^tounts approachea very near to the 
MlBBOuri at thin place. Like all the rivaleta of 
this neighbourhood these drains were so strongly 
impregnated with mineral ualta that they are not 
fit to drink. He Baw alBO the retnaiiiB of several 
campa of AeainiboinB: the low grounda on both 
i^sidee of the river are extenatve, rich, and level. In 
353 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'a EXPEDITION 



a little pond on the aortb, we hoard for the flrafe 
time thia seaaon thE croaking of froga, which 
exactly resemblffi that of the email frogs in the 
TJnited Statea : there at* also in thfi&e plains great 
quantities of geeue, and manj of the grouse, or 
prairie hen, as they are called hj the K. W. *om- 
poa; traders; the Dote of the male, an fi3T as 
words caa rept^Hcnt It, is cook, toak. cook, coo, 
eoo, coo, the first part of which both male and 
female use when flying; the male too drums with 
faie^ TringB "when he fliCB in the Bame "wAj, though 
not so loud as the pheaeant; they apiiear to be 
mating-. Some dewj elk, and goats were in the 
low grounds, and buffalo on the sand beocbea, 
but they were uncommonly ahy; we also aair a 
black bear, and two white ones. At fifteen milca 
we pflBsed on the north side a small creek twenty 
yarda wide, wMch we called Goatpen creek, from 
a park or encioeure fqr the pprpoge qf eatehing 
that animal, which thoee who went up the creek 
found, and which we preanme to haTe been left 
by the AsBioiboins. Ita water ia Jroprepaated 
with mineral salts, and thecoTintry through whieh 
it flows consista of wdde -and very fertile plains, 
bnt without any trees. We encamped at the diis- 
taaice of twenty-three miles, on a eandpolat to 
the south; wa posBed In the eyeniog a rock In 
the middle of the river, the channel of which a lit- 
tle above our camp, ia confined within eighty 
yarda. 

Tuesdsjr 16.— The morning was clear, the wind 
light fhjm the S. F,. The country preeents the 
Bame appearance of low plaine aad meadows on 
the river, hounded a few miles back by broken 
hille, which end in high level fertile lands, the 
qnantity of timber ia however increasing. The 
appearances of minerals continues aa UBual, and 
334 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



to-day we fouod seTeral etones which seemed to 
hare been wood, firat carbonated and then petri- 
fied by the water of the HisHOiiri, which haa the 
same ^Sbtt an man; vegetable gubAtances. There 
la indeed reason to believe that the strata of coal 
ta the hills cause the fire and appearances which 
the; exhibit of being burned. WheaeTer tbeae 
marka present themyelrtis in the bluSh on the 
river, the coal is seLdom Beejn, and when fonnd in 
the aeiglibourhood of the Htrata of butut earth, 
the coal with the sand and sulphuroua matter 
neually accompanying it, in pi^ciselj at the same 
height and nearly of the eame tliicIuieBs with 
thoBe strata. We passed three small creeks or 
rather runa, wiiich rise in the hilla to the nortlu 
Numbers of geeae, and a few ducks chiefly of the 
mallard and blue'winged teal, many bufialo, elk 
and deer were alao obHerred, and in the timbered 
low grounds this moroing we were surprieed to 
observe a great quantity of old hornets' oeetB: 
we encamped in a point of woods on the south, 
haring come eighteen miles, though the circuits 
which we were obliged to make round sandbara 
very much increased the real distance. 

Wetfonsihiy, April 27.— '^s set off early, the 
weather being fine, and the wind so favourable as 
to enable ub to sail the greater part of the 
course. At ten and three quarter miles we passed 
a creek ten yai-d« wide on the south; at eighteen 
miles a little run on the north, and at night en- 
camped in a woody point on the south. We had 
travelled twenty-six milea through a country 
similar to that of yesterday, except that there 
were greater appearances of burnt hills, furnishing 
large quantities of lava and pumiceBtone, of the 
last of which we observe some pieces floatiag 
down the river, ae we had previouslj. done, bs 
355 



LEWIS ANtiCLAEK-S EXPEDinON 

loTT as the Little Misi^ouri. In all tte copoefi of 
wood are the reniaJriB of the ABBiiu"boin enca.inp- 
mente; arountl us ars gre^t quantitiea of game, 
Bvch as berdB of buSklo, elk, antelopes, soma 
deer anil wolves, the tracta of bear, u. eurJew was 
also Bflen, and we obtained three beavei-, thefleah 
of which 19 more relished by the mea than any 
other food which wo have. Just before we en- 
camped we eaw Rome trdcts of Ipdiane, who had 
passed twenty-four faourB before, and leit four 
raftB, and whom we Boijpoaed to be a band of 
ABBiriiboina on their return fkim war againet the 
Indians on the Bockj moitntaius. 

Thursday IS. — We had again a pleasant day, 
and proceeded on with a ivesterly wind, "which 
however changed to N. W. and blew bo hard that 
we were obliged to Btop at one o'clock and ro- 
matn four hours, when it abated and we then con- 
tinued our course. 

We encamped about dark on a ■woody bank 
having made thirteen mileH. The country pre- 
Bented the usual variety of highlande Inter^perBed 
with rich plains. In odo of these we obBerved a 
Bpeeiee of pea bearing a yellow flower, w^hich la 
now in bloseom, the leaf and Btalk reBembling the 
common pea. It seldoin risef< higher than sii 
inches, and the root is perennial. Oa the rose 
bushes we aUo saw a quantity of the hair qf the 
buffalo, which had become perftctly white by ei- 
poanre, and reBcmbled the wool of the sheep, ex- 
cept that it wfta much finer aiid more eoft and 
eilky. A buffalo which we killed yeatcrday had 
shed his long hair, and that which remained was 
about two iochefl long, thick, fine, aud would 
have fumitihed five pounds of wool, of which we 
have no doubt an eicellent cloth may be made. 
Out game to-day was a beaver, a deer, an elk, 



DP THE AUSSOURI. 



sjid »ODie geese. The river has been crooked all 
day and b^aricg towanJa the eooth. 

On the hJlLs ^v« observed coasiderable qaantitiefl 
of dwarf juniper, which Beldoai growH higher than 
tiree fbet. We killed in the coarse of the day an 
elk, three geese and a beaver. The beaver on thia 
[Htjt of the Miseoari are in grediter (gillkntitieB, 
larger and fatter, and their fur is more abundant 
and of a darker colour than any we bad hitherto 
seen ; their fUvoitrite food eeeiuB to be the bark of 
the Cottonwood and willow, as we have aeeano 
other species of tree that hELs been tonched by 
them, and these thej gnaw to the ground through 
a diameter of twenty incheH. 

The P*xt day, I'riday, 19th, the 'wind was ho 
high ftom DOrthweBt that we could aot proceed, 
but bein^ less violent on 

Satnrdaj 20th, we eet off about seven o'clock, 
and had nearly lost one of the canoes as we left 
the shore, by the falUng in of a larg« part of the 
bank. The wind too became again so strong that 
we could scarcely make one mile aa hour, and the 
auddcD squallB ao daugerouB to the small boats, 
that we stopped for the nig:ht among- some wil- 
lows on the north, not being able to odvaDce 
more than six and a half miles. Id walking 
through the neighhunring plains we found a fiml 
fertile soil covered with cottonwood, some boi, 
alder, ash, red elm, and an andergrowiih of wil- 
low, rosebuBhea, honeysuckle, red willow, goose- 
berry, currant, and nerviceberriofi, and along the 
foot of the hills great qttantltica of hyssop. Our 
banters procured elk and deer w^hich ai% now lean, 
and six beaver which are fatter and more polat* 
sble. Along the plain there were alHO sotuel^ndiaii 
camps; near one of theee was a ecafibld about 
■eren feet highj on which were two eleds ivith 



Vol. I.—17 



357 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S ESPEDITION 



tlidr haraess, tind under it the body of a fbmale, 
carefully wrapped in several dregeed buSalo 
Bkiua; QeAr it lAy & ^f^g made Of buffalo skin, 
containing a pair of moccasine, eome red aad blue 
paint, beaver's oaili^, scrapers for dreesinf^ hides, 
some dried rootB, eeyeral plaits of sweet grosa, 
and aBmall quantity of Mandan tobacco. TheBe 
thing's as well Blb the body itself bad probably 
fklien down by act^ident, an the custom \b to place 
them on the Hcafibld. At a little diBtani:e was the 
body of a dog not yet decay^, w^hQ had met 
this reward for having dragged thus far in the 
sled the corpse of hia mistresH, to whom ac- 
cording to the Indian usage he had been Bac- 
riflced. 

Suadaj- SlBt.—hOst night there M-&a a hard 
white fi-oat, and this moruiug the weather cold, 
but clear and pleasant : iu the course of the day 
however it became cloudy and the wind roee. 
The coontry ia of the same deHcription aa within 
the last few days. We saw Immense quantities of 
buffalo, elk, deer, antelopes, g«e^, and Aome 
Swan and ducks, out of which we procured three 
deer, four bqfialo calves, ^vhich la:St are equal in 
fiavoar to the most delieiouB veal; also two 
beaver, and an otter. We passed one larg« and 
two small creeks on the south aide, and reached 
at sixteen milefl the month of Whiteearth river, 
coming in from the north. This river before it 
reaches the low grounds near the Missouri, i& a 
fine bold stream sixty yards wide, and is deep and 
navigable, but it is so much choked up at the 
entrance by the mud of the lliBBOuri, that its 
mouth Ifi not more than ten yards "nide. Its 
coarse, a» ftir as ive could diacers fVoin the neigh- 
bouriug hills, la nearly due north, paaeing through 
a beautiful and fertile valley, though without a 
258 



UP THE MISSOUHI. 

tree or bush of any descnptioii. Half a mile hem 
jond this river we enCftmped OH the «am(; didd 
below a point of bigblaud, which from it« ap- 
pearance w* call Cut bluff". 

JJoiiday ^i'rf.— The day clear and coM; wo 
paeeed a high bluff on tbe Dorth and plainu on tbe 
south, in which were large lierda ol' liuffalo, till 
brtakl^t, when the wind beciLme ao Htrong' ahead 
that we proceeded witb difficulty even with the 
aid of the towline. 8aiue of the partj now 
walked acroHB to tlie Whiteearth riv«r, which here 
at the di^tatice oi' foar mile^ ft^m ita mouth ap- 
proafthcB very near to the Jliseouri. It contains 
more waiter than it; usual in atreama i>f the same 
mze at tliia seaeud, with steep batiks about ten or 
twelve feet high, and the water is Diuch clearer 
th«n th*t of the MiHftouri; the ealts which have 
been meatiooed aa ccimnion on tbe Misaouri, are 
here so abundant that in maoy placea the gronnd 
appears i>erfei?tly wliite, and from this eireuni- 
etance it may have derived its name; it watera aa 
open country and in navigcble alrcoat to tta 
source, ^-h(ch ie ngt far froni the 8aekaiikawan, 
and judging from ka dze and course^ it is proba- 
ble that it extendi^ as far uorth aa the iUYieth 
degree of latitude. After much delay in conee- 
qnenceof the high wind, we ancceeded in making 
tleveu mileB, and encamped in a low ground on the 
Bouth covered ivith cottonwood and rabbit ber- 
ries. The hills of the Miaeouri near this plac« 
esiublt large irregular brokco masBCB of rocks and 
^^ Btonea, £Ome of which, although two hundred 

^H tbet above the water^ eetm at some remote period 

^H to have been eubject to its influence, beio^ ap- 

^^^ parently worn sraooth by the agitfltian of the 

■ water. The^ rocke and e-tooes consist of white 
I and gray granite, a brittle black rock, flint, lime- 

■ 2i:9 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



none, fr&estone, Bome amall epecimmfl of an exral- 
lent pebble, and octaaionolly broken stratas of a 
Itlauk coloured e^tone like petrified wood, which 
makegood whetstunee. The naual appearances of 
coal, or carbonated wood, and pumiccetoae etUl 
coatiTiue, the coal beiii^ of a better quality and 
when burnt nfforda a hot and lasting fire^ emit- 
ting very little smoke or flame. There are large 
herds of deep, elk, buffalo^ and antelopes in view 
of as; the hufialo are not so shj as the reet, for 
thej suffer us to approtwL within one hundred 
yards before thej run, and then etop and reeume 
their paature at a very Biort distance. Tha 
wolvea to-day pursued a herd of them, and at 
length eaught a calf that waa nnable to k^jp up 
■with tha rest; the mothers on these ofrasionB 
defending their yqung ae long as they can retreat 
OB fast RS the herd, but seldom retumiiLg any 
distance to eeek for them. 

Tuesday 5-5.— A clear and pteaeant mornings but 
at nine o'clock the wind became eo high that the 
boate "were in danger of upsetting; v/c therefore 
were forced to etop at a place of safety till about 
fire in the ftfttrnoon, when the wind being lower 
we proceeded and encamped on the north at the 
distance of thirteen and a half miles: the party oq 
flliore brought ua a bufialo calf and three blacks 
tatted deer; the Band on the river has the same 
appearances a» ugual, eic*pt that the quantity of 
wood increase^. 

We^JnesiJayM.—Tbe wind blew ko high during 
the whole day that we were unable to movei such 
indeed was its* violence, that although we were 
sheltered by high timber the warts wet many 
articles in the boats r the hunters went out and 
returned witli four deer, two elk. and eoine young 
woivea of the email kind. The party are very 
2ti0 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



much Affli«t«l with eore e^yeB, which we preenma 
are ocfaeioned by tlie vast quantitiea of eaod 
which are driven ft'om the tsmidbtiTB Id eucb douda 
as often to hide from us tJie vieworthe oppoeite 
bank. The particlea of this saod are bo fine and 
light that it tloatB for Tniles in the air like a 
c&lumn of thick emoke, and ia so penetrating that 
nothing' can be kept fVee fVora it, and we are com- 
pelled to eat, drink, and hreath* it very copioasly. 
To the same caase 'we attribute the disorder of 
one of our watches, although her easea are double 
and tipht; since without any defect in its works, 
that we can discover, it will not run for more 
than a few minutes without etoppiu^. 

ThnrsdRy 2S. — The wind moderated thia mom' 
Ing, but was Btlll high ; we therefore Bet out early, 
the weather beiu^ bo cold that the water froze oa 
the oare as we rowed, and about ten o'clock the 
wind iDcrea«ed bo much tha-t we were obliged to 
stop. This detention iVoin the wind and the rfr 
porte froni our hunters of the CFOokedneeB. of the 
river, induced ua to believe that we were at no 
great distance from the YeilowBtone river. In 
order therefore to prevent delay as much as pos- 
sible, captain LewiB determined to go on by land 
in Bearch of that river, tind make the nCceasary 
observationB, »o am to be enabled to proceed on 
immediately after the boats should join liim: be 
ther^ore Eanded about eleven o'clock on the Boath 
aide, accompanied by four men; the boats were 
pTevented from going until Ave in the afternoon, 
when they went on a few mllCH fnrther and en- 
camped tor tbe night at the distance of fourteen 
and a half mile^. 

I'Yiday -W, — We continued our voyage in the 
morning and by twelve o'clock encamped at eight 
miloB distance, at thejunetian of the Missouri and 
261 



LEWIS AH 



IK'S ESPEDltWil^ 



TellowHtone rivers ; where we Trere Boon joined by 
captain Lewie, 

On leaving us yesterday he puraned Me route 
along the foot of the hilla, which ha actcended at 
the distance of eight miles ; ft-om these the wide 
plains ■watefed by the Miseouri and the YeUow- 
Btone spread themaelres before the eye, occasion- 
ally varied with the wood of the banks, enliveDed 
by the irregular windings of the two rivera, and 
animated by vast herds of bufiklo, deerj elk, and 
anteiope. The confluence of the two riveTS waa 
concealed by the wood, but the Yellowstone itself 
■was oaty two miles distant to the south. He 
therefore deece-nd^ the liilU and @n(;aniped on th^ 
bank of the river, having killed aB hecrosaE^d the 
plain fonr buBhloeB; the deer alone are Bhy and 
retire to the woods, but the elk, ant-elope, and 
buflaJo suffered him to approach them without 
alarm,, and often foUow^ed him quietly for SDtn6 
distance. Thi^ morninjiC he sent s. man np the 
river to examine it, while he proceeded down to 
the janctLon: the ground os the lower side of the 
Tellowetone near itB mouth, ie flat, and for about 
a mile seema to he Bubject to inundation, while 
that at the point of junction, as well as on the 
opposite side of the Missouri, is at the neaal 
height of ten or eighteen ftet above the water, 
and therefore not overflown. There is more tim- 
ber in the neighbourhood of tbii place, and on the 
ItlisBOuri, as far below aa the Whiteearth river, 
than, on any other part of the Missouri on this 
side of the Chayenne: the timber consists princi- 
pally of COttOQw-ood, with some email elm, aeh, 
and box alder. On the sandbars and along the 
mar^n of the river grows the email-leafed willow; 
tn the low grounds adjoining are scattered rose- 
buflhea three or four feet high, the redberry, ser- 
2G3 



Tieeberry and redwood. The higher plains are 
dtter immediatdf on the rivet, in wbicli case they 
are gent^raily timbered, and have an uiLdcrgTowth 
like tlLat of the low grounda, with the addition of 
tie broad-leafed willow, gooBeberryj chokecherry, 
purple cun-ant, and honsyBUcklfi; or they are be- 
tween the low grouade and the failta, and far the 
most part without wood or »ny thing except 
large quaatitieB of wild hysaop ; this plant rieea 
about two (feet high, and lilse the willow of the 
sandbars is a favourite food of the liufl'aloj elk, 
deftc, geouBe, poMupine, hare, and rabbit. This 
riTer which had been known to th« French an the 
Bocbe jaone, or ae w* have oa-WeA it the Tellow- 
Btone, rloes according to Indlaa information in the 
iiocky moantains ; ita sources are near thoae of the 
MiBaouri and the Platte^ and it may be navi- 
^at«d in canoee almost to ita bead. It runs firab 
through a mountainous country, bnt in many 
parts fertile and well timbered; it then waters a 
rich delightful laud, broken into valli?«i and mead- 
owe, and well supplied with wood and water till 
it reaches near the Miaaouri open meadows and 
low g^rounds, anfflciently timbered on ita bordera. 
In the upper country its course is represeDted Aa 
very rapid, but during the two laat and largest 
portions, it« current is much laoTQ gentle than 
tliat of the MisBouri, which it resembles also In 
being turbid though with leBB aediment. The maa 
who was Bent up the river, reported in the eren- 
iDg that he had gone about eight mile^, that dur- 
ing that distance the river winda on both aidea of 
a plain four or dve miles wide, that the cviirent 
was gentle and much obatnicted by Bandbare, 
that at Qve miles he had met with a large tim- 
bered island, three miles beyond which a creek 
ftUa in on the S. E, above a high bluff, tn wlilcli 
263 



LKWia AND (JLAltK'S ESTEDITION 

ore BeTeral strata, of coal. The eouDtry as f^r aa 
he could diecf rn, reaembled that of the MiBsouri, 
and in the plain he met aeveral of the bighorn 
flnimalfl, but they were too shy to be obtained. 
The brf of the iello-wsbone, as we obaerved it 
near the mouth, ia <!oinpoaed of sand Knd, iDud, 
■without « Btoqe of any Mod. Jaet above the eon- 
fliieace we meaeured the two rivecB, and found the 
bed of the MiBSouri five hundred and twenty yards 
TFide, the water occupying only three hundred and 
thirty, and the (Channel de<!p; whUe the Veliow- 
Btone, ineCuding iha sandbar, occupied ei^ht han- 
dred and ttfty-ei^ht yards, with two bunclred aad 
niaety-eeven yarda of water; the deepest part of 
the channel is twelve feet, but the river ia now 
falling and eeems to be nearly at its summer 
height. 

April Sr.— We left the mouth of the Tellow- 
Btone. FroHi the point of junction a wood occu- 
pies the Bpace between the two riverB, which at 
the dietance of a mile comea vrithin two hundred 
and fifty yards of each other. There a beantifnl 
low plain commencee, and widening ae the rivera 
- recede, extends along: each of them for several 
miles, netng about half a mile fVom the Miwouri 
into a plain twelve t^t higher than iteelT. The 
I ' low plain l& a few inchea above high water mark^ 
and where it joiuB the higher plain th(>re Is a 
channel of sixty or eeventy yards in width, 
through which a. part of the Miseouri when at its 
greatest beig'ht poeeee into the YellowBtone, At 
two and a half miles above the juuctioD and be- 
tween the hi^b and low plain is a small lake, two 
hundred yards wide, extending for a mile parallel 
with the Missouri along the edgi^ of tiie upper 
plaia. At the lower extremity Of this lake-, abotit 
fbtkT hqxidred yards from the iMjeeouri, and twice 
264 



trP THE MISSOtJIH. 



that dietanw from the Yellowstone, le a sitnation 
highly eJigible for a trading eatabttBhinent ; it ie in 
the tigh. plain ivliich estends bact three miles in 
Tridtlir and Geren or eight miles in length, along 
the YellowBtoue, where it is bordert'i by an es- 
tenHive body of woodland, and along the Mlesouri 
with less breadth, till three miles above it ii» cir- 
cumscribed by tha bills within a apace four yards 
in "wjdth, A suflicient quantity of limeetone for 
building may easily be procured near the junction 
of the rivere; it does aot lie in regular etratae, 
but iH in lai^ irrejjular masaeH, of a light colour 
and apparently of an excellent quality. tJaniB too 
is very abundant, and as yet quite gentle; above 
all, its elevation recommends it aa prefbrable to 
the land at the confluence of the liverB, wbicli 
their variable chaanelH may render very iuewure. 
The N". W. wind rose eo high at eleven o'clock, 
that we were obhged to atop till about four in the 
afternoon, whed w^e proceeded till dusk. Oil the 
Bonth a beautiful plain e^paratea the two rivera, 
till at about mi miles there ia a timbered piwe of 
low ground, and a little above It bluflu, where tlte 
eonntry riBes gradually from the river; the Bitua- 
tione on the north more high and open. We ea- 
camped on that 6ide, the wind, the a&nd which it 
raised, and the rapidity of the current having 
prevented our advancing more than eight mUea; 
during the latter part of the day the river becomee 
wider and crowded with eandbare : although the 
game ie in such plenty we kill only what ii^ necee- 
aarj for out Hubaistence. Fof eeveral days past 
wB have seen great numbers of buffalo Ijiug dead 
along the uhor*, end some of theni partly de- 
voured by the wulvea; they have either sunk 
through the ice during the winter, or been 
drowned in attempting to croas^ or e!ae, after 
SW6 



UP THE MISaOTJET. 



CHAPTER Vm. 

Crnmaal appeonnc^ of gait— -The formlilKliIe characlw ot tb« 
wMW l«w— Ptircuplnu rti-eraeBcriiMia— BettutllwlafywiraiiiM 
cr Uie flUrroimdlnK country— I mnienfle quantlUaa at gamfr— 
MUl r£7cr described— Est ran rdlnary charscter (if BIgdiT rive-r 
— AD InslAJtCfi *>l \tn)xmn\an teuteKv ot life In b. irblw bvar — 
SBTKiw escape of oae ot ttie tmn; fmin tbBt ftalmDl — A. still 
more ramajkabie lustance — Musctestiell river described. 

Sait'lay SS.— The day waa clear mid pleaeantf 
and the wind having sliiffM to eoutheaetf we 
could employ our Baila, and w<^nt twentj-four 
miles to a low ground on the north opposite to 
steep blufla: the eouatry on both sii^ea is much 
broken, tin; hills approaching nearer to the river, 
anfl forming bluffs, Bome oCa white and others of 
& t^ dolouff and exhibiting the usual appfcarauceg 
of mitierala, and aome burnt hille though without 
any pii mjijestone ; the ealts are in greater quauti- 
tiee than usual, aud the bauks aad saindbBfB are 
covered with a white incmetation like froat. The 
low grounds are lovel, fertile and partially tim- 
bered, but are not eo wide ae for a ffew days past. 
The woods are now green, but the plains and 
meadowB ^e^m to have lee» verdure than those 
below : the only atreaiuB which we met to-day are 
two email runs on the north and one on the 
eonth, which riae in the neighbouring hills, and 
have very little water. At the diatance ofeighteen 
milee the MisBOirri makea a Considerable bend to 
the southeast: the game is very abundant, the 
commou, and mule or blacktailed deer, elk, buT- 
felo, antelope, brown bear, beaver, and geese. 
The bearer have committed g^reat devaatarioa 
207 



LEWIS AND 



Among the trees, one of which, nearly three feet 
ID diameter, had been gnawed through by them. 

Monday 29, — We proceeded earty with a moder- 
ate wind : captain Levrib who was on ahore with 
one hunter met about ei(fht o'clock two white 
hears: of the strength and ferocity of this ftmmaJ, 
the Indtani* had {^iven ub dreadful occountBi: they 
il@Ter attack him but in parties of ^VX. or eight 
persons, and eyen then are ollen defeated with 
tJie ]oB8 of one or more of the party. Hav- 
ing no weapons but bowe and arrow*, and the 
bad guna with which thR traders aupplj them, 
t^ey are ohUged to approach very near to the 
bear; and at< no wound except through the head 
or hetirt iij mortal, t]i«y frequently fall a aacriflce 
if tbey nues their aim. He rather atta^ikB than 
avoids a man, and such ia the terror which he 
has jnapired, that the Indians who go in gue^t of 
him paint themeelvea and perform all the auper- 
etilioiiB riteg. customary when they make war oa 
a neighboariug- nation. Hitherto those we had 
Been did nut appear deeiroue of encounterini^ ns, 
but although to a skilful rifleman the danger is 
very much diminiahed, yet the white bear is atill a 
tetrible animal : on at^proaching these two, both 
captain I>ewie and the hunter fired and each 
wounded a b«ar: on« of tbem mode hia escape; 
the other turned upon captain Lewie and pursued 
him seventy or eighty yards, but being badly 
wounded he could not run so faat aa to prevent 
him from reloading hie piece, which he again 
aimed at him, and a third »ihot fVom the haater 
brought him to the ground: he was a male not 
quite full grown, and weighed about three hun- 
dred poundu: the lege are somewhat longer than 
those of the black bear, and the talons and tnska 
much largei* and etrocger. The testicles are also 
208 



placed much fttrtfaer forward and snepeDded in 

Heparate poucbee hom two to four iiiuhes aeunder, 
"wliile tboBe i>r the block bear are Bituated Dock 
between the tliigba ami in a aingle pouch like 
tbo»e or the flog: ita colour is a j^llowieli brown, 
the eyes umiiU, black, and piercing, the front of 
the fore legs near tt^ feet is usually block, fl.nd the 
fur IB Qner, thicker, nnJ deeper than that of the 
black bear: acid to ivUicii, it is a more furious 
animal, and very remarkable for the wounds 
which it will bear without dyin^. 

We are Surroanded "With, d-eer, elk. buffalo, ant^ 
lopee, and their companions the wolvea, who have 
become more nunMTOHu and make gr**^ ravages 
amoDg them^ the hills are here much more rough 
and iiig:Ei, aad almost overhang the banks of the 
river. There are greater apitearances of coal than 
we have hitherto eeen, the etratae of it being in 
some placea eJx ftet thick, and there are stratas of 
burnt earth, which are always ov, the same level 
with thcae of coal. In the eTeaing; after coming 
twenty-five milea we encamped at the entrance of 
a river which emptier itaeif into a beud on the 
north 6ide of the Missouri: this stream which we 
called Martha's river, ia about fifty yards wide, 
with water for fifteen yards, the banks are of 
earth, and ete«p, though not high, and the bed 
principally of mud. Captain Clark, who aficeoded 
it for three milefl, found that it continued of the 
same width with a gentle current, and purauing 
its conrse about north 30' west, through an di- 
tenaive, fertile, and beautiful \'allej, but Avithout 
a single tree. The water i« clear, and ha,8 a 
brownish yellow tint; at this place the highlaada 
which yesterday and to^iny had approached bo 
near the river became tower, and receding from 
the water left a valley aeven or eight nslea wide. 
269 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

TttBsday 30. — The wind waa high from the 
north during laet eTeniaf; and continued so this 
moroing: we however contintied, and found the 
iiTer more winding than usual and with a number 
of sand islaade and bare, an one of 'which laet we 
encamped at the dlBtauce of tweuty-foar milee. 
The low grouade are fertile and extensive but 
with very little timberj and that (!ottonwood, 
very had of its kind, being too small for planks., 
and broken and dead at tbo top and unsound in 
the centre of the trunk. We pa&sed some ancient 
lodges of driftwood which do not appear to have 
been lately iababited. The game coDtinues abuQ- 
dant: wd killed the largest male elk we have yet 
Been ; on placing it in ita natural erect position, we 
found that it meoaut-ed five feet three iD<;hee from 
the point of the hoof to the top of. the elioulder. 
The antelopes are yet lean and the females are 
with youu^: this fleet and quick-sighted aaimal ie 
generally the victim of ite curioaityr when they 
fixat Bee the huntera they run with great velocity ; 
if he lies down on the groaad and lifts up his arm, 
his hat, or his foot, the antelope returds on a 
light trot to look at the objecti and sonietjines 
goes and retume two or three times till they ap- 
proach withiQ reach of the rifle: ho too they 
Bometimes leave their flock to go and look at the 
TFolvefl who crouch down, and if the antelope be 
frightened at first repeat the eame manoeuvre, 
and sometimes relieve each other till they dcKoy it 
from the party when they eeixe it, But generally 
the wolres take them ae they are croaaing the 
rivera, for although ewift of foot they are oot 
good Hwimmere* 

WedaesdRy, ifdj- J.— The wind waa in our 
fivonr and we were enabled to use the saila till 
twelve o'clock, when the wind became bo high and 
370 



DP THE MiaaOUHT. 



eqaall; that we were forced to come to at the 
distaDce of ten miles oa the Bouth, in a loir 
ground stocked with cottonwood, and rfmain 
there duiriDg the day; one of the canoee beiiigf 
separated from ua, and not able to cross over in 
CQDBeqiience of the high waves. The coontrj" 
around ih more pteoaaut than that throug^b which 
p had passed for Beveral days, the hills bein^ 
r, tlie low grounctB wider and better eapplied 
th timbeff which conmste priniipally of cotton- 
wood: the undergrowth willow On the bnnks and 
'Bandbare, roBebueLes, rEKlwillow, and the broad- 
leafed willow in the low plaio^, while the high 
country on both sides is one esteaaive plain with- 
out wood, though the soil ia a dark, rich, mellow 
loam. Our hnnters killed a buffalo, an elk, & 
goat, and two beaTer, and also a biM of the 
plo7er kind. 

Thursday, 2d. — The wind continned liigh duping 
the oight, and at daylight it begian to snow and 
did not stop till ten o'clock, when the ground waa 
covered an inuh deep, Jbrming a striking control 
with the Tegetation which U now coneiderably 
advanced ; some flowere having put fortik, and the 
COttonwQod leaves as large as a dollar. The 
wind lulled about five o'clock io the afternoon, 
and we then proceeded along wide fertile low 
grounds and high level plains, and encamped at 
the distance of four miles. Our^ame to-day waa 
deer, elk, aud buffalo: we alflo procured three 
beaver who are quite gentle, as they have not 
been hunted, but when the hunters are in pursuit 
they never leave their huts daring the day: this 
animal we esteem a ^at delicacy, particularly 
the tail, which when bailed resembles in flavour 
the flesh tong^ues and sounds of the codfish, and is 
generally bo large as to afford a plentiful meaj for 
271 



LEWIS AND CIAEK'S EXPEDITION 



two men. One of the iiuntera iu pasBing near aa 
old Indiaa camp found several jraxde of itco-rlet 
clotb, Buepended on the bougbe of a tree as a 
eacriiice to the deity by the AHBiniboinB: theeuB- 
tom of making theee offeriugu being common 
among thftt people as indeed amon^ all the In- 
dians OQ the MiB&O'iiri. The air 'wag sharp this 
evening; the water froze on tb« oare as wa rowed, 
and, in the morning, 

Friday, 3d, the weather became quit^ cold, the 
ice waa a qoarter of an inch thick in the kettlcj 
ajtd. the snow sCill continued on the hills though 
it has melted from the plains. The wind too 
continued high flroia the weat, but not ho Tiolently 
as to prevent our going oa. At two milee l^om 
our eacAinpmeiit we passed a curiouB collection of 
bushes about thirty feet hig'h and ten or twelve in 
diameter, tied in the form of a niBcine and Ktand- 
ing on end in the middle of the low ground : this 
too we Hupposed to have been left by the Indiana 
as a religiouH sacrifice ; at twelve o'clock the usual 
hour we baited for diaaer. The low grouuclB on 
the river are much wider tbao common, eome- 
timee extending from five to nine milea to the 
bighlande, which are much lower than heretofore, 
not being more than fifty or sixty feet above the 
lower plain: through all this valley traces ofthe 
ancient bed of the river are every wtere visible, 
and siocG the tiilLs have become lower, the stratas 
of coal, burnt earth, and pumiceBtone have in a 
great measure ceased, there being in f^t none to- 
day. At the distance of fourteen miles we reached 
the moath oi'a river on the north, which from the 
unusual number of porcupines near it, we called 
Porcupioe river. Thia i» a bold nad beautiful 
stream one hundred aad twelve yards wide, 
tbouffh the water ta only forty yarde at its eo- 
272 



VP THE MISSOURI. 



trance: captain Clark wlio aucended it sevArol 
I* inile« and parsed it above where it enters the bigh- 
landB, found it continued nearly qf the ^am^ width 
I' and about knee deep, ajid as ikr as he could dis- 
tinguiab for twenty miles from the hilla, ita i^ourae 
■waa fhiin a little to the east of north. There waa 
much timber on the low grOunda: lie found Home 
limestone aluo on the Burf^e of the earth in the 
course oflua watk, aod »a-w a> range of low moun" 
tainJi at a' distance to the west of north, wboae 
direction waa northwest; the BdjaiDiDg country 
[ being every where level, fertile, open, and exceed- 
inglj beautiful. The water of this riveP ie trans- 
parent, and ie the only one that is bo of all those 
that flill into the Missouri ; before entering a large 
Bandbar through which it discharges itself, ite low 
pounds are formed of a stiff blue and blaek €lay, 
and ita banks which are itom eight to ten J%et 
high and aeldom if ever overflow are compoeed of 
the same inateriale. From the quantity of water 
which this river contains., it^ direction, and the 
nature of the country through which it paaaea, it 
is not improbable that itB Bources may be near 
the main body of the SashaBkawan, and as in 
high water it can be no doubt navigated to a 
considerable distance, it may be rendered the 
meanR of intercouree with the Athahaaky country, 
from wliicli the Qorthweet company derive bd 
many of their valuable f\ire. 

A quarter of a mile beyond thie river a creek 
ibito in on the aonth, to which on account of its 
distance from the mouth of the Miesourt, we gave 
it the name of Two-thoasand mile creek: it is a 
bold stream "with a bed thirty yards "wide. Three 
miles and ahalf above Forcupine river, we reached 
Bome high tiniber ou. the north, and encamped 
JQSt above an old channel of the river> which is 
Vol. I.— 18 273 



no"w dry, We eaw vast quantitiea of baffaloe, elt, 
deer, E>riiicipallj or the long tailed kind, antelopes, 
bearer, geese, ducks, braatj and some swan. The 
porcnpinee too are oumcFOUH, atkd ao careleeB and 
clumay that we can approach very near without 
dlBturhiDg; them as they are fbeding on the young 
willow*; towftrde evening we alsp fbund for the 
first time, the iie»t of a goose among unme drift' 
wood, all that we hare hitherto seen being on the 
top of a broken tree on the forks, and invariabljr 
from fifteen to twenty feet or more in height. 

Saturday 4> — We Tvere detained tiH nine in order 
to repair the rudder of one of the boats, and 
when we Bet out the wiud w«8 fthead ; at six. and 
a half mileB we passed a small creek in a deep 
bend on the Bouth with a sand island opposite to 
it, and then paasin^ along an exteneiT'e plain 
which gradually rises IVom the north tdde of the 
river, encamped at the difitance of eighteen milea 
in a point of woodland on the north: the river U 
this day wider than usual, and crowded with 
Bandbars on all Bidea: the country is level, itrtile, 
and beautiful, the low grounds eitensiTe and con- 
tain a much gt^ater portion of timber than \b 
common : indeed all the forepart of the day the 
river was bordered ~with timber on both aides, a 
circumetance very rare on the KliBsouri, and the 
firet that has occurred since we left the MaodaDa. 
There are ae usual vast quantitiee of game, and 
extremely gentle; the male buffalo particularly 
will scarcely givft way to ii6, and as we approach 
will merely look at ub for a moment, as some- 
thing new, and then quietly reeuoie their f^edingr 
Id the courae of the day we passed some old 
Indian bunting campa, one of which eoofilBted of 
two large lodges fortifled with a circular fence, 
twenty o^ thirty tbet in diameter, and made of 
274 



UP THE MISaoUBI. 



timber laid horizontally, the beams overlaying 
each other to the height of Ate feet, and eoTerrf 
with the tmnha and limbs or tree« that havt. 
drifted down the riTer: the lodges theroBelves are 
formed by three or nDore Btrgng' sticky about tlw , 
Biee of a man'a leg or arm, and twelve feet long-, 
which are attached at the top hj a nithe of small 
willowe> and spreading out so aa to form at tho 
base a circle of ten or tburteen foet in diameter: 
ftgdinst these Are plai^ piecee- of driftwood and 
fallen timber, neaallj in thr^ ranges one on tha 
other, and the interBticee are covered with leaver, 
bark, and etraw, bo aa to form a conical figure 
abont ten feet high, with a email aperture in one 
Bide for the door. It is, however, at beat a very 
iioperl^t shelter agalnet th6 inclemeiLCies of the 
seaflon. 

