The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 · Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
[Clark, March 1, 1805] March 1st Friday 1805 a fine Day I am ingaged in Copying a map, men building perogus, makeing Ropes, Burning Coal, Hanging up meat & makeing battle axes for Corn
[Clark, March 2, 1805] 2nd of March 1805 Satturday a fine Day the river brake up in places all engaged about Something Mr. La Rocque a Clerk of the N W Company visit us, he has latterly returned from the Establishments on the Assinniboin River with Merchindize to tarade with Indians--Mr. L informs us the N, W. & X Y Companies have joined, & the head of the N W. Co. is Dead Mr. McTavish of Monteral,- visted by the Coal & Several Indians
[Clark, March 3, 1805] 3rd of March Sunday 1805 a fine Day wind from the W, a large flock of Ducks pass up the Rivervisited by the black Cat, Chief of the Mandans 2d Cheif and a Big Belley, they Stayed but a Short time we informed those Chiefs of the news recved from the Ricaras, all hands employd
[Clark, March 4, 1805] Fort Mandan 4th March Monday 1805 a Cloudy morning wind from the N W the after part of the day Clear, visited by the Black Cat & Big White, who brought a Small present of meat, an Engage of the N W Co. Came for a horse, and requested in the name of the woman of the princapal of his Department Some Silk of three Colours, which we furnished-. The Assinniboins who visited the Mandans a fiew Days ago returned and attempted to take horses of the Minetarres & were fired on by them
[Clark, March 5, 1805] 5th March Tuesday 1805 A fine Day Themometer at 40° abo 0. Several Indians visit us to day one frenchman cross to join a Indian the two pass through by Land to the Ricaras with a Letter to Mr. Tabbow
[Clark, March 6, 1805] 6th of March Wednesday 1805 a Cloudy morning & Smokey all Day from the burning of the plains, which was Set on fire by the Minetarries for an early crop of Grass as an endusement for the Buffalow to feed on--the horses which was Stolen Some time ago by the Assinniboins from the minetarries were returned yesterday--visited by Oh-harh or the Little fox 2d Chief of the lower Village of the Me ne tar ries--one man Shannon Cut his foot with the ads in working at a perogue, George & Graviline go to the Village, the river rise a little to day-
[Clark, March 7, 1805] 7th of March Thursday 1805 a little Cloudy and windey N E. the Coal visited us with a Sick child, to whome I gave Some of rushes Pills--Shabounar returned this evening from the Gross Vintres & informed that all the nation had returned from the hunting--he our menetarre interpeter had received a present from Mr. Chaboilleiz of the N. W. Company of the following articles 3 Brace of Cloath 1 Brace of Scarlet a par Corduroy Overalls 1 Vests 1 Brace Blu Cloth 1 Brace red or Scarlet with 3 bars, 200 balls & Powder, 2 bracs Tobacco, 3 Knives.
[Clark, March 8, 1805] 8th of March Friday 1805 a fair morning Cold and windey, wind from the East, visited by the Greesey head & a Riarca to day, those men gave Some account of the Indians near the rockey mountains
a young Indian same nation & Differnt Village Stole the Doughter of the Black man, he went to his Village took his horse & returned & took away his doughter
[Clark, March 9, 1805] on the 9th of March we were Visited by the Grand Chief of the Minetarres, to whome we gave a medal & Some Cloths & a flag. Sent a French Man & a Indian with a letter to Mr. Tabboe informing them the Ricarras of the desire the Mandans had to See them &. &.
[Clark, March 9, 1805] 9th of March Satturday 1805 a Cloudy Cold and windey morning wind from the North--walked up to See the Party that is makeing Perogues, about 5 miles above this, the wind hard and Cold on my way up I met The Main Chief of the Manitarres with four Indians on Thier way to See us, I requested him to proceed on to the fort where he would find Capt. Lewis I should be there my Self in corse of a fiew hours, Sent the interpeter back with him and proceeded on my Self to the Canoes found them nearly finished, the timber verry bad, after visiting all the perogues where I found a number of Indans I wind to the upper mandan Village & Smoked a pipe the greatest mark of friendship and attention with the Chief and returned on my return found the Manitarree Chief about Setting out on his return to his village, having recieved of Captain M. Lewis a medel Gorget armbans, a Flag Shirt, Scarlet &c. &c. &c. for which he was much pleased Those Things were given in place of Sundery articles Sent to him which he Sais he did not receive 2 guns were fired for this Great man
[Clark, March 10, 1805] 10th of March Sunday 1805. a Cold winday Day. we are visited by the Black mockersons, Chief of the 2d Manetarre Village and the Chief of the Shoeman Village or Mah ha ha V. those Chiefs Stayed all day and the latter all night and gave us many Strang accounts of his nation &c this Little tribe or band of Menitaraies Call themselves Ah-nah-haway or people whose village is on the hill. nation formerleyed lived about 30 miles below this but beeing oppressed by the Asinniboins & Sous were Compelled to move 5 miles the Minitaries, where, the Assinniboins Killed the most of. them those remaining built a village verry near to the Minitarries at the mouth of Knife R where they now live and Can raise about 50 men, they are intermixed with the Mandans & Minatariers--the Manclans formerly lived in 6 large villages at and above the mouth of Chischeter or Heart River five Villages on the West Side & two on the East one of those Villages on the East Side of the Missouri & the larges was intirely Cut off by the Sioux & the greater part of the others and the Small Pox reduced the others.
