The principal Chief of the Wau to Soon Came and Spoke a fiew words on
Various Subjects not much to the purpose. we Smoked and after my
Shooting the air gun he departed, Those nations know nothing of
reagular Councils, and know not how to proceed in them, they are
restless &c-
[Clark, October 31, 1804]
31st of October Wednesday 1804 The main Chief of the mandans Sent 2
Cheifs for to envite us to Come to his Lodge, and here what he has to
Say I with 2 interpetes walked down, and with great Cerimony was Seated
on a Robe by the Side of the Chief; he threw a Robe highly decoraterd
over my Sholders, and after Smokeing a pipe with the old men in the
Circle, the Chief Spoke he belived all we had told him, and that peace
would be genl. which not only gave himself Satisfaction but all his
people; they now Could hunt without fear & their women could work in
the fields without looking every moment for the ememey, as to the
Ricaras addressing himself to the Chief with me you know we do not wish
war with your nation, you have brought it on your Selves, that man
Pointing to the 2d Chief and those 2 young warriers will go with you &
Smoke in the pipes of peace with the Ricaras--I will let you see my
father addressing me that we wish to be at peace with all and do not
make war upon any--he continud to Speak in this Stile (refer to notes)
he delivered 2 of the Traps to me which was taken from the french men,
gave me 2 bushels of Corn, I answered the Speech which appeared to give
general Satisfactionand returned to the boat, In the evening the Chief
Visited us Dressed in his new Suit, &delayed untill late the men Dancd
untill 10 oClock which was common with them wrote to the N W Copanys
agent on the Ossinniboin River by a Mr. McCruckin.
[Clark, October 31, 1804]
31st of October Wednesday 1804
a fine morning, the Chief of the Mandans Sent a 2d Chief to invite us
to his Lodge to recive Some Corn & here what he had to Say I walked
down and with great ceremoney was Seeted on a roab by the Side of the
Chief, he threw a handsom Roabe over me and after smokeing the pipe
with Several old men arround, the Chief Spoke Said he believed what we
had told them, and that peace would be general, which not only gave him
Satisfaction but all his people, they now Could hunt without fear, &
ther womin Could work in the fields without looking everry moment for
the Enemey, and put off their mockersons at night, as to the Reares we
will Show you that we wish peace with all, and do not make war on any
without Cause, that Chief pointing to the 2d and Some brave men will
accompy. the Ricare Chief now with you to his village & nation, to
Smoke with that people, when you Came up the Indians in the
neighbouring Villages, as well as those out hunting when they heard of
you had great expectations of reciving presents they those hunting
imediately on hearing returned to the Village and all was Disapointed,
and Some Dessatisfied, as to himself he was not much So but his Village
was--he would go and See his great father &c. &c.
he had put before me 2 of the Steel traps which was robed from the
french a Short tim ago. about 12 bushels of Corn which was brought and
put before me by the womin of the Village after the Chief finished &
Smoked in great cerrimony, I answered the Speech which Satisfied them
verry much and returned to the boat. met the princapal Chief of the 3d
Village and the Little Crow both of which I invited into the Cabin and
Smoked & talked with for about one hour. Soon after those Chiefs left
us the Grand Chief of the Mandans Came Dressed in the Clothes we had
given with his 2 Small Suns, and requested to See the men Dance which
they verry readily gratified him in,--the wind blew hard all the after
part of the day from the N E and Continud all night to blow hard from
that point, in the mornig it Shifed N W. Capt Lewis wrote to the N W
Companys agent on the Orsineboine River abt. North of this place
[Clark, October 31, 1804]
black Cat or Pose-cop-sa-he 1st Chief of the Mandans & 2d Village
"I believe what you have told us in Council, & that peace will be
general, which not only givs me pleasure, but Satisfaction to all the
nation, they now Can hunt without fear, and our womin Can work in the
fields without looking every moment for the enimey-" as to the Ricares
we will Show you that we wish piace with all, and do not make war on
any with out Cause, that Chief pointing to the 2d of the Village and
Some young men will accompany the Ricrea Chief home to his Nation to
Smoke with that people--When the Indians of the Different Villages
heard of your Comeing up they all Came in from hunting to See, they
expected Great presents. they were disapointed, and Some dissatisfied-
as to my Self I am not much So, but my Village are--he believed the
roade was open; and he would go and See his great father--he Delivered
Up 2 Traps which had been taken from the french, & gave me a roabe &
about 12 bushels of Corn--& smoked &c
I answered the Speech it explained, many parts which he Could not
understand-of the Speech of yesterday.
[Lewis, October 31, 1804]
Wednesday October 31st 1804.
The river being very low and the season so far advanced that it
frequently shuts up with ice in this climate we determined to spend the
Winter in this neighbourhood, accordingly Capt. Clark with a party of
men reconnoitred the countrey for some miles above our encampment; he
returned in the evening without having succeed in finding an eligible
situation for our purpose.-
[Clark, November 1, 1804]
1 November 1804 Visited by Several Chiefs of the lower Village who
requested we would call on them &c. Spoke to the Same purpote with the
Grand Chief. we Set out in the evening & I with the Party droped down
to the place we intended to winter & Cap Lewis called at the Village 3
miles above &. &.
[Clark, November 1, 1804]
1st of November Thursday 1804
the wind hard from the N W. Mr. McCrackin a Trader Set out at 7 oClock
to the fort on the Ossiniboin by him Send a letter, (incloseing a Copy
of the British Ministers protection) to the principal agent of the
Company--at about 10 OClock the Cheifs of the Lower Village Cam and
after a Short time informed us they wished they would us to call at
their village & take Some Corn, that they would make peace with the
Ricares they never made war against them but after the rees Killed
their Chiefs they killed them like the birds, and were tired and would
Send a Chief and Some brave men to the Ricares to Smoke with that
people in the evening we Set out and fell down to the lower Village
where Capt. Lewis got out and continud at the Village untill after
night I proceeded on & landed on the S. S. at the upper point of the
1st Timber on the Starboard Side after landing & Continuinge--all night
droped down to a proper place to build Capt Lewis Came down after
night, and informed me he intended to return the next morning by the
perticular Request of the Chiefs.
We passed the Villages on our Decent in veiw of Great numbers of the
inhabitents
[Clark, November 1, 1804]
The 1st of Novr. Mandins is Village
the Main Chief Big White & 2 others i e the Big Man or Sha-ha-ca and
____ Came early to talk, and Spoke as follows, after Smoking, Viz.
Is it Certain that the ricares intend to make good with us our wish is
to be at peace with all, we will Send a Chief with the pania Chief and
Some young men to Smoke and make good peace-? are you going to Stay
abov or below this Cold.--answer by C. L We are going down a few miles
to look a place we can find no place abov proper.
The panias know's we do not begin the war, they allway begin, we Sent a
Chief and a pipe to the Pania to Smoke and they killed them-, we have
killed enough of them we kill them like the birds, we do not wish to
kill more, we will, make a good peace
We were Sorry when we heard of your going up but now you are going
down, we are glad, if we eat you Shall eat, if we Starve you must
Starve also, our village is too far to bring the Corn to you, but we
hope you will Call on us as you pass to the place you intend to Stop