SuJifiay 5, — We had a flne moroiDg, and the wind 
being from the eaet we need our eaila. At the 
dlHtance of dve milee we came to a emal] island, 
and twelve miles farther encamped on the north, 
at the distance of Keventeen railed. The country 
like that of jestertlaj is beautiftil in the extreme. 
Among the vast quantities of game around us, we 
diDtinguiah a ema]] epeciee of goaae difiedng con- 
siderably from the common Canadian gooee; ita 
neeh, head^ find beak, being much thicker, larger, 
and shorter in proportion to itB 6i*e, which ia 
nearly a third smaller; the noise too reaenibling 
more that of the brunt Or of a young goase that 
haa not yet fully acquired its note; in other 
reapecta tta colour, habits, and the number of 
feathers in the tail, the two species correapond; 
this Hpeciea al^o asBociat^a in flocks with the larga 
geeae, but we have not seen it pair off with them. 
The white brant is about the size of the common 
brown brant, or two thirds of th« common gooa^ 
275 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S EXPEDITION 



thaq which it is also els Uchee ehorter fVom the 
extremity of the wlogB, though the beak, head, 
and neck are lar^r oiid stronger: the body and 
■winga are of a beautiAiE pure white, eicept the 
black fbathers of the first and second joints of the 
Vriugs; the beak fijid leg's are of di reddish or fieeh- 
coloured white, the eye of n moderat* ejze, th« 
pupil of a deep eea-ffreeo incircled with a ring of 
yriiowleh brown, the tail coneiet-e of sixteen 
feathers equally long, the fleah ia dark and an well 
as its note differs but little from thoae of the 
tommon brant, whom in form and ha.bits it re- 
eemblee, and with whom it eometinieB unites in a 
common flock; the white brant also aesodate by 
themBelves la large flockR, but as they do oot 
seeta to be muted or paired 03", it is douhtM 
■whether they reside here during the eummer for 
the purpose of rearing their j-^oung. 

The woWea are also very abundant, and ore of 
two Bpeciee, Firet, the entail w^glf or burrowing 
dog of the prairies, wbich are found in almost all 
the open plains. It ia of an iatermediate size be- 
tween the fox and dog;, verj delicately formed, 
fleet and active. The ears are large, erect, and 
pointed; the head long ftnd pointed, like that 
of the foi ; the tail long^ and bushy ; the hair and 
fir of a pale reddish brown colotifj though much 
coarser than that of the fox; the eye of a deep 
Bea-green colour, smatl and piercing; the tulona 
rather longer than those of the woll' of the Atlan- 
tic states, width animal as far ae we can perceive 
fa aot to be found on this side of the river I'latte. 
These wolves uaually aesociate in bands often or 
twelve, and are rarely if ever seen alone, not being 
able singly to attack a deer or antelope. They 
lire and rear their youag in burrows^ whieh they 
fix near 6ome paaa oi- epot much frequented by 
27(i 



XTP THE inSSOtTRI. 



^S^mp, and aaily out in b. body agaioat any animal 
which they think they can overpow&r, but on the 
■lightest alarm retreat to tbeir hurrowB making a 
noise exaictly like that of a Bmall dog. 

The second speties la lower, ahortei' in the legs 
and thicker than the Atlantic wolf; their colour, 
which in not aSected by the Beaeone, is of every 

' variety of shade, ftom a gray or blackUk brown 
to a cream coloured white. They do not burrow, 

' nor do tli<?y bark, but howl, and they frequent the 

' woods and plains, and skulk along the skirts of 
the buffalo herda, in order to attack the weary 
or woaHd«<J. 

Captain Clark and one of the hunters met thla 
evening the largest brown bear we have Been. Am 
they tired he did not attempt to attack, but fled 
with a most tremendoue roar, and euch was ita 

'*itraordin&ry tenacity of life, that althDiig;h hft 
had live balls paaeed through hia lunffB and five 
other woundfl, he uwam more than bnti' ncr oi^s tbe 
iy«rto a eaadbar, and survived twenty minuteB. 
le weighed between five and aix hundred pounds 
at least, and measured eight fbet seven inches and 
a half from the nose to the extremity Of the hind 

' ^t, five feet t«n inches and a half round the 
bretwt, three f^t eleven iacbe« round the neck, 
one foot «leven inches round the middle of the 
fbreleg, and his talouB, five on each foot, were 
four inches and three eighths in length. It differa 
from the common black bear in having ita talona 
much longer and more blunt; ita tail ahorter; its 

I l|fl4r of a reddish or bay broivn, longer, finer, and 
more abundant; his liver, lung«, and heart, much 
larger even in proportion to his eize, the heart 
particularly being equal to that of a large oi ; his 
maw ten timee larger; his testieleB pendant from 
the belly and in sepaj-ate pouctu» four InclieB 
377 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S ES^PEHITION 

Apart: b£«ndes tiBh and fteah he feeds on roots, and 

every kind of irild fruit. 

Tte antelope are now lean «nd with jgyng, eo 
that tbej- may readily by caught at this seaaon, 
aa ttey crosB the river from S. W. to N. E. 

Monday 6. — The morning; being fiijr and the 
wind faTourable, we set anil, and proceeded on 
Tcpy well tbe greater part of the d&y. The coun- 
trj continues lerel, rich, and beautiful; the lovr 
grounde wide and comparMively with the other 
parte of the MiflBouri, well supplied "with wood. 
The appearances of coal, pumitretone, and burnt 
earth hare ctaaed, though the ealts of tartar or 
vegetable salts continue on the bank« and sand- 
bars, and sometimes in the little rarines at the 
base of the low hills. We passed three ^trsamv OD 
the Bouth ; the drat at the distance of one mile aud 
a half fVom oup camp was about twenty-five 
yards wide, but although it contained some water 
in standing pools it dischargee none; this we 
C&Ued Littledry creek, about eight miles beyond 
which is Bigdry cre*k, fifty yards wide, without 
aoy water ; the tlurd ie six miles lUrthcr, aad baa 
the bed uf a large river two hundred yarde wide, 
yet without a drop of water; like the other two 
this Btream, whith we called Bigdry river, con- 
tinuea its width uudiminished as far aa we can 
discern. The baiLka are low, the channel formed 
of a fine brown sand, intermixed with a email 
proportion of little pL'bblfB of varioua colours, and 
the country around flat and without tniea. They 
had recently diecliarged their waters, and from 
their appearance and the nature of the country 
through which they pass, We concluded that they 
rose in the Black mountains, or in the level low 
plains which are probably between this place and 
the mouotaias^ that the country being nearly of 
273 



CP THE MlSeOUBI. 



tike same Mud aad of tlie same latitade, tbe T&iOs 
of spring melting the Bnowa about the Haote tinie, 
couBpire wit^ tbem to tbrow at odw VBut qaa-atU 
ties of water down these chimueU, wMch are tbes 
left dry during: the Bunimer, autumDj and winter, 
when there ia very httle rain. We had to-day a 
eligEit apritikliug, but it lasted a very ehort time. 
The game ia in auch plenty that it has become a 
mere annwement to supply the party with pro- 
Tisioae. We made tweoty-fiTe miles to a clump of 
treeB on the north where we poMed the night. 

Tneedaj' 7, — The mornlag was pleaaaat and wa 
prctceedftd at on early hoar. There ia much drift 
wood fl.oa.ting, aad what ia Contrary to our ex- 
pectation, although the river is riuDg, the wat«r 
ia somewhat clearer tb3^ usual. At eleveo o'clock 
the wiad became bo high that one of the boate 
wae nearly Bnni, and we were obliged to atop till 
one, when we proceedul on, and encamped on the 
Bduth, above a large sandbar projecting from the 
north, having made fifteen miles. On the north 
side of the river are the most beautiful plains we 
have yet seen ; they lige gradually IVom the low 
groundH on the water to the height uf fifty or 
Bisty feet, and then extend in on unbroken level as 
far as the eye can reach : the hilla on the aouth 
are more broken and higher, though ot some die- 
tanee back the country beconiea le^el and fertile. 
There are no more appearances of burnt earth, 
coal, or puiniceBtone, though that of salt still con- 
tinueB, and the vegetation Beeins to have advanced 
but little since the twenty-eighth of last month: 
the gftme 1b as abundant aa ueoal. The bald- 
eagles, of Ti'honi we see great numberg, probably 
fbed on the carcoeee of dead animals, for on the 
whole Missouri we have seen neither the blue- 
crested Heher, nor the fishlng-hawkB, to aapplj 
27& 



LEWIS AKD CLARK'S ESTEDITION 



them with their favourite food, and the watef of 
the river is ao turbid ttiat no bird wbich feeds 
eiclusivelj' on ^Hh can procure a aub«iet(^QC«. 

Wednesclaj' *'.---A light breeze from the east car- 
ried ua aixteea niil«B, till we baited fur diiiucr at 
the entrance of a ri"ver on the north. Captain 
Clark Tvho had walked on the south, on ascending 
a high point OfipOBite to its entrance discovered a 
IbtbI and beautiful country which it watered ; th^t 
its course £'or twelve or lifte«u miles was N. W. 
when it divided into two nearly equal braochea, 
one purauing a direction nearly northj the other 
to the W. of S. W. : its width at the entrance le 
one hundred and fifty jards, and on going three 
miieB up, captain IjcwIb found it to be of the same 
breadth, and Bometimea more; it is deep, gentle, 
and has alargeq^uaatity of water; its bed ia prio- 
eipally of mud, the banks abrupt, about twelve 
Ifeet in height, and formed of a dark, rich loam 
and blue clay; the low grounds near it are -wide 
and fertile, and poBsess a considerable proportion 
of cottonw^ood and irilloTv, It seemg t-o be navi' 
(fable for boats aad canoes, and tbis circumetaace 
joined to its conree and the quantity of water, 
Trhjeli indicates that it paeaea through, a large 
eiteat of conntry, we are led to presume that it 
may approach the yaekaBhawan and afford b 
CommuaicatioQ with that river. The wat«r has a 
peculiar whiteneee, such as might be produced by 
a taijleBpooa ibll or milk in a dish of tea, and thjB 
circumBtance induced na to call it Milfc river. In 
the evening we had made twenty-seven miles, and 
encamped on the south. The tountry on that 
Bide eoneiats in general of high broken hilh, with 
much gray, btack and brown graoite scattered 
over the surface of the ground. At a little die- 
taiiCG Horn the river there ia no timber on either 
260 



dde, the wood being confined as below to the 
marg'in of tli» rivtT ; so that uttlese the tontrn-rj is 
particularly m^jjcioiied, it U always UDdt^r^tood 
that the upland 1b perfectly naked, and that ire 
consider the low grounds well tainber«i if even a 
fifth be covered with wood. The Hiid liquurite is 
found in t^fent ahandance ou these hillhi, aa is also 
iks white appl?. As uuual we are surrounded by 
bafialo, elk, common and blatktailed deer, ■beavep, 
antelopea and waives. We ahBerved a place where 
an Indian had recently taken the hsLr off an antC' 
lope's skiti, and some of the party thought they 
digtinguiahed imperfrctty some gnioke and Indian 
lodges ap Milk river, mftrks which we are by HO 
toeans deairoTis of realisiuj^, as the Indians are 
probably ABainiboina, and might ba very trouble- 
some. 

Tbnraday, 9tb.—W& a.^ain had a fovoHFable 
wind and sailed along very wWI. Between fout 
and flTe miles "we pa»Hed a large island in a deep 
head to the north, and a large eaadbar at the 
upper point. At fifteyn and s, quarter miles we 
reached tlie bed of a moat extraordinary river 
which preaente it8(?lf on the aouth : though ae wide 
aa the Missouri itself, that is about half a rniie, it 
does not discharge a drop of water and contains 
nothing but a Few standing poola. On ascending 
it three niilee we found an eminence flrom wbJcL 
we aaw tin) direction of the cliaanel, first south 
for ten or ten miles, then turning to the east of 
Boutheaat ae far aa Ve <;ould mxt it paases throug-h 
a wide valley without timber, and the suti-ound- 
ing country coneiats of waving low hilla inter- 
Bpensed with some hundaome level plains; the 
banka are abrupt and tonaist of a blacli or yellow 
clay, or of a rich sandy loam, but tiiough tixey do 
not rise more than eix or eight ffeet above the bed, 
381 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

they exhibit do appeoraiice of being overflowed: 
the b«d is eatirely coiupoeed of a liglit brown 
eand, the partlclea of wljich like those of the Mia- 
eouri are extremely fine. Like the dry riTere we 
pa«eed berore, thie eeemed to ha-Te discharged ita 
TOftters recently, but the watermark indicated that 
its gTes.t«et depth hud not been more than two 
fe«t : this etreaiQ, if it deeerve the name, we called 
Eigdry river, Abowt a mile below ia a large creek 
on the same aide, which ia also perftctly dry : the 
ndnetal «alta and quartz ate in large i^nantitiee 
near this neighbourhood. The eand of the Mis- 
souri fVom its mouth to thJB placp ha? bwn mixed 
with a subetance which we hud presumed to be & 
granulated talc, but whidi ie most probably this 
quartB. The game is now in great qBantities, 
particulnrly the elk and bufiaJo, which la^t ie so 
gentle that the men ftre obliged to drive them ont 
of the way with eticks and atones. The ravage^ 
of the beaver are very apparent: in one place the 
timber was entirely proetrated for a apace of three 
acreB in iVont on the river and one in depth, and 
great part of it removed, although the trees were 
in large quontitiefi, and gome of them aa thick as 
the body of a man. At the distance of twenty- 
four miles 'we encamped, a(fer ninldng twenty- 
£ve and a half milee, at the entrance of a BmaQ 
creek in a bend on the uorth, to which we 
gave the name of Werner'a creek after one of oar 
men. 

For eevei-ol days past the riv^ haa been aa wide 
as it generally is near its mouth, but a« it ie much 
shallower, crowded with sandhnra, and the colour 
of the water haa become much clearer, we do not 
yet despair of reaching the Rock mountaiuB, for 
which we are very anxiouB. 

Fridaj-, lOtb. — We had not proceeded more than 
263 



trp THE MISSOUBI. 



four and a quarter milea when the Tiolence of the 
winii forced ufl to halt for the day under some 
timber in &■ bend on the saath side. Th« ^vind 
coTi tinned hi^h, the clouds thick and black, and w« 
liad ft slight BprinltliDg of rain ^veral tiint>B in tb« 
eonree of the day. Shortly after our lauding a 
do^ came tii as, and as this induced ae to believe 
that we are near the hunting grounds of the Afh 
fflniboina, who ai^ a vicious ill-dieposed people, it 
was neceseary to be on our guard: vm th(<r«fora 
faspected our arms whith "vre found in good order, 
and aent eev«ral hunters to scour the country, but 
they returned ia the uTeuing ha%'ing Been no tents, 
nor any recent tracks of Indiana. Uilefi and im- 
postbumea are very common among tbe party, 
and sore eyes continue In & greater or less degree 
with all of uh; for the impoathnmeBi we uae emol- 
lient poultices, and apply to the eyee a aolutioQ of 
two graiae of white rttriol and one of Bugar of 
lead with one ounce of water. 

Saturday, 11th. — The wind blew very hard in. 
the night, but having abated this morning ^k^ 
went on very well, till in the afternoon the wind 
arose and retarded our progress; tlie current too 
was etroDg, the river very crooked, and the banks 
as usual eonatantly precipitatiDg' them&elvee in 
large masaea into the water. The highlands are 
broken and approach nearer the river than they 
do below. The soil however of hpth hills and low 
grounds appear a« fertile ae that fhrther down the 
river: it conelets of a bla«k loohlag loam with a 
small portion of Band, which cover the hilla and 
blufifa to the depth of twenty or thirty feet; and 
when thfO'Vrti in the water dieBOlves as readily aa 
loaf-Hugar, and effervesces like marl: there are 
aleo great appearanees of quartz and mineral 
ealta: the first is most eommonly seen in the f^es 
283 



LEWIS AMD CliABK'S EXTEDITTON 

of the blnffa, the second is found on the bills as 
well aa the low ^rounde, aiid m the allies which 
come down from the hills; it lie-in a crust of two 
or three inches in depth, and may be ewept up 
with a ftather in large quajitities. There ia no 
longer any appearance of coal, burnt earth or 
pumtcestone. Wc&uw and yieitcci Bome high IuUh 
OD the north side about three miles frnm the river, 
whose topB were covered with ths pitch-pine: thia 
is the first pine we have seen an the MiH^ouri, and 
it ia like that of Virginia, except that the leaves 
are aqntewhat longer; among this pin^ is also 9, 
dwarf cwiar, BOmetimaB between three or four feet 
high, but generally spreading itself like a vine 
along the Burfoce of the earth, which it covers 
very clOBCly, putting out roots from the under 
eide. The truit and amell resemliFe those of the 
common red cedar, but the leaf i^ flper and more 
delicate. The topB of the LIUb where theee plauta 
fjow have a eoil quite different from that just de- 
Bcrihedi the baeia of it ia usually yellow or white 
Eiay, and the general appearance light coloured, 
saiidj, and barren, some scattering tufts of eedge 
being almost itii on]y herba^, About five in the 
afternoon one of our men who had been afflicted 
with bilea, and eudered to walk ou shore, came 
nmning to the boats with loud cries and every 
symptom, of terror and distreas: for some tinke 
after v^e had takt^n him on board he was SO miich 
DUt of breath as to be unable to describe the cauHe 
of his anxiety, but he at length told ua that about 
a. mile and a half below he had ehot a brown bear 
which immediately turned and was in close pur- 
Bnit of him; but the bear being badly wounded 
could not overtake him. Captain Ijewia with 
eeven men irpmediu-tely went in search gf him, and 
haviag found hie track followed him by the blood 
2Si 




UP THE MISSOCm. 

for a mil^p and found him concealed in eorae thick 
brush wood, a,nd shot hiin with two b&Ha through 
the skull. Though somewhat smaller than that 
killed a (few dajB- ago, he was a mQn^trous atiimal 
and a- most terrible enemy : our man had shot him 
through the centre of the lunge, yet he had pur- 
aued Mm furioualy for half a. mile, then returned 
more than twice that distance, and with hta 
talODi^ had prepared himBelf a bed in the earth 
two feet deep and Ave feet long, and was perfectly 
alive when they found him, wtiicb was at least 
two hocrB after he received the wound, The won- 
derful power of life which these animals poBsesB 
reuderthetndreadfhl; their very trark in the mud 
or sand, which wo have i*ometitiies found eleven 
inches long and seven and a quarter ^vide, ex- 
clusive of the talonH, ija alarming'; tiu-d v^e had 
rather encounter two Indiana than meet a single 
brown bear. There is no chance of killing them, 
by a single shot untese the baU goea through the 
brains, and this is very difficult on account of two 
large mueclee which cover the Hide of the forehead, 
and the sharp projection of the centre of the 
frontal bon^e, "whicfi is also thick, Ovt encaipp- 
meat was on the sonth at the distance of sixteen 
mileB from that of last night; the fletice and skin 
of the bear were a heavy burden for two men, and 
the oi! amounted to eight gallons. 

Sunday, 12th. — The weather being clear and 
calm,, we set out early. Within a mile tps came to 
a amatl creek, about twenty yai-d« wide, emptying- 
itself on the south. At eleven and thrcu quarter 
miletj we reached a point of woodland on the 
eouth, opposite to which ia a creek of the same 
widtli as the lost, but with little water, which we 
called Pine creek. At eighteen and three quart*r 
miles we came tO On the ^outh oppo^t? to the 
2&5 



LEWIS AND CLAKK'S EXPEDITION 



lower point of a willow ialand, situated in a deep 
bend of the river to th* southeast: h*re we po- 
maioed during the da;, the wind having rieea at 
twelve BO Etigli that wecould not proceed; itcon- 
tinuei] to blow violently all night, with occasional 
sprinklings of rain from snnset till midniglit. On 
ijoth sidtie of the river the country ia rough aiiid 
broken, the low groiindB becoming narrower; the 
tops of the hills on tbe Dortb GxhibitBsatae scat- 
tered pine and c«dar, on the south the pine has 
Dot yet commenced, though there is some cedar on 
the sides of the hlUB and in the little ravines. The 
chofcecherry, the wild h^seop, wige, fleshj-leaJfed 
thorn, And particularly the aromatic herb on 
ivhich the antelope and harefted, are tO he found 
OH the plains and bills. The soil of the hille has 
now altered its texture coneiderably : their baBe«, 
like that of the rirer plains, Is as URual a rich, 
blact loam, while from the middle to the summits 
they ars composed of a Ught brOvra-COl oared 
earth, poor and sterile, and intermixed with s. 
eooree white sand. 

Monday, 13tb. — The wind was so strong that 
we could not proceed till about one o'clock, when 
we had to encounter a current rather stronger 
than naual. In the Course of a mile and a half we 
paHsed two HmaU creeka on the south, one of 
eighteen the other of thirty yards width, bwt 
neither of tbem containing any water, and en- 
camped on the eonth at a point of woodland, 
having made only seTeii miles. The country 1b 
much the aame as yesterday, with little timber in 
the low grounde, and a Bm^ll quantity of fiiue and 
cedar on the northern hitla. The river however 
continues to grow cleareTj and tltia as well aa the 
increaeed rapidity induces u^ to hope for eome 
change of country. The game is aa OBual ao abon- 
286 



"UP THE mtssoiirt; 

dant that we can get without dlMeiiltf ail that 
1b neceasary, 

Tuesdaj, 14th. — There was aome fog on the 
river thiH morning, which is a very rare qcflur- 
reuce. At tlie distance or » mile and a half we 
reached an island in a bead on the north, wltich 
contitiaed tor abont half a mile, when at the head 
of it a large creefe comes in on the north, to which 
We gavt the name of Gibeons treek. At sevea 
and a half miles is a [KiiDt of rocks on the sonth, 
nboT9 a- creet qn the game side, "which we vailed 
Sticklod^ creek: fire mUes further is a large ereek 
OB the sooth, which like the two othera has ao 
mnniog water; and at slsteea and a half miles a 
timbered point on the north, where we encamped 
for the bight. The country is like that of yeater- 
day, except that the low grounds are wider : there 
are aleo many big'h bts^k blufis along the bojika : 
the game too iB In great abundance. Towards 
Bvening the men in the hindmost canoes discovered 
a large brown bear lying in the opengrounds, 
about three hundred paces from the rirer: six of 
them, all good hnnters, immediately went to at- 
tack hjm, and eoucealing themaelves by a gmall 
eminence came uuperceiyed within forty paces of 
him: four of the huDteni now fired, and each 
lodged a ball in hlB body, two of them directly 
through the Innge: the tbrioua animal sprung up 
and raji opeumouthed upon them; as he came 
neaF] the two hunters who had reserved their fire 
gave him two wounds, one of which breaking hia 
ehoulder retarded hiet motion for a moment; bat 
before they could reload he was so near that they 
were obliged to run to the river, and before they 
reached it he had almost overtaken them: two 
jomped into the canoe ; the other four separated, 
and concealing themselves in the willows fired as 
287 



f^«t as each egald reload ; thej struck bim Beverol 
tiiciee, but instead of weakening the moneter each 
allot Beeitiefl onlj to direct him towarde the 
hunter, till nt laet he puraued two of them so 
cloBely, that they threTv aside their gTine and 
pouches, asd jumped down ft perpendicular bank 
of twenty feet into the rirer ; the bear sprang after 
them, and w^s within afew f«etofthehiiidnioat, 
when one of the hunters on abore shot him in the 
bead and fiually killed him: they dragged him to 
the shore, and found that eight halls had poe^c^d 
through him in different directions; the bear was 
old and the meat tough, eo that they took the 
ekin only, and rejoined ua at camp, "where we bad. 
been aa much terriiiiid by an aceideut ofa difierent 
kind. This wae the narrow escape of one of our 
canoea eontaining all our papera, inHtrumenta, 
medicine, and alnioat every article indispenaabia 
for the HQccees Of our enterprise. The canoe being 
under sail, a sudden squal] of wind struck her 
obliqaejy, and turned her coniaderably. Themaa. 
at the helm, who waa unluckily the Avorat Bteere- 
man of the party, became alarmed, and mBtead of 
putting her before the wind luffed her up into it. 
The wind wae so hifrh that it forced the brace 
of the equareeail out ofibe haod of the man who 
was attending it, and imitantly uppet the canoe, 
which would hare been turned bottom upwards 
but for the reeiBtance made by the awning. Such 
was the confuHioa on board, and tlie ware« ran 
eo high, that it wn* half a minute before she 
righted, and then nearly full of wat-er, but by 
baling out aUe wag kept from Binking uutdl they 
rowed aehore : besidee the Ioh^ of the Uveti of three 
men who not htdng- able to awim would probably 
haye pCTiehed, we should have been deprived of 
nearly every thing neceBBary for onrpnrpoaea, at 
2S8 



A distance of between two and three thouBaod 
mileii ft-oni any place wljere we eould suppij? the 
deficiency. 

We(Ine/i<1ay IK — Aa aooa as a slight ahower of 
rAin hod posBedj we epread out the a.rticleB to 
dry; but the weath^ was eo damp and cloudy 
that they derived Uttle benefit from eipoBijre, 
Our huqters procured u« deer, buffblo, and 
teaver. 

Thursday Jtf, — The morniDg was fair and we 
were enabled to dry and repack our Btorea; the 
lose we euataltK^ i» chktly in the ueditiuee, tnaay 
Articlea of which are completely spoiled, and 
others conisiderably injured. At four o'clock we 
embarked, and a&jsr making seren miles encamped 
OB the north sear eome wood ; the coantry on 
both sides is broken, the low grounds narruver 
and with lees timber, though there are Rome ecatr 
tered pine and cedar on the ateep decliritiee of the 
hills, whii'h are now higher than usual, A ivhite 
bear tore the coat of one of the men which he had 
Iflfl on shore; and two of the party wouuded a 
lar^ panther who waa jeasting on a deer. We 
caught some lean antelopea as they were swim- 
ming the river, and killed two biiii&,lo. 

Friday 17. — We set out early and proceeded qn 
very well; the banks being pcni and the eliore 
bold we were enabled to use the towhne, which, 
whenever the banliu will permit it, ia the safest 
and most expeditious mode of adcutiding the river, 
except under a sail with a steady breeze. At the 
distance of ten and a half mllea we came to the 
mouth of a Binall creek on the eouth, helow whiqh 
the hills approach thu river, imd coutinue near it 
during the day: three miles further is a large crt^ek 
on the north, and ag:uin six and three quarter 
mileB beyond it, another larg;e creek to the south, 
Vol. l.—Vd Si89 



LEWIS AM> GL\»K'a EXPEDITION 

w'fiicb coDtaia a small quantity of nutaing water 
of a brackiflh taate. The laat we called Rattle- 
anake creek ftom our seeing that animal near it. 
Although no timber can be obem-ed on it from 
tte Missouri, it throws out large quantities of 
driftwooiJ, among which w*r* Bome pieeea of coal 
broQgtt down by the atream. We continued oa 
oue mile and a quarter, and encamped on the 
Boutli after making twenty and a hall' miles. The 
country in general ia rugged, the hills high, with 
their eammita and sid^s partially covered with 
piae and cMar, and theer baaea on both sideB 
washed by the river: like thoB<j already mentioned 
the lower part of these hillB i^ a dark rich loam, 
while the upper region for one hundred and fifty 
(feetconaietBof a whitish brown sand, ao hard as 
in many places to resemble stonCj though In fact 
very Uttle stone or rook of any kind i§ to b* 6Kn 
on the hills. The bed of the Misfiauii is much 
narrower than usual, being not more than be- 
tween two and three hundred yards in width, 
with an uncommonly large proportion of gravel; 
but the sandbare, and low points covered with 
willows have almost entirely disappeared: the 
timber oa the river consists of scarcely any thing 
more than a&w scattered cottonwood trees. The 
■aline incrustations alon^ the banks and the foot 
of the hillB are more abundant than usual. The 
game is in great quantities, but the huflalo are 
nob BO numerouH Ae they ^vere some days ago: 
two rattlesnakes were ^eeu to-day, and one of 
them killed: it resembles those of tbe middle 
Atlantic states, being about two l^t bix incbee 
long, of a yettowish brown on the back and sidea. 
yariegated with a row of oval dark brown spots 
lying traneverHely on the htuek from the neck t» 
the tail, and two other rows of circuEar spots iJf 
290 



TIP THE MISSOnM. 



the Bame colonr on the aidtiB along the edge of the 
scuta: there are one hundred and Bevent^-nx 
6cutfv on the belly, and Beventeen on the tail. 
Ca-ptain Clark saw !□ his ^xtureioiiB a fortified 
Indian camp which appeared to have b&enrecentlj 
occupied, aud wae, we presumed, made by a party 
of Miniietarefie "who went to war lant Alapch. 

Late at night we were roused hy the aergoant 
of the guard in consequence of a Are Tvfaich had 
communicated to a tree overhanging our camp. 
The wind wa« so high, that we had not removed 
the CAinp rnore ths,n a, few minutea wh^n a large 
part oi' the tree foil precisely oa the spot it had 
occupied, and wouM have cm»bed uh if we hod 
not been alarmed in time. 

Satai^itj' 1^, — The -wind continued high from 
the west, but by nieana of the toirUne we "were 
able to make nineteen mileH, the ^andbarH being 
Eoiv few in mjmber, the river narrow and the 
curreut gi^ntle; the willow has in a great measure 
disappeared, and even the cottonwood^ aJmoatthe 
only timber remaining, is growing acarce. At 
twelve and three quarter miles we came to a credit 
on the norths which was perffectly drj. We en 
camped on the aouth opposite the lower point of 
au island. 

Sunday JS. — The last night waa disagreeably 
cold ; and in the mormng there was a very heavy 
fog which obscured the river 60 much aa to pre- 
vent our seeing the way, Ttiis is the first fog of 
any degree of thickneBH which we have experi- 
enced : there waa also last ereniog a ibll of dew, 
the Beeond which we have eeen since entering thia 
extenHive open country. About eight o'clock the 
fog dispersed, and we proceeded with the aid of 
the toivline: the island near which -we were en- 
eamped, was three quarters of a mile in lenstt. 
291 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



The country resemblee that of >'e8terdaj, high hills 
closely bordering the river, In the aib?rnooii the 
river becitme i!rooked, and contained more aaw- 
yers or floatiDE timber than we have seen in the 
same space since leaving the Platte. Out g:Bjne 
couMsted of deer, beaver, and elk: vre aleo killed 
» brOTTn betir, ivbo, although shgt through the 
heart, ran at his ueunl pace D&arly a quarter of a 
nule before he ftU. At twentj-one mi]e» is a wil- 
low inland Haifa mile in length, ou the noith aide^ 
a quarter of a mile beyond which is a ehoal of 
rapid water under a bluffr the "wat^r continued 
Tery strong for eome distance beyond it : at half a 
mile we came to a eaudbar o« the uorth, ftom. 
■which to our place of eneanipment wae another 
half mile, making in all twenty-two and a qnarter 
mileB. The eaUoe HnbijtanceB which we hare meii' 
tiotied tontinue to appear; and the men are much 
afflicted with sore cyee and imposthuraes. 

Monday ^0. — Ae usua] we set out early, and the 
tiaokfl being couYenient for that purpose, we UBed 
the towline: the river is narrow aud crooked, the 
water rapid, and the countcy niiicli like that of 
yesterday: at the distance nf two and a quarter 
mile-s we paseed d, large Creek with hut little 
water, to which we gave thu name of I'lowiiigfty 
creek, from the quantity of thoss inwcte found in 
its neighbourhood. They are extremely trouble- 
Bome, infesting our meat whilst couldng and M 
our meals. After making seven uuIcb ws reached 
by eleven O'clock the month of a large river on the 
Bonth, and encamped for the day at the upper 
poiut of ita junction with the Miaisonri. This 
Btrvani which we Buppose to be that called by the 
Minnetnrees the Mnacleshell river, empties into the 
Missouri two thouaimd tiro hundred aud Hevecty 
mil«g above the mouth of the latter river, and in 
292 



TIP THE MISSOTIET. 



Ifttitui3e il" 0' 24' 6 north. It ia one bundrfsJ 
and ten jardB wid<j, and contaiiis more water 
than streams of that eize UBtiallj" do in this tonn- 
try; ita current is by no means rapid, and there ia 
fiveTj llppearlmcc of its being susceptible of navi- 
gatioa by cauoeH for el congiderable distance; its 
bed 19 chiefly formed of coarae sand and graye-l, 
with an ncca^Eonal luixture of black mud; the 
banks abrupt and nearly twelve i^t high, ho that 
thfcy are aecurts from being overflowed : the water 
ie of a gresniah jellow i^aet and much more trana- 
parent ttian tliat of the Miiwotir!, which itself, 
tliough clwirer than below, BtJll retains itti whitiBh 
hue and a portion of ita eedtment. Oppoeite to 
the point of junction tho current of the Mieeouri is 
genttCj and two hundred and twenty-two jbltAh in 
width, the hfd priticipallj of nmd (the little sand 
temaining being ^pholly confined to the points) 
and still too deep to uge the settingp'^'^' I^ thia 
hti, afiweBuppOBe, the Muecleehell, oar Indian in- 
formation IB, that it riupB in the first chain of tlie 
lioeky luoutitainB not for from the Bourcea of the 
TellowBtone, whence in its course to thia place it 
waters a high broken country, well timbered par- 
ticularly on its borders, and intersperatd with 
haudftome fertile plaina and meadows. W> bay* 
reason, however, to b<iliev«, from their giving a 
idmilar account of tha timber where we now are, 
that the timber of which they apeair is similar to 
that which we have seen for a few days past, 
which coneiste of nothing more than a few strag- 
gling small pin^aqd dwarf cedar, qn the Bummita 
of the hills, niae- tenths of the ground being totally 
destitute of wood, and covered with ashort grass, 
aromatic herba, and an immense quantity of 
prickly pears : though the party who eiplored it 
for eight miles represented Iciw grOouda on. ths 



LEWIS AJTD CLARE'S EXPEDITION 

rirer as well enpplied Trttli cottonwood of b 
tolerable eiae, a-nd of cd excellent soil. Tbey also 
reported that tbe country is brokea and irregular 
like that near our CEimp; that about fire mileq 
ap n b)(nd«ome rirer about fifty yards wide, which 
WB named after Chaboueau'B wife, Sahcaj&hweaJi, 
or Bird woman's river, discharges itfielf into the 
MnBEltshell on the north or iipiwr Hide. Another 
party found at the foot of the BOuthem hills, 
about four miles from the Mieaouri, a fine bold 
Bpring, which in this country i^ bo rare that since 
yre left th? MandauB we liave found ouly one of a 
Bimilar kind, and that was under the bluffs on the 
Bouth mde of the Mieeouri, at «ome distance trom 
itr and about five miles below the Tellowatone; 
Trith this esception all the small fountaiflB of 
■wtdch we have met a number are impregnated 
with the aftlte which, are so s.baadant here, and 
with which the MiBsouri ia itself most probably 
tainted, though to us who have been bo much ac- 
customed to it, the taste is not perceptible. 
Among the game to-day we observed two large 
Owla, with remarkably long feathers resembling 
ears on the sides of the head, which we presume 
are the booting owls, tboag^h they are larger and 
their colourB are brighter thaa tboBe common in 
the United States. 

Tnesdajr 51.— The morning being very fine we 
were able to employ the rope, and made twenty 
■ miles to our camp on the n'prth. Tbe shores of 
the' river are abrupt, bold and -coinposed of a 
black and yellow clay, the bare being formed of 
black mud, and a small proportion of fine sand; 
the current strong. Ia ita eouree the MisBoari 
makeB a eudd^n and eitenaive bend towarda the 
south, to receive the waters Of the MuBcleehell. 
The neck of land thus formed, though itaelf high 

as4 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

Is lower than the Harrounding countrj, and makea 
a waving vaSiey eatendiiig for a great distaoee to 
the northward, with a fiirtile soil which, though 
without wood, produces a line turf of low grai*8, 
Bome herba and. vSMt qiiflntitieB of prickly pear. 
The country on. the south i» high, broken, and 
crowaed with some pine ftod dwittf cedar; the leaf 
of this pine ia longer thaa that of the common 
pitch OF red pine of Tirginia, the cone in longrer 
and naiTOwerj the imbrications wider and thicker, 
and the whole frequeatlj covered i*ith t-oain. 
During the whole day the bends of the rirer are 
short and eudd«n; and the points covered with 
Bome Cottonwood, large or broad leaved willow, 
and a BmEtll quantity of redwood; the under- 
growth consiHting of wild ro&ee, and the bushes of 
the small faoaeyDiickle. 