[Clark, March 11, 1805] Fort Mandan 11th of March Monday 1805 A Cloudy Cold windey day, Some Snow in the latter part of the day, we deturmin to have two other Perogues made for us to transport our Provisions &c.
We have every reason to believe that our Menetarre interpeter, (whome we intended to take with his wife, as an interpeter through his wife to the Snake Indians of which nation She is) has been Corupted by the ____ Companeys &c. Some explenation has taken place which Clearly proves to us the fact, we give him to night to reflect and deturmin whether or not he intends to go with us under the regulations Stated.
[Clark, March 12, 1805] 12th a fine day Some Snow last night our Interpeter Shabonah, detumins on not proceeding with us as an interpeter under the terms mentioned yesterday he will not agree to work let our Situation be what it may not Stand a guard, and if miffed with any man he wishes to return when he pleases, also have the disposial of as much provisions as he Chuses to Carrye.
in admissable and we Suffer him to be off the engagement which was only virbal wind N W
[Clark, March 13, 1805] 13th of March Wednesday 1805 a fine day visited by Mr. Mckinsey one of the Clerks of the N W Companey, the river riseing a little--maney Inds. here to day all anxiety for war axes the Smiths have not an hour of Idle time to Spear wind S W
[Clark, March 14, 1805] 14th March Thursday 1805. a fine day Set all hands to Shelling Corn &c. Mr. McKinsey leave us to day maney Indians as usial. wind west river Still riseing
[Clark, March 15, 1805] 15th of March Friday 1805 a fine day I put out all the goods & Parch meal Clothing &c to Sun, a number of Indians here to day They make maney remarks respecting our goods &c. Set Some men about Hulling Corn &c.
[Lewis, March 16, 1805] March 16th, 1804. Mr. Gurrow a Frenchman who has lived many years with the Ricares & Mandans shewed us the process used by those Indians to make beads. the discovery of this art these nations are said to have derived from the Snake Indians who have been taken prisoners by the Ricaras. the art is kept a secret by the Indians among themselves and is yet known to but few of them.
the Prosess is as follows,--Take glass of as many different colours as you think proper, then pound it as fine as possible puting each colour in a seperate vessel. wash the pounded glass in several waters throwing off the water at each washing. continue this opperation as long as the pounded glass stains or colours the water which is poured off and the residium is then prepared for uce. You then provide an earthen pot of convenient size say of three gallons which will stand the fire; a platter also of the same materials sufficiently small to be admitted in the mouth of the pot or jar. the pot has a nitch in it's edge through which to watch the beads when in blast. You then provide some well seasoned clay with a propertion of sand sufficient to prevent it's becoming very hard when exposed to the heat. this clay must be tempered with water untill it is about the consistency of common doe. of this clay you then prepare, a sufficient number of little sticks of the size you wish the hole through the bead, which you do by roling the clay on the palm of the hand with your finger. this done put those sticks of clay on the platter and espose them to a red heat for a few minutes when you take them off and suffer them to cool. the pot is also heated to cles it perfectly of any filth it may contain. small balls of clay are also mad of about an ounce weight which serve each as a pedestal for a bead. these while soft ar distributed over the face of the platter at such distance from each other as to prevent the beads from touching. some little wooden paddles are now provided from three to four inches in length sharpened or brought to a point at the extremity of the handle. with this paddle you place in the palm of the hand as much of the wet pounded glass as is necessary to make the bead of the size you wish it. it is then arranged with the paddle in an oblong form, laying one of those little stick of clay crosswise over it; the pounded glass by means of the paddle is then roped in cilindrical form arround the stick of clay and gently roled by motion of the hand backwards an forwards until you get it as regular and smooth as you conveniently can. if you wish to introduce any other colour you now purforate the surface of the bead with the pointed end of your little paddle and fill up the cavity with other pounded glass of the colour you wish forming the whole as regular as you can. a hole is now made in the center of the little pedestals of clay with the handle of your shovel sufficiently large to admit the end of the stick of clay arround which the bead is formed. the beads are then arranged perpindicularly on their pedestals and little distance above them supported by the little sticks of clay to which they are attatched in the manner before mentioned. Thus arranged the platter is deposited on burning coals or hot embers and the pot reversed with the apparture in it's edge turned towards coverd the whole. dry wood pretty much doated _; is then plased arron the pot in sush manner as compleatly to cover it is then set on fire and the opperator must shortly after begin to watch his beads through the apparture of the pot lest they should be distroyed by being over heated. he suffers the beads to acquire a deep red heat from which when it passes in a small degree to a pailer or whitish red, or he discovers that the beads begin to become pointed at their upper extremities he removes the fire from about the pot and suffers the whole to cool gradually. the pot is then removed and the beads taken out. the clay which fills the hollow of the beads is picked out with an awl or nedle, the bead is then fit for uce. The Indians are extreemly fond of the large beads formed by this process. they use them as pendants to their years, or hair and sometimes wear them about their necks.