The mineral appearAncee on tbe river ore as 
neual. We do not find the grouse or prajrie hen 
BO abundant as below, aud think it probable that 
they retire {>Dm the river to the plains during thla 
Beoson. 

The wind had been moderate during the fore 
part of the day, but continued to rise towards 
evening, and about dark veered to northwest, and 
biew a storm all night. We had encamped on a 
bar on the north, oppoeite the lower point of an 
ielaudj which from thiu circunLatance ^we called 
Wiady island ; but we were ao annoyed by clonds 
of duHt and aand that we could neither eat nor 
sleep, and were forced to remove our camp at 
eight o'clock to the foot of an adjoining hill, 
which shielded un in Bocue degree &om the wind: 
we procured elk, deer, and bu^alo. 

Wednesday ^2. — The wind blew ao violently that 
it was deemed prudent to wait till it had abated, 
*3 that we did not leave the camp till ten o'clock, 
295 



LEWIB AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



■when we proceeded principally by the towline. 
We passed Windy baland which i* about three 
quarters of a milo in length; and five and a half 
pijlea above it a- larg;« island in a bend to ths 
north: three miies beyond thtfl we came to the 
entrance of a creek twenty yards wide, though 
with little water, which we called Grouae creek, 
from observing near ita mooth a quantity of the 
prflirie hen with pointed taila, the first -we h&ve 
Been in audi numbers for several days: the low 
grounds are eomewtat wider than usaal and 
apparently fertile, though the short and Hcanty 
grase on the hills does not indicate much rLchnesa 
of soil. The country around ie not bo broken as 
that of yeaterday, but ie still waving, the eouthem 
hills possessing mare pine than iiE^uai, and some 
ttppi^aring on. the northern hills, "which are accoin- 
panied by the UBua] salt aud mineral appearances. 
The river contLntieB about two hundred and fifty 
yarda wide, with fewer sandbarB, and the current 
more gentle and regular. Game is no longer in 
such abundance, aincft leaving' the MusCleabell. We 
have caught very ft w fleh on this side of the Man- 
danSj anij thes« were the white catiieh of two to 
five pounds. We killed a deer and a hear : w^e have 
not eeeu in tins Quarter the black bear, common 
in the United States and on the lower parta of the 
Mii^ouri, nor have we discerned any of their 
traclts, wMch may easily be distinguished by the 
ehortMSB of its t-nlons Erom the bro"vvn. grizzly, or 
white bear, all of which seem to be of the eame 
fkmily, whiGh agBumeB those colourt) at different 
eeasona of the year. We halted earlier than ueual, 
and encamped on the north, in a point of woods, 
4t the distance of aixteen and a half miles. 



39S 



1 




TIP THE MieSOOM. 



CHAPTER IX. 

13m portr wn'.lDUfi ilielr routij—iHacrlpUim ot Jndltli rlTer— 
Indlait luofte of UiEtlnfr toft buffaJo— Slaoghtef riTer deactibed 
— PbenomuniL at naturu — i>r walls on Uie banlcs o( tb^ Mlinoiiri 
— Tbe ixuiy encuni) do Ebe beals <>[ Um rlfcr la BswrUla 
vblcb ol tibe streams ccnttltute tbe MiA<!i:iiul— C&pta.ln Lewis 
lesvL-g thD party to tJtplorB the northern fork, bdA taptoln 
ClarK P»p|ores ISp BoulJiern — Tfia aifTtiun fling (^ouqtry fle- 
sca-lb«d in tb« route ul ca^LalD LevlB— Narrow eacape of wte 
ol his paitr. 

ThnTKiJay 2S. — Last night the froHt was severe, 
and this tnomitig thfc ice appefifed along the edges 
of the rivflr, and the water ftoze on our oars. At 
the distuBPe of a. mile we patsewi the eqtrance of & 
creek on the north, which wei Dumed Teapot creeh ; 
it IB fifteen yards wide, and although it haa ncn- 
nliig water at a small distance iVom Ite mouthy 
yet it dischargea none into the Mieaouri, reeem- 
bling, ^Fe believe, most of the crcehB in this hilly 
country, the waters of whiuh are absorbed by the 
thirety soil near th* river. They indeed aSbrd but 
little water En any part, and even that is ho 
atrongly tainted with ealta that it ia unfit for use, 
though all tte wild animals are Tery (bud of it. 
On extveriniMit it was found to be moderately 
purgative, but painful to the inteetinea in its 
operation, Thie <rreek aeemg to come fronia range 
of low hilia, which run ftoni east to west for 
seventy mile&, and have their eaBtern estremity 
thirty milea to the north of Teapot creek. Just 
above its entrance ia a large aaeemblage of the 
hurrowing' aq^uirrela on the north side of the river. 
At nine miles we reached the upper point of on. 
island Lu a bend on the south, and opposite the 
297 



LEWia AND CLiEK'S ESPEDITIOI^ 



centre of the island, a amoll dry creek on the 
Udrth. Half 111 laile furtier a email creek falls in 
on the game eide ; and isix and a hulf Diilea beygnd 
this another on the aovitli. At four flad a half we 
passed a small i&land in a d&ep bend to the north, 
and on the same Eude in a deep northeaBtern bend 
of the river another Braall island. None of these 
creeks however poaMssed anj water, and at the 
entranceji of the islands, the two firet are covered 
with ta,U tottopwood timber, and tbe last with 
willowB only. The river hag beuome more rapid, 
the country much the same ae yeaterday, except 
that there m rather more rocks on the face of the 
hills, and some gmall f^pnice pine appears among 
the pitch. The wild roses are very abundant and 
now in bloom ; they differ from thoee of the United 
States ODly in having the leaves and the bush it- 
self of a eomewhat emaller aze. We find the mos- 
quitoes troubleaonie, not-withstanding the cool^ 
neas of the morning. The buffalo is scarce to-daj, 
but the elk, deer^ and antelope, are very numerouB, 
The geese begin to lose the feathers of the wingg^ 
&qd are unable to fly. We saw five bears, one of 
which we wounded, but in ewimmiug A-om na 
BcroBH the river, he became entangled in some-. 
drifCwood and sank. Vi'e formed our camp on the 
north opposite to a hill and a point of wood in. 
b bend to the south, having made twentj-eeven. 
miles. 

Friday 24. — The water in the kettles frow one- 
eighth of an inch daring the ni^ht ; the ice appears 
along the margin of the river, and the cotton- 
wood trees which have lost nearly all their leaves 
by the frost, are putting forth other buds. We 
proceeded ^^ith the Cine principally till about nine 
o'clock, when a fine breeze eprung np from the 
S. K. and enabled ud to Bail very well, notwith- 
^88 



TTP THE MIBSOUBL 



etanding the rapidity ofthe current. At one mile 
and a, hairie A. lar^ £r^k tliirty y arda wide, and 
containing Bome water which it empties on the 
north ride, over a gravelly bed, iatermixed with 
eocie Btone. A mini who was sent up to explore 
the country returned in the evening, after having 
gone ten miles directly towards the ridge of moun- 
tains to the nort)i, wliich ia the source ofttiidaa 
well as of Teapot creek. The air of these high- 
lands IB BD pure, that objectB appear mvi-eh n*-arer 
than tliey really are, eo that although our man 
went ten mileB without tbiuking himeeir by any 
means half way to the mountains, they do not 
ftom the river appear more than fifteen miles 
distaat ; this B^eatn we called Northmounfcaia 
creek. Two and a. half mileB higher ia a creek on 
the eonth which i« fifteen yards wide, but with- 
out any water, and to wliich we gave the name 
■of Littledog ereekj from a village of burrowing 
Bquirrels oppotdte to its entranee, that being the 
name given by the JJYench watermen to those 
ajiimaU. Tlirefi miles from this a email creek 
■enters on the north., five beyond whtch is an 
ialand a quarter of a. mile lu length, and two 
miles further a small riYer: this falls in on th« 
south, IB forty yards wide, and dLBcbargpa a baud- 
some stream of wat*r; its bed rocky with gravel 
and sand, and the bauke high : we called it South- 
mountain ereekj as from its direction it seemed to 
rise in a range of mountainft about fifty or sixty 
milea to the S. W. of ita eiitrancB. The low 
grouiida are narrow and without timber; the 
country high and broken ; a large portion of biaofe 
rock, and brown sandy rocl; appears in the fate of 
the hills, the tops of which are covered with scat- 
tered pine, spruce and dwarf cedar; the eojl ia 
^aerally poor, aandy near the topB of the Mjia, 
259 



LEWIS AKD CLABK'S EXPEDITION 



sjid nowhere producing much grasB, the low 
gjoTinda beinij covered with little else thaii the 
hyaaop, or Bouthern wood, and the pulpy-leafed 
thorn. Game La more acare-e, particularly beaver, 
of which we have eeeii but ftw for several dayg, 
and the abundance gr scarcity of which aeema to 
depend on the greater or leys quantity of timber. 
At twenty-four end a half milEa we reached a 
point of woodland on the Eouth, where we ob- 
served that tho trees had no leaves, and encamped 
for the night. The hiyh country through which 
we have passed for e.ome days, and where we DOW 
are, we auppu«e to be a coatiDaatioii of what tLe 
French traders called the Cot« Koire or Black 
hUlH. Tha couatry thuB deiiomiuated coneists of 
high broken irregrjlar hilla and edort ebaina of 
mountaias, sOmetimea one hundred and twenty 
miles in wdth, sometimes narrqTver, but alwaya 
much higher than the conntrj on either Bide. 
They commeoce about the head of the Kanzae, 
where thfty diverge; the firet ridge going west- 
ward, along the northern ehore of the Arkanaaw; 
tihe Bee Dd apprcachea the E ock ntountaiiLB 
obliquely in a course a little to the W. of N'. W. 
and after pagsiug the Platte above its forks, and 
interaecttDg the Tcllowetone near the I^tighend, 
crosaea the Missouri at thia place, and probably 
Bwell the country an far as tlie Saekaahawan, 
though aa they are represented much aniallcr here 
than to the aouth, they may not reach that river, 
Saturday, ,?5tJj.— Two canoeB which were left 
behind yesterday to brinj^ ou the ^&inG, did not 
join us till eight o'clock thiii morning, when we 
Bet out with the towline, the use of which the 
banks permitted. The wind was, however, ahead, 
the current Btrong, particularly round the pointe 
agoiuBt wMch it happened to aet, and the guUiea 
200 



UP THE MISSOORI. 



from the hilla haTing brought down quantities of 
BtOng, these projected int'O the riTer, forming- bar- 
Herg for forty or fifty feet round, which it wa« 
Tery difficult to pss». At the distance oftwo and 
three quarter milea w« paeeed a Hiuall island in a 
deep bend on the Bouth, and on the Bame eide a 
creek twenty jarda wide, Iriit -mth no running 
%?ater. About a mile further is an ietatid between 
two and three miles in length, separated ftom the 
northern ehore by a oarrow cbtuinel, in wUichia 
& sand ielaad at the distance of half a mile fVom 
its lower extremity. To thia large ialaad we gave 
the name of Teapot ialand ; two milea above -which. 
ie an i»lci.tid a mile long, and situated on the 
south. At three and a half miles is another small 
island, and one mile- beyond it a second thrw 
quarters of a mile io length, on the north side. 
In the middle of the river two tniles above this ia 
on Island with no timber, and of the same extent 
aa this last. The conntry on each side is high, 
broken, and rocky; tht rOCk beihg either a aofl 
brown Bandstoae, covered -with a thin stratum of 
iimeetone, or else a hard blayk rugged granite, 
both usually in horizontal stratae, and the sand- 
rock overlaying the other. Salte and quartz as 
-well as some coal and puniiceHtone still appear: 
the bars of the river arc compoacd principally of 
gravel; the river low grounds are narroiv, and 
afibrd scarcely any timber; nor is there much pine 
on the hills. The buffalo have now become 
Bcarce : we buw a polecat this evening, which waa 
the first fnr eeveral days : in the course of the day 
we also aaw several herds of the tiLg-horTied aui- 
maU itmong the steep cliffH on the north, and 
killed several of them. At the distance of eighteon 
luileH "n'e eocaniped on. the south, and the next 
morning, 

SOI 



LEWIS AND CLARK'6 EXPEDITION 

Sand&y, 26th, praceeded on at aa early hour hj 
nteanB of the tovrUne^ aMiig oar oars merely i& 

pasein^ tbe river, to lake advanCdg^ of the beet 
Itanks. Tbere are now Bcarceljr anj low groiuKls 
on the river, tte hill* Iwing hjg-h and ia maiij 
places presaiiig on both radee to the verge of tba 
water, Tbe blai^k rock ha« ^rea plaw to a rerjr 
aoft eandHtone, which eeeme to be traahed away 
feflt bj the river, and being throwB into the river 
renders its navigation more difficult than it waa 
yesterdi-y: above this sandstone, a^nd t^iward^ the 
enmmitfl of xbe hilU, a hard freeet-oae of a yellow- 
iah brown colour Bhows iteelf in eeversl Btrataa of 
noeEiual tiuckneas, tretjuently overiaid or incrusted 
by a thin stratnin oriimestone, which seems to be 
formed of Concreted ehells. At eight abd aQnarter 
milee we came to the mouth of a creek on the 
Dorthj thirty yards wide, with eome ruantng 
water and a rocky bed: we called it Wiodeor 
creek, after one of the party. Four and three- 
quarter milefl beyond thin we came to another 
creek in a bend to the norths which is twenty 
yards wide, w^ith a handeome tittle etream of 
water ; there is however no timber on either aide 
of the river except a- l^w piae« on the hille. Here 
we aftw for the first time since we left the iAsM- 
dana H!veral soft ehelied turtles, though thie may 
be owing rather to the Beason of the year than to 
any scarcity of the animal. It was here that alter- 
Aecendiujo; the highest eummite of the hilla on the 
north side of the river, that captain LeitiB first 
canght a distaut >1ew of the Hock mountaiua, the 
object of all our hopes, and the reward of all oar 
ambition. On both Bidce of the river and at no 
great dietance from it, the mountains followed its 
Courjse : above these, at the distance Of fifty milSH 
&om UB, a^ irregutar range uf mountains spread 

soa 



trP THE MISSOURI. 



themaelvea from west to northwest from Mb posi- 
tion. To the north ofthese a few elevated pointe, 
the moHt remarkable of which bore north fi5' 
treet, appeared a.buTe th6 hofizoa, atld Oa the euH 
flh^ne an the BDOwe of their BummitB be obtained 
a dear aad Batiefectory ti&w of thoee mountains 
which close on th^ MiB&ourl the passage to the 
Paclflc. Four and & half milea beyond this creek 
we eanje to the upper point of a Btnall sand 
ieland. At the distance of five miiee between high 
blufik, we paaaed & Terj flifficult rapid, reaching 
quite acrose the river, wher* the water ih deep, the 
channel narrow, and gravel obetnicting it on each 
Bide: we had great difficulty in ascending it, al- 
though we ueed both the rope and the pole, and 
doubled the crewH : this ia the moet considerable 
rapid on the itiaeouri, and in fact the oidj place 
where there is a Buddcn descent: aa we ivere 
labouring oTer tiem, a female elk with itg fawu 
swam down through the waTea, which ran Tery 
Ugh, oud obtained for the place the name of the 
Elk Rapids. Just above them ia a email low 
ground of cottonwood trees, where at twenty- 
two and a i^uartfi]' mlle^ wa &xed our encamp* 
ntent, and were joined by captain Lewis, who had 
been on the hilU during the afternoon. 

The country has aow become deaert and bar- 
ren: the appearuncea of coal, burnt earth, pumiee- 
«tone, Balte, and quartz^ continue ae yesterday- 
but there is no timber except the thinly scattered 
pine and apruce on the auniinita of the hilla, oi- 
along the etdee, Tlie only animals we hare ob- 
seryed are the elk, the bighorn, and the bare, com- 
mon in this country. In the plain where we lie 
are two Indian cabins made of sticke, and during 
the last few days we have passed several otliers 
in the points of timber on the river. 
303 



L'EWTS AND CLABK'B ESPEDITTON 

Monds-y, 37. — The wind was bo high that we 
did not etart till ten o'clock, and even then were 
obliged to use the line during tte grcat*^r part of 
"the day. The riv^r hae become very rapid with a 
Tery perceptible deeceut: ita general width iB 
about two hundred yards: tlie h1ioq.Ib too are 
more frequent, and the rocky pointB at the month 
of the guiUea more troublesome to paes: great 
qoantities of tliia Htoiie lie iii tbiJ river and on its 
banks, and aeeui to have fallen down as tlie raia 
va«bed away the clay and sand in whicU they / 
were imbedded. The water la bordered by high 
rugged bin QH,t:unipoued ofirrvgular but horizontal 
Btratai^ of yellow and brown or black tlay, brown 
and yellowteh wiite sand, soft yellowish white 
sandatone: bard dark brow^n freeetooe; and alM> 
large roand kidney formed irregular separ- 
ate maee^s of a bard black ironetone, im- 
bedded in the clay and Baud; some coal or 
carbonated wood also makes its apjtearauce 
in the cliffs, as do aluo its uyual attendants 
the pamiccutone and burnt r^rtb. The salta 
and quartz are Ivss abundaut, and generally 
Speaking the country is if poseible more rug- 
ged aud barren thaa that we paseed yeuterday ; 
the only growtJi of the hillii being a Jfew piae, 
aprnce, and dwarf cedar, intersperBed with an oc- 
casional contrast once in the {^ouree of some milefl, 
of aeveral acres of level gtouad, -ft-iiith supply a 
scanty subsiattince £i:>r a few little cottonwood 
trees. 

Soon after Betting out we paseed a small antdm- 
bered iBtand on tlie south ; at about seven miles 
we reached a conBiderabte bend which the river 
xnakee towards the southeast, aud in the eveiung, 
afber making twelve and a half miles, encamped 
QD the south near two dead cQttonwood trees, th» 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



onlj timber for f\iel whicli we could discover Iq tha 
Dnghboarliood. 

Tae^siia;}', S8. — The weather waa dark and 
clondy ; the air amotj, and there ftll a ft w drop^ 
df rftin. At ten o'clocic w^e had again a eligbb 
Bprinkling- of rairij attended n-ith distant thaniJer, 
which VH tbe Oret we have heard Biot^e leaving the 
Mandana. We employed the line genep«lly, with 
the addition of the pole at the ripplea and rockj 
pointB, which we find more numeroiiB and trouble- 
some than those we poHsed yteterday. The water 
is very rapid roand these points, and we are 
SOmetiniea obliged to Ht«er tho canoev- tbrPUgb tbe 
points of sharp rockB riBiag a fe'w inches above tfae^ 
enrfaee of the water, and eo near to each other 
that it our ropes give way the force of the cur- >^ 
rent drivea the aides of the canoe ag^ainet them, 
and tauBt ifievitably npset them or daah them to 
pieces. TUeHe corde are very elender, tMiing almost 
all made of elk-skin, and much worn aad rotted 
by expoaare to the weather: several timee they 
gave way, bat fortnnately always in plaeee where- 
there was room for the canoe to tnrn without 
striking the rock ; yet with all oar precaationB it 
Was trith infinite risk and labour that we paesed. 
theae pointe- Aji Indian pole for hvilding boated 
down the river, and waa worn at one end as if 
drag^^ along the ground in traveltingi several 
other articlea were also brought dowa by the cur- 
rent, whieb indicate that the Indians are probably 
a.t no great distance above ue, and judging from, 
a football which resemblea those used by the Min- 
netareea near the Mandane, w^ conj^ture thati- 
they must be a baud of the JllinnetareeB effort de 
Prairie. The appefirance of the river and the sur- 
rounding country continued as usual, till towarda 
evening, at about fifEeen miles, we reached a lar^ 



Vol. I.— 20 



305 



LEWIS AXD CLAEKS EXPEDITION 



creek on the nortli thirty-five j^arda wide, dl&* 
char^Dg BOme Ti^ater, fuid nam^ ait«r one of our 
men Thompson's creek. Here the country aa- 
Biiined a totally difiiTent aapeet; the hille retired 
oa hoth sides tVom the river which now apreada 
to more than three timefl its fortnei" siae, and la 
filled with a number uf Bm&ll huDdBOine ielandg 
covered with cottonwood. The low grnundg on 
the river are agaia wide, fertile, and enriclied with 
trees; those on the oorth are particularly wide, 
the hillB being comparatiTely low and opening 
into three large valliee, which extend themaelyee 
for a conniderahle distance towards the north: 
these appearancea of vegetation are delig'htful 
after the dreary hills over which w^e have pureed, 
and we have now to congratulate oarselves at 
having: escaped from the laet ridn^e uf the Black 
mountainB. On leaving Thompeon's creek we 
paaaed two small ialands, and at twenty-three 
miles difitatit^e eticamptid among ^otne timber on 
the north, opposite to a. email creek, which we 
named Pnll creek. The bigliorn in m grta-t quanti- 
tiefi, and muBt bring forth tlieir young at a very 
early season, oh they are now hali" grown. One of 
the party saw a large bear also, fmt being at a 
dietance from the river, and having no timber to 
conce&l hinir he Would uOt venture to fire. 

Wsdnesdsjr, 2!i. — Last night we were alarmed 
by e, new sort of eu^my. A buffftlo ewam over 
from the opposite aide and to tie epot where lay 
one of our canoes, over which he clambered to the 
Hhore; then taking fright he ran full speed np the 
bank towards oiip fltws, and pa-s&ed within eigh- 
teen inches of the beads of norae of the men, before 
the sentinel could make him change hia coiir^er 
Btlll more alarmed he ran down between four Area 
and within a few inches of the headfi of a eecoad 

Boe 



Ci" THE MISSOUBI. 



row of the men, ami tvduld have broken into our 
lodge if the barking of the dog had not atopped 
him. He sudclenly turnud to tlis right and waa 
oot of Bight in a momeiit, lea'viDg us all Id con- 
faaion, every one seiziQg his rifle and inquiring the 
cause of ths alarm. On learniiii^j wiiat tad hap- 
pened, we had to rejoice at autTeriug no more 
injury than the damage to Rome guiie w!iii:li were 
in tlie cujioe whith the buSklc;) crog^^rd. 

ia the morning eorlj w<i i«ft our camp, and pro- 
ctieded ae uijual ly the cord. We poaBcd aa islajid 
and two eandbars, and at the diataiiee of two and 
a half milea we came to a handficjme riTer whicii 
discharges itaelf oa the south, and Trhich -wb asn 
c«nded to the distance of a ntile and a half; we 
called it Judith'e river; it rises m the Hock moun- 
tains in about the same place with, the Mascbehell. 
and npar the Yellowstone river. Its entrante ia 
one huadred yarda wide from one bank to the 
other, the water occupying about seventj-fiva 
yards, anJ in greater quantity than that of the. 
MaacleHhell river, and thoug'h more rapid ■equaUy 
Davigablt', tlii-re being no atooes or rocks in ths^ 
bed, which is cojapoaed entirely of (jravel and mud 
with Bome mmd ; the water too 16 clearer than any 
which we have yet eec-n ; and the low }|;rotiiidaj a* 
fiir as we could di*«Cerii, wider and more woody 
than those of the Mitowuri; along ita hauku we 
obeerved some box-alder iiiterniixfd witti tlio Cot- 
tonwood aud the willow; the undcrgrowtli con- 
sisting of roHebushes, honeyBuckles, and u little 
Ted willow, 'J'lu're waa a gr<!at abuudaiice of the 
argaleaor bighorned animals in the high country 
through which it pitBaea, and a great number of 
the beaver in its watera: just above the entrance 
of it we Baiv the flres of oae Uuudred and twenty- 
ux lodges, wiiich appeared to have btxii deeerted 
307 



LEm'IS A\D CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



about twelve or &fte<?ii days, and an the other 
eidfl of the SJiesouri a liirge encftmpment, ap- 
parently made by tJie Bame uatiou. Un4!3c&miiiing 
ftJlne tnOteasitlB trhith wefounii there, our ludian 
woman said tliat tliey do not bslang ta herown 
nation the t>nake IndiaMU, but shtr tliuugbt tliat 
tbey mdicat<Hl a tribe on this Bide of tlie Rocky 
mountainB, and to the north of tba Minaourij in- 
deed it is probublB that the^ are the Minnetarees 
of fort de Prairie, At tlie distance of sii and a 
lialf niLles the hilU again tLpproochod tiie brinli of 
"the nver, and the stones and rocts washed down 
fivm them form a very b^d rapid, with tocIlb and 
xipplee more Qumeroue aud diUicult than those we 
passed on the '27tb and :^^tti: here the Bame ecene 
waa reneTced, and we lifid agaiu to struggle and 
]abotir to preserve our amoM craft from Iwing: loat. 
!Near this spot are a Tiw trees of the aeli, the fir^t 
-ffe have swQ for a gr«a-t diatanee, and from which 
tee named tbe place Aah I^pLdy. On tbeae hilla 
there le but little timber, but the salta, coal, and 
other mineral apjiearances eoutinue. On the 
north we paeeed a precipici; about one hundred y 
And twenty feet high, undtr which lay scattered 
the ft'aginenta of at least ont^ handi'L'd caruaae^ of 
buSUloes, altEioajfli tkd wat^r which hud washed 
away the lower part of the lull luust have carried 
<iff many of the dead. Thtsi; buffaloes hud been 
chased down the precipice in a iray very (common 
On the Missouri, and by wliisli vast iierds ar* 
destroyed in a moment. The modi* of hunting is 
to Belwt one of the most a^tivs and fleet young 
mea, who ie disguiBed by a buffalo Hkiu round 
bis body; tbe ekla of tbe head with the t^are and 
horna faatened on hia own head in eueh a waj as 
to deceive the buffalo: thus dreased, he lixea him- 
Igelfat a convenient distance between a herd at 

3ua 



trp THE MISSOURI. 



buSblo and any of tbe river precipices, which 
Bometimea extend far aome mileB. His compan- 
ioQB in the meantime ^t in the rear and side of 
tlie herd, ajid At s, giTCn si^al ehOTv themselTes, 
and advance towards tte bnffalo-; thej ingtautly 
t»1ie the alarm, and finding the huntere bedde 
them, they run towards the disguised Indian or 
decoy, who leads tiieia on at ftill epeed towards 
the riyer, when suddenly ttecuring himself in eorae 
crevice of the tiiff w'aieh he he-d previouslj- fised 
on, the herd Je Itlt on tbe briiil; of th« precipice; 
it U then in vain for thij foremoet to retreat or 
even to atop ; they are pressed on by ttie hindmoet 
rank, who, H^in;^ no daji^r but from the hunters, 
goad on those before tliem till the whole are pre- 
cipitated and the Btiore is strewed with their dtad 
bodies, i^ometiinea in tliiK perilous seduction the 
Indian is Iiimself either trodden underfoot by the 
rapid movements of tte buffalo, or missing his 
footing in the cliff is urged down tlie precipice by 
the falling herd. The IndiauB then select as mneh 
meat aa they wirsh, and the rest ia abandoned to 
the wolves, and creates a moat dreadi^l stench. 
The wolves who had laeen ffeaeting on these car- 
cases were very fat, and bo gentle that one of 
them wae killed with a epontoon. Above this 
place we carae to for dinner at the riiataace of 
seventeen miles, opposite to a bold ranning river 
of twenty yards wide, and falling in on the aoutli. 
From the objects we had juet passed we called 
thiB stream Slaughter river. Its iow grounds are 
narrow, and contain scarcely any tinjber. Soon. 
after landing it begua to blow and rain, and aa 
there waa nu prospect of getting wood for fiiel 
ftirther on, we fixed our camp on tho north, three 
quartera of a mi!e above Slaughter river. After 
the laboars of the day we gave to each man a 

ma 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'S EXPEDITION 



4rAin, and such ^vas the eSi»t of long aLstitieucd 
from i^pirituoua liquors, that from the small qnan- 
titj- of half a gill of rum, several of the men wer& 
■confliderably affected by it, and all very mudh es- 
hilarated. Onr g-ame to-day conaiBted of an elk 
and two beaver. 

Tbti!-!i'la,y, 50.— The rain -n-hich commenced last 
■eveniiig continued ivith little iutermisBioTi till 
el?T(?u this m.orning', when the high wiod which 
accompaaied it having aljated, we set out. More 
rain luLfi iiovv falleii than we have hod since the 
lut of September laat, and many circuraatancea 
indicate our approach to a climate differing con^ 
Biderably- from, that of tlie country through whieh 
■we have been passing: the air of th« open country 
ia (wtouisbiQgly dry and pure. Observing th&tthe 
caae of our Hextant, tliougli jieriectly BeuaonBd, 
Bhrank and the joints oEwned, we tried several 
experimental by which it appeared that a table- 
apoonful of water exposed io a saucer to the air 
would evaporate in thirty-six hours, ivhen the 
mercury did not stand higher tlian the temperate 
point at the greatest beat of the day. The river, 
notwithatanding thfl rain, is ntuch clearer than it 
was a few inya yast; but we advance with (^reat 
labour and difficulty; the rapid current, theripplea 
and rocky ]iointB rendmTig the navigation more 
emharrasKiiig than even that of yesterday, in addi- 
tion to wliich the banks are now so slippery after 
the rain, that the men who draw thecanoeB can , 
ficarcely walk, and the earth and stone iroaataatly 
falling down the liigh hluSa make it dangeroaa to 
yasa under them ; fitiil however we are obUg-ed to 
make une of the cord, ah the wind is strong ahead, 
the current too rapid fur oars, and too dt*p for 
the pole. In thiB way we p&«*?d at thedietanw 
of fire and a half mileH a smalt rtvalet la a liend 
310 



FP THE MiaBOTTRI. 

■ oa the north, two loilea nirthcr aa ielaod oa tha 
same side, haJf u mili; beyoDtl wLicb came to a 
grove of trees at the entrance of a run in a bead 
to thfc Bouthj and HjaGaioped for the night oil the 
northera ahore. Tie eight nilJea which wt mode 
to-day cost us much trouble. The tur -waa cold 
and rendered more diaagreeable hy the rain, "which 
Ml ID. Beyeral elij^ht eliowera in the comae uf the 
da.;; our corda too broke several timet!, but for- 
tunately without injury to the boats. On aBCcnd- 
ing the hilla near the rirer, one of the party found 
that there was SnOW mixed irith the tain Oil tha 
Jiejghta: a httle baclc of these the country become^ 
perftctly lerd on both tiideft of the rivw. There w 
now DO timber on the hille, and only a few scat- 
tering cottonwood, ash, bos-alder, aud willowa, 
along the water. In the courBe of tlko day we 
passed Several encamp menta of Indians^ the most 
recent of which seenicd to have been evaendted 
about 0V0 iveeka eiuce, and from the several ap- 
parent dat«B we Huppoeed that they were made by 
a. band of about one hundred lodges who were 
ttavelLing slowly up the river. Although no part 
of the ilisaouri from the Minnetareea to this place 
exhibit aigUfl of perinadeiit aettlemeutd, yet iLune 
veem exempt fi'oin the tr&neient visita of bunting 
parties. We kpow that the Minnetareea of the 
MiseouTL extend their excursloua on the aouth aida 
of tJie river, aa hl^h as the YellowEitane ; and tha 
AflsimboinH visit the uorthem Hide, moHt probably 
a« high aa Porcupine river. ASI the lodges be- 
tween that place and tha Ilocky mountuios we 
Bupposcd to belong to the MimietareeH of fort da 
Prairie, who live ou tiie aoiith fork of the &aa- 
koahawan. 

Friday, 31.—VfB proceeded in two perioguee, 
leaving the canoea to bring on the meat of two 
311 



LEWIB AND CLABK'S EXPEDITION 



TjaffaloeB killed last evening. Soon after we set 
otf it began to rain, and tEiougfi it ceased a,t noon, 
the weather continued cloadj' during the rest of 
tlie day. The ohstruCtioUB of yesterday still re- 
^BJJL and fatignie the meii exc^s^tTely; the baii]^ 
are eo olippery in sooie placce and the miid bo 
adliesive tliat ttey are unable to wear their moc- 
caains ; one fourtli uf the time they are obligeij to 
be up to their armpits in tie cold water, and 
aometitnes walk for several yard* over the eharp 
fragments of rocks which have fallen fVom the 
lilU : all this added to the burden of dragsing the 
fceavy canoes is very painful, yet the men bear it 
"With great pati«ace and good humour. Once the 
rope of one of the periogues, the only one we had 
made of hemp, broke short, and the periogue 
Swnng aud juat touchftl A point of rock which 
almoHt overaet her. At nine miles we c^me to a 
high w&U of black rock rieiug from the water's 
edge on the south, above the cliffs of the river: 
I^B eontinued about a quarter of a mile, and woe 
eucceeded by a high open plain, till three milea 
ftarther a aecotid wall two hundred feet Jdgh rose 
cm the same aide. Three miles f\irther a wall of 
the same kind about twp hundred feet high and 
twelve in tiiickness, appeared to the oortb: theae 
hilla and river cliffs exhibit a most e^itraordiaary 
and romantic appearance: they rise in moat placea 
nearly perpendicular ttom the water, to the height 
of between two and three hundred feet, and are 
' formed of very white sandatone, bo soft as to 
yield readily to the impreseion of water, in the / 
npper part of which lie imbedded two ar three 
thin horizontal stratae of wliite freestone InBensi- 
ble to the rain, and on the top is a dark rich 
loaTD, which forma a g'radualjy ascending plain, 
fi-am a mile to a mile and a half in extent, Vrhdn 
31^ 



^ 



UP THE inaaotnu. 

the Mils a^in rise abrupt] j to tie hptgtt of abont 
three hundred feet more. In trrcUinif iIqwq tie 
difi^, the water has worn th« Boft eandstoae into 
a thousand groteaqae S^reHr araoQg which with 
a little fancy may be discerned elegant rangea of 
freeBtone bnildinga, ■withcolutnnBTariously eculp- 
tnred, and supporting long and eJegant g-alleriee-j 
while the parapets are adorned with statuarj ; on 
» nearer approach they repreeeot every form of 
elegant rniDs; columnB, Bome with pedeatale and 
capitala entire, others mutilatal and prostrate, 
and some riaing iiyramidally over ea^h other till 
they terminate in a ehaep point. Tiieee are varied 
by niches, alcoves, and tli«cii8tomary appearances 
of desolated magnificence; the illusioQ i^ ULcreased 
by the unmber of martlnB, who have bailt their 
globular uesta in the niches and hover over theBe 
columna; aa in our country they are accuetomed 
to frequent lar^ atone atnictur^. As weadvaTsce 
there seems no end to the visionary enchantment 
which BuiToiinde ns. In the midst of thisfantELstic 
eceuery are va«t ranges of walle, which eeem the 
productions of art, bo regular is the workmao- 
ahip: they rise perpendicularly from the river, 
Hometimea to the lieigbt of one hundred feet, vary- 
ing in thicknesa from one to twelve ffeet, being 
equally broad at the top aa below. The stones of 
which they are formed are black, thict, and dur- 
able, and composed of a large portion of earth, 
intermixed and cemented with a email quantity of 
Band, and a eonaiderable proportion of talc or 
quartz. These stones arc almost invariably regu- 
lar pof oUelipeds of unequal si«es in the wall, but 
equally deep, and laid regularly in ranges over 
each other like bricks^ each breaking and covering 
the interstice of the two on which it reata; but 
though the perpendicular interstice be destroyed, 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



the hdri^ontal one extendi entirdj through the 
whole work: the etonea too are proportion*d to 
the thictjiesg of the wall ia which they are em- 
ployed, beiu^ largeii't in the thickest walls. The 
tlunner walls tire compoHed of a ein^le depth of 
the paralleliped, while the thicker one* conHiat of 
two or more depths; these walls pass tlie river &t 
fleveral places, rising from the waters edge miich 
H.boYe tli@ sandstone blafik which they peem. to 
peuetratej thenwthej croBQ in a straight line oa 
either Bide of the river, the plaioB over which they 
tower to thfi height of from ten to seventy feet, 
nntil they !oae theraselTee in the second range of 
hUia: Bonietimea they run jjar&lltl in aftveralrangeft 
near to each other, eometimee intersect each other 
at right angles, and have the appearance of "waUs- 
of ancient houaea or gardens, 

Thefaefl of eomeof these river hilla, ib compoaed 
of very eicellent freestooe of a li^ht yellowlBli 
brown colour, and among the clifi» we found a 
epecies of pine which we had not jet actin, and 
differing (Vom the Virgiiua pitth-pine in having a 
shorter leaf, aad a longer aud more pointed cone. 
The cool appears only Id email quantities, as do 
the burnt earth and pumiceatone; the cotneral 
ealt^ have abated. Among the animals are a 
great number of the bigtorn, a few buffalo and 
elk, and Kome mule-deer, but none of tiie com- 
mott deer nor »nj antelopesr We saw but could 
Dot procure a heautiful fox, of a coEour vailed 
with orange, yellow, white, and black, rather 
emaller than the common fos of this country, and 
ahout the eame size aa the red fox of the United 
States. 

The river to-day has b^en fVom aboat one hun- 
dred and fifty to two liundreil Mid iii^y yards 
wide, with bat little timber, ^t the djetaiicc of 



UP THE MISSOnBI. 



two miteB and a half from the last Btone wallj }■ 
a Btream on the north side, tw<;ntj-eiglit jarda ia 
width, aad with eome ruuning -prater. We en- 
camped juHt abore its mouth, having made eigh- 
teen mikfl. 

Sa-turdAj; Jane i.— The weather was cloudy 
■with a few drops of rain. As we proceeded bj- the 
aid of our cord we fqqnd the river cliffs and bluffb 
sot BO bigh as jeirterday, and the CDuutrj moti 
level. The timber too ia En greai-er abundance on 
the river, though there w no wood on the hig-h 
ground ; coal however appears iu the bliifls. The 
river ia from two hundred to two hUndrL-d and 
flftj- feet wide, the current more geutle, the water 
"becoming etill clearer and fbwer rocl(j points and 
Bhoala thsLB. we met jet^terday, though those 
whieh we did encounter were equally difficult to 
•p&BR. GameLH by no mwiaa in Bueh plenty as be- 
low; all that we obtained were one blgliorn, and 
a mule-deer, though Tve saw in the plains fl. quan- 
tity of buffalo, particularly near a Bmall lake 
about eight miles from tLe river to the south. 
NotwithBtaiidiiig the wind was ahead all day, we 
dragged the choopb along the diatnnce of twenty- 
three miles. At fonrteen and a quarter miles, we 
came to a siUAll iulund opposite a bend of the 
river to the north: two and a half uiiles to the 
Tipper point of a eniall island qn the north; live 
mileB to aQUtbcir island on the Bouth eidc and op- 
posite to a bluff. In the nest two ruilea we paeaed 
an island on the aonth, a second "beyond it on tha 
north, and readied nGar a high hlulTon the north 
a tbdrd on which we encamped. In the plains 
near the river are the chokecherry, yellow and red 
currant-buehes, ae well as the wild rose and 
prickly pear, both of which are now in bloom. 
From the topa of the river hilla, which are lower 

al5 



than aeaal, we enjoyed a deligbtnil view of the 
ricii fertile plains an botb eides, in. manf places 
esteadlD^from the riTer cS.Sa to a great di&tance 
bafik. Iq theae plains we meet occaeioDallj' large 
bankB of pure sand, whieh were driven apparently 
by the Bouthwest winds, and there deposited. 
The plains are more fertile some dietance from the 
rirer than near ite baaka, where the Eurfuiie of the 
earth is very generally strewed with email p«bbles, 
which appear to h« smoothed and worn by the 
agitation of the waters with which they were no 
doubt once covered, A mountain or part of the 
North mountain approaches the river within eight 
or ten mileB, bearing north from our encampment 
of last evening ; and this morning a range of liigh 
mountaiiis beariDg S. \V. from ue aud (apparently 
ruoQiag to the weetword, are eeea at a great die- 
tancecDvered with snow. In tha evening we had 
a little more rain. 

SundAj; 2. — The wind blew Tiolently laat nightj 
and a alight shower of rain fell, but this morning 
wa« Ibir, We eet out at an early hour, and al- 
though the wind was ahead by meoue of the cord 
went on mueh better tbao for the last two days, 
ea the banks were well calculated for towing. The 
current of the river ia strong hut regular, its tini' 
ber lucreoeea in quaatity, the low grounds be- 
come more level and extensive, and the blufi^ on 
the rivers are Low^er than usual, la the course of 
the day we had a small ebower of ruin, which 
lasted a few nunutea only. Ab the game ia very 
abnndant we think it necessary to begin a collec- 
tion of hides for the purpose of making a leathern 
boat, which we intend constructing shortly. The 
huntars who were out the greater part of the day 
brought in six elk, two bu&alo, two mule-de«r 
and a bear. This lost animal had aearly cost as 
816 



TIP THE MISSOTJm, 

the lives of two oronr hnntera who wer* together 
when he attacked them ; one of them nftrrowly 
esCELp^ being caught, and the other after rnnning 
a. coDsiderable dista.Dce, cCQCCll'Ied himseirill BOmtf 
thick hu^ahee, and while the bear waa In quick 
purauit of his hiding place, hie companioD caiue up 
and fortnnately shot the animal through the 
head. 

At eii and a half mile* we reached an igland on 
the nortbern Bide; one mile and a quarter tience 
re a timbered low ground on the Bouth : and in the 
next two and three qaarter miles wfi pasBcd three 
email iBlands, and came to a dark hluffon the 
«outh: within the fbllowlng mile are two Bmall 
islands on the name bide. At three and a q^uarter 
miles we reached the lower part of a much larger 
island near a northern point, and aa ~we coae-t^d 
along ItB Bide, within two mlleB passed a KmaUer 
inlaud, and half a mile above reached the head of 
another. All theec ielanda are Bmall, and moBtaof 
tbem contain some timber. Three quarters of a 
mile bejond the last, and at the distance of eig^h- 
teen mileefrom our encampment, we came to ibr 
the night in a handsome low cottonwood plain on 
the Bouth, where we remained for the purpose of 
making Bome celeBtial obaervatioQB duriiLg the 
night, and of examining in the morning a large 
river which comes in oppobite to ue. Accordingly 
At an early hour, 

Monday, 3d, we crOBsed and fixed our eamp in 
the point, formed by the junctioa of the rirer with 
the Missouri. It now became an intereating ques- 
tion which of these two etreams is what the 
JUinnetarees call Ahmateahza or the MisHOUri, 
wbdch thej described as approacbing very near to 
the Columbia. On our rij^ht deciBLon much of the 
fcite of the expedition depend^j since if after ae- 
317 



LEWia AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

cendiug to fhe Bock; mountauis or bejoud them, 
we Bhould find that the river we were followis^ 
did not come near the Columbia, and be obliged 
to return, we ehould not trnJy lose the travellin^f 
season, tn'O mOlithe cf whi«h had ^Ir^^d; elapsed, 
but probably dishearten the men su much a^ to 
indace them either to abandoa the enterprise, or 
yield lis a cold obedience inatead of the warm and 
sealoua Bupport which they had hitherto afforded 
as. We detenuiaedj therefore, to eianiine well be- 
fore we decided ou our future course ; and for tM» 
porpo^ despatched two canoes with three men up 
each of the Btreama with orders tu aecertaiu tli& 
width, depth, and rapidity of the current, eo ae ti> 
fudge of their coraparative bodies of water. At 
the Bame time particB were seat out hy land to 
penetrate the country, and discover from the ris- 
ing grounds, if possible, the distant bearings of 
the two riverpj; and all were directed tc return 
towards eveaing. While they were gone we oa- 
cended together the high grouodB in the fork of 
these two rivers, whence we had a very extenaire 
prospect of the Hurrounding country: OH every 
side it was spread into one Ta«t plain covered 
with verdurcj in wliicli iiinujnerahle herds ofbTiF- 
folo were roaming, attended by their eutmies the 
wolvea; some flockB of elk aUa were Been, and the 
eoiitary antelopee were scattered with theiryomiff 
OTCr the face of the plain. To the south was a 
range of lofty mountains, wMcb we supposed to 
be a continuation of the South mouutain, stretch- 
ing themaelvee fVom ^oatheaat to northwest, tuid 
terminating abruptly about eouthweab ft'om oa. 
These were partially covered with bdow; but at & 
great distance behind them was a more lofty ri.dge 
completely covered with snow, which geebied to 
fpUow.ibe, B^nK difpcUon as the Brst, reachinK 
SIS 




UP THE MISSOUHL 

I from weat to the north of northwest, where their 
iBhowj tope were blended with the horixan. The 
[idirection Qf the rivers could not towever be long 
' dietinguiBhed, aa they were boob loet in tbo extent 
of the plain. On our return we contiuued oup 
e^samioation ; the width of the north branch la 
-two hundred yards, that of the soutlt ia three 
hundred and aeTentj-tivOv Tho north, althongh 
Tiarrower and with a gentter current, ie (Jwpec 
than the south : lt« waters too are of the eame 
whitish brown colour, thicktiesH, and turbidneae-. 
they run in the flame boiling and rolling manner 
which has nniformly charatteriied the Missouri; 
find its b(^ is conipoeed of Bome graTcl, hut prin- 
Cipallj mud. The south fork ia deeper, but its 
wPrterB are perfectly transparent: ite current is 
rapid, but the eurfuce Bmooth and unruffled; and 
its bed too is composed of roand and flat smooth 
eton^ like those of rivers issmng from a moun- 
tainona country. The air and tharact^r of the 
north fork so much resemble those of the Miseonri 
that almoe-t all the party believe that to be the 
true eourae to be pursued. WehoweTer, althoujjh 
we have given no decided opinion, are iuLlined to 
thiak otherwise, becauBC, although this "branch 
doee g;ive the colour and character to the Mis- 
souri, yet theae very cirtamat^ttcea induce aa 
opinion that it rises in and runs through an open 
plain country, Bince if it came I'roin the mountaJjiB 
it would be clearer, unlees, which fi-om the pod- 
tion of the country ie improbable, it paaeed 
through a vast extent oflow ground after leaving 
thfiw: we thought it probable that it did not eveo 
penetrate the Uocky TOOuntaina, but drew its 
Bourcee ftqiu the open country toward* the lower 
and middle parts of the SaskaEhawan, in a direc- 
tion north of thiB place, What embarraaeee UH 
319 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

mo^ is, that the Indiane who uppeair^d to be weU^ 
acqnflinted trith. the geography of the country, 
have not mentioned tins northern river; for "the 
river which scolde at all others/' ^ itiB termed^ 
oiuBt be accordiag to their accoaat one of tha 
rivers which we havo paased ; and if thia north. 
fork be the Mieaonri, why have tte^ not deeig- 
nated the south branch which they must also 
have paseed, in order to reacb the gr^at J^Ils 
which tbey mention on the Mie^outi? la the eveu- 
ioff OLf parties returned, alter aecendiag the rivers 
in canoes for aomE! diQtancQ, then contimiiDg on 
foot, juBt leaving theniBelvea time to return by 
nijfht. The north fork was teaa rapid, and there- 
fore afforded the eaeiest navigation : the shallow- 
est water of tha north waa five feet deep, that of 
the BDuth six feot. At two and a half miles up tha. 
north forli m a small river coming in on the lefb 
or weatera 6ide> sixty feet wide, with a bold eur- 
rent three fbet in depth. The party by land had 
goae up the eouth fork in a strAight line, Borneo- 
wiiat north of west for aeven miles, where they 
discovered that this little river e&me witiiin one 
hundred yards of the Bouth Ibrli, and on returoing 
down it found it a handsome stream, with an 
mnch timber an either of the larger rivern, con- 
sisting of the nan:Off and wide-leafed Cottonwood, 
some bircli and box-alder, and undergrowth of 
willowa, roeebuehee, and currant-a; they also eaw 
on this river a great number of efk and some 
heaver. 

AU these accounts were however very ftur fhim 
deciding the important question of our future 
route, and we therefore determined each of ns to 
aacend one of the rivers during a day and a half's 
march, or farther if neceesary, for our satisfaction. 
Our taiktere killed two bu^aloj bIx eLk, and four 
820 



tJP THE MlSSOURt- 



deer to-da;. Along the plaiua near the JimctioD 
are to be found the prickly pear io great quanti- 
tiea ; the chokechflrry ia aiao Tery fl,bundant in the 
riTfir low groundB, ae WeU as the ravines along 
the river blaffit; the jellow and red currants are 
not yet ripe ; the gooseberry ie beginniBg to ripeD, 
and the wild rose which dqw eovera all the low 
groanda near the rivera is in full bloom. The 
fati^es of the last few days have occaaioned some 
filing off in the appearance of the men, who not 
having been able to wear moccaains, had th«r 
t^t much bniie^ and mangled in panging over the 
atonee and rough ground. They are however per- 
fectly chEterniJ, and have aa undiminished ardour 
for the expedition. 

Ttiead&y, June 4. — At the same hour thie raom- 
ing captain Lewia and captain Clark aet out to 
^splore the twO' rivere; captain LewiB with tr\i , 
men crosBed the north fork, near the camp, below 
a small lelaad fVom which he took a course N. 
30° W. for four and a half mileB to a commanding 
eminence. Here we observed that the North 
mountain, changing itjs directioa parallel to the 
Miesouri, turned towards the north and termi- 
D&ted abruptly at the distance pf about thirty 
miles, the point of termination bearing N. 43' E. 
The Sonth mountain too diverges to the Math, 
and terminates abruptly, its extremity bearing 
8. 8 ■ W. diatant about twenty milea : to the right 
of, And retreating from this eitremity, is a sepb' 
rat« mountain at the distance of thirty-flv« miles 
in a direction S. 33 W, which iVom its resem- 
blance to the roof of a barn, we called the Earn 
mountain. The north fork, whieh is now on the 
left, makes a considerable bend to the northwest, 
and on its western border a range of hills about 
ten miles long, and bearing ftom this spot N. 
VoL I.-21 321 



60" W, rune parallel with it: north of this range 
of WIU IB an elevated point of the river bluff od its 
south Hide, bearing N. 72' W. about twek* milea 
from ub; towards thia he directed his course 
flcroBa a hi^li, Wei, dry open p3ain; which In fHct 
embracer the whole countrj to the foot of the 
mountains. The aoilis dark, rich, and fertile, yet 
the graee by ng means eo luiuriattt as might have 
beea expected, for it is short and scarcely more 
than sufficient to cover the ground. There are 
Taat quantitiee of prickly pears, and mjriadB of 
grasehoppers^ which afford food for a epwiee of 
curle"*T which is in gre-a-t numbers in the plain. He 
then proceeded up tie river to the point of obBer- 
vatiou they bad fixed on; from which he went 
two milee N. 15' W. to a bluff point on the north 
Mda of the river: thence his conree wan N. 30= 
W. for two miles to the entrance of a large creek 
on the south. The part of the river along which 
he passed is from forty to sixty yards wide, the 
curreat ntrong, the water deep and ttirbld, the 
baokB falling in, the Baits, coal and mineral ap- 
pearances are aa UBua!, and in every reepect, ex- 
cept ae to size, thia river resembles the MiBaourL 
The low grounds are aarrow but well supplied 
■with wood: the bluBfe are principally of dark 
brown yellow, and some white clay with fVeestoae 
in some ploceB. From thfa point the river bore 
N. 20' E, to a bluff on the south, at the distance 
of twelve miles: towards thia he direct^ hiB 
course, ascending the hills which are about two 
hundred ibet high, and pasmng through plcins for 
three nii|e^, till he found the dry ravines so steep 
and numerouB that he resolved to return to the 
river and follow Ita banlis. He reached it about 
four miles fVom the be^nning of hie course, and 
eneainped on the north in a bend among some 
322 




TIP THE MISSOUEI. 



bashes which sheltered the part; f>om the wind: 
the air woe very cold, the northweat wind high, 
and the raja wet them to the sldn. Besides the 
game juat mentionttl, he observed 'bua'alo, elk, 
wolves. Foxes, and we gat a. blalreauand a weasel, 
tuid wounded a large brown bear, whpm it wa« 
too late to pursue. Alongr the river are immenBd 
quantities of roses which are now in AiU bloom, 
and which make the low grounds a perf^t gar- 
den. 

Wednesdaj-, 5.— The rain fell dating the greater 
part of the laqt night, and in the morning the 
weather was cJoudj and cold, with a high north- 
west wind: at suariBe be proceeded ap the river 
eight miles to the bluff on the left Hide, towarda 
which he had been directing hia course jesterday^ 
Here he found the bed of a creek tweaty-Bve jarda 
wide at the entrance, with some timber, but no 
water, notwitliijtandmg the rain.; H m, im3e«4, 
BfitoaiBbing to obaerve the vast «juantit!eB of 
water absorbed by the soil of the plains, which 
beLng opened in large crevices preaenta a fine rich 
loam: at the mouth of this Btream (which he 
called Lark creek) the bluffB are verj ateep and 
approach the river eo that he ascended them, and 
croeelag the plains reached the river, which from, 
the last point bore X. 50' \V : four miles from thia 
place it extended north two mileB. Here he dis- 
covered a lofty mountain standing alone at tho 
distance of more than eighty miles in the direction 
of N. 30° W. and which ftoni its conical hgure be 
called- Tower mountain. He then proceeded oil 
these two hills and afterwards in. diUerent courBea 
sis miles, when be again changed t^r a western 
courae acroae a deep bend along the south side : in 
making this paeaage over the plains be found 
them like those of yesterday, level and benutifui, 
•d-23 



LEWIS AND CLABK'S ESPEDITION 



with great quantitiee of buffalo, and eome 
trolvea, faxes, and antelope^, and liiter^ect^ Dear 
tli« river by deep raviaes. Here at tLe distance of 
from oae to uiue milee fi'oui the river, he met the 
largeet village of barking Bquirrels which we had 
yet Heea; for he paased a aklrt of their territory 
for seven miles. He aJeu eaw near the hiQs a 
flock of tbe mountaici cock or a large Bpecie^ of 
heath Jien with a Jpng pointed tail, which the 
Indians below had iuforiDed ds were commoa 
aiDOELg the Bock mouataioB. Havliig finiiihed hia 
couree of ten niilee west acroHi^ a bend, he con- 
tinued two milea N. 80 W. and from that point 
discovered BOme lofty mountains to the north- 
west of Tower mountain and bearing N", 60" W. 
at eighty or one handred niileH dUtance: here he 
encamped oa the north Bide in a baadeome low 
ground, on which were several old stick lodgea: 
there had been but little timber on the river in the 
forepart Of the day, liut bow there ie a greater 
qaantity than usual. The river itself is about 
eighty yards wide, from six to ten feet deep, and 
hae a btrong steady current. The party Itad 
killed five elk, and a mule-deer; ani by way of 
experiment rooBted the burrowtng Bquirrels, which 
thej found to be well flavoured and tender. 

Thursday, 6, — Captain Lewis "was now con- 
vliieed that this river pursued a dire<:tiou too far 
north tbr our route to the I'aciflc, and therefore 
resolved to return; but waited till noon to take a 
meridian altitude. The cloudB, however, which 
bad gathered during the latter part of the night 
Continued and prevented the observation: part of 
the men were seut forward to a commanding 
eminence, six mvlea 3, "0 W; from which they 
saw at the distance of about fifteen milea H. 60' 
A', a point of the south bluS' of the river, which 




TIP THE MlSSOmtl. 



ttenc? bore northwardly, In thetr absence two 
rafts bad been prepared, and w\i.en they retumed 
about uoon, the party embarlied: but they bodd 
foand that the rafta were bo smaU and elend&r 
that the baggage Tv-as Tret, and therefore It waa 
necessary to abandon thetn, and ga by land. 
They therefore crOHsed tbe plains, and at the dis- 
tanee oftwelve miles came to the river, through a 
cold etorm fVoia the northeaBt, accompamed by 
ehowers of rain, The abniptQe6& of the cliffit com- 
pelled them, after going a few miicB, to leave the 
river and meet the ^torm in the plaitiB. Here they 
directed tb«ir course too far northwardj in conse- 
quence yf which they did nqt meet the river till 
late at night, after bavuig tiavelled twenty-three 
mileH since uoon, and halted at a little below the 
entrance of Ijark creek. They had the good for- 
tone to kill two hnffalo which supplied them with 
enpper: but spent a very oncomfortAble night 
without any shelter from the rain, which contin- 
Tied till momjp^, 

Frid&y, 7, when at an early honx they coatimied 
down the ri"ver. The route waa extremely ua- 
pleaaant, ae the wind wa« high from the X. E. 
accompanied with rain, which made the ground so 
alippery that they Were unable to "wali over the 
bluffri which they had passed on ascending the 
river. The laud ia the most thiraty we have ever 
£eeo; notwitliBtaudlng all the rain wJiicb boe fall- 
en, the earth is not wet for more than two inches 
deep, and reeemblea thawed ground; but if it r& 
goirea more water to saturate it than the com- 
mon soils, on the other hand it yields its moisture 
with equal difficulty. In paaaing along the side of 
cue of theee bluffe at a narrow pass thirty yarde 
in length, captain Lewie elipped, and but for a 
fortunate recovery, by meaaa of his epoDtoon, 
325 



LEWIS ATTD CLABK'9 EXPEDITION 



■woald have been precipitated Into the river over 
a, precipice of about muety feet. He had just 
reacted a spot where hy the GseiBtance of his 
epontoon he could stand with tolerable saffetj-, 
whea he heard a voice behind him cry out. Good 
God. captain, what ehall I do? he turned instantlj 
and fouad it w&b WiodBor, -who had lost his foot- 
hold about the middle of the narroir paes, and 
had elipped down to the very vergf of the preci- 
pice, ■where he lay on his bclly^ -with hie right arm 
and leg over the precipice, trhile with the othet 
leg and arm he wae with difficulty holding on to 
keep himself from being: dtwhed to pieces below. 
HiB dreadful rituation wafi inatantly perceived by 
captain Lewie, who stifling" hia alarm, talmly told 
him that he "was in no danger; that he should 
take his kniib out of his belt TPlth tiie right hand, 
and dig a hole in the side of the bluff to receive 
his right footr With great presence of mind he 
did this, and theo raiiied himself ob liiu itneea; 
captuin Lewis then told him to take offhiemoc- 
cafiius and come forward on his haiide and kneeB, 
holding the bnif^ in one hand and hia rifle in the 
other. He immediately Crawled in this way till he 
came to a secure spot. The men who had not 
ftttenipted tide paeeage were ordered to returg 
and wade the river at the foot of the bluff, where 
they found the wat-er brenet lugh. This adventure 
taught them the danger of crOBeing the alippery 
heights of the river; but r& the plaiijA were intCT' 
eected by deep ravines almost as difficntt to pass, 
they continued down the river, Bometimea in the 
mud of the low grounds, Bometimea up to their 
arms in the watBr, and when it became too deep 
to wadej they cut footholds with their knivcB in 
the sides of the banks. In this way they travelled 
through the rain, mud, and wat*r, and having 
320 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'3 EXPEDITION 



CHAPTER X. 

Selnrn oF captHln Lewis— Aixhiusl of captAFi) ClaA's reseaicbea 
^im Uls ei{iloniig iiftrc)'— Perilous situation oc one or bla 
pwtr— Tansy ilvur descrtbad— The party atUl believing the 
soutfaem !oi}s. tbe MUskitI. cupta-lc Lewis re§olTaj lo asveod It 
—Mode ot mating a plaqe W dupofllp proVlBlOBf, OsLlSd MCUb— 

Ciit>tBlnL8vrlAi»pLoKHtlieBi)iiUifirn fur£— P&llaaf UitMlBsourl 
dlscovereii, which aacertalns tlie questJon—QoiDaiicIc scenery 
pt Uie purroundlnS' coDotry^M'ajTDW tscape o[ CHplfUa lAiWla — 
The main tx>cly u&iWr captain Clark apDriMcb wtuiin ttre ml]«e 
of (be talli. end prepaj-e for maUog a portage over tbe ra,pfdg. 

Saturday, A— It continued to rain moderately 
all laat Qi^ht, and tbe morning wob doad; till 
about ten o'ctock, when it cleared off, and became 
a has day. They breakfasted about Bunrise and 
then proceeded down the river in the same way oa 
they had done yeaterday, except that the traTel- 
ling TTBa Bomewhat better, aa they had not ao 
often to wade, though they passed some very 
dangeroue bluGe. The only timber to be Tound is 
in the low groimda which are occasioaatly on the 
rirer, and these are the haunts of iDDumerable 
birdB, who, when the sun began to ehine. Bang 
Tery delightfully. Among theeft birds thty dia- 
tinguiehed the beown thrueh, robin, turtledove, 
linnet, goldfinch, the large and Binall blackbird, 
the wren, and eome others, Ab they eame along, 
the whole of the party were of opinion that this 
llrer was the true MlBSOuri; but captain Lewis 
being fully persuaded that it waB neither the main 
Btreain, nor that which it would be advieable to 
a*tcend, gave it the name of Maria's rivet. After 
travelliug a]l day they reached the camp at Ave 
o'clock in the oiternooa, and found captain Clark 
A-2B 



1 




THE MlSaOURL 



and the partj ypry aaxiiiua fot their eaffety, as 
th«j had Btaid tivo dajs longer thpo had been 
expected, and ae ca-ptain Clark hsuJ r^turaed at 
the appointed time, it was feand that the^ had 
met with aoaie amdent. 

Captain Clarlt on aetting out with five men on 
the ith, went etYen miii^B on a course S. 25° W. 
tQ a spring; thence he went S. 20' W. for eight 
miles to the river where was an ialand, fVoni 
which, be proceeded in a course N. 4^' W. and ap- 
proached the river at the diutance of three., five, 
and thirteen milea^ at whitli place ttey encamped 
in an did ludian lodge mode of sticks and bark. 
IncroastQg the plainB they observed eeveral herds 
ofbu^alo, ^ome mule-deer, antelupee and tvolvag. 
The river is rapid and cloeel; bemuied in bj high 
bluffB, crowded with bars of gravel, with little 
timber on the low groundfi, and none on the high- 
lands. Near the camp this evening, a white bear 
attacked one of the mta, whosfc giiu happening to 
be wet, would not go offj he in^tantlj- made to- 
wards a tree, but was so clowly pursued, that as 
he ascended the tree he struck the bear with hlg 
foot. The bear not being able to climb, wiuted 
till he should b« forced to tome down; and oa the 
pest of the patty were separated from him by a 
perpendicular cliff of rocks, which they could not 
deocend, it wae not m their power to give him 
any aaeiatance: fortunately however at last the 
bear became affrighted at their cries and firing, 
and released the luan, In the afternoon it rained, 
and during the nig^ht there fell both rain and 
snoWj and in the morning, 

Jatie S, the hills to the S. E. were covered with 

enow, and the rain continued. Thej pTQci>eded on 

la a course X. 20' \V. near the river several miles, 

till at the distance of eleven miles tJiey reached a 

32Q 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

ridgc, fVom the top of which oa the north side 
thej CQutd pJainl; discera a mguntajn tQ the 9. 
find W. at a great distance covered with anow; a 
higli rid^ projectiag horn the mouiitainB to the 
BOUtheaBt approacIieB the river on the eoutheast 
aide, forming Bome cliffa of dark hard etone. The^ 
Also aa,w that the riTCr ran for A great dietance 
Tpeet of south, with a rapid current, from which 
ea well as it» continuing of the same width and 
depth, captain Clark thoug'ht it ueelees to advance 
any Airther, and therefore returned acrosB the 
level plain in a diwctlon north 30' east, and 
reached at the distance of twenty iml*s the little 
river which is already mentioned aa falling into 
the north fork, and to which they gave the nani« 
of Tansy rirer, from the great quantity of that 
herb groiving on ita banks. Here they dined, and 
then ptoeeeded on a ffew miles by a place where 
the Tansy breaks throujjh a high ridge on its 
north side and encamped, 

Tlie next day, 6th, the "weather waa cold, raw 
and eloudyj with a hig-h northeast wind, They 
Bet out early, down the Taney, whoee low 
grounds resemble precisely, except ae to extent, 
those of the MiaBouri beibre it branches, contain- 
ing a great proportion of a species of cottonwood, 
with a leaf tike that of the wild cherry. Ailsr 
halting at twelve o'clocli for dinner, they afcended 
the plain, and at five o'clock reached the camp 
through the raiDj which had Mien without inter- 
mission since noon. During his ahaence the party 
had been o<£upied in dressing bIudb, and being; 
ahle to reet themselves were nearly i^eed from 
their lameneae and Hwolleu feet. All this night 
and the whole of the followLug day, 7th, it rained, 
the wind being from the Bouthweat ofTthe moan- 
tains : yet the rivera are falling, and the ther* 
830 




UP THE MISSOURI. 



Uiometer 40° above 0. The ram continued till the 

next day, 8th, at ten o'tlocb, Vrhen it cleared off, 
ftftd the weather became fine, the wind high frqjq 
tie eouthweet. The rivers at the point liave now 
fellen si]£inch.ea aince our arrival, and this morn- 
ing the water of the aouth fork be<;ame of a red- 
dish brown tulourj while the north hranoh cou- 
tinued of its usual whitish appearance. The 
moimtaiiia to the south are covered TvitU anow. 

Sandaj, 9tli. — We now consulted upon the 
couree to be pursued. On comparing; our ob^crvo- 
tioDS we were more than ever couvincwl of what 
we already BUBpected, tliat ilr. Arrowamitli is 
incorrect in laying down in the chain of Rocky 
jnoimtaiTis one remarkable mountaLa called the 
Tooth, nearly aa far eoath as ■iit', and said to be 
BO marked from the diiacoverieB of a Mr. Fidler. 
We are now within one Imndriid ciileB of the 
Socky mountaina and in the latitude of 47° 24' 
12' S, and therefore it ia highly Improbable that 
the MisHOuri should make euch a bend to the 
Bouth b^ore it reaches the Rocky mounCaiiia, aa 
to hare sulf^red Mr. Fidler to como a& low au 
45" along the eaetera boi-dera witliout touching 
that river: yet the generalcourseof Maria's river 
from thi* place for fll'ty-nine mileH, as far as cap- 
tain Lewis ascended, waa north liO" "west, and the 
Bouth branch, or what we consider the Missouri, 
which aapttiin Clark hmd eianiioed aa IHr oe forty 
five mllea iu a straight line, ran in a course south 
29 weat, and as far ao it could be Been went 
considerably weat of south, whence we conclude 
that the Missouri itseif enters the Rocky moun- 
tains to the north of 45". In writing to the 
preeideut flroni oui' winter quart«re, we tad al- 
ready taken the liberty of advancing the aoutbem 
extremity of Mr. Pidler'e diucoverieu about a 
&A1 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



degree to the oortliward, and thiB iVom Indian in- 
formatioD aa to the bearing of the point at whi^ 
the MiSKOUd enters the mountain; but we think 
aotual obuorTation Tvill i^Iate it one degree etill 
farther to tfie northward. This ioformation. of 
Mr. Fidler how^everj incorrect aa it la, affords au 
additional rbaaoa for not puieuing &[aria'a river; 
for if he came as low even an 47' and Baw only 
Bmall stnjaraa corning down from the mountainaf 
it is to be preaumed tliat tliese riruieta do not 
penetrate the Rocliy moiiiitains so far an to ap- 
proach Any aavig'able branch of th« Coluinbia, 
and they an most probably the remote waters of 
Home nortUern brancli of the Mi^eouri. In abort, 
being already in latitude 47" '24' we tantiot resi- 
Bonably hope by going ft,rther to the northward 
to find btft'ivetn this p]a£e and the Saskaebawaii 
any etream which can, as the Indians aBHUF« m 
the Ali&souri does, posHeea a uaTig&ble curreat for 
Botne distance in the Rocky uountaiofi: tbe lo- 
diauB had aBaured ua alao that the water of the 
Mieaouri was nearly transparent at the falla ; thia 
i» the case Tvith the Koutbera branch; that th& 
fiillfi lay a little to the eouth of sunset fVom 
them; this too is in fATqur of the eouthern forfe, 
for it beoTB coDsiderably Booth of thie place, which 
is only a few minuteB to the northward of fort 
tlandanj that the fb.lle are below the Rocky 
mouataina and near the northern termination of 
one range of those mountains : now there is a 
ridge of mquntains which appear behind the South 
mountains and terminate to the southwest of wa, 
at a aufflcient diutance JVom the unbroken chain of 
the Kocky mountaina to allow apace for aeveral 
falls, indeed we fear for too many of them. If too 
the Indians had ever paeeed any atreani as large 
ae this southern fork on their way up tJie Mie- 
332 



UP THE SOSSOUHT. 



BDTlri, ttey would have mentioned it; HO that their 
BileDce BpemB to prove that tbie braucb maet be 
the MiflBOuri. The body of water also which it 
discharges must have been act[ULred from aconeid- 
«j-abl& di^tatic^ in the laOiiQtaiaa, for it could not 
have been collected in the parched plains between 
tb« Y«'IIowetone and the Bocky moaatoan^, «inw 
that country could not oupply Douriehmentforthe 
dry channels which we passed on the south, and 
the travels of Sir. Mdler forbid ua to belieye that 
it could have been obtained from the mouataios 
towards the northwest. 

Thege gbeervatipne, whleh sati^Qed pqr mind$ 
•completely, we communicated to the party; bat 
every one of them were of a contrary opinion ; 
aad much of their belief depended on CruBatte, an 
experienced waterman on the Miasouri, 'who gave 
it as hie decided judgment that the north fork was 
the genuine MiHsouri, The men therefore men- 
tioned that although they would most cheerfblly 
follow UB wherever we should direct, yet they were 
afraid that the south fork would Boon terminate 
In the Rocky mountains and leave ua at a great 
distance from the Columbia. In order that noth- 
ing might be omitted which could prevent oar 
falling into su error, it wae agreed that one of us 
should ascend the southern branch by land until 
we reached either the falls or the monntaine. In 
the meantime in order to lighten our burdens aa 
much aa poaeible, we determined to deposit here 
One of the periogues aud ftll the heavy baggage 
which -wp could possibly spare, aa well as some 
provision, salt, powdecj and tools: this would at 
once lighten the other boats, aud give them the 
crew which Lad been employed on board the 
periogue. 
Mondaj', 10. — Thfi weathee being Riir and plea»> 
333 



LEWIS AND CLABK'8 EXPEDITION 

ant we dried all our baggage and merch&tidiae 
and made oui- deposit. These holes, or cach&B ae 
they are called bj the lliBHouri trad^rti, are Tcvy 
eQmiPDD, particalariy amoQg those who deal wlti 
the Sioux, Ba the skius aad merchandiee wtii keep 
perfectly eound for yeaxB, and ar* protected from 
robbery ; our cache is huilt in this tnanner: In the 
high plaib oa the north aide of the MiuHouri and 
forty yards froin a Bteep bluff, we chose ft dry 
Bituation, aad then deBciibing a eniall clrclB of 
about twenty tnchee diameter, removed the eod as 
gently and carefully aa poaBible; the hole ie then 
flunk perpendicularly for a foot deep, or more if 
the ground be not firm. It ia noT? "worked gradu- 
ally wider as they descend, till at length it b^ 
comes six or eeTen ftet deepj shaped neatly hke a 
kettle or the lower part of a, large Btjllj with the 
bottom somewhat sunk afc the centre, Aa the 
earth Ib dug it ia handed up in a vessel and car^ 
fully laid on a skin or cloth, in ■whith it ia car- 
ried away and usually thrown into the river or 
concealed so as to ie&ve nq tra«e of it. A floor of 
three or four Laches In thickneBB Ib then made of 
dry Bticke, on which ie thrown hay or a hide per- 
fectly dry. The g^joda being well aired and dried 
are laid on this floor, and prevented fVoni touch- 
ing the wall by other dried etickB in proportion a^ 
the merchandise is stowed away: when the hole is 
nearly fuLl, a eklTi its laid over the goods, and on 
thlB earth ia thrown aad beaten down until with 
the addition of the Bod firat removed the whole ia 
on a level with the ground, and there remains not 
the Blighteet appearance of an eicavatlon. In 
addition to this we made another of smaller dt- 
meneions, in which we placed all the baggage, 
eome powder, and our blackamith's toola, having 
previoUBly repaired Buch of the took we carry 
33J= 



UF THE MISSOUTET. 

■with Tia as req_wire mending. To guard ag'ainst 
actldent, we hid tirp parcels of lead and powder 
la the two distiDCt places, The red pmogim was 
drawn op on the middle cf a small ieland at the 
entrance of Maria's rirer, and secured hy being 
flistened to the trees from the efi^b of atif flooda. 
In the evening there TraR a high wind ftom t!i& 
aouthweat a«cqmpanied with thunder and rain. 
We now made another observ^atioo of themeridian 
altitude of the buq, and found that the mean lati- 
tude of the entrance of Maria'a river, as deduced 
from three obeervatione, ia 47" 2u' IT" 3 north. 
We aaw a email bird like the blue thrush or cat- 
bird which -we liad not before metj and also ob- 
ecrved that the bee-mortiQ or kingbird iBcomiuon 
to this country although there are no bees here, 
and in feet we have not met with the honey-bee 
since leaving the Osage river. 

Tuesday, 11. — This morniTig captain Lewia with 
four nien eet oot on their expedition up the aouth 
branch. They Boon readied the point where the 
Tansy river approaches the MisBoiiri, and obaerv- 
ing a large herd of elk before them, deseended and 
killed several, which they hung up along the river 
so that the party in the boate might see them as 
they c)Li>ie along. They then halted for dinner; 
but captain Lewia who had been for aonie days 
afflicted with the dysentery, was now attacked 
■with violent paiaa attended by a higli fever and 
■wad unable to go on. He therefore encamped for 
the night under aome willow boughs: having 
brqught no medicine he dete-rmined to try an 
experiment with tiie amaU twigs of the choke- 
cherry, which being stripped of their leavea and 
cut into pieces about two inchee long were boiled 
in pure water, till tjey produced a strong black 
decoction of an astringent bitter taste; a piat of 
335 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITTON 

tbis he took at Bunset, and rei>ea.ted the dose 
hour afterwards. Bj ten o'clock he was jwrfectlj" 
relieved ft-om pain, a gentle perspiration eoBued, 
hie fever abated, and in the morning te was quite 
recovered. One of the men caught several dozen 
flah of two specie: the Sret is about nine inches 
long, of a white colour, round in shape; the 
mouth is beset both above and below *itli a rim 
of fine sharp teeth, the ej9 moderately large, the 
pupil dark, and the iris narrgiv, and of a yellov- 
ish brown colour : in form and size it reeembleH the 
white chub of the Potomac, though ita head ia 
proportionabty smaller; they readily bite at meat 
or grasHhopperB ; but the fieah thougt 80(t and of 
a fine white tolour is Hot highly flavoured. The 
second species la precisely of the form and about 
the eize of the flab known by the name of the 
hickory ehad or old wiife, though it diflere from it 
in having the outer edge of both the upper and 
lower jaw set with a rim of tetth, and the tongue 
and palate also are deluded by long aharp teeth 
bending inwards, the eye is very large, the IriS- 
wide and qf a silvery eoloar; they do Pot inhabit 
muddy water, and the Savour is much superior to 
that of the former epeciee. Of the first hind we 
had Been a few before we reached Maria's river; 
but had foand none of the last before we caught 
them ia the Missouri above its junftion with that 
river. The white cat continues na high as Maiia'g 
river, but they are ucarce in tlus part of the riveTj 
nor have we caught any of them duce leaving tha 
Mandana which weighed more than six pounds. 

Of other game they saw a grtat abundance) even 
in their ehort march of nine miles. 

WednBsday, 12. — This morningcaptainLewisleft 
the bank of the river in order to avoid the 9t«ep 
ravinea which generally run from the shore to the 
336 



UP THE MTSSOUET. 

distance of one or two miles in the plain : having 
reached the opened country he -went for twelve 
inilea in fl. eouree a little to (he ■west of aoutliw^est, 
when the sun becoming warm by nine o'clock, he 
returned to the river in queet of water atn3 to kill 
eomething for breakfaat, ther« being no water in 
the plain, and the buffhlo diacoTering them before 
they came within gunshot took to flight. They 
reai^hed the banks in A hftndaOnie openlon' ground 
with Cottonwood, after three miles walk. Here 
they saw two large brown beara, and killed them 
both at the firBt fire, a drcuiaatance which has 
never before owurred since we have seen that ani- 
mal. Having made a meal of a part and hung 
the remainder on a tree with a note for captain 
Clark, they again aec«nd^ the blufffe into the 
open plaioB, Here they saw great numbera of the 
bniTowing squirrel, also Bome woIveB, antelopee, 
mule-deer, and TaBt herds of bnfffelo. They eoon 
crossed a ridge considerably higher than the but- 
ronnding plains, and ft-om ita top had a beantiibl 
view of the Hocky mountains, which are now 
completely covered witb aiiow: their geoerftl 
course ie fVom Boutheaet to the north of north- 
weflt, and they seem to coasiat of several ranges 
which BUCceBBiTely riae above each other till the 
moBt distant mingles with the clouds. After trav- 
eJling twelve miles they again niet the river, where 
there was a handaome plain of cottoawood; and 
althongh tt wa^ not Bunset, and they had only 
come twenty-seven miles, yet captain Tjewis ffelt 
weak n-om his late disorder, and therefore deter- 
mined to go no fVirth*r that night. In the coni'se 
of the day they killed a quantity of game, and 
saw Bome aigns of otter oif well as braver, and 
many tracks of the lirown bear; they also caughli 
great quantities of the white fish mentioned yea- 
¥ol. I.— 22 33T 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITION 



terday- With tht broftd-kafed tottonwood, which 
}iaq rprmed the principal timber of the Missouri, is 
here mlsed a^qothf r specie differing jVom the first 
only in the DarrowueBs of ita leiif tuid the greater 
thidneBB cif" ite bark. The leaf is long, oval, 
acutely iminted, about two and a h&lf or three 
ineh^ long and from three quarters of an inch td 
&n inch in nndth; it is smooth and thick, some- 
tioiee Bligbtly grooved or channe3ed, with the 
margin a little aerrate, thfl upper disk of a com- 
moD, the lower of a whttiah green. This sijeciea 
Beema to be preferred by the beaver to the broad- 
leaved, probably because the former afforda & 
deeper and softer bark. 

37jvre(Jflj' IS, — They Left their encampment at 
Buuri&e, and asceadiDg the river liiSle went for blx 
miles in a course generally eouthweet, over a 
country which though more waving than that of 
yesterday may Htill be consideted Itvel. At the 
eitreniity of this course they overlooked a most 
b^utiful plain, where were iaQnitely more buffalo 
thaa we had ever before eecB at a eingle vipw. 
To the Bouthweat aroae £rouL tbe plain two mooa- 
tains of a singular appearance and more like ram- 
parts of high fortifications than works of nature. 
They are ftquare flares with aides rising perpen- 
dicularly to the height of two hundred find fifty 
feetj formed of yellow clay, and the toys seemed 
to be level plains. Fiuding that the river here 
bore coaaiderably to the south, and Ibarfa.1 or 
passing thefUlla before reaching the Kocky moun- 
tainSj they now changed their couroe to the south, 
and leaving thoae insulated hilla to the right pro- 
ceeded acroes the piain. la this direction captain 
l^ewifl had gone about two miles when hie ears 
were aaluted with the agreeable sound of a fall of 
-water, and as he advanced a spray which seemed 
338 



UP THE MI8S0DRI. 

driven by the hig-h Bouthwest wind arose ahoT* 
tb* plain like a column of emoke and vanished in 
an iiistajit. Towards tbia point he directed bin 
Hteps, and the noise increasing aa he approached 
eoou becatiie too tremendotm to be mistaken Tor 
any thiBg but the great falls of the SliHSOuri. 
Having trarelled seven miles after first hearing the 
Bounil be reached the falls aboiit tivelve o"c!ock; 
the bills aa be approached were difficult of access 
and two hundred feet high : down these he hurried 
■with impatience and seating bimaelf on eomerocks 
under the wntre of the falls, enjoj&d the suhlini*; 
spectacle of this stupendoUa object which since the 
crt^ation bad been laviB-hing' its mag^ificeqce tipOQ 
the desert unltiiowa to civilization. 

The river immediately at its cascade is three 
hundred yards wide, and is pressed in by b. per- 
pendieular cliff on the left, -wliich rieee to about 
one huudred (feet and extends up tbo stream for a 
miJe; on the right the hluiTiB also perpendicular 
for three hundred yards above the falls. For 
ninety or a hundred yards from the left cliff, the 
water falls in one smooth even sheet, over a preci- 
pice of at least eighty feet. The remaining part of 
the river precipitates itself with a more rapid cnr- 
rgnt, but being received as it falls by the irr^gulnr 
and Bomewhftt projecting ri>ckB below, forms a 
splendid prospect of perfectly white foam two hun- 
dred yards in length, and eighty in perpendicular 
elevation. Tliia spray is dissipated into a thon- 
sand shapes, sometimes Syit^g up ill cohimns of 
fifteen or twenty ftet, which are then oppressed by 
larger mafiees of the white foam, on all which the 
Ban impreesee the brigbt«st colours of the rain- 
bow. As it rieea ftom the fall it beats ■with fnry 
against a ledge of rocks which extend across the 
river at one hundred and fifty yards trom the 
339 *' 



lEWISAW) CLARK'S ESPBDITION 



precipice. From tbe perpendicular cliff on the 
aorth, to the diBtance of one hundred and twentf 
jrardB, the rocks rise only a ftw fbet above the 
■water, and when the river is high the stream flnda 
a channC^l acrOea them Tortf ^"arda widt, and near 
the tii^her parts of the Isdge wLich ih^n ri^e about 
twenty feet, ami t«rminftt« ftbniptlj within eighty 
OF oioety yarda of the eowthern Bide. Between 
them and the perpendicular cliff on theeouthj the 
whole body of water runs with great BWifCneM. 
A few fimail cedars grow near this ridge of rocks 
wtiich serves ae a barrier to defend a small plain 
of about three acrea shaded with eottOQWOod, at 
the lower extremity of which ta a grove of the 
aame tree, where ore Beverol Indian cabioa of 
Bticka ; below the point of them the river is divided 
hj a large rock, several feet above the surface of 
the water, and extending do^m the etream for 
twenty yarda. At the dietaaee of three hundr^ 
yards from the same ridge Ls a second abutment of 
solid perpendicular rock about Bixty fe«t high, pro- 
jecting at right angk^B from the email plain on th« 
north for one hundred and thirty-four yards into 
the river. Aftei- leaving tUa, the MisBOiiri again 
Hpreade itself to its usual distance of three hun- 
dred yarda, though with more than its ordinary 
rapidity. 

The hanterH who had been Bent ont now re- 
turned loaded with buffalo meat, and captain 
Lewie encamped for the night under a tree near 
the fiills. The men were again despatehed to hunt 
for food agaiqet the arrival of the party, and cap- 
tain Lewis walked down the river to discover if 
possible Bome place where the caaoes might be 
safely drawn on shore, in order to be transported 
iieyond the fallB. He returned however vrithout 
discovering any sutih spot, the river for three ntiCes 
340 



DP THE MISSOURI. 

b^Iow bein^ oqe coatimied Bucceseion of rapida 
and cascades, orerhBDg with perpendicular bluflii 

' fl-om one hunilred and Sfty to two tundri^d l^t 

high; in short, it Beeme to have worn itself a 

channel throQf^h tbe solid rock. In the aitertidon 

they caught in the Talk some of both kinds of the 

■white fish, and half 9- doien troat from ^xt««n to 

' twenty-three iDcbea long:, precisely reeembling la 

I Jbrm and the position of ita fine the mountain or 

' Bpeckled trout of the United States, except that 

I the apecka of the former are of a deep blatk, while 

those of the latter are of a red or gold colour: 

they have long sharp t«eth on the palate and 

[iHsngue, and generally a small speck of red on eacli 

I ^de behind the front ventral fins ; the fleah \g of a 

I pale yellowieh red, or when in good order of a 

rose-coloured red. 

FYiday 14. — This monung One of the men was 
sent to captain Clark ivith an aeeonnt of the dis- 
covery of the falls, aud after employing the rest in 
preserving the meat whi<:h had been kilted yester- 
day, captain Lewis proceeded to examine the 
rapids above. From the falls he directed hie 
conrse southwest up the river: after pasiiing one 
continued rapid, and three small cascades, each 
three or fqar feet high, he reached at the distance 
of five milee a second fall. The river ia about four 
handred yards wide, and for the distanue of three 
hnodred throws itself over to the depth of nine- 
teen feetj and bo irregularly that he gave it the 
name of the Crooked fhlla. From the southei-n 
shore it extendi obliquely upwards about one hun- 
dred and fiits J8,rd«, and then forms an acuta 
angle downwards nearly to the commeucemeut of 
four small islands close to the northern side. 
Trora the perpendicular pitch to these islands, & 
distance of more than one hundred yards, the 
341 



LEWIS AND CLARE'S EXPEDITION 



water glides down a eloping rock with a velocity 
aJmoijt ^ual to thttt of it« fall. Abore tble 1^11 
the rivpr becde suctdeDly to the norttward; while 
viewing thia plrtcB cajjtain Lewia heard a loud 
roftr above him, and (^rOHning the point ol' a hill 
for a ftw huadrtd jardia, he saw one-of the most 
tcautU'ul oljjccts iji nature: the whole Miesouri is 
auddeniy Btopptfd by oue ehelymg rock, whicii 
without a single alche and with aa edge aa 
Btraight and reg-ular as If formed bj art, etretchea 
itaelf ftora one aide of the river to the other for at 
least a quarter ofa mile. Over this it precipltatea, 
itsetf tn an even T3iiint*rrupted sheet to the per- 
pendicular depth of flftj feet, whence dashing 
agaitiut the rockj bottom it ru^heis rapldlj dowD, 
leavLUf; behind it a Bpray of the purest foam 
o«ro98 the river. The aeene which it presented 
waa indeed aingularly "beautiful, since without any 
of the wild irregular Bilblimitj Of the lower falls, 
it combined all the regular elegances which the 
&iicf of a painter would select to form a. b^autif^l 
waterfall. The eye had scarcely been regaled with 
thia charming prospect, when at the diatance of 
half a mile captain Lewis obetrTed another of a 
alinilar kind : to this he immediately hastened, and 
found a cttscadu Btretcbing across the whole river 
for a quarter of a mile with a descent of fourteen 
feet, though the perpendicular pitch was only six 
ftet. Thia too in any other neighbourhood would 
hare been an ohjeet of great magiiiticence, but 
after what he had ju^t aeen it became of J^ecoudary 
interest; hie cnriosity being however awakened, 
he deteriaiawl to go on even should night over- 
take him to the head of the falls. He therefura 
pursued the southwest course of the river, which 
was one constant EucceHuioa of rapide and antall 
Ea*cades, at every one of which the blufla grew 
342 



UP THE MISSOURI. 



loweT, or the bed of the rtfer became mor* on a 
level Tvith the plains. At the diBtfl-ncB of two and 
& half milea he atriveal at another cataract of 
twentj-rix fwt. The rivw in here eii haoilred 
yardfi wide, but the deecent is not iin loedEately 
perpendicular, tiioug^ti the riv<ir falls generallj- 
■with a resTlJir and Bmooth sheet; for about o;ie 
third of the descent a roefc protrudes to a Hni&U 
distance, recGiTes the water in its passage and 
g^vw it ft curve. On the south side k a bpautiful 
plaia a few feet aboTe the level of tie fklla; ou the 
north the coimtry ia more broken, and there is a. 
hill not fer from the rirer, Juet below the falia ia 
a little iftlaod in the middle of the river ■well 
covered "with timber. Here on a cottonwood tree 
an eagle h»d Gxed its neet, and seeiued the nndi«- 
pnted miatreee of & spot, to conteat whose do- 
miiiioQ neither man nor beant would venture 
across the gulfS that surround it, and which Is 
ftirther secured by the miat riaing from the FaWs. 
This aolitary bird Could not escape the DbHervfl- 
■fcion of the Indianti who made the eagle's neet a 
pa.rt of their deBcription of the foUa, which now 
proves to be correct in alraoat every particular, 
except that they did not do juetiee to their height. 
Jnst above this ia a caacade of about five ftet, be- 
yond which, as fiir a^ could be diseerned, the 
velocity of the water seemed to abate. Captain 
X/S'wis now amended the hill wrhJcJi Tvae behind 
him, and saw irom its top a delightful plain ex- 
tending from the rivet to the base of the Snow 
mountains to the south and Bouthweat. Along 
this wide level country the Miasouri pitraued ita 
winding conrae, filled with water tO ita even and 
graasy banJcB, "while about four miles above it was 
joined by a large river flowing from the north- 
weat through a valley three milee in widthj and 
S4^ 



LEWIS AND CLAItK'S EXPEDITION 



distinguished by the timber which adorned its 
shores; the Missouri iteelf Btretcbea to the south 
in one unruffled stream of ^ut€r aa if uncoiiscioaB 
of the rougliueHS it must eoon encouoter, and 
bearing on its bosom vast doclta of geese, while 
biimeroua herds of bilBalo are Cb«diiig on the 
plains i^'hich surround it. 

- Captain Lewis then descended the hill, and 
■directed Iiia course towards the river falling in 
ftom the west. Ho floon met a herd of at leaat a 
thousand butfalo, and being desirous ofprovidiog 
foe supper shot one of them; the animal iinme- 
dia.t«lf began to bleed, and captain Lewi^ TPho 
lad forgotten to relqad hie rifle, w«B latently 
watching to see hiia fall, when he beheld a lar^ 
brown bear who waa stealing on him unperceived, 
and waa already within twenty steps. In the 
first moment of aurpriae he lifted hia rifle, but rtv- 
njembering instantly that it Was not charged, and 
that he had not time to reload, he felt that there 
■was no safety but in Sight. It was in tlie open level 
plain, not a bush oor a tree within three hundred 
yards, the bank of the river eloping and not more 
than three Ibet high, ho that there vas no possible 
mode of concealment; captain Lewie therefore 
thought of retreating in a quick walk as f^t aa 
th^bear advaoiced towards the nearest tree; bat 
as Boon as he turned the bear ran open mouth 
and at full speed upon him. Captain Lewi^ ran 
about eighty yards, but Ending that the animal 
gained on him fa«t, it flashed on hii^ mind that b^ 
getting iato the water to eueh a depth that the 
bear would be obliged to attaet iiinj awimming, 
there was still eome chance of hie life; he therefore 
turned abort, plunged into the river about waiat 
deep, and facing about preBented the point of hia 
gpoDtoon. The bear arrived at the water's edge 
344 



tJP THE MTSSOTTEI. 

ivithiQ twenty f^t of him, but qb evdod bs he pnt 
tiiDself in this position of defence, he aeemed 
frightened, and wheeling ftbout, retreated with as 
iitu4^h pr%Epita.ti(>ti aa he bbd pursued. Very glad 
to be released ftom this danger, captain Lewia 
feturnod to the ehore, and oljierTe>d hiiB run with 
great speed, sometimes looking back lu if he ex- 
pected to be puraued, till he reached the woods. 
Ke could not conceive the cause of the Hudden 
alarm of the be&r, bnl cougratulatM himeelT on 
hia escape when he saw his own track torn to 
pieces by the furious animal, arnJ learnt trom the 
whole adTeDtnre never to aufier his rifle to be a 
moment unloaded, He now reeunied hie progrees 
in the direction wliich the bear had taken towards 
the western river, and found it ahandaonie stream 
about two hundred yards wide, apparently deep, 
with a gentle current; itiB waters elear, and its 
banks, which were formed priucipallj of dark 
brown and blue clay, are about the eame height 
ae those of the Missouri, that is (torn three to five 
ifeet. What waa Hingular was that the river doca 
not seem to overfEow itA banks at au; ^ason, 
while it might be presumed fVom Ita vicinitj to the 
monntainB, that the torrents arising IVom the 
meiting of the suowa would eometimea cause it tn 
swell beyond ite Unuts. The contrary fact would 
induce a belief that the Rocky mountains yield 
their anowa very reluctantly and equably to the 
sun, and are not often drenched by vcfy heavy 
rains. This river is no doubt that which the 
Indiiuis call Medicine river, which they mentioned 
as emptying into the Missouri, just above the 
fkile. After examining Medicine river, captain 
Lewia eet out at half after six o'clock in the even- 
ing on his return towards the camp, which he 
estimated at the distance of tivelve miles. Ing'C>- 
34o 



LEWIS AND CIABK'e EXPEDITION 

Ing through the low gronndfl on Medicine river 
he met an ouimal which at a distdcce he thought 
TTos B wolf, but on coming within siity pacee, it 
proved to be Bocie brownUh yellow animal etand- 
ing near ite burrow, which, when he carae nigh, 
crouched and Beamed as if about to Bpring on him. 
■Captain Lewis flred and the beast diaappeared in 
ita burrow. From the track n.nd the general ap- 
pearance of the animal h« suppostd it to be of the 
tiger kind. He then w^ent on, but a^ tf the beaats 
of the forestB had couBpired against bimj three 
buffalo bulla which were fteding with a large herd 
at the distance of lialf a mile, left their tompaii' 
ions and ran at flil] speed towardB him. He 
tnrned round, and Unw^illing to give up the field 
advanced towards them; when they came within 
ft hundred yflrde, they Btopr>ed, looked at liim for 
Bome time, and then retreated aethejcame. He 
BDw pursued hia route in the dark, reflectmg on 
the Htrjinge adrenturea and eights of the dayj 
which crowded on his mind eo rapidly that he 
ehould have been inclined to believe it all enchant- 
ment if the thorns of tho prickly pear piercing; hie 
feet did not dispel at every moment the iUueion, 
He at last reached the party, who had been rery 
anxiotia for hia Baffety, and who had already de- 
cided on the route which eo^h should take in the 
morning to look for him. Being muth fatigued he 
>bupped and slept well during the night. 

SnturrJuy, J^.-'The men were again sent out to 
bring in the game killed yesterday and to procure 
more: they also obtained a number of fine trout 
and flGvcral Binall eatfiah "n-eijirhiag about four 
pounds, and differing fljom the whit* catfish lower 
down the Minaouri. On aAvaking this mOming 
captaiti Le^vig found a large rattlesnake coiled on 
the trunk ofa tce« under which he had been sleep* 



UP THE MiaaOITRE. 

lag. He killed it, and found it lik« thoHe Tce tiad 
eeen before, dilTtriD^ frum. those of the Atlantic 
6tate6, not in its colours btit iu the form and 
arrangemeiLt of tliiau; it liad one iiimdftd and 
BCventj-fiLs Btutd oO. the abdoineii, and eeyenteeu 
half-foriDftd ecuta on the tail, Tliere ia a lieavy ^/^ 
dew on the yrrass &bout the eaiDp every raoraiag, 
■wliicli no douht proceeds Itom tiie luist of the 
fklla, as it takes lA&as nowhere in the jilaiiu nor 
on the riTer exGept here, The mesaenger sent to 
captain Clark returned with iciforniation 6f Ida 
liaviug arrived Jivo miles telow at a rapid, which 
he did not think it prudent to aecend Qnd WOuJd 
wait till captain Lewis and his partj rejoiaed hira. 

Ou Tuesday; lltb, the day when captain Lewis 
left u&, we remained at the eatraate of Maria's 
riyer a.nd completed the depoalta of all the articled 
■with which we could diapense. The morning had 
been fair with a high wind it-om the aouthwest, 
which shifted in the evening to tiortb'.v&stj when 
the weather hecame cold and the wind high. The 
next morniii^, 

Wednesdny, 13, we left our encampment with a 
fiiir daj and a southweat wind. The river was 
sow so CFQwded with islands that within the dis- 
tance of ten milea and a half "we passed eleven pf 
diiferent diiuciiiaiona bt^ore reaching a iiigh blaek 
bluJT in a head i.n the left, where we uaw a great 
aimiher of awallowe, Withiu one mile and a half 
ftirther we poi^wd four amall islands, two on each 
aide, and at fifteen miles from uur encampment 
reached a spring which the men called Urrog 
BpriDg: it is Qu tbe northern shore, and at the 
point where Tonay river approaches within one 
hundred yards of the ^[LEsauri. From this place 
we proceeded three milBa to a low bluff on tho 
north opposite to an island, and spent tbe night 
347 



LEVFI3 AND CLAKE'S ESFEDITION 

in an old Indian encampment. The bluSa under 
whieh ■«■& pasHed Were Composed of a blackish clay 
and coal for about eightj feet, above which fgr 
thirty or forty t^ 14 a brownieh yellow Gartli. 
The river U very rapid and obstructed by bars of 
gravBl and Btuae of different Btapes and Blzee, ea 
that three of our canoes were in great danger in 
theconree of th*day. We had affeTP drops of rain 
about two o'eiocli in the aftemooE. The only 
animala we kiiied were elk and deer; bnt W* saw 
grt^at Dumbere of rattlesnakiHi. 

Thursday, 13. — The moroiDg was f^ir and there 
■was some dew on the ground. After pasBcng two 
islands we reached at the dintance of a mile and a 
half ft small rapid stream fifty yards wide, empty- 
ing itself on the eouthj rising in a mountain to the 
Boutheast about twelve or Blleea miles distant, 
aqd at this time covered 'n'ith enow. Ae it is tJie 
channel for the melted snow of that mountain we 
called it Snow ri\-er : oppoeite to its entrance la 
another island: at one mile and three quarters ia a 
black blufi* of state on the south, nine miles be- 
yond which, aifer paaeing t-en ielanda, Tve came to 
CQ the Bouthem shore near an o]d Indian fortified, 
camp, opposite the lower point of an ieland, hav- 
ing- made thirteen miles. Tiie niituber of islande 
and flhoalB, the rapidity of the river, and the 
quantity of large ston^a, rendered the navigation 
very disagreeable; along the banks we dietin- 
guished eevep&l low blutr« or cliffp* of «lQte. There 
were great numbers of geese and goslings ; the 
geeee not being able to fiy at this bbusou. Goose- 
berries are ripe and in great abundance ; the yel- 
low currant is also coiamoa, but not yet ripe 
Our game consisted of Ijufiiilo and goata. 

Flidfij, i4, — Again the day is fine. We madft 
two Tmlee to a amall island in the aouthern bead> 
SIS 



UP THE MISSODBl. 



ftRer paMin^ eewerftl bad rafiids. The Cnrrent bo- 

cornea indeed swifter aa wt; aece'Dd, aad t!i« cQPoes 
frequeotly receive wftter ae we drag them with 
difficulty along. At the diataoce of aix nn\ea w6 
reached captain Clark's camp on the fourth, which 
is on the north aide and oppoeite to a iar^ 
^aveCCf bar. Herd the mAd sent hy cAptaia 
LewiB Joined ub with the pleaeing intetligenc« that 
he hod discovered the IHIIa, and woh convinced 
that th« course we were purenin^ wa« that of the 
trae MisBoari. At a mile tuid a half we reached 
the upper point of an island, three-quarters of a 
mile beyond which we encamped on the south, 
Attec making only ten and a quarter mileg. Along 
the river was but little timber, but much hard 
elate ut the blufiB. 

Saturdayt 15. — The morning heing warm and 
tair we set out at the usual hour, but proceeded 
with great difflcnity in £on»ec|iicuce of the in> 
creased rapidity of the current. The channel I4 
constantly obstructed by rucks and dangerous 
rapIdB. During the whole progreas the men are ia 
the water hauling the eanoes, and walking on 
sharp rocks and round Htones which cut their ibet 
Of cause them to fall. The rattlesnakes too ore act 
numerotia that the men are constantSy on their 
guard against being bitten by them; yet they bear' 
the fatigues with the maet uodiminiBhed cheerful- 
ness. We hear the roar of the fal]i» very distinctly 
thifl momlng. At three and three quarter nulea 
we came to a rock in a bend to the 8outh| r& 
eentbling a totrer. At six and three quarter milea 
we reached a large creek on the south, which after 
one of our mea we called Shieldu's creek. It 13 
rapid in its course, about thirty yarda wide, and 
on sending a person five mileB up it proved to 
have a fMl of fiiteen feet, and eome timber ou its 



LEWIS AND GLiJJK'S EXPEDITION 

low groTiiid. AboTB this river the blufis of thR 
Mieaoiiri are of red eartli mixed with btra.ta.a of 
black BtotiC; below it we paeaed some white clay 
in the banks which mi^es with ■water in every 
respect like floor. At three and three quarter 
milefl we reached a point on the north oppoBite an 
island and a bluff; and one mile and a ijuarter 
f\irther, after pasBirif^some red blufifi, came to on 
the nortli aide, having^ made twelve miles. Here 
we found a rapid so diificult that we did oot 
think proper to Qttemjit the passage this evening, 
and therefore eent to eaytain LewiH to apprise 
him of our arrival, We aaw a number of gmBe, 
duckfi, crowB, and blackbirds to-daj, the two 
former with their yonTi^. The river rose a little 
this evening', btit the timber is etill eo scorcft that 
we could not procure enough for our ubb durjog 
the oiglit. 

Sunday, June 16. — Some rain M\ last night, and 
this morning the ^feather waa cloudy and the 
wind hig'h from the southweBt. We pafiaed the 
rapid bj doubly maiinin^ the peiiogne and canoea, 
and halted at the distance of a mile and a quarter 
to ejtamine the rapids above, which ive found to 
be a continued succeBsion of cascades as far as the 
■view extended) which was about two milea. 
About a mile above where we halted was a large 
oreek falling in on the south, opposite to which ia 
a large aulphur spring falling over the rocka on 
the north; captain Lewis arrived at two (torn the 
J^lls about five milea above ub, and after Gonsnlt- 
ing: upon the eabject of the portage, we c roused 
the river and formed a camp on the north, having 
come three quartera of a mile to-day. From our 
owTi observation we had deemed the aouth side to 
be the most favourable for a portage, but two 
men eeot out for the purpose of es-anuniDg it, re- 



TIP THE mSSOTTRI. 



ported that tlie cr«ek and the ravliieii iuterB^t«d 
the plam 80 deeply that it waa impQa«tbi« tu ciuhb 
it. Captain Clark tbcrcfore reBolved to examiQe 
more minatel^ what was the beat route: the lour 
canoes werb unloadt-d at the cainp and then eent 
across the riverj where by meana of strong- coi-da 
they were liaiiled over the first rapid, whence they 
may be ^aeily drawn into the creek. Finding too, 
that the portage would be at all ereats too Iodj; 
to euablti an to carry the boats oa our labouldere, 
sis men were set to work to make wbeela for 
carriagea to transport them. Since leaving 
Maria's river the irife of Chabobefiti, our inter- 
preter, has been dangerously ill, but ahe now found 
great rt^lief from the mineral water of tlie Bulphux 
spring. It ia situated about two hundred yards 
from the Miaaouri, into which it empties over a 
prficipiee of rock about twenty-fivti ftet high. 
The water ia perfectly trflHaparent, BtrODgly im- 
pregnated with fiulpbur, aad we guj^pect iron &\bq, 
fm the colour of the hills and bluffy in the neigh- 
bourhood inriicatea the presence of that metai. In 
ebort tiie wat«r to all appearance is precieely 
Mmilar to that of Bowyer'e sulphur Bprinj in 
Virginia. 

Monday IT. — Captain Clark set out with five 
men to explore the country; the rest were eni' 
ployed in bunting, making wheels and in drawing 
the five canoee and all the bag-gn^ up the creek, 
which we now called Portage creek; frono. this 
creek there is a ^adual ascent to the top of the 
high plain, while the bluHk of the treek lower 
dowa and of the Missouri, both above and below 
its eutrauce, were bo eteep as to have rendered it 
almost impracticable to drag them up ti'om. the 
Miseouci. We found great difficulty and some 
dan^r in even ascending tJie creek thus far, in 
B51 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

coneecLueQce of the rapida and rockB of tlie channel 
of the creebj whicli just above where we bronght 
the canoes has a fall of five ftet, and bigh and 
steep bluflk beyond it: we were very fortunate io 
finding juBt below Portage creelt a cottonwool 
tree about twenty-two iucheB in diameter^ aad 
Iarg% euDugh to make the carriage wheels: it woe 
perhapB the only one of the aame siie within 
twenty mileB; and the cottonwoodj which we are 
oblige to employ in the other parte of the wori, 
Ik extremely soft and brittle. The nia^t of the 
white periogue which we mean to leave behindj 
supplied UB with two ailetreea. There are vast 
quantitieB of buffalo feeding on tlie plaine or 
watering in the river, which ie aleo strewed with 
the floating carcaaea and limba of theae animala. 
They go in large herds to watee about the falls, 
and aa all the passages to the river near that 
pIm9 are narrow and eteep, the foremost ore 
presBed into the river by tha impatiGnce of thooe 
behind. In this way we have seen ten or a dozeD 
disappear over the flLlla in a few minutee. They 
afibrd excellent food for the wolves, bears, and 
birds of prey; and ihi^ circumatance may account 
for the reluctance of the bears to yield their do 
minion over the neighbourliood. 

TueHrfiy IS.— The periogue was drawn up a lit^ 
tie below our camp and aecured in a thick copee 
of wiliow buBhea, We now l>egan to !larm a cache 
or place of deposit and to dry our gooda and 
other articles which required inspection. The 
wagons too are completed. Our hunters brought 
ns ten deer, and we phot two out of a herd of 
buSato that came to water at the eulphur spring. 
There ia a flpeciea of gooaeberry growing abun- 
dantly among the rocka on the sidea ofthecliflb: 
it is now ripe, of a pale red colour, about the 6i» 
352 



UP THE MTSSOURI. 

of the common gooBetnerry, and like It is an ovate 
pericarp of noft pulp envetnping a number of small 
■whitish coloured aeetle, and consisting of a yellow- 
ish B-limy nmcilaginOua sabBtfLnCer With a BTrEfit 
tB«te ; the surface of the berrj in coveivd ■with a 
glutinous adheeLve mi^tter, and ita Ihiit tliough 
ri{)e retaiQB ItB withered corolla. The shrub iteelT 
seldom rieeB more than two feet high, ia much 
branched, and haa no thome. The leavea reaemble 
thoB« of the commotk j^oo^bct-ry escepfc in beijig 
smaller, and the berrj is supported by separate 
peduncles or footstafka hjvlf an inch long. There 
are aleo immeuBe tjuaDtitietJ of graBehoppere ofa. 
brown colour in the plaioB, and they no dnnbt 
contribute to the lovvnetwi of thi; grasB, which ia 
not generally more than three inches high, tbongh 
it ia Boftj narrow-leafed and afforda a fine pasture 
for the buffalp. 

Wednendnjr 10, — The wind blewviolentlyto-day, 
as it did ycBterday, and as it does (tequently ia 
this open country, where there is not a tree to 
break or oppose its force. Some men were sent 
for the meat killed yesterday which fortunately 
had notbeeu discovered by the wolvee. Another 
party went to Hedjcine riv^r in queat qf elk, which 
we hope may be induced to resort there, trom, 
there bein^ more wood in that neighbourhood 
than on the Minsouri, All the reat were o&cupied 
in packing tlie baggage and mending their mocca- 
Bins, in order to prepare for the Ijortflge, We 
eaught a number of the whitefitib, but no catfish 
or trout. Our poor ludiaa woman, who hud re- 
covered 80 far as to walk out, imprudently ate a 
quantity of the white apple, which with eome 
dried fish oceaBtoaeii a return of her ffever, 

The meridian altitude of the Bun'a lower limb, a6 
observed with octant by back observAtiou, wa* 
Vol. J.-23 353 



LEWia AND CLARK'S ESPEDITION 



53° 12'f giTin^ a« the latitude of our camp, 47" 
8' 59" 5. 

Tfiursduy 20. — Aa we were deeiroua of ^tting 
meat eaougli to last ub during the liortage, bo 
that the men mig-ht not be diverted llrom their 
labour to look for food, we sent out four hunters 
to-day : they killed eleven buflJilo. This was in- 
deed an eaay labour, for there are raat herd^ 
coming constantly to the opposite bank of the 
riyer to water ; they seem also to make much use 
of the mineral water of the sulphur spring, but 
whether from ehoice, or because it is more con- 
Teuient than the river,, we cantiot determine, aa 
they sometimes pass near the spring and go on to 
the river. Besides this spring, brackish water OF 
that of a dark colour impregnated with mineral 
Baits, Biich an we have frequently met on the Mia- 
souri, may be found in email quantiticB in eonie of 
the steep ravines on the north eid^? of the river 
opposite to us and at the falls. 

Captain Clark returned this evening, having 
examined the whole couree of tbe river and fixed 
the route moBt practicable for the portage. The 
first day> 17th, he wee oceopied in meaauring the 
heights and diatancea along the banks of the river, 
and slept near a ravine at the foot of the Crooked 
falls, having very narroTvly escaped falling into 
the river, "wbere heTvould have perished inevitably, 
in descending the cUffs ite»r the grand cat-arect. 
The next day, 18th, he continued the eame occa- 
pation, and arrived in the afternoon at the junc- 
tion of Medicine and Miaaouri rivers; up the lattar 
he ascended, and passed at the distance of a mile 
an isiand and a little timber in an ea«twardly 
bend of the river. Oae mile beyond this became 
to the lower point of a large ialand ; another small 
island in the middle of the river, and one near the 
354 



UP THE MISSOUBI. 

left etore at the difitance of three miks, opporite 
to the head of which lie etitfliiiped heat the taouth 
gf a creek which appeared to rise in the South 
mountain. These three islands are gppoeite to 
^acb other, ond we gave them the name of the 
'Whit^'bear luEaDdB frum ubsernug tmme of thuee 
animals on them. He killed a beaver, an elk and 
eight buffalo, l^lne of the men Ti'ho was sent a 
short distance from the camp to bring home aOme 
tpsat, was attacked bj- a white bear, and closely 
pursued withia forty paces cf the canip, and nar- 
rowly escaped being caught. Captain Clark im- 
mediately went with three men in quest of the 
bear, -which he was afraid might aurprise another 
of tte hunters who wa* out collecting tlie game. 
The bear was however too quick, for before cap- 
tain CEark could reach the man, the hear hat] 
attacked Mm and compelled him to take refuge iu 
the water. He now raji off aa they approached, 
and it being late they deferred pursuing him till 
the nert morning. 



LEWIS AND CLAEK'9 ESPEDmOBT 



OHAPTEK XI, 

D«8crlptlDn and. romnDtk appuBratice at Ibe UluourC ftt Lhe 
] uiH!Uoji oltDe Maiucine river— nn! ajfflmliy Of aunaporliDg t&a 
bfiSgnge U Ibe (bJ1s~TIi(i pnrtf employed In tti« construction of 
a Ixiat of skins — Tbe embarrasBmeiLta the; had lo pacnuncerfor 
WQat »: proper juftWrMs— DuriQE tbe wort Uw puny mucb 
traubled by wliite beaiB^Yloleot bnll-aUm), d-ud i^rovldeatlal 
BBcupe of captain Clark and bis pari;— DuscrlptJoD ul aremaxk- 
«Wfl roiiDWlTl— SlPgiUar ^iplosloq DepnJ Ir"m Ctifl Blaet moun- 
taiSB— Tbe boat Icund to be InsufflcleDt, andtbt^fi^^rlous cllsaiK 
patntmBiit of the parly — C&ptaia C\art UDdertates la repair tba 
(JuraagB by bawatiiff ca^oe9, and Mwiopiislnw me uak. 

On thB ]9tli, captain Clark not being able to 
flod the bear mentioned in ttie last chapter, spent 
the day in examining the coaatry both above and 
below the Wbitebear iulande, and concluded that 
the place of Ma encampment would be the best 
poiat fbr the extremitj' of the portage. The men 
were therefore occupied in drjaug the meat to be 
left here. ImmeiiBe numbers of butfalo are erer; 
where round, and they saw a aucumer duck wbicb 
ie DOW Bitting. The nest morning, 20th, he 
CTOBsed thfl level plaiDj fixed Btakes to mark the 
route of the portage, till he posited a large raTine 
which would oblige ne to make the portage fkr- 
ther from the rirer: afttr this there being no other 
obatacle he went to the river where he had Qrat 
etruck tt, and took ite coursee and diutancea down 
to the camp. From th<; draught and Burvey of 
captain Claj-k, we had now a clear and connected 
view of the fklls, caecadea, and rapids of the MiB- 
Boiiri. 

This river ie three hundred yards wide at tbe 
point where it receiTea the waters of Medicise 



UP THE MISaOTIEI. 



riTOTj which is one hundred and thirty-Beven yards 
in width. The unitefi curtent tontinuee three hun- 
dred and tTventy-«ight poles to a small rapid on. 
the north. sJdp, from which it gradually widens to 
one thousand Amr hundnKl yards^ and attbc'dia^ 
tance oflirc UuLiJred a:id forty-tiigbt poles reaches 
the head of the raji^tls, narrowing: a» it approocheB 
them. Here the hiHa on the north which had 
WithdrJ.trn. from the btlik <!loseIy bordef the river, 
ch, for the space of three hundred and twenty 
mali!>e it« way over the rpchfi with a (ie- 
Bcent of thirty feet: in this course the current is 
contractEcl to five hundred and eighty yardH, and 
after throwing ittwlf over a wmall pitch of five ftetj 
forma a benutifUl coac-ade of twenty-eix feet five 
inches; this does not however fall imniediately 
perpendicular, being stopped by a part of the rock 
which projects at about one third of the d!»t«iiw. 
.ifterdeBcendirii,' this fall, and passing t!ie cotton- 
wood jfllanci on which the eagle hee fixed its neBt* 
the river goes on for five hundred and thirty-two 
polts Over rapids and little falln, the eatiraatcd 
descent of wSiich is thirteen ffeet six inches till it is 
join^ by a large fountain boiling up uademeath 
the roekfl near the edge of the river, into which it 
folia with a caecade of eight feet. It ib of the 
moBt perfect cleamesa and rather of a hluiah cast: 
and eveJi after falling into the Misaonri it pre' 
B«rves its Colour for half a inile. FrOm this foun- 
tain the river descends with increased rapidity for 
the distance of two hundred and fonrteen polee, 
duKog which the estimated descent is five feet; 
from this for a distance of one hundred aud thirty- 
five poles, the river deecends fourteen ftet seven 
inches including a fierpendicular fall of six ftet 
seven inches. The river has now become pressed 
into a space of four hundred and seventy-three 
807 



LEWIS Afro CLABK'S EKPEDITION 

jarda, and here formB a grand cataract by falling 
over a plain rock the Tt'hole diatance acpoas tha 
river to the depth orfofty-seTen feet eight inches, 
after recoveriuf^ itself tlie Missouri then proceeds 
witli an estimated dytjcent pf three fwt, till at tlie 
diBtaBce of one handreil aiid two polea it again is 
precipitated dowii tlie Crooked falls of nineteen 
ftet perpendicular; "below thia at the mouth of a 
deep ravine is a fhll of five fset, after which for the 
distance of nine Inindred aud seventy poles the 
descent ie ttiueh more gradual, nqt being more 
tLan ten feet, and then Bucct-^eds a handsome level 
plain for the apace of one hundred and eeventy- 
eight poles with a computed descent ofthree ftet, 
malting a bend toward* the north. Thence it 
deacendH during four hundred and eighty polea, 
aboiit eighteen ifeet and a half, when it makea a 
perpendicular fiill of two feet, which ie ninety poles 
beyond the great cataract, in approacliin^ which 
it descends thirteen fret witbfn two hundred 
jards, and gathering strength fVoni its confined 
channel, which ia Only two hundred and eighty 
yards wide, ruehee over the fall to the depth of 
eighty-seren fret anj three quarter? qf an inch. 
After raging among the rocks and loEing ItHelTiii 
foam, it ifl compreased immediately into a bed of 
ninety-three yards iti width: it eontinuea for three 
hondred and forty polea to the entrance of a run 
or deep ravine where there is a f;ill ofthree ffeet, 
which, joined to the decUne of the river during 
that courBe, makes the descent six f^t. As it goes 
on the descent within the nest two hundred and 
forty poles i8 only four ftet; from this iDflsaing a 
run or deep ravine the descent for four hundred 
polea is tliirteen feet; Within two hundred and 
forty poles a second descent of eighteen ffeet; 
thence one hnndred and eixty poles a descent of 
3o8 



rP THE MISSOURI. ' ' 

eiv (feet; after which to the mouth of Pgrtaga 
creek, a, dletaQce of two hundred and eight; polea^ 
the descent is t-eu feet, FrooL thlu survey aud 
estimate it resulta that the riverexperienefcaade- 
eoent of three hundred aud fifty-two feet in the 
course of t'wo and three quarter miles, from the 
coEinieiieeinent of the rapide to the mouth of 
Pqrtoge creek, exclusive of the alnioHt impae^able 
rapidB which e^Lt^nd for a mile below ita cutraace. 

The latitude oi'our camp below the entrance of 
Portage ereek waa found to bo 47" 7 10' 3, aa 
deduced from a meridian altitude of the sun's 
lower limb tok^n with octant b; back dbserva^ 
tion giving 53° 10'. 

JW'/a.v, Juae 23.— laying made the □ecesaarj 
preparations for contiauLug our route, a part of 
the haggugu woh carried acroBS the creek into the 
high plain, three miles in advance and placed on 
one of the carriagea with truck wheels: the rest of 
the party was emploj-ed in Atfiug meat and 
dreHBing elk skina. We killed several mule-deer and 
an elk, and observed «« U3ual vaat quautities of 
buS*a]o ivho came to drinlL at the river. For the 
first time ljb. the MisBouri we have seen near the 
fallH a species of fishing ditokj the body of which 
is brown and white, the wings white, and the 
head and upper part of the neck of a brick red, 
with a narrow beak, ^hiyh ge^me to he of the 
same kind commoa la the tSuBiiaehaima, Potomac 
and James river. The little wood which this 
ndghbourhood afforda conaiBts of the brood and 
narrow-leafed cottonwoodj the box alder, the nar- 
row and broad-leafed willow, the large oc sweet 
willow, which was not common below Aiaria's 
river, but which here attains the same aizt and 
haa the same appearance as in the Atlantic atatt^. 
The undergroivth conaieta of rosuH, gooeeberriea, 
859 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S' EXPEDITION 



S' 



earrante, Bmall boneyeuckleR, and the rvdwood, 
the inner part of "which the engages or watermen 
are fond of smoking when mixed with tobiu^co, 

SajtunJuj, 32.— V\'e now set out to paa» tha 
portage and halted for dinner at fight miles dis- 
tance near -a little etreajn. The ailetreeg of our 
cairriage, which hod been made of an old mast, 
and the eottonwood touguee broke before we 
came there : but we renewed them with the timbep 
of the 8wect willow, whith lasted till within half 
a mile Of oci* intended camp, when the tongnea 
gave way and we were obligod to take tun much 
ba^age ae we could carry on our backe down to 
the river, wbeie we formed an GocaiapmeiLt in a 
small grove of timber opposite to the Whitebear 
islands. Here the banks on both eides of the river 
aj't liandaoroe, level, and extensive; that near onr 
camp is not more than two feet above the eurfhce 
of the water. The river is about eight hundred 
yards wide juBt above theee islands, teu Ibet deep 
in mout places, and with a very geatle curreot. 
The plaiua however on this part of the river are 
not 80 fertile oa those from the ■month of the 
Muscleahell and theace downwards; tbereis much 
more stone on the sides of the hiHa and on the 
broken lands than is to be found low^er down. 
We eaw in the plains vast qunatitiee of baffalOj » 
number of siaali birdu, and the large brown car- 
lew, which is now sitting, and laya its eggs, which 
are of a pale blue with blackapecks, on the ground 
without any neat. There in ftlaft a species of lark 
much resemhling the bird called the oldHeld lark, 
with a yellow breast and a blaok spot on the 
croup; though it differs ll-otti the latter in having 
its tail formed of tbathera of an unequal length 
and pointed; the beak too is somewhat longer 
»nd more cnrred, and the note ditfera coii6idera> 
3l>0 



m* THE MISSOURI. 



Uly. The prickly pear aniioy«d ub very much tt>- 
; day by etLckiug througli our moccaeiua, Ab booq 
as we had kindled our flree we examined the meal; 
I "Whicli captain Clurk had leTC here, but found that 
the greater part of it had Iseen taken by the 
■wolves. 

^uat/s^r, 23.— Mt^r wb had brought up the 
tcanoe aad bagga^ captaia Clark went down to 
I the i;amp at Portat^ creek, ^vhere four of the mea 
ihad beea left with the Indian woman. Captain 
I Lewia during the morning preptired the camp, and 
in the afternoon went doivn in a canoe to Medi- 
cine river to look after the three men who had 
beeu B«Dt thitber to hunt on the li)th, and from 
whom, oothing' had as yet beea. heard. He went 
' np the river aboat hulf a mile and then walked 
' aloQjf on the right bank, hallooing &s he went, 
till at the distance of Qve milea he found one of 
them who had fSxod his camp on the oppoeLte 
bank, where he had killed seven deer and dried 
about eiz hundred pouudii of bnSalo meat, but 
had killed do elk, the animal chiefly wanted. Ha 
knew DothiDg of hia companions except that on 
the day of their departure from camp he had left 
I them at the faUa and come on to Medicine river, 
not having seen them since. Ab it was too late ti:> 
returo captain Lewis passed over on a raft which 
be made fbr the purpose and spent the night at 
Shannon's camp, and the next morning, 

Mondnj^ 24, sent J. Fielda up the river with 
ordere to go four miles and returii, whether he 
found the two absent Emntere or not; then de- 
Bcending the southwest side of Mediqine river, he 
crossed the MieiBouri ia the canoe, and eeat Hhan- 
Don back to hia camp to join Fields and bring the 
meat which they had killed l this they did, and 
arrived in the evening at the camp on M'hitebear 

ml 



LEWIS AND CLARE'S EXPEDITION 



Islaada. A part oFthe men from Portage creek 
also arrived with two canoee aod baggage. Oa 
goiag down yesterday captain Clark cut offsev- 
er&l anglea of the former route bo as to BUorteoi 
the Portage considerably, and marked it with 
Btftkee ; lie arrivtd thert in time to have two of 
the canoes carried up in thp high plain about a 
mile in advance. Here tliey al! repairpd their tttOO 
caaiiia, and put oa double Bolts to protect them 
from the prickly pear and from the sharp points 
of earth which have been formed by the trampling 
of the buffalo during the late roins; this of itself 
is sufficient t<j render the portage dieagreeable to 
one 'R'ho had no burden; but as the men are 
loaded a« heavily fn» tUeir strength will permit, 
the croeaiug is really painful : eouie ar« limping 
with the BOreaBBB of their feet, others arc ecarcely 
able to stajid for more than a few minutes from 
the heat and fatigue: they are all oblig^ to halt 
and raat fVequentJy, and at almoet every stopping 
place they fell and m&ny of theju are 8«leep in an 
inBtaat; yet ao one complains and they go on 
with cheerfulnesH. At their camp Drewyer and 
Fielda joined them, ftnd while captain Lewia was 
looking fur them at Bleditine river, thty returned 
to report the absence of Shannon about whom 
they Lad been very cnpasy. They had killed 
sereral buSiilo at the bend of the Missouri above 
the fnlla: and dried about eight hundred pounds 
of meat and got one hundred poundB of tallow: 
they had nlBo killed some deer, hut had seen no 
elk. AfttT getting the party in motion Witt the 
canoes captain (^lark rttturned to hin camp at 
Portage creek. 

We were now occupied Id flttlng up a boat of 
ekinHt the frame of which had been prepared for 
the purpose at Harper'B ferry. It was made of 



■ "TIP THE MrSSOURT. 

roTi, tliirty-Bix feet long, four feet and a half In 
the beam, and twenty-Bix inehcs wide in the bot- 
tom. Two men had been Bent this monung for 
timber to eompletfi it, but they eoukl find eeartfelj- 
any even tolerably etraight sticks four and a lialf 
feet longj and as the cottonwQod is too soft -and 
brittle we were obliged to uae tbe willow and 
box-alder. 

Taesdnyy 2S. — The party returned to the lower 

I eamp. Two men -were sent on the large island to 

look for timber. J. Fields wai* «L»nt up the Mis- 

Bouri to bunt elk; but ho returnwl about noon 

aud informed us that a few mtle^ above ie saw 

I two white twar near the river, and in attempting 

'lo fire at them came suddenly oa a third, who 

["being only a few atens olT immediately attacked 

[tiai; that in running to escape iVom the monster 

be leaped dowa u steep bdok of the rlTer, where 

falling on a bar of stons he rat his hand and 

kaee and bent hiB gun ; but fortunately for blm 

I the hank concealed him fkim hiH antagonist or he 

would have been moat probably loat. The other 

Itwo returned with a amftlt quantity of bark and 

[timber, whinU waa aE! th^y could find on the 

li^land; but they bad killed two elk: these were 

[ valuable, as we are dBMLroua of procuring the sltina 

[of that animal in order to cover the boat, as they 

[iire more strong and durable than those of the 

ibuffalo, and do not shrink bo mueli in drying. 

[■Thfl pJirty that went to the lower eamp had one 

r'cauoe A:Ud th^ baggage carried into the high plain 

to be ready in the morning, and then all who 

■ could make uw of their i^t had a danee on the 

l^ceen to the music of a violia. We have been un- 

l^ucceejiful in our attempt to cateli flab, nor doea 

[^ there Heem to be any in thia part of the river. We 

ibeerve a number of water terrapins. There are 

sua 



LEWIS AND GLAEK'S EXPEDITION 

great quantitieB of young blackbirds in these 
iBlandsjuHt beginning to fly. Among the vegeta- 
ble prod^ictioiia we observe a species of wild pjfr 
which, is now heOidiiig: it riBes to the height of 
eight*?en pr twenty inches, the beard remarkahly 
fine and aolt; the culm ia joLDted, aud in every 
rttapect except in beight it reeemblus the wild rye. 
Great quantitlea of mint too, like the peppflrmint, 
are foimd here. 

The winds are eometimes violent in the^e pluina. 
The mea titforTn ua that as they were bringing one 
of the cajtoea along on truck' wheels, they hoisted 
the Bail and the wiud carried her along for some 
dietaiice. 

WeJnesdsjr 26. — Two men were sent on the op- 
posite side of the river for bark and timber, of 
wluch they procured eoiue, but by no meatie 
enough for our puriJoaee. The bark of the cotton- 
wood is too soft, and our only dependence 19 OTI 
the aweet willow, which has a tough strong bark ; 
the two huntera killed seven buS'alo. A party 
arrived from below with two canoes aud baggage, 
and the wind being frons the southea&t, they had 
mads considerable progress w^Ith the sails. Oit 
their arrival one of the men who had been uon- 
eiderably heated and fatigued, swallowed a very 
hearty draught of water, and waa immediately 
taken ill ; capta.in Lewis bled him with a penknife, 
having no other inetniment at hand, and suc- 
ceeded in restoring him to health the next day. 
Captain Clark formed a second cache or deposit 
near the eaiiipr and placed the swivel under the 
rocka near the river, The antelopes are still seal^ 
tered through the plains; the ft^malee with their 
young, whi«L are generally two in number, and 
the males by themeelvea. 

Thursday ST.— The party were employed in pre. 
S64 



rip THE MTSaOTTRI, 



paring timber for the boat, except two who were 
Bent to bunt. About one in the ai^emoon a c^loud 
ai^se frOln the BOuthweat- and. brought with it 
Tiolent thunder, lightDing, nnd hail: saon ai^rit 
panned the hunteru came in fi-om About four milea 
abQTe us. Tbej bad killed nlae elk, and tbrfie 
bear. Ae they were hunting on the river they saw 
a low ground covered with thick bruehwood, 
where from the tracks along fihore tUey thought a 
beai- had probatly taken refuge: they therefore 
landed, without making a noise, and cCtnibed 4 
tree aboiat twenty feet abore tbcgrouad. Having 
fixed tbemselveB securely, they raised a loudahout, 
and a l)ear instantly rushed towards them. Tbeae 
animalH never <^limb, and therefore when he came 
to the tree and stopped to look at them, Drewyer 
shot him in the head ; he proved to be the largest 
we have yet seen, his noise appeared to be like 
that of a commoD ox, hU fore feet measured nine 
iucbee a«rosa, and tbe hiad f^et were Beven inchea 
, wide, and eleven and three quarters long, eseliisive 
of the talons. One of these animals came within 
thirty yarda of the camp last nigiit, and carried 
off some buffalo meat which we had placed on a 
pole. In the evening after the storm the ivater on 
this Bide of the river became of a deep erimBon 
coloor, probably caused by eome stream above 
washing down a hind of aott red stone, which we 
observe in the neighbouring blutfj and gnlliea. At 
the camp below, the men who left us in the morn- 
ing were busy in preparing their load for to-iuor- 
row, Tvhich w^ere impeded by the rain, hail, and 
the hard wind from the northwest, 

f'riclny 28. — The party all occupied in making 

[the boat; they obtained n sufficient (juantity of 

IVUlow bark to lino her, and over these were 

placed the elk Hkins, and when they failed we were 

36^ 



"LEWIS AND CI-VEB:'a EXPEDITION 

oliliged to UB6 the bufiato hide. The white bear 
have dOtv become exceediitgly tf onbleBome ; the/ 
conetantljr infest our camp dunng the mglit, uid 
though they have not att^ck.ed ub, sa Qur dqg 
vbo patrols all night gives ua Qudce of their ap- 
proach, jet we are obliged to al&ep with our arma 
hS our aides for ftar of accidont, and we cannot 
send one man alone to any diBtunce, parti<7alarly 
if he hflH t-d paaa through bruihwood. We Baw 
two of them to-day on the large island opposite 
to W, but as we ar@ a)i ^0 much occupied now, 
"we mciin to reaerve oureelyea for BOiue leleure 
moment, anil then make a party to drire them 
from thy irjlands. The river has riaen nine inches 
sinet oTir arrival htre. 

At Portage creelc citptain Clark completed the 
cache, in -which we deposited whatever we could 
Eipare from our baggage; qome amnmnitioa, pro- 
vlsione, books, the specimens of pluuta and miii- 
erala, and a draught of the river Irooi its en- 
trance to fort Blamlau. Alter cloeing it he broke 
up the encampment, and took on uU the remain- 
ing baggage to the high plain, about three miles. 
Portage creek has riBtii conHJderably in coiib» 
quence of the rnin, and the water had become of a 
diiep crittiBon colour, and ill tasted i on overtaking 
the canoe he found tliat there vrua more bnggage 
than could be ciwried on the two carriiigea, and 
therefore kft aome Of the heavy nrtielea which 
could not be injured, and proceed-ed on to Willow- 
run where he encamped for the night. Here they 
made a eupper on two tiu^alo which they kilted 
on the way; but pasBcd the night in the rain, 
with a high wiud from tha BonthweBt. In tbe 
morniug, 

Satimlay 20, finding it impoesible to reach tha 
end of the portage with their present load, in coiw 
3(56 



XrP THE snssouRi. 

|neD<!e of the st&t'e of tbe road after the rain, he 
lAeat back nearlj all his party to bring ou the 
l*rticles which, tiad been left jreBterday. Ilaviu}; 
lo^t 4on3e notes and retnitrks wEiicb he had made 
on hTEt ascendiiig the river, be determined to go 
up tu the Whitebeox lelasda aloag he baiiku, in 
ordflr to supply the deQciency. He there left one 
man to guard the baggage, and Trent on to the 
falls accompanied bj' his servant York, Chaboneau 
-and hie wife with Iter young child. On his arrival 
tM^n be ohijerved a very dark *lqud rising in the 
west which threatened riiln, uad looked aronnd 
far some Bhelter, but could find no placd where 
they would be secure tYoia being blown into the 
j.jiver if the wind ehould prove aa violent as it 
jmetinies dooa in the plains. At length about a 
'-'quarter of a mile above the fUlla he found a deep 
ravine where there were some shelving rocks, 
under which he took reftigo. They were on the 
upper aide of the ravine cear the river, perfectly 
flofe trom the rain, and therefore laid down their 
giias, tompaHa, and other attides which they car- 
ried with them. The ahower was at first moder- . 
■&[»; it then jncretLaed to a heavy rain, theeSectB 
-of which they did not ibh\ i Booa after a torrent of 
raio and ball descended ; the rain seemed to fall ia 
■a, Bolid niflHa, and instantly collecting in the ravine 
came rolling down in a dreadful currentj carrying 
tht nlud and rCitkS, and every thing that opposed 
it. Captain Clark ibrtunately saw it a moment 
before it njached them, und springing up with Ilis 
guo and ehotpouch in his lef\^ hand, with hla right 

rclamberiid up the steep bluff, pushing on the In- 
Ijan woman with her child in her arms; her bus- ^ 
and too had seized her hand, and was pulling her 
up the bill, hut he W&a so terribed at the danger 
that bqt for captain Clark, bimeelf and hia wife 

mi 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EKPEDITION 

and child would have been lost. So inBtantanfloni 
■was the rise of the water, ttat Liefofe taptaki 
Clark had reached hia gun and began to ascend 
the bank, the Tvater was up to his waiat, and te 
could Bcarce get up fa«t«r than it roae, till it 
readied tbe height of fifteen fe«t with a furiouB 
GurreQt, which had they wujted a moineiit longer 
would have swept them into the river just above 
the great falls, down which they must inevitably 
hftve been precipitated. They reached the plain in 
aaffety, and found York who had separated ftom 
th«n) juat hefore the estorm tu hunt some bufialo, 
and wttB now returning to find hie maater. They 
had been obliged to escape bo rapidly that captain 
Clark lost hiB compass and umbrella^ ChalDODeaa 
lelt hie ^d, Bbotpouch, and tomahawk, and ih« 
Indian woman faod just tim« to grasp her child, 
before the net in wh[ch Jt l«y ftt ber feet w«« car- 
ried down the current. He now relinquiehed hia 
intention of paiag up the river and returned to the 
eamp at Willow-run. Here he found that theparty 
sent this morning for the baggage had all re- 
turned to cainp in great coafuaioa, leaving their 
loads in the plain. On account of the heat th?y 
generally go nearly naked, and with uo covering 
on their heada. The hail was eo large and driven 
BO furiously against them by the high wind, that 
it knocked several of them down; one of them 
partitularly was thrown on the ground three 
times, and most of them bleeding freely and com- 
plmned of being much bruised. Willqw-nm had 
risen six Jeet since the rain, and ob the plainu were 
HO wet that they could not proceed, they podsed 
the night at their camp. 

At the Whitebear camp al*o, we had not beea 
Insensible to the hail-atorm, though lees expoaed. 
In the momjng there had been a heavy shower of 
3SS 



VP THE MISSOUEI. 



ia, after which it became faic. Aftef a^Biguing 
[to the men thrir respective emptoj-ments, captain 
X«iwiH took ODC' of them and '^^n.t to 0e@ the ItlTg^ 
fouELtaio near the falls. For abaut dx milea he 
pajsaed through a beautiful lerel plain, and then 
on reaching the break of the rirer hillfl, ■was arer- 
taken by the gnst of wind from the southweet 
attended by lightning, thunder, and rain: Ebaring 
a renewal of the scene on the 9Tth, they took 
shelter in a little gully wbere there were some 
broad stonea with which they meaot to protect 
iemaelvBH againat the hail ; but fortunately there 
rvQiB not much, and that of b. small aize; ao that 
they felt no Inconvenienee except that of being ei- 
posed without shelter for an hour, and being 
drenched by the rain : «iler it wae over they pro- 
ceeded to the fountain which is perhaps the largest 
in America. It is situated in ti pleasant level 
plain, about twenty-five yards firom the river, into 
which it ft.ll9 over some steep irregular rocka with 
a sudden ascent of about six ftet in one part of 
its course. The water boils np among the rocks 
and with each force near the centre, that the «iir^ 
fitce eeetne higher there than the earth od the eidee 
of the fountain, which La a handsome turf of fine 
green grass. The water is eitremcly pure, cold 
and pleasant to the taate, not being Impregnated 
with lime or any foreign substance. It is perl^tly 
transparent and continues its bluish cast for half 
a mile down the Miseouri, notwithstaudiug the 
rapidity of the river. After examining it for some 
time captain Lewie returned to the camp. 

Sunday 30.^In the morning captain Clark sent 
the men to bring up the baggage left in the plaiaa 
yesterday. On their return the axletreea and car- 
riagefl were repaired, and the b&ggage conveyed 
on the Bboulders of the party across Willow-roa 
Vol. I.-24 309 



LEWIS AND CliARK'S 



which had fHlleu as low aa throe f^t, The ca» 
riagea being' then taken grer, a load of baggage 
wsjs carried to the aLx-mile Btabe, deposited there, 
and the caxriages brought back. Such is the etate 
of the plainB tbat this operation cuDsumed the 
day, Two men were aent to the falls to look for 
the articles lost jeat^rday ; but they found nothing 
but the compass covered with cnud and ^and at 
tb« moiitb, of the ravine ; the place at which cap- 
tain Clark had been caught by the etorm, was 
filled with large rocks. The men complain ranch 
of the bmiBea receired yesterday from the bail. 
A more thbu usual number of bufl'alo appeared 
about the camp to-daj, and furnished plenty of 
meat: captaiu Clark thought that at one view he 
muBt have eeeu at leoat teo thaueaad. In the 
coarse of the day there was a heavy grust of wind 
fWim the HouthweBt, after which theerening waa 
fair. 

At the Whitebear camp we had a heavy dew 
this morning, which ib quite a remarkable occur- 
reoce. The party contixiueB to be occupied with 
the boat, the croasbarB for whjch are now liniuhed, 
and there remain only the Btrips to complete the 
wood work: the Bkins necesaary to cover it have 
already been prepared and they amoiuit to 
twenty-eight elk ekiiia and four buSalo ekiofl. 
Among our ganie were tw^o beaver, which we 
have had occaBiou to obeer\~e alwaiya are found 
wherever there is timber. We also lulled a lar^ 
bat or goataueker ol' which there are many in thia 
neighbourhood, resembling in every respect those 
of the same epeciee in the United States. We have 
not eeen the leather- winged bat for some time, nor 
are there any oftbeamallgoattiucker in this part 
of the MisHUuri. We have not seen either that 
apeciee of goatsucker or nighthawk culled tbfl 
37U 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

Tphippoorwill, which is common]; confounded in 
the United States wjtfa the large goatsucker which 
ve observe here; thi^ last prepares hq ueet but 
lajB tta e^^ in the open plains; tbey generally be- 
gia to ait on two egge, and we belieTe raiae 0017- 
one brood in a seauon: at the present moment 
iii9^ Q'fe jnSt h&tching their jomtg. 

ifontJuy, Jafy 1. — Afber a severe day'« work 
eaptaia Clark reached oar camp in the ereniiigj 
accompanied by hie party and all the baggage 
eicept that left at the eii-imle atak«, for which 
they were too mnch fktigned to return. The ronta 
from the lower camp ou Portage creek to that 
near ^Miitebear island, having been now measnred 
&Dd examin^ by captain Clark vr&B 34 follows: 

From our camp oppadte the laat considerable 
rapid to the entrance or Portage creek eouth &° 
east for three (luartera of a mile; thence on a 
conree south 10' east for two miiea, thougli for 
the canoes the bent rout« ts to the left of thia 
course, and strikes Portage one mile and three- 
quartere iVom ite <?ntrajicc, avoiding in thig way «. 
Tcry Hteep hill which liee above Portage creek: 
froai this BOuth 1& weut for four milee, paBetng; 
the head of a drain or ravine which falls into the 
Mi SB our i below the great fallfi, and to the Willow 
mn whicli has always a plentiful supply of good 
water and some timber; here the course turns to 
south 45 west for four miles flirther; then south 
66 weet three milea, crossing at the beginning of 
the course the head of a drain which falls into the 
Missouri at the Orooked falls, and reaching an 
devated point of the plain from which aouth 42" 
■west. On approaching the river 00 this Courea 
there is a lopg and gentle descent itom the higU 
plain, after which the road turn^ a little to the 
light of the couTHG up the river to our camp. Tha 
871 



LEWIS AND CLiRK'S ESPEDITTON 



whole portage is Beventeeu and three qnartw 
mites. 

At the Whitebeap camp we wert occupied with 
the boat and digging a pit for the purpqse of 
ro^lung Bome tar. The daj has been w'u'm, and 
the moaquitoes troublesome. We were Ibrtuuate 
enough to obefirve equal altltudeu of the buu with 
isestant, which eioce our arrival here we haTe been 
prevented from doing, by flying cloudB and etorus 
in the eTenillg. 

Toesdaj, July 2d.~k ehower of rain ftU TWj 
early this morning. We then despatched some men 
for the baggage left behind yesterday, and the 
reat were engaged in putting the boat together. 
TbiB was accompliBhed in about three honrs, and 
then we began to sew on the leather over the 
crosBbars o£ iron On the liiner Bid« of the boat 
which form the ends of the BectiooH. 'Qj two 
d'cIdcJc the last of the baggage arrived, to the 
great delight of the party who were auxiouB to 
proceed. The mosquitoea we find very trouble- 
flome. 

Having completed our celestial obeerratiofu we 
went over to the large island to make an attack 
upon it? inhabitants the bears, who have annoy^ 
UB very much of late, and who were prowUng 
about our camp all laBt night. We found that the 
part of the inland ft^uented by the bear forms an 
almost impenetrable thichet of the broad-leaffed 
willow : into this we forced Our way in parties of 
three ; bat could ^ee onCy one bear, who instantly 
attacked Drewyer. Fortunately as he wae ruab- 
ing on the hunter shot him through the heart 
within twenty paees and he fell, which enabled 
Drewyer to get out of his way: we then followed 
him one hundred yards and found that the wound 
bad been mortal, ^^ot being able to discover any 
3T2 



XfP THE jaSSOBEl. 



tnore of these BiUraalH we returned to camp: hwe 
in turning over aome of the baggage we caught a 
rftt somewhat larger than, the coinmtin European 
rat, and of a lighter colour; the body and outer 
parte of the le^ and head of a light lead colour; 
the inner eide uf the 1e^ aa well as the belly, feet 
and ears are white; the ears are not covered with 
liair, and are much larger than those of the com- 
mon rat; the toes aleo are longer, the eyes black 
and prominent, the ^thiskers 'very )oPg ancl full; 
the tail ratlier loader thau the body, and coTered 
with Que fur and bair of the same taze with that 
on the back, which is very cloee, short, and Hilky 
in ita teiture. This waa the flret we bad metf 
Althodgh itH neate ar^ very frequent among the 
cliS^ of rocks and hollow trees, where we aUo 
foun^ larg« qoantitiee of the ebelis and seed of tha 
prickly pear, on which we conclude they chiefly 
HEibsiBt. ThemoBquitoesare nncommonly traubl&- 
aome. The wind was again high t^om the south' 
west: these winds are in fact always the coldest 
and most violent which we experience, and tha 
hypotheaia which we have formed on that subject 
IB, that the air coming in contact with the Snowy 
mountains immediately becomes ehilled and con- 
deneed, and being thas rendered heaviei- than th& 
air below it deacends tato the rarihed air below 
or into the vacuum formed by the constant action 
of the «un gn tbe open unsheltered plains. The 
clondB riiK suddenly near these moantaina and dis- 
tribute theireontenta partially over the neighbour- 
ing platna. The Bame cloud will discharge hail 
alone in one part, hail and rain in another, and 
rain only in a third, and all within the space of a 
ftTT miles ; while at the same time there ia snow 
foiling on the mountains to the eouthea»t of us. 
There is at present no enow on those mountains; 
373 



LEWia Airo CliABK-a EXPEDITION 



tiiat whtcb covered tliem on our arrival as vreW 
as that which hoe since fallen having diHappea.rfld. 
The QiouDtaina to the north and northweet of ns 
fire Btiil entirely CoTBred with ano^?, and indeed 
there haa been no perceptible diminutioQ of it Biace- 
we Qrat a&w them, which iDducea a belief either 
that the clouds prevaliin^ at this seaeoii do not 
reach their Hummite or that they deposit th«ir 
snow only. They frii^tea with great beauty when 
the ean BhiQ«8 on them in a partic^ular directioD, 
and most probably from thJB gUtteriag appear- 
aoce have derived the name of the Bhining moon- 
taioa, 

Wednendg^; 3.— Nearly the whole part; were 
employed in dif^rent lahoure connected with the 
boat, which is now almoat completed: bnt we 
Iiave not -aa yet been able to obtain tar ^Qm oor 
kiln, a circiuoBtaoce that will occaeioa ub not a 
little embarraeBmeot. Having beea told by the 
tadiaofi that oa leaving; the f^Ue we shotildsoon 
posfi the buffalo country, we have before ne the 
prospect ofikatin^ OccaaionoJIy ; but in Order tO 
provide a supply we sent out the huntere who 
killed only a buS'alo and two aatelopea, which 
added to mx beaver and two otter have been all 
oor gome for two or three daya. At ten in. the 
morning we had a alight shower which scarcely 
wet the gr&iB8. 

ThursrJtty, .July 4tb.-^Sh» boat waa now com- 
pleted eicept what in in foct the most difficult 
part, the making hor aeame eecure. We had Ic 
tended to despatch a canoe with part of our men 
to the United States early this spring; bnt not 
having yet seen the Snake Itidiane, or knowing 
whether to calculate on their Mendehip or enmity, 
we have decided not to weaken our party which 
is ah^ady scarcely Bufficient to repel any boBtilitj. 
374 



TIP THE MrSSOtTM, 



We were aHraid too that eucb a meaaure might 
dishearten thoae who remain; aad ae we hare 
never Hiiggeetpd it to them, they «re all perfectly 
and entliUBinfiticatly attached to the entfirpriae, 
and willing to encounter anj- danger to eiisure its 
HUCcesB. We had a heavj dew tius morning. 

Since our arrival at the fhlU we have repeatedly 
heard a strange noise coiuing ft-ora the mouataine 
in a direction a little to the north of weat. It is 
heard at diCferent periods of the day and night, 
eometimea when the aif in perRwtly still and with- 
out a cloud, and consists of one stroke ocly, or of 
five or 81^ discharges Ln qiiick anceession. It is 
loud and reaemblea pi-ectsely the Bound of a eix 
pound piece of ordnance at the distance of three 
mileS: The Minnetareee ftequeutly mentioned thia 
nol«e like thunder, which they said the mountftina 
made ; but \rt had paid no attention to it, heliev< 
ing it to have been some superstition or perhaps a 
ihlBehood. The watermen aleo of the party eaj 
that the Pawnees and Ricarafi give the Rame ac- 
count of a noise heard In the Black mountains to 
the westward of them. The aolution of the mya- 
tery given by the philosophy of the watermen is, 
that it is occasioned by the bursting of the rich 
mines of silver confined within the bosom of the 
mountain. An elk and a bearer are all that were 
killed to-day: the bnflklo eeem to hai-e with- 
drawn from our neighbourhood, thoug-h se^•eral of 
the men who went to-day to viett the falls for the 
first time, mention that ttey are still abundant at 
that place. We contrived however to spread not 
a very sumptuous but « comfortable table in 
honour of the day, and in the evening gave the 
men a drink of spirita, which was theiaat of our 
stock. Some of them appeared eenaible to the 
effi^td of even bo email a quantity, and a« id itaual 
375 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



amoDK them on atl f^etirale, the fiddle wax pro 
dnctid and a, dance begua, -n-hich lasted till nine 
o'clock, when it was interrupted by a heavy 
shower of rain. They continned however their 
merrimeDt till a late hour. 

Fridu.y 5.— The boat waa bronght np into » 
high situation and flreg itindled under bw In order 
to dry her more expeditiously. Despairing now 
of procuring any tar, we formed a compoeition of 
pounded cliarcoal with be«swax and butiTalo tal- 
low to supply its place; should tbia reaource fiiil 
UB it will be Ttry UnTortunat*, as in every other 
respect the boat anewere our purpoaea complete^yn 
Although not quite dry ebe can be CArried with 
eaiie by five men; ber form is as complete a« could 
be wlflhed ; very strong, and will carry at leaet 
eight thonaand ponnda with her complement of 
haude. Besides our want of tar, we have been 
anlucky in sewing the akina with a needle which 
bad sharp edgee instead of a point merely, al- 
though a large thong waa used in order to fill the 
hole, yet it BhrinkH In drying- and leaves the hole 
open, BO that we t^r the boat will leak. 

A large herd of bufialo came near ua and we 
procured three of them : beaidea which were killed 
t^vq ^volv^a and three antelopea. In the course of 
the day other herds of buffalo came near our 
camp on their way down the rivers theee herda 
move with great method and regularity. Al- 
though ten or twelve herda are aeen. scattered 
fVoni each other over a apfice of many miles, yct 
if they are undiatnrbed by pursuit they will be 
uniformly travelling- in tbe same dlrectton. 

Satardax (J.— Last night there were several 

ahowera of rain and tall^ attended vrith thunder 

and Ughtning: and about daybreak a heavy 

etoriu came on ftom the aouthweet with one eon- 

376 



— -fii' UP THE MISSOURI. 

-tina^ roar of thunder, and rain and tail. The 
hail which was aa large tua miij<ket balls, covered 
the grouHd eompl*t*Iji Biid on collecting some of 
it, it lasted duriog the day and served to coo! tha 
water. The red and yellow currant is abundant 
aad DOW ripe, although etill & iEttleacid. We have 
a^en ill this neighbourhoi^d what we have not met 
before, a remarkably small fox which axsociatee in 
bands and borrowa la tb« prairie^ like the email 
wolf, but have not yet been able to obtain any of 
tbem, ae they are extremely vigilant, and betake 
themselves on the BlighteBt alarm to their burrows 
which ai* very deep. 

Sundsj/ 7. — Theweatherie warm but cloudy, 80 
that tb« moisture retained by the bark after the 
rain leaves it slowly, thongh we have amall Area 
eouBtantly under the boat. We hare no tents, and 
therefore are obliged to uee the Bails to keep off 
the bad weather. Our buffalo skins too, are 
BCArcely Hofficient to cover our baggage, but the 
men are now dresaing others to replace their 
preaent Leather clothing, which soon rots by being 
80 coQutautly exposed to water In the evening 
the huntftTB returned with the skine of only three 
buffalo, two antelope, four deer, and three wolf 
ski&a, and reported that th6 buffalo had gone 
Ibrther down the river-, two other hunters who 
left as this morning could find notbiag except one 
elk : in Oiddition to this we caught a beaver, The 
mosquitoes t^till disturb uavery much, and the btow- 
ing-flie» swarm in vast numbers round the boat^ 
At four in the afternoon we had a light shower 
of rflrin attended with some ttuiider and lightning. 

MoQi^B-y 8, — In order more fully to replace the 

notes of the river which he had lost, and which 

[, be was prevented ftorn Hupplying by the storm of 

the twenty-nio^k^ult. captain Clark eet out after 

877 



LEWIS AND CLAHK'S EXPEDITION 

breakfast, talcing with him oearl^ the whole 
pftrtj- with a Tiew of ahooting buSTalo if then 

ehotild be anj near the ifella, Aft^r getting some 
diBtaace la the itlaina the men were dividt^ into 
egaods, iiDd be with two otherB struck the Mia. 
eouri at the entrance of Medicine river, and thente 
proceeded down to the great cataract. He found 
that the iOnneiiBe b^rda of buffalo have entirelj 
disappeared, and be thought had gone below the 
fotle. HaTiDg made the oeceseary meaaurernentB, 
he returned throogh the plains and reached camp 
late in the evening:; the whole party liad killed 
only three buffalo three antelopes and a dtei-; 
they had aleo ahot tw entail fox, ajtd hroug'bt a 
living ground -eqnirrel somewhat larger than those 
of the United St&tee. 

The day was warm and toir, hut a elig^ht nJn 
fell in the aftemooa. The boat having now be- 
come euffieiently dry, we gave it a coat of the 
compoBitioni which after a proper interval was 
repeated] and the next morning, 

Taeaday P.she watj launehed into the water, asd 
rwam perftetly well: the seats were then flxed and 
the oars fitted; but after we had lood^ her, ae 
well ae the canoes, and were on the point of set^ 
ting out a violent wind cauned the waved to wet 
the baggage, bo that we Wera tbrted to UnloAd 
them. Th« "wind continued high till evening, when 
to Dur great disEippointmeiit we discovered that 
nearly aU the compoeition had separated ft-om the 
ektns, and left the Beams iwrfeetly exposed ; ao 
that the boat now leaked very much. To repair 
thin misfortune Tvithout pitch ia impOHsible, andfia 
none of that article is to iw procured, we therefore, 
however reluctantly, are obliged to abandon her, 
aiter having had eo much labour in the 'Construc- 
tion. We now Baw that the Bti^tioiL of the boat 
378 



itrP THE MIS30UHI. 






viVh bufialo eking an ivhich hdir had 
l>een l*ft, ana'wered better than the elk skinB and 
leaked but little; wiile that part wbicb was cov- 
ered witli hair about one-^igbth of an inch, re- 
tained the compoBition perfectly, and remained 
eounil and dry. From this -we perMived that had 
■Weemplojed baSklo iQBt«^ Of elk ekine, aad Hot 
^nged them so closelj- a« we bavu done, careftitly 
ftToidio-ff to cut the leather in ee-wing, th* boat 
"would hove heen sufficient even "with the preaent 
lompoeition, or hud we Hin^^ inatead of Bbaving 
the elk skins we might have Bucc^ded. But we 
discovered our error too late: the buffalo had de- 
«erted ub, the travelling season was bo faat &d- 
VAneing that we had no time to epare for eiperi- 
jneate, and therefore fiodin^ tha^t abe could be no 
los^r UBeHil ehe wae sunk in. the water, so aB to 
Boften the »\dvB and enable ua the more easily 
to take her to pieces. It now became neceasary to 
pt<)vide otht^r means for trabttpditiug the bf^age 
■■which we had intended to stow in her. For tliiB 
'POTpq«e we shall waqt two canges, but for many 
miles below the month of the MuBcIeshell river to 
this place, we have not seen a eingle tree fit to be 
used in that way. The hunters liowerer who had 
hitherto been sent after timber, mention that there 
lA a low ground on the opposite side of the river, 
about eight milea above us by land, and more 
than twice that diotaace by water, in which we 
jnay probably fijid trees large enough for our pur- 
poBSB. Captain Clark thereibre determined to set 
out by land for that place with ten of the beat 
workmen who would be occupied in building the 
canoes till the rest of the partj, after taking the 
boat to piewB and making the n«c«ssary depoeite, 
flhoutd traQBport tlie baggage and join tbem with 
tbe other six canoes. 

379 




LEWIS AND CLARK'S RSPEDITIOS 

Wednesday 10. — He aftcordingly pa&sed over to 
the oppoeite eide of the river with liia party, and 
proceeded on eight milee by land, the riistatite by 
"wftter being twenty-three and three quarter milee. 
Here he found two cottoawQod trees., but on cut- 
ting tbeto down, one proved to be bollow, aplit at 
the top in lulling, and both were much damaged 
at the bottom. He aean^hed the neighbourhood 
but could find none which would Buit better, and 
therefore was obliged to make use of thoBo which 
he had ffelled, shortening them in order to aToid 
the cracks, and supplying the deficiency bymaking 
them as wide as posaible. They were equaHy at a 
loBB for wood of whiuh they might make handler 
for their axea^ the eyes of which not being round 
they were obliged to split the timber in such a 
maimer that thirteen of the handles broke in the 
coureeof theday, though made of the beet wood 
they could Qnd for the purpose, which was the 
chokecherry. 

The rest of the party took the fVame of the boat 
to piecea, depOHited it iu a cache or hole, with a 
dranght of the country IVom fort Maudau to thia 
place, and also aome other papers and small arti- 
cles of leee importance. After thia we amused our- 
BelvBB with flsliliig, and although we had thought 
DD our arrival that there were uoue tu thia part 
of the river, we caught aome of a epeciea oi' white 
chub below tho falla, but iew in number, and Bmall 
in size. 

^rjeant Ordway with four canoefi and cdght 
men had set sail ia the morning, with part of the 
baggage to the place where captain Clark had 
fixed hiB earnpj but the wind waa bo liigh that he 
only reached within three mileti of that place, and. 
encamped for the night. 

Tiuref/iSy, Ju!^ li. — In the morning one of tl» 
380 



TIP THE MISSOUEI. 

eaqo^ joined captain Clarlt : the other three hav- 
ing on board mere valuable articles, which wouW 
have beea injured hy the wat«r, went on mont 
cautiouely, and did not reach the camp till the 
evening. Captain. Clarlc than bad the caDoea un- 
loaded and sent back, but the high wind prevented 
their floating down nearer thAn. about dg'ht milea 
above ue-. Hia party were bueily eng'agwJ with 
the canoee, and thcxr Imnteru nupiilied them with 
three fat deer and a bufialo, in addition to two 
deer and an antelope killed yesterday. 1'iie £b^ 
men who were with captain Lewie were occapied 
in hunting, but with not much staCiieBs, having 
killed only one bufialo. They heard about huh- 
Bet two diecbarges of the tremendous moaatoin 
artillery: they also aaw Heveral very large gray 
eagles, much larger than thoae of the United 
States, and moBt probably a distinct speciee, 
though the bald eagle of this country in not quite 
BO large as that of the United Btatea. The men 
bav^ been nmch afflicted with painiiil whitloiva, 
ODd one of them disabled (torn working by this 
complajnt in hia hand, 

Fridsiy, 12.— In. eonaequenca of the wind the 
canoes did not reach the lower camp till late in 
the afbernoon, beTore which tlRie eaptaia Lewis 
sent all the mea he eould spare up the river to 
OEBist in building the boate, and the day wa« too 
&r advanced to reload and send them up before 
morning. The Tnosquitoes are very troubleeome, 
and they have a companion not leee bo, a large 
black gnat which does not sting, but attacks the 
eyes in swarms. The party M'ith captain Clark 
are employed on the eanDee; in the couree of tho 
work sergeant Pryor dlBlocated hiB ehoulderyea- 
terday, but it was replaced immediately, and 
though painful does not threaten mnch injury. 
381 



LEWIS 



[HK*S 



ITION 



The huntere brought in three deer and two otter. 
Tbia last animal ha^ been Dumeruae since tha 
water has become fiuffici^ntl^ char tbr them to 
take &dh. The blue-creeted Saber, or as it ia 80m&. 
times call«d, the kixig-fiaher, ie an inhabitant of 
this part of the ri^er ; it ie a bird rare on the MIb- 
fiouri ; indeed we bad not aeen more th&u ttiree or 
four oftbem from its entrance tuMaria's river, and 
eventhoBe did notHeemtoresideon the Mieeonri but 
on dome of the clearer etreama which etnptj into it, 
as they wereeeennear the mouths of those streama, 
SBturday JS, — The morning being fair and calm 
captain Lewie bad all the remaining bagga^ em- 
barked on board the six canoee, which sailed with 
two men in each for the upper camp. Then with 
a sick moD and the Indian wontan, he left: thfe 
encHnipment, and croaaing oyer the river w^ent on 
by land to join captain Clark. From the beaij of 
the Whitebear islands he proceeded in a eoatbweBt 
direction, at the distance of three mileB, till he 
struck the lUiaeouri, which he then followed tiU he 
reached the place where all the party were occu- 
pied in boat-building. On hie way he passed & 
very large Indian lodge, which was probably dfr^ 
signed ae a great council-houBej but it diflerv 
in itB coDHtructioQ IVom all that we haye seen 
lower down the MiBsouri or elsewhere. The form, 
of it wa.s a cirele two hundred and sixteen fbet ia 
circumftrence at the boae, and composed df sixteen 
Iqjge cqttonwood poles about fifty ftet long, and 
at their thicker ende, which touched the groond, 
about the aijse of a man's body; they were dis- 
tributed at equal dUtanees, except that one waa 
omitted to the east, probably for the entrance. 
From the circumfereni* of this etrcle the poles con- 
Terged towards the centre where they were united 
and B«cured by large withes of willow bruih. 
3S2 



■'m 



t 



Thete waa no co*^*rlng over this fabric, in fba 
centre of whkh were the remain^} of a large £re, 
and roimd it the marks of about eighty leathern 
lodgea. He alBO saw a number of turtledoTftaj&nd 
some pi^oHB, of which he ahot one diffiring- in urt 
respect from the wild pigeon of the United States, 
The conntr; exhibits its luual appearances, tbe 
timber coaQaed to the river, tbe coaiitry on both 
Hidofl oa fkr aa the eye cao reach, bein^ entirely 
deetitute of trees or bruah. In the tow ground in 
which WB are building the canoeH, the tdinber ie 
larger and more abundant than we bate seen it 
on the Missouri for aereral hundred iiule«, Tha 
Boil too is good, for the grft»4 and weedn reach 
about two feet high, being the taUeet we have 
observed tliiB eeaeon, though on the high plainB 
and praiiieB the grass is at no eeaeon above 
three inches in height. Amon^ these weedg are 
the eandrush, and nettle in amail quantities; the 
plaijis are still infested by great numbers pf the 
small birds ab^eady meiitioned, among whom is 
the brown turlew. The current of tbe river ie here 
eitremely gentle; the buffalo have not yet quite 
gone, for the buntera brought in three in very 
good Order. II requires aoiae diligence to supply 
ne plentifhlly, for as we reserve our parched meal 
for the Hocky mountains, where we do not expect 
to find much game, our principal article of food 
IB meat, and the conHaniption of the whole thirty- 
two persona belonging to the party, amounts to 
four deer an elt and a deer, or one buffalo every 
twenty-four hooTB, The moequitoea and gnats 
perBecute ub aa violently aa before, 80 that we can 
get no flleep unleaa defended by biern, with which 
we are all provided, We here found several plants 
hitherto unknown to ub, and of which we pre- 
served specimens, 



U 



S&3 



LEWIS AND CLARE'S EXPEDITION 



Sergeant Ordway proceeded with the sii canoes 
^TS mjlea up the river, but the wiod becoming- bo 
high fte to wet th« baeg*B» ^^ "^f^ obliged to 
uoload and dry it. The wlud abated at five 
o'clock in the evening, when he again proceeded 
eight miles aod eocaniped. Tbe uext morning, 

S'uadaj-, July 14, he joined U6 about noon. On 
leaving the WhJtebear camp he paeaed at a short 
dieta-nw & little creek or mn coming in on the 
left. ThiB had been already esamined and called 
Flattery run; it contaiiiB back water only, with 
■very eitenaive low groundsK which rieing into 
large plaiaa reach the mountainB on the eaat ; then 
passed a ^llow islanil on the left within one mile 
s.n.d a h.a.W, and reached two miles further a cliff of 
rocks ia a bend on tbe same elde. In tbe course 
of another mile and a half he paaeed two ielaoda 
covered with cottonwood, box-aJder, Bweet-wil- 
loWr and the usual undergrowth, tike that of the 
Whitebedr islands. At thirteen and three gitarUr 
miles he came to the mouth of a smnll creek on 
the left ; within the following nine miiea he paeeed 
three timbered ialande, and after making twenty- 
three and a qoarter miles fVom tbe lower camp, 
arrived at the point of woodland on tbe nor^ 
where the canoes were conatrncted. 

The day waa fair and warm ; thft meii worked 
Tery IndustriD-iiely, and were enabled by the even- 
iug to launch the boats, which now want only 
eeabi and pare to be complete. One of them ia 
twenty-flve, the other tiiirty-thpee feet in length 
and three feet wide. Captain I^wie walked ODt 
between three and four miles over the rocky bluSb 
to a high aitnation, two milea ftom the river, a 
little below Fort Mountain creek. The country 
which be saw was in moBt parts level, but occa- 
HLonally became varied by gentle rises and de> 
■6Hi 



' UP THE MISSOUEl. 

■Keatd. but with do timber except aloogthe water, 
I From this position, the point at which, the Mis- 
souri entera the first chaia or the Roekj moun- 
tains bore Houth 38' west about twentjf-flve 
Iiuiles, acoocding to uur ealim(i.te. 
The northern e:ctremitj orthat chain nortli 73° 
west at the distaiicp of eighty XOik^. 
To the same extremity ol'the second chain Qorth 
65- west one hundred and iifty mileB. 
To the moet remote jioint of a. third anA con- 
tjnued chain of tbe*e mouatains north HO'- weat 
&b&iit tWu hundred miles. 
I The direc^tion of the fii-st cbain wa« iivm south 

20' e«*t to aortEi 20' west; of the second, from, 
south 45'- east to Dortb 43' west; but the eye ' 
could not reach their eouthern estremitiea, which 
most probably may be tractyi to Mftxteo. Iq a 
I course bouth 75' west, and at the diatance of 
l^^eight mil«e is a mountain, which from, it^ appear- 
^Hftnee we shall call Fort Mountain. It is Bituat«d 
^^Hn the level plain, and forms nearly a square, each 
Bide of which ia a mile in esttnt. These aides, 
which are ^^onipoHed of a yellow clay with no 
miiture of rock or stone whatever, rise perpen- 
dicnlarly to the height of thre« hundred feet, where 
^^ the top becomes a leveE plaiu, cohered, as cfl.ptain 
^Kt^wLS DOW observed, with a tolerably fertile 
^^TOould two feet thick, on which was a coat of 

grass similar to that of the plain below • it haa " 
I the appearance of being perfectly inaocesaible, and 
aJebough the mouuda Dear the falls Boiuewhatro- 
Mm.ble it, yet none of them are so large. 



Vol. I.— 25 



aes 



LEWIS AND CIAKS'8 EXPEDITION 



CHAPTER XII. 

lUe part; emCurk on Inard tlie csuoot— Deacription of BmlUfs 
river— Cbarafter ol the coiincfj, ±e.— Dearborn's rtTer d* 
BCrlbed — Captain Clal^ pr«ced«« the party For Ibe purpose i>r 
aiKOY^ug lb? rotflani ol to^ Rc>cKt racniLCHiiiB— Maemaceui 
rMJcf ai>P(!STanc4fa {id Uie bonlenor tbe rtTerdeTiomlDAKiilUiA 
Gatesof Lbe Ruck; mnuaMna-H^HjitalD Clark anives at tha 
Ibree torkaol Itie Missouri wichout nv^rtaidu^ (.Qti ludtp-ue — 
TUB party wrlve at the ttireo forts, ot vtatb n pnnifular and 
iaUrestlliZ deecrlptiun la given. 

Monday, July 15. — We roae early, embarked all 
our bfLggiige on board the canoes, wMch tbougb 
light ill miciber are still heavily loadi^, anil at teil 
o'clock set out ou our jouroej. At thv dbitaoce of 
three miles we pa«b<bd aii iBluod, just above which 
ia a sniall creek coming ia from the lett, which wfr 
called Fort Mountain creek, the channel of which 
ia ttn yftrda Wide but HOW ptrfectlj drj. At air 
milea we came to au inland opjjoaite to a bend 
towards thu porth sids; and reached at ee^en and 
a hoM miks tlie lower point of a woodluad at the 
entrance of a beautiful river, which iu honour of 
the aecrBtary of the uavy we calied Siiiith'b river. 
This atream falls into a li*ad on the south side of 
the MiasoTiri, and is eighty yards widt. Aa Vat u 
we CDuid discern its conrue It wound through a 
charming valley lowarda tlie eoiitheast, in whidi 
many herds of ijiiffalo were deeding, till at the 
diatanee of twenty -flve milCH it enttrtd the Rocky 
mountaina, and wse lost from our view. lifter 
dining ne&r thia jilace we proceeded on four and 
three quarter mileit to tie head of an island ; four 
and a quarter mtlea beyond ^"hich is a second 
iaload on the left; three and a quarter milett tXir- 
386 




UP THE mSSOURL 



ther in a. bead of the river towards the northf la 
a wood wh*re we encamped for the Dight, after 
making nineteen and thtte quartet miltfi. 

We find tie prickly pear, one of the greateet 
b^&ntiHj an wull as the greB,%^t jncopvt^aieQCeo of 
the plaioB, now in Ml blouiQ. Tlie Guudower too, 
a plant common on ever; part of thu MUbouci 
from its entrance to this plate, la here very abun. 
dont and in bloom. The larabft-quarter, wild-cu- 
camber, t^andruah. And ndrroyrdocit Are also coni> 
mou. Two elk, a deer, aad an ott«r, were ouj 
game to-day. 

The river Lad dow become bo mnch wore crooked 
than below that we omit taking all its uhort 
mBanderti, but iiot« only its general i^ourae, and 
lay down the etnaJJ heods ou our daily chart bj 
the eye. Tiie yeiierttl width is from one hundred 
to one hundred and fifty jarda. Along th« bankift 
are large bede ui' Hand raieed above the plains, 
and ae they aJwayu appear on the dideB of the 
river opposite to the aouthwesC exposure, eeem 
obviouBly brought there from the channel ol' the 
river by the intensAnt winda frOm that quarter: 
we dad aJHU more timber tbaji for a great di^ 
tance below fbe fails. 

Tuesday 16. — There waa a heavy dew last 
nig^ht. We booq passed about forty tittle booths, 
formed of willow bushes as a shelter againeit the 
BUn. ThBAe seemed to tiave been deaCrted about 
ten days, ajid aja we supposed by the Snak^ 
Iqdians, or Shostooffes, whoia wi hope booq to 
meet, as they appeared from the tracke to have & 
namber of horses with them. At three and three 
quarter miles we passed a, ereek or run in a bend 
on the left tilde, and four miles further another run 
or small rivulet ou the right. jU'ter breakfaating- 
ou a boBVilo shot by oq« of the hunters, captain 



Lewt9 reaolTed to go on ahead of the party to tbe 
pomt whtre the river enters tlie Kocky mountains 
and make t^o nwv^iiaj'y obBervatioiu! before onr 
arrival. lie therefore Bet out with Dre"wyer and 
ftwo of the Bicb ineii to ■whom he auppoeed the 
walk would be useful: lie travelled on the north 
(teide of the rJTer through a handsome level plain, 
which continued Qn th&qpp06iite side aUQ, and at 
-the distance of eight miles paeeed a, email stream 
■on which h& olmerted a conBiderable guatitity of 
•the aspen tree. A little belbre twelve o'clock he 
4ialted on a bend to the north in a low ground 
■vrell covered with timber, about four and a half 
milea below the mountainHf and obtain^ a meri- 
flitui altitude, b/ wbicb be Ibund the latitude was 
I^, iG" 46 5U' 2, His route then lay through a 
high waring plain to a rapid where the MisBonri 
flret leaves the Bocky mountaias, and here he en- 
camped for the night. 

In the meantime wo hdd proceeded after break* 
fo«t one mile to a bend in the left, opposite to 
which was the frame of a large lodge situated io 
th« prairie, comitmcted like that already meo- 
tioned aboTe the Whitebear ialandnt, but only siity 
feet in diameter: ronnd it were the remains of 
About eighty leathern lodges, all which seemed to 
bave been built during the laat autumn; within 
the next Qil^eea and a quarter Tt)il«9 we pa^ed ten 
islaode, on the last of which we encamped near 
the right ahorCf haTing made twenty-three miles. 
1'he neit mornings 

Wednesday/ 17, we set out early, and at four 
Mule4 diatancn joined captain Lewis at the foot of 
the rapids, and after breakfast began the passage 
nC'them: ^ouie of the articles most liable to be in- 
jured by the water were carried round. We then 
iiouble manned the canoes, and with the aid of The 



UP THE MISSOURI. 

jwing-lifle got thfm up withoat accident. Per 
P*eTeral iniies below the rapi4ja the cnrrent of the 
Mietfouri becomes etroTiger a* you approooli, aad 
the epura of the mountain advance towanJu tba 
river, which in deep und uot mart; than HeTent^ 
jarda wide: at the rapids the river is flOBelj 

^iietnuM in on both eidet^ by the iiUe, and I'oamA 
for half a mile over the rocks which ohstruct itai 
chanDe), The lQwgrog.nds are now not more th^a 
a few yards in nidth, but thu; furoi^^h ruuoi for 
an Indian rood whicEi wiudi^ under the hilU on the 
Tiorth aide of the river. The general range of these 
hills 18 from southeast to northwest, and the eliffbi 
thCmaelvea ftre About eight hundred (i«t above th* 
l, "water, formed almUHt entirely gf a hard black 

peranite, oq which ar« Hcatbered a few dwarf piu0 
and cedar trees. Immediately in the gap ia » 
large rock four hundred feet high, which on oii» 
Bide is w^hed by the Missouri, while on ita other 
sidea a hiindAOme httle plain Heparateii it ttom thft- 
neighbouriag moutitaliiH. It may be ascended 
with some- d)ffl<'u]ty nearly to ita enmmit, sad 
fords a beautiful prospect of the plains below, ia 
'vliicb we i^ould obuerve lar)^ herdH of buffalo. 
A£teT a«eeudjng the rapids for half a mile we came 
to a. small Uland at the head of them, which we 
called Pine ialand rram & large pine tree at tbe 
Jower end of it, which is the first we have eeeif 
sear the river for a great distance. A mile beyond 
captain Lewis'^ camp we had a mendiaa altilu§a 
which gave ua the latitude of 46' 42 14' 7. 
Ab the eanoea were still heavily loaded all thotw 
not employed in wotkiug them walked on shor^ 
The navigation i* no'w very Iftboriona. The river 

tig deep hut with little current and from seventy t(> 

lone hundred yards wide; the low groundsare very 

aarrow, with but little timber aod Uiat dileity itte 

389 



LEWT3 AND CLARK'S EXPEDTTTON 



4Upen tree. The cliSa are Bleep and hang oTftr thfl 
tiver no much that often we tauld not criiss them, 
but were obUged to p&as and repass from one aide 
of tbe river to the other id order to make otir 
way. In ^oioe places the banka are formed of 
rocks, of dnrk black granite rieiiiif perpendicularlj 
to agreat height, tlipough which the river Bpenia in 
the progreart of time to have worn its channel. On 
these mauntftjna we see more pine than UBual, but 
it ia etill in email quantiti«B. Along the hgttoioB, 
which have a covering of high erass, we obeerve 
the sunflower blooming in great abundance. The 
Indians of the MiBBonri, and more eepecially thoee 
who do not cultivate maize, make great uBe of the 
■eed of this plant for bread oriu thieketdng their 
Houp. They first parch and then pound itbetween 
twq stoiiea until it ia reduced to a fine meal. 
8ometimefl they add a portion of water, and drink 
it thuB diluted: at other timeB thejadd a euffieient 
proportion of marrow grease to reduce it to the 
conaintency of eoramon dough and eat it in that 
tnanner. Thia last cOmpoBition we preferred toall 
the rest, and thonght it at that time a very palat- 
able dieb. There ie however little of the broad- 
leafed Cottonwood on this Bide of the ihWe, much 
the greater part of what we see being of the nar- 
row-leaffed Bpecies. There are alHO great quanti- 
ties of red, purple, yellow and black eurranta. 
The currants are very pleaaaat to the taste, and 
much prelferable to thgae of our cpminoii garden. 
The bush Aaes to the height of six or eight leflt; 
the Mtem simple, braschiug and erect. These 
ahrube asmociate in corps either in upper or tim- 
iwrM lands near tha water conrseB. The leaf ifl 
petiolate, of A pale green, and in form t^eeemble^ 
the red currant so common in our gardena. The 
periaotb of the fruit is one leaved, 6ve cleft, ab- 
390 



DP THE HISSOTIBI. 

brevlated ani^ tubular- The corolla is toonopstai- 
louiJ, f\tDnel^e{i&p^, very long, and ofafine oraDg« 
colour. There are Q.vq etanie^ns and on« pletillQm 
or the Bret, the filaments are capillar, inserted ia 
the corolla, equal and eonrerg^ng:, the anther 
ovate and incumbent. The j^nn of the second 
specie is ronad, emooth, inferior and pedic&Iled: 
the atjle loHf; and thicker than the Btani«ns, nm- 
ple, cylindrical, smQpth and erect. It remaiue 
vrith the corolla until the fruit i» ripe; the stamen 
is eimple and obtnse, and the H'liit much the else 
and shape of our eommon garden currants, grow- 
ing like them in cluetera supported by a componnd 
footstatk. The peduacl«« are longer in thlA spe- 
cies, and the i»erries are more Bcattered. The ftnlt 
1b not BO acid ae the common currant, and has a, 
more agreeable darour, 

The other species differe in no reBpect from the 
yellow cnrrant eicepting io the colour and flaTour 
of the berriee. 

The serviceberry differs in some points from that 
oftte United States. The buahes are Htaall, some- 
tlmeB not more than two feet hig*!!, and raraly 
exceed eight inchefl. They are proportion ably 
email in their BteniB, growing verv thickly, aeeo- 
elated in clumps- The fruit is of the same form, 
but for the moat part larger and of a very dark 
pnrple, They are now ripe and in great perfec- 
tioa. There are two epecie*f oi' gooseberry here, 
but neither of them yet ripe ; nor are the choke- 
cherry, thoogh in great quantities. Beeidee there 
are aleo at that place the box alder, red willow 
and a sp&ciee of sumach. In the evening we bow 
some moantain rants or big-horned animals, but 
no other game of any sort. After leaving Pine 
island vre paeeed a email ruu on the left, wiUch is 
formed by a large spring riaiug at the distance of 
3Ui 



LEWIS AND CL,iEK'S EXPEDITION 

half a mite under the mountain. O&e mile and a 
ha.lf a.boY6 the inland is another, and two mile? 
fiirther a third island, the river mrikiD^ email 
bends constantly to the north. FrocL tiiia laat 
ielaad to a point ol'rockB on the eouth side the 
low grounds become rather wider, and three 
quarterB of a mile beyond these rockB; in a bend 
on the north, we encamped opposite to a very 
high cliffy having made during the day eleven and 
a half nules, 

Tlj-arsdajr 18.— TMb morning early before one 
departure we saw a large herd of the bLg-horned 
auitnaU, who were bounding among tlie rocks in 
the opposite eliff with great agility, Theee inae- 
CesBible spotty A^AQt^ them from all their enemies, 
and the only danger is in wandering among thew 
precipices, where we should euppose it Bcarcely 
posaible for any animal to stand; a single ^hs 
Btep would precipitate them at least five hundred 
feet into the water. At one mile and a quarter we 
pa6i^d another single clitf on the ielt; at the satce 
distance beyond which is the mouth of a large 
liTer emptying Iteelf ftom the north. It is a hand- 
some, bold, and tlear stream, eighty yarda wide, 
that is nearly an broad as the Slissoiiri, with a 
rapid current over a bed of email smooth Btones 
of varioiiH figures. The water iu e:rtremely tran^ 
parent, the low grounds are narrow, but possesa 
aa much wood as those of the Missouri; and it 
has STery appearance of being navigable, though 
to what distance we cannot s-ecertiun, as the 
coDutry which it waters is broken and moonttun- 
ons. In honour of the secretary at war we called 
it Dearborn's river. Being now very anxious to 
meet with the ShofehonetB or Bnake Indiana, for 
the purpose of obtaining the neceaeary inform^ 
tion of our route, aa well as to procure horsea, tt 
8Q2 



TIP THE MISSOURI. 

woe thought beet for one of qb to go forward 
with, a Bmall party and endeavour to difjeover 
th«m, before the daily diecharge of our gane, 
which ia necesaary for our »ubsiatence, should give 
them notice of our approach: if by an accident 
they hear us, they "will oio^t probably retreat to 
the mouutaioa, miBtaking ub for their euemieB who 
aeually attaek them on tlii& side. j\ecording:ly 
captain CJark aet oat with three men, and fol- 
lowed the course of the river on the north eidej 
but the hilfa were so steep at first thfl-t he ivaa 
not able to j^u muuh faater than aur»eireri. In the 
eyenliig however he cut off many milee of the cir- 
cuitouB coupae of the riverf by croBsing a jooun- 
tain over which he found a wide Indian road 
which ia many placea BueniH to have been cut or 
dag down in the earth. He passed also two 
branchea of a etream which he called Ordway's 
creek, where he eaw anumber of beavpr-d^ms ex- 
tendiag in close succeBsion towards the mountaing 
as tar aa he could distin^lBh; on the cli^H were 
many of the big-horned aniraala, .Aiter croHBiiif 
thijs mountain he encamped near a email atream 
of running wat«r, having travelled twenty miles. 
On leaving Dearborn's river we passed at threo 
and a hali' miles a Bmall creek, and at bIx beyond 
it an iBland on the north eide of thehrer, which 
makea viithin that diatance many email bendB. 
At two and a half miles further is another island : 
three q^uartera of a mile beyolid this is a Small 
creek on the north side. At a mile and a half 
above the ereek a a much larger stream thirty 
yardB wide, and discharging itself with a bold 
current on the north eide ; the banks are tow, and 
the bed formed of stoaea altogether. To thia 
stceam we gave the name of Ordway'a creek, after 
sergeant John Ordwny, At twO milea beyond 
393 



LEmS AND CLABK-S ESPEDITIOPI 



^^ds tte valley widena : we pasBed Hereral bendB of 
Hie river, anil encamped in the Gentre of one on 
the eonth. haTing made twenty-one milea. Here 
w* foitnd a smaH grove of the narrow-leafed cot- 
tonwood, there being no longer Soy of the broad- 
leafed kind rfnce we e^qt^r^l the mountain*. The 
water of ttese rivaleta which come down from the 
mountains ia very cold, pure, and well tasted. 
Along their banka as well a^ on the Miueouri the 
ofipen i« v^ry comnioD, but of a email kind. Th« 
river is Boinewhab "Wider than we found it j-eater- 
day ; the hilln more dietant frqm the river and Dot 
to- hi^li: there are Bome piiieB on the moantains, 
but they are priocipal]; couQced to the upper 
regions of them: the low grounda are Btill nar 
rower and have little or no timber. The soil near 
the river U gOOd, ftnd produces a luiufifint 
growth ofgraea and weeds; among thus prodnq- 
tionB the BUDflower holds a very diBtiiiguiehed 
place. For several days past we have observed & 
upecieB of flai In the low grounds, the leafstem 
and pericarp of which reeemble thoae Of the flai 
commoflly cultivated la the United Static: the 
atem riaes to the height of two and a half or three 
ftet, and spring to the number of eight or lea 
trvm the same root, with a etrong thick bark ap- 
parently well calculated for use: the root aeema to 
be perennial, and i: ia probable that the cntting 
of the ateme may not ot all injure it, fc^r al- 
though ttje Beeda are not yet ripe, there are young 
Backers shooting np ft-om the root, whence we 
may infer that the stems which are fully grown 
and in the proper stage of vegetation to prodoce 
the best flai, are not easentiat to the preaervation 
or tapport of the root, a circutnetance which 
Tvould render it a roost vAluflble plant. To-day 
we have met with a second epecEes of flax smaller 
394 



TTP THE MTRSOTmi. 



fiian the Qret, as It seldom obtainH a greater 
hi^ght tbaa oiue or twelve incbtts: the leaf aod 
Btem reaemble thoee of the species just meDtioned, 
eicept that the latter is rarely branph^d, and 
heAra a Hiagle munopetalloua bell-shaped blue 
flower, Buepended Ti-ith its limb downwards. We 
saw ueveral herdq of thp hig-hom, tmt th^y were 
ia the clifie bcjoad our reach. We killed ao elk 
tbJB morniiLg and found part of a deer which had 
been left: for ua hj captain Clark. He pursued his 
tonte, 

Fridajj ID, early ia the inorDing, and eoon 
passed the rentaing. of Beveral Indian camparormed 
of willow bi^sh, "n-hich seemed to have been de- 
serted this spring. At the samii time he obaerTed 
that the pine trees had been stripped of their bark 
about the same aeaeon, which our Indian woman 
saye her coimtrymfn do ifl. Ord-er to obtain the sa-p 
And th« aofl parta of the wood and bark for food. 
About eleven o'clock he met a herd of elk and 
killed two of them, but Buch waa the want of 
wood in the neighbourhood that he was uaahle to 
procure enough to make a &re, and he wtia there- 
for obliged to Bubstitate thedun^ of the buffklo, 
w^tth which he cooked hie breakfast. They then 
reeumed thvir course along an old Indian road. 
In the afbei^oon they reached a, handaonie ralley 
watered hy a large croek, both of vfhich extend a 
considerable dietanee into the mountain : thia they 
crossed, and during the evening travelled over a 
mountainous country covered With bhafp ftag- 
mente of flint-rock ; these bruiHed and cut tbelr fbet 
very much, but were scarcely lead troublesome 
than the prickly pear of the open piaiofi, which 
have now become Eto abundant that tt is impoBBi- 
b!e to avoid them, and the thorns are ao strong 
.that they pierce a double sole of dressed deer 
39j 



LEWIS AND CLiEK'S EXPEDITION 



skin: the bABt resdiilt'i^ agahiet them is a sole of 
bafftlo hide in parchinout. Atnightthej reaches! 
the river much iatigued, haviag paHeed two moaa- 
taioB ia tlie course of the day and bavJug trav- 
elled tliirty miles. Captain Clark's first emplof' 
ment on lighting a fire woe to extract from bis 
feet the briars, which he found seventeen in number. 
In the meantime Mrd proceeded on verj- well, 
thDUg'h the water appears to increaee io r&pidity 
Be we advance : the current has indeed been etroag 
during the day and abetruffted bj buuib rapids, 
TThiKh arc not however much broken byrocka, and 
a*^ perfectly safe : the river is deep, and its i^neraJ 
width is fi'dm Mie hundred to one hundred ajtd 
fifty yards wide. For more than thirteen mileaw? 
went aloqg th? numerous bends of the river ajid 
then reached two small iBlauds; three and three 
quarter miles beyond wbiah ia a small creek ma 
bend to tfac left, above a small iBland on the rigbt 
Bide of the river. We were regaled about tea 
o'clock P. N[. with, a thunder- etorm of rain and 
bail which lasted for an hour, but dttring the daj 
iu this CDofiued valley, through which we ar& 
paeeing, the heat ia almost insupportable ^ yet 
whenever we obtain a glimpse of the lofty tope of 
the mountaina we are tantalized with a \'iew of 
the SnOtv. Thead monntaina have their aides and 
SumniitH partially varied with little copses gf pine, 
cedar^ and baUam fir. A mile and a half beyond 
thia creek the rocks approach tlie river on botti 
sides, forming a most sublime and extraordinary 
spectacle. For five and three quarter milea these 
rocka rise perpendicularly from the water's edge 
to tbe height of nearly twelve hundred feet. They 
ajB composed of a black granite near Its base, but 
A-om its lighter colonr above and f^om the fVag- 
meuta we Buppoee the upper part to be flint of a 

a»6 



yellowiah brown and cream colrinr. Kothin^ can 
be imagined more tremendous than the frowning 
datkn^ft of theee rocks, -whscL project over the 
river and menace us with destruction. The river, 
of one bimdred and fifty jards in widthj seem^ to 
have forced ita channel duwa tliia Bolid maee, but 
eo reluctantly haa it given way that during the 
TFhole dietanoe the water ia very deep eveu at the 
edges, and for the ilret three miles there i«t not a 
spot except one of a Ibw yards, in which a man 
could Qtand l>etween the crater and the towering 
perpendicular of the mountain: the convulsion of 
the paaaa^ muat have been terrible, Hitice at its 
outlet there are vast columns of rock torn ftom 
the mountain which are strewed on both aides of 
the river, the trophies aa it "were of the victory. 
Several fine springs burst out froui the chasms of 
the rock, and contribute to increaae the river, 
which haa now a strong current, but very for- 
tunately we are able to overcome it with our 
oars, since it would "be impossible to nee either the 
cord Of the pole. We were obliged to go on eome 
time after dark, not being able to find a epot 
large enough to encamp on, hut at length aljout 
two miles above a email Island in the middle of 
the river we met ■nith a spot on the left side, 
where we procured plenty of lightwood and 
pitchpine. This extraordinary range of rocbs we 
called the Gates of the Hocky Daountains. We had 
made tw'enty-two miles j and four and a quarter 
milee from the entrance of the gates. The nioun- 
taios are higher to-day than they were yesterday. 
TVe eaw some big-horne, a few antelopea and 
beaver, but since entering the mountains have 
found no buffalo; the Otter are however in gre-at 
plenty: the mosquitoes have become les^ trouble- 
Bome thou they were. 

897 




LEWIS AND CLAEK'S EXPEDITION 



Sfliurrfaj' 20.— By emplo^ug tte towrope when- 
«Ter the banks permitted the use of It, the river 
l3«ng top deep for the pole, we w?re enabled to 
overcome the current which ia etiU E^trong. At the 
didtaofie af haU' a mile we came to a high rock ia 
a bend to tlie left in the &attB. Here the perpeO' 
dicular rocks cease, the iiilla retire from the rivee, 
and the vallejs suddenly widen to a greater extent 
than they have been since we entered the moun- 
tains. At thlB place was eonie scattered timber, 
eonBistiog of the narrow-lBafed Cottonwood, the 
adpeii, and pine. There are alao vast quantities of 
gooeeberriee, eervtceberriefl, and eevetal spetiefi of 
currant, among which is oae of a black colour, the 
flavour of which is prg'ferable to that of the yel- 
low, and would be deemed superior to that of any 
currant in the TTaited States. U'e here killed an. 
elk which was a pleasant addition to our stock of 
food. At a mile from the G-at^^a, a large creet 
comes clown from the mOabtainB and emptier itself 
behind an inland in the middle of a bend to the 
north. To this Btreaai which U fifteen yards* wide 
we gaye the same of Fotts'a creek, after Joha 
PottB, one of our men. Up thia valley about Btven. 
mUeB we diHeorered a great smoke, ae if the whole 
country hod been set on fire; but were at a loss 
to decide whether it had been done accidentally by 
capt&in Ciark'a party, or by the Indians aa a sig- 
nal on their observing us. We afterwardB learnt 
that thia last waa the tact; for they had heard a 
gun fired by one of captain Clark's men, and be- 
lieving that their eaemies were approaching had 
fled into the mountains, first setting fire to thft 
plains aa a warning to their countrymen. We 
coatinued our course along eeveral islands, and 
having mode in tbecourae of the day £iteen uiilee, 
encamped just above an isiandj at a Bpring oa a 
398 



bigh bank on the left side of the river. Id the lat- 
ter part of the evening we had paa»ed through a 
low range of mouatains, and the country bpcame 
more open; thoug^h still unbroken and without 
timber, and the lon'laildHi bOt verj esteilaiTe: And 
jnat abure our camp the river in again cloud in 
by the mountfl-inij. We found on the ba,ql» an elk 
which captain Clark had lel^ ue, with a note men- 
tioning that be BhouU pass the mountains juet 
above ne and "vrait our arrival at Bome convenient 
plact. We eaw but could Dot purHue Mome red- 
headed dncks and Handhtll cranes along the ^idea 
of the riv«r, and a woodpecker about the Hixe of 
the lark- wood pecker, whiuh tieemB to be a distinct 
Bpeciesr it ia ob black as a crow with a lung tail, 
aad tliea like a, jaybird. The whole country i« bo 
infeftted by the prickly pear that we could scarcely 
find room to lie down at our camp. 

Captain Clark on setting out this moming had 
gone throag:h the valle^y about «iz niilee to the 
right of the river. He boou fell into an old ludiao 
road which he purBued till he reached the Mia- 
aonri, at tbe diBtancie of eighteen miles from hia 
last encampment, just above the entrance of & 
large creek, which we afterwards called Whiteearth 
creek. Here be found bis party bo muqb cut and 
pierced with the sharp dint and the prickly pear 
that he proceeded only a Boiall dietance further, 
and then halted to wait for ua. Along hiB track 
he bad taken tbe precaution to «trew signals, auch 
OS pieces of cloth, pajier and linen, to prove to the 
Indians, if by accident they met hie traqk, that we 
were white men, But he observed asmoke Bomei 
diBtunce ahead, and concluded that the whole 
conntry had now taken the aJarm. 

Suiidaj/ 31. — On leavinff our camp we passed an 
island at half a mile, and reached at obb mile & 
890 




LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



bad rapid at the plaee where the riter leaves ths 
mountain: hore the cliffs ftre high and covered 
with fragmenta of broken rocfcs, th« current is 
alBo Etrong, butatthoagh more rapid the rirer is 
wider and ehalloiver, bo that we are able to use 
the pole occasionally, though we principally de- 
pend on the towline. On leaving the rapid which 
is about half a mile in extent, the country opens 
on each side; the Lillis bM^ome lower; at one nijl^ 
ifi a lai^ ie^laad on the left side, &ucl fonr and a 
half beyond it a large and bold creek twenty- 
eight yards wide, cominjj in from the north, wtere 
it waters a handsome valley : we called it Pryor's 
Creek aJter one of the eerfreanta, John Pryor, At 
a mile above tbie creek on the leit side of the 
Mi^^ouri we obtained a meridian altitude, which 
gave 48' 10' 32' 9 as the latitude of the place. 
For the foUowiJig four mileij, the country, Ulte that 
through which we paaeed during the rest of the 
day, ifl rougli and mounttunous aa we fonnd it 
yesterday; but at the distance of twelve miles, w^ 
came towards evening- into a beautiful plain ten 
or twelve lailps wider P^nd extending ae iUr as the 
eye could reaeli. TUe plain or rather valley is 
bounded by two nearly parallel ranges of high 
mountains whoae Hummite are partially covered 
with snow, below which the pine is scattered 
along the aides dowa to the plain in some places, 
though the greater part of their surf^e b«« DO 
timber and exhibits only a barren soil with no 
covering except dry parched grass op black rugged 
rocks. Ou entering the volley the river aasumes a 
totally different aspect: it eproadu to more than a 
mile in width, and though more rapid than before, 
is shallow enough in almost every part for the use 
of the pole, while its bed Ib formed of Hmooth 
Btouea and aome large rocks, as it hGLB been indeed 
400 



UP THE MieeocM. 



duce we entered the monntaioe : it iA ako divided 
bj a nnmber of ialands eome of which &re large 
near the northern sbore. The eoil ofth* valley ie 
B. rich black lonici appareotlj rerj fertile, and 
COTered with a. fine grenn grass about eighteen 
inches or two (bet in height; while that of the 
highgrouiida ia ptrftctlj dry and swina flcoTched 
by the sun. The timber though still ecftrce ia in 
greater qiiantitipa. in this valley than we have seen 
it aiuce eDtering the mountains, atid ^eeius to pre- 
tet the bord^re of the small creeka to the banks of 
the river itaetf. We advanced three and a half 
miles in thia valley and encamped on the left aide, 
having' made in all fifteen and a half miles. 

Our only large game to-day was one deer, Ws 
saw however two pheasanta of a dftrk brown 
colour, much larger than the same epEtcies of bird 
in the United States. In the mornfng too, we aaw 
three awana which, like the geeae, have not yet 
recovered the ftathera of the wingj and were un- 
able to fly; we killed two of them, aad the third 
escaped by diving and pa^Mng down the cnrrent. 
Theee are the Qrst we have Been on the river for a 
great diHtance, &nA &e they had no young: with 
them, we preaame that they do not breed in this 
neighboathood. Of the geeee we daily see great 
Dumbers, with their young perfectly feathered ex- 
cept on the wings, where both ygiing and old are 
de&cient; the first are very fine food, but the old 
ones are poor and uufit foe use. Several of the 
large brown or Handliiil crane are feeding in the 
low groiinflis nn the gfaBa which forma their prin- 
cipal food. The young crant (^nnot fly at tliis 
eeaiaon ; they are as large ati a turkey, of a bright 
leddiHh bay eolour. Since the river has becomi! 
Bhollow we have caught a number of trout to- 
day, and a fieh, white on the belly and Hides, but 



Vol. I.— 26 



401 



LEWIS AND CLABK'B ESPEDITIOTf 



of & bloish CAst on the back, and a long pointed 
Tnqnth opening eoraeTrhat like that of th? Bbad. 

Thie DLomiiig captaia Clark wishiDg to huct 
but fearful of alarmiD^ the Indians, went up the 
river for three milea^ when flndiDg neither any of 
them nor of their recent tracks returned, and then 
hie little patty ssparatrf to Iciok for game. Tbej 
killed two bucks and a doe, and a young curlew' 
nearly fathered: in the eveniug they found. the 
maequitoeB as tronbleBoine as we did: theee ani- 
mala attack ub as goon as tlie labours and Iktigraea 
of the day require some rest, and annoy na till 
several houra alter dark, -wheii the coldntaa of the 
air obliges them to disappear; tut euch ia their 
persecution that were it not for our bier4 we 
should obtain no repose. 

Mondstyj 33.~We eet out at an early hour. The 
river being divided into bo many channele by both 
large and email itilands, that it waa impoaeible to 
lay it dowil atCurately by following in a cano* 
any single channel, captatu Lewie walked on 
shore, took the genera] courses of the river, and 
A-om the rieing gronndH laid down the situatioa of 
the ielanda and chanDelB, which he was enabled to 
do with perfect accuracy, the view not being ob- 
structed by much timber. At one mile and a 
quarter we passed an island somewhat larger 
than the rest, and four milea further reacted the 
upper end of another, on which we breakfasted. 
This IB a lar^ island forming in the middle of a 
bend to the north a level (fertile plain ten feet 
above the surface of the water and never over- 
flowed. Here we found ^^at quaotitieA of agmall 
onion about the eize of a musket ball, though 
some were larger; it is white, crisp, and as well 
flavoured aa any of our garden onions, the eeed 1b 
juBt ripening:, and aa the plant bears a large quaa- 
402 



\ 



DP THE MISSOURI. 



-tit; to the square foot, and fltosdH the ri^nrB of 
the cUmate, it friW no doubt be an acquisition to 
wttlere. Froni this production we called it Qnion 
iatand. Daring the next eeTen and three quarter 
miles we pneeed several long circular bends, and a, 
mimber of large and email lelandK which divide the 
river into tuany channels, end then reached the 
laoiith of a creek on the noi~th side. It is com' 
poB^ of three creeks which unite in a handHome 
valley about four iniW before they discharge 
themBelvi^a iuto the MiSBouri, where it Ib about 
fif%<^n ftet wide and eEg;ht fbet deep, with clear 
transparent water. Mere we halted for dinner, 
but as the canoes took diSbrent cbannelfi in &6- 
cending it was aonie time before they all joined. 
Here we were delighted to find that the Indiao 
woman recognizee the country ; she tells us that 
to this creek her countrymen make eicureione to 
procure a white paint on its banka, and we thei^ 
fore call it Whiteearth creek. She sayB alBO that 
the three forks of the Mi^ouri are at no great 
diatHDcej a piece of intelligence which has cheered 
the epirite of ub all, aa we bope eoon to reach the 
head of that river. Tble is the warmest day ex- 
cept oae we have experienced thia Bummer. In the 
shade the meFcury stood at 80' above 0, which is 
the second time it has reached that height during 
this 9ea«on. We encamped on an island aftermak- 
iug aineteea and three quarter miles. 

In the course of the day we saw many geeee, 
cranes, email birds common to the plains, and a 
few pheasantB: we also observed a amall plover or 
coTlew of a brown colour, about the size of the 
yellow-legged plover or jack curlew, but ofadiA 
&rent species. It 'Srst appeared near the mouth of 
Smith's river, but is so shy and vigllautthat we 
were nnable to shoot it. Both the broad and 
403 



LEWIS AND CLABKS EXPEDITION" 



1 lUarrow-leafrfi wiUniv conttnuej though the airecG 
j>jWiUow has become very eearce. The roaebush, 
Small honeysuckle, tlie pulp^-kafed thorn, south- 
era TV'ood, sag« and box-alder, narrow-leafed 
cottpnwoodj redTTood, anda gp^ies of &iimach, are 
all ubunditut. So too are the red aad hlnck 
gooseljerried, BiTvicebLTtieB, diokeclierry, aud the 
block. red[ jellow, and pui-pla curraot, which last 
e&ems to be a favonrite food of the beat-. iSefoi* 
encamping we landed and toot on board captain 
Clark Tvith the meat be had collected during this 
duj's bunt, which coiiHltited of une deer and an 
elk: we had aurealrea shot a deer and an ante- 
loi*. The moaqiiitoea and gnata were uuudually 
fierce this evening. 

Tuesdaj', £3. — Captain Clark ag&in proceeded 

with four men along the right hauk. During th» 

■whole day the river in divided by a namber of 

, iBlaude, whicli spread it out eoiuetiiaeH to the dia- 

,.tance of three milee : the current is very rapid and 

J, has many ripplen; and the bed formed of gravel 

I and smooth Btotit:e. The batlkg aloilg^ the low 

, , grounds are of a rich loam, followed occaeionally 

, ,b.v low blufFd of yellow nod red clay, with a bard 

. red slate&tone intermixed. The low groiiads are 

. wide, and have very little timber but a thick 

underbrueh of willow, and rose Jind currant 

buBhes: these are succeeded by high plains eitpud- 

Jng on each side to the base of ih^ mouutainH, 

■which lie parsUel to the river abgut eight or 

twelve QiileB apart, and are high tiud rocky, with 

eoDie Bmall pine and cedar intereperHed on them. 

At the distance of seven nijle» a creek twentiy 

yards (vide, after meftiidering through a beautiful 

low ground on the left for several miles parallel to 

the river, eniptipa itself near a clus'ter of small 

^iilandB; thfiL.8ttwn» ■"'« called Wbitehonse cr«k 

404 



tip THE MISSOURI. 



:l 



after Joseph Whiwhoueej one of the party, and thfr 
iftlanclfl from their number received the name of the 
"Ten iBlandH.'' Abont ten o'cloct w^e came uf 
■with. Dre5ryer, who had gone out to hunt ye^t*'- 
day. and not being aMe to fiod our encampment 
had F;taicl out all nigbt: he now euppUed ua with 
five deer. Three and a quarter iniles beyoBd 
WbitehoiiBe creek we eaine to the lower point of 
an islatid where the riVer la thi-ee hundred yards 
yndf, and continned along It for one mile and a. 
quarter, And then passed a second island juBt 
above it. We baited rather early for disner in 
order to dry some jjjirt of the baggage whitth had 
been Tvet in the cftnoea : we then proceeded, and at 
five and a half miles had passed tvro aniall ialands. 
Within the neict three miles we came to a lai-^' p 
island, which ft-oai its figore we called Broad 
island. From that place Tve made three and a 
half mllee, and encamped on an ialandto the left, 
opposite to a -much larger one on the right. Onr .. 
joiirney to-day was twenty-two and a quarter: :ii 
miles, the greater part of which was made hy 
means of onr pqW and eords, the use of wtiieli 
the bankfl much favciured. During the whole titua'"< 
we had the emal] flag^B hoLst-ed in the canoea to-f 
appriae the Indians, if there were any in the neigh- 
bourhood, of our beiujf white men and their 
friends; but we were not bo fortunate as to dis- 
cover any of them. Along the ahores we saw 
great qaantitieB of the common thistle, and pro- 
cured a fiirther Bupply of wild onions and a Bpeciee 
of garlie growing- on the highlands, which is now 
^;reen and in bloom: it baa a flat leaf, and is 
strong!;, tough, find disagreeable. There was also 
mnch of the wild flax, of which we now obtained 
some ripe seed, a^ well &h some buUnish and cat- 
tail flag. Among the animals we met with a 
405 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

black flooke aboat two feet long, with the belly aa 
dark as any other part of the body, which was 
perfectly black, and which had due hundred and 
twenty-eight ecuta dd the belly and aiity-three on 
the tail: we also saw antelopeiS, cran?, g^cw, 
duck«, beaver, aod otter; and took tip four deer 
which tad been left on the water Bide by captain 
Clark, He had pursued aU day an Indian road 
on the right aide of the riTer, and encamped late 
in the eveniiig at the dietance of twenty-fiTe milea 
firom our camp of la«t night, In ih» courw of hU 
walk he met beBides deer a. number of antelopes 
aod a herd of elk, but all the tracks of Indiana, 
though numerous, were of an old date. 

WednesdsSr -2J-— We proceeded for four and a 
q^oarter milea along eeveral ialande to a Bi&all run, 
just aboTe which the low blufiid touch the river. 
Within three and a half miiee llirther we came to 
& small ialand on the north, and a remarkable 
bluff cotnpoBed of earth of a crimaoa coloar, inter- 
mixed with strataa of slate, either black or of a 
red resembling brick. The following six and three- 
quarter milea brought ua to an aeaembla^ Of 
islands, having pasfted four at different diatancea; 
and within the next fire milea we met the same 
number of islands, and encamped on the north 
after making nineteen, and a half milea. The cur- 
rent of the river was strong and obetructed, as 
indeed it haa been for some days by small rapida 
or ripples which destjend frgm onet to three feet in 
the couree of one huadred and fifty yards, but 
they are rarely iucoranioded by anjr dit-d rocks, 
and therefore, though the water ia rapid, the pas- 
sage is not attended with danger. The valley 
through wliich the river pds^i^i^ ia like that of yes- 
terday; the nearest hills generally concealing the 
moBt distant from ub ; but when we obtain a view 
4QQ 



XrP THE IIISSOUKI. 

orthemtliej present themselves in arapliitheatfe, 
liaiiig above i!dch other a« the/ recede itom the 
river till the most remote are covered with enow. 
We flaw niajij otter and beaver to-day : the latter 
fieem to coatribute Ter; much to the number of 
lalands and the widening of the river. They begEn 
hy damming up the amall cfaonnels of about 
twentj y&rda between the islands ; thia obliges the 
tiver to seek auotter outlet, and as kodd as thia 
ie efifected the chaimet Btopxjed by the beaver be- 
comes filled with mud and sand. The induatrious 
aoitaal ia thea drives to aiioth(!r chamiel which 
Boon Bharee the same f^te^ till the river spreadH oa 
all sides, and cuts the pro|e£tiDj^ points of the l&nd 
into ietanda. We killed a. deer and aaw great num- 
bers of ant^lopea, cranea, some gee^e, and a few 
redheaded ducks. The itniall bu^e oftheplaiuH 
&ad the curlew are etiU abundant: we aaw but 
could not come within gunshot of a large bear. 
There is much of the track of elk but none of the 
animals themaelves, and ftoTtL the appearance or 
bonee and old excrement, we suppose that buS^lo 
bave aoiuetLmefl strayed into the valley, tboug:h 
we have ae yet eeeu uo recentalgn of them. Aloo^ 
the water are a number of euakes, some of a 
brown uniforra colour, others blacky and a third 
dpeekled on the abdomen, and Btri{>ed \t-ith ble^k 
and a. brotvnUh yellow on the back and sides- 
The flr^t, which are the'largeHt, are about four 
Smt long; the second is of the kind mentioned yes- 
terday, and the third resembles in size and ap- 
pearance the garter-snake of the United Static. 
On examining the teeth of all these several kiade 
Ve found them free from poison : they are fond of 
the water, in which they take shelter on being 
pursued. The moi^quitoes, guata, and prickly 
pear, our tliree persecutors, still coutlnue witli ua, 
407 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 



and joine^d with the labour of working the canoee 
have fatigued us a]l exeeeaiTe-i'f. Captain CJark 
continued along the Indian rood Tvhich led liim up 
fL c^^k. About ten o'clock he »aw at the di^tence 
of elx miles a. horse fee^iiog- in the plains. He -went 
towardH Vim, but the auiJiial waa bo wild that he 
could not get within eeveral hundred pa«eB of 
hini; hn then turned obliquely to the rivtr where 
he killed a detr and dined, hii^-tog paaeed in thia 
Taltej five handsome etreams, onlj one qf which 
h&d any timbw; another had some willowu, and 
waa very much dammed up by the beaver. After 
dinner he continued h!a route along the river and 
encaini»ed at the diBtnnce of thirty miles. Aa he 
went along he eaw many tracks of Imlians, but 
none of recent date. Th* nu-xt morning, 

TJjarsf^.aj', S5, at th« diatiince qf a few mileE he 
arriTed at the three forks of the MiEBOuri. Here 
he found that the plains had been recently burnt 
OIL the uorth eide, and eaw the track of a horee 
which BceTnecI to have passed about Jbur or five 
days since. Aftet brfeatfast he examined the 
riTerH, and linding that the nurth branch, al- 
though not larger, contained more water than the 
middle branch, and bore more to the westward, 
he determined to aecend It. He tlierefore left & 
note informing captain Lewia of his intention, and 
then went up that stream on the north side for 
about tweuty-five mites. Here Ghaboneau was 
unable to proceed any further, and the party 
therefore encamped, alE of them much fktlgued, 
their feet blistered and wounded by the prickly 
pear. 

In the meantime we left our camp, and pro- 
ceeded on very well, though the water its still 
rapid and baa eorae opcasional ripplee. The coun- 
ti^^ is much like that of yesterday: there are how* 
408 



trP THE MlSSOUEi-l. 

ever ffe"wer islaade, for we paeaed only two. Be- 
hind one of them ie a large creek twenty-fiTe 
yards wide, to which wegarethenameof ttaea'a 
creek, from One of our* eet-gtaiits, Patrick Gass: it 
ie formed by the udiod of Hve HtreamB, which 
deec^ud frooi the mouataina and jolo in the plain 
near the river. On tliie i»]aiKl we saw a large 
brown tear, but be retreated to the ehore and 
tan off before we could approach him. These 
atiimals seem more ahy than they Tvere helo'w the 
mountains. The antelopes have again collected in 
email herds, conipoe^d of aeveral females with 
their young:, attended by one or two males, 
thoajfh Bome of the maloa are atill Bolitary or 
wander in partiea of two over the ptains, ■which 
the antelope invariably prelfers to the woodlanilsj 
and to which it always retreats if by accident it 
is found gtragyling IB the hJllBj confiding no doubt 
in ite wonderfnl fleetneaa, We also titled a few 
young gesBe, but ae this game ia aiualt and very 
incompetent to the eubaiBteiice of the party, we 
have forbidden the men any longer to waste their 
atnmunition on them. Ahout four and a half 
miles above Crae^'^ creet, the valley in which we 
have been trftvelling ceases, the high craggy i-lifia 
again approach the river, whith now enters or 
rather leaves what appears to be a second great 
chain of the Eoclty mountaina. About a mile after 
entering these hilla or lo^v ntountaina we passed a 
number of fine bold springe, which burat out near 
the edge of the river under the eliiGj on the left, 
and furnished a fine freeetone water: neartheeewe 
met with two of the worst rapids we have seen 
since entering the mountains; a ridge of sharp 
pointed rot'ks Stretching across the river, lea-i-ing 
hut email and dangerous channels for the naviga- 
tion. Th^ cli^ are of a lighter colour than thoHe 
408 



LEWIS A>'D CLAKK'S EXPEDiriOPT 



We h&ve alre^j paseed, ftnd in the bed of tte 
rivet IB some limeBtone which ia ^inall 4pd worn 
BiQooth, and Beems to have been broaght dowD 
hy tbe current. We went about a mile further and 
encamped under a hi^h bluff an the ri^ht opposite 
to a cits' of rocks, having made eii^teen mUee. 

AH these cliffi appeared to have beeo nnder- 
miQed by the water at some period, and fiJlen 
down from the hills ou their eldee, the etratas of 
rock BometimeB Ijiag with their edgea upwarda, 
otherfi not detached ft'om the hille are depreaaed 
obliquely on the aide nest the river ae if they had 
sunk to fill up the cavity formed by the washing 
of the river. 

In the open places among the rock; cllffi bxe 
two kinds of gooseberry, one yellow and the other 
red. The fornier species waa observed for the first 
time near the f^Ila, the latter differB from it in no 
reapect except in colour and in being of a larger 
«ixe: both have a sweet flavour, and are rather 
indi^rent frnit, 

Friday ^€.— We a^aia found the current strong 
and the ripples fluent: tbete we were obliged to 
OTercome by means of the cord and the pole, the 
oar being acarcely ever used except in crossing to 
take advantage of the ^hore. Within three a&d 
three qnarter inilea we paHJsed seven small ielandr 
and reached the mouth of a Large creek which 
emptiee itself lit the centre of a bend on the left 
Bide; it is a bold running Btream fifteen yards 
wide, and received the name of Howard creek after 
John P. Howard one of the party. One mile be- 
yond it is a small run which faHa in on theeam« 
eide juet above a rocty cUffi Here the monntajng 
recede from the river, and the valley nndene to the 
extent of several miles. The river now becomes 
crowded with talanda of which w^e paased tea in 
410 



DP THE MISSOURI. 



the neit thirteen and three quarter milea, then at 
the distance of eighteen miles weenctunped on the 
left shore ai&t a rock in the ceutt^ or a. bend to- 
wards the left, and opposite to two mon* islands. 
This Tallej ba* wide low grounds covered with 
liigh gra^i ^'Hd in many with a fine tnrf of green 
fiword. The eoii of the highlands is thio and 
meagre, without any covering except a low eedge 
and a dry kind of grasa which ia almoat as in- 
ConTenient ae the prickly Jjenr. The Beeds of it 
are armed with a long t^^'isted hard beard at their 
upper extremitj-, wiule the lower part is a sharp 
Srni point, beeet at its base with little stifl* 
briatlea, with the pomta in a direction contrarj to 
the subulate point to which tliey answer aa & 
barb. We see also another 6i»«ies of pricklj' 
pear. It JB of a globular form, composed of fin 
asBCmblftge of little conic leave* springing iVom a 
commoii root to wbicli their small polatH are at- 
tached as a common centre, aud the base of the 
cone forms the apex of the leaf whJcb Ib g-arniflhed 
with a cifcalar range of aharp thoms like the 
cochineal plant, and qii]t« aa stiff and tvcn more 
keen than those of the common flat^leai^ epecies. 
Between the hilla the river bad been confined 
Trithin one huodretl and fifty or two hundred 
yardsj but in the valley it widens to two hundred 
or two hundred and fifty yards, and Bometimea is 
A.pread by its uumerous islamic to the dletancs of 
three quartern of a mile. The banks are low, but 
the river never overflows them. On entering the 
Talley we again saw the snow-clad mountains 
before us, but the appearance of the hilk as well 
F'BB of the timber near nil is much ae heretofore. 
Finding Chaboneaa unable to proceed captain 
Clark left him ivith one of the men^ and acCoen- 
ponied by the other went up tbe river about 
ill 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION 

twelve miieB to the top of a tnountaitt. Here he 
had &n esteiiBiTe view of the river valley upwacds 
and saw a large creek whieh flowed in on the 
right side. He however discovereil no freah nign 
of tte Indian^, anij therefore iJetermitieii to ex- 
amine the middle brancli and join us by the time 
we reacbeil the forks: be descended the mounttuji 
by an Indian path whict wound through a deep 
valiey, and at length reached a fine cold spring. 
The day lind been very ^-arm, the pa.th unshaded. 
by timber, and hie thirst vj&s eic-esBive; he was 
therefore tempted to drink : but although Le took 
the precautioQ of previously wetting hie bead, ffeet 
and hands, he booq found hiniaelf very unwell: he 
continued his route, and after resting with Chabo- 
neau at his <^ainp, reeumed hie mfirth acroes the 
north fork near a Inrge island. Tlie firyt part wa* 
knee-dwp, but on the otiier side of the island the 
wat^r came to their waiatB and waa so rapid that 
Chabocean was on the point of being Bwept 
away, and not being able to awim would have 
perished if captain Clark had not rescued him. 
While croesiog the island they killed two brown 
bear and saw great quantitieB of beaver. He then 
went on to a timall river which falls into the 
north fork some milee above ita junction with the 
two others : here, finding himself ^jrow more un- 
well, he baited for the night at the distance of 
four mil^ tVom his last eneampntent. 

SatnTdiiy 37, — We proceeded on but slowly, the 
current being atill eo rapid «« to require the ut- 
most exertione of ub all to advance, and the men 
are losing their 8trengi,h fast in consequence of 
their constant efforts. At half a mile we passed 
an island, and a mile and a (quarter t^irther again 
entered a ridge of hills which now approach th6 
liver with cliffs apparently linking like those of 
412 



tip THR MiaSOUHL 



Tceterday. They ore compoHsd of a solici lime- 

atone of a light tead colour when exposed to the 
air, though w^hen freflhry brukea it i^ of a -d-eep 
bill?, and of an axizellent quality atid very fine 
graiu. Oo these cliilH were numbera oi' the big- 
horn. At two and a half mileb we reached the 
centre of a bend tovvarde the south paaaing a 
small inland, and at one mile and a quarter be- 
yond thiH reiiclied about nine in the morning the 
month of a riTfjr e^ventj" yards "wide, which falls 
in from the Eioatheaet, Here the country anddeoly 
a]>enB into exteueive and beautiful meadown! and 
plains, surrounded on every aide with distant and 
lofty mountains. Captain Lewis went up this 
stream for about lialf a mile, and from the hiiij^ht 
of a limestone cliff conld obBerve its course about 
WTen miles, and the three forku of the Miedouri, of 
which this river is one. Its ejctreme point bore 
8. 6")' E, and daring the aeveo miles it poaeea. 
through a green extenaiTe meadow of fine graea 
dividing itself into several streame, the largest 
passing near the ridge of hilia on which he stood. 
On the right side of the Miesoui'i a high, wide and 
exteoHive plain succeeds to this low meadow 
which reaches the hills. In the meadow a large 
Bpring riaea about a quarter of a mile from this 
Bontheast fork, into which it diBcbargea itself on 
the right aide about fonr hundred paces from 
where he stood. BetTveen the southeast and mid- 
dle forks a distant range of Baow-topped moun- 
tains spread from ea^ to south above the irregu- 
lar broken hills nearer to this epot: the middle 
and southwest forks unite at half a mile above the 
entrance of the southeast fork. The extreme point 
at which the former can be seen, bears S, lo" K. 
and at the distance of fourteen miles, where it 
toraB to the right round tlie point of a high plaia 
il3 



LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDTTIOJT 

and disappeat^ from the view. Its low grouDds 
are eereral miles in width, formiii^ a. Bmooth and 
b«HatifQl gr««it meadow, and like the Boutbea^t 
fork it dmdee iteelf into several Btreama. Be- 
tween theae two forlts and near their junction 
with that Q-ont the sonthweet, is a position ad- 
mifably well calcnlated for a fort. It is a limc- 
Htone rock of an oblong form, riainjf from the 
plain perpendicularly to the height of tweDty-five 
Sbet OD three of its sidea; the fourth towards the 
middle fork being a ^adual aacent and covered 
with a fine gre^n award, or \b aleo the top which 
is level and contaiaa about two acres. An exten- 
BiTe plain lies betweoD the middle and southwest 
forks, the last of whicli after ^patering a cqqntry 
like that of tbe other two brancheB, diaappears 
about twelve miles off, at a point bearing south 
SO' west. It IB alao more divided and HcrpentiTie 
In ItB course than the other two^ and posBesaea 
more timber in its meadows. This timber con- 
BirtB almost e:tclueively of tlie narrow-leaifed Cot- 
tonwood, witii an intermixture' of box-alder and 
Bweet- willow, the anderbroBh being thick and like 
that of tbe Miseouri lower down. A range of high 
mountainB partially covered with snow is eeen at 
a considerable diHtance running f>om Boath to 
west, and nearly all aronnd Us ant broken ridges 
of conntry like that below, through which those- 
Tinited atreame appear to have forced their pa*- 
aage: after obeerving tbe country captain Lewis 
descended to breakft-at. We then left the month of 
the Houtbeast fork, to which in honour of the 
fietretary of the trejwury we called Gatlatin'a 
river, and at the distance of half a mile reached 
the confluence of the eouth^weat and middle branch 
of the MisBDuriB. Here we found the letter ttom 
captajn Clark, and ob we agreed with ium that 
414 



TIP THE MISSOURI. 

th« direction of the eoatbweet fort g&Tft it ft 
decided preftrence over th^e others, we ascended 
that branch of the river for a mile, and eacamped . 
In a level handeome plain on tlie left: baviogad- ^ 
vaneed only eeTen mile«. Here we reBolved to 
■wait the return of captain Clark, and in the mean' 
Hme Tnake the neceasarj celestial obHervAtiOnB., as 
tbiiS eeente nji e^iiBentiiil poiDt in the geography uf 
tbe western Trorld, aud aleo to rmruit the men 
and air the ba^^a^. It -vfaa accordtngly all un- 
loaded and stowed away on shore. Near the 
three forkB we saw many eollectionB of the mnd- 
nestfl of the small martin attached to the smooth 
frees of the limestone rockj where they were 
sheltered by projectione of the rock above it: and 
in the meadows wer^uumbera of the duck or mal- 
lard with their yunng-, who are now nearly 
grown. The huntwB returned towards evening 
with sii deer, thr&e Otter and a muakrat ; and had 
seen great numbers of antelopes, and mncli Bign of 
the beaTer and v\K 

During all last night captf^n Clark bod a high 
fever and chilla accompanied witb great pain, He 
however pursued hia route eight milea to the mid- 
dle branch, where not finding any fresh Indian 
track he came doT^n it and joiutid ue a.bout three 
o'clock, vefy much exhausted with fatigue and the 
Tiolence of Ms fever. BelleTing himself bilious be 
took a dose of RubIi'b piUe, which we have alwaya 
&und sovereign in Huch caaee, and bathing the 
lower eitrenutiea in warm water. 

We are no^v very anxioua to see the Snake In- 
diana. After fjdvaucing for several hundred miles 
into thJR wild and moTintainous country, we may 
GOoa expect that the game will abandon ub. With 
no information of the route we may be unable to 
find a passage acroBs the rooontoina when we 
415 



^LIBHAI 

be rcturne 
nped below 



7. 



-K^ 



4i