[Clark, March 16, 1805] 16th of March Satturday 1805 a Cloudy day wind from the S. E one Indian much displeased with whitehouse for Strikeing his hand when eating with a Spoon for behaveing badly. Mr. Garrow Shew'd us the way the ricaras made their large Beeds
[Clark, March 17, 1805] 17th of March Sunday a windey Day attempted to air our goods &. Mr. Chabonah Sent a french man of our party that he was Sorry for the foolissh part he had acted and if we pleased he would accompany us agreeabley to the terms we had perposed and doe every thing we wished him to doe &c. &c. he had requested me Some thro our French inturpeter two days ago to excuse his Simplicity and take him into the cirvise, after he had taken his things across the River we called him in and Spoke to him on the Subject, he agreed to our terms and we agreed that he might go on with us &c &c. but fiew Indians here to day; the river riseing a little and Severall places open.
[Clark, March 18, 1805] 18th of March 1805 a cold cloudy Day wind from the N. I pack up all the merchindize into 8 packs equally devided So as to have Something of every thing in each Canoe & perogue I am informed of a Party of Christanoes & assinniboins being killed by the Sioux, 50 in Number near the Estableishments on the assinniboin R. a fiew days ago (the effect of Mr. Cammeron, revenge on the Chipaway for Killing 3 of his men) Mr. Tousent Chabono, Enlisted as an Interpreter this evening, I am not well to day.
[Clark, March 19, 1805] 19th of March 1805 Cold windey Day Cloudy Some little Snow last night Visited to Day by the big white & Little Crow, also a man & his wife with a Sick Child, I administer for the child I am told that two parties are gorn to war from the Big bellies and one other party going to war Shortly.
[Clark, March 20, 1805] I visited the Mandans on the 20th & have the canoes taken to the River, ready to Decend to the fort when the River Clears,
[Clark, March 20, 1805] Fort Mandan 20th March Wednesday 1805. I with all the men which could be Speared from the Fort went to Canoes, there I found a number of Indians the men carried 4 to the River about 11/2 miles thro the Bottom, I visited the Chief of the Mandans in the Course of the Day and Smoked a pipe with himself and Several old men. cloudy wind hard from N.
[Clark, March 21, 1805] I return on the 21st and on my return I passed on the points of the high hills S. S. where I saw an emence quantity of Pumice Stone, and evident marks of the hills being on fire I collected some Pumice Stone, burnt Stone & hard earth and put them into a furnace, the hard earth melted and glazed the other two a part of which i, e, the Hard Clay became a Pumice-Stone, I also collected a Plant the root of which is a Cure for the Bite of a mad dog & Snake which I shall Send--Mr. Haney (I think it grows in the Blue R Barrens) the Indians make large Beeds of Different Colours-
[Clark, March 21, 1805] 21st March Thursday 1805 a Cloudy Day Some snow, the men Carried the remaining the 2 remained Canoes to the River, all except 3 left to take care & complete the Canoes, returned to the fort with their baggage, on my return to day to the Fort I came on the points of the high hills, Saw an emence quantity of Pumice Stone on the Sides & foot of the hills and emence beds of Pumice Stone near the Tops of the hills with evident marks of the Hill haveing once been on fire, I collected Some the differnt i e Stone Pumice Stone & a hard earth and put them into a furnace the hard earth melted and glazed the others two and the hard Clay became a pumice Stone Glazed. I collected Some plants &c.
[Clark, March 22, 1805] 22nd of March 1805 Visited by the 2nd Chief of the Grand Village of the Minetarrees to whome we gave a medal & Some Clothes acknowledging him as a 2d Chief, he Delayed all night, & Saw the men Dance, which is common amusement with the men he returned the 23rd with Mr. La Rocque & McKinsey two of the N W. Companys Clerks--Some few Drops of rain this evening for the first time this Winter visited by many Indians to day
[Clark, March 22, 1805] March 22, 1805 23rd of March Friday 1805 a Cloudy Day visited by Mrs. Lack McKinsey & the 2d Chief of the Bigbellies, the white wolf and many other Menataries, we gave a Medal Some Clothes and wampoms to the 2 Chief and Delivered a Speach, which they all appeared well pleased with in The evening the men Danced Mr. Jessomme displeased
[Clark, March 24, 1805] 24th of March Satturday 1805 after Brackfast Mr. La Rocke and Mr. McKinsey and the Chiefs & men of the Minetarras leave us--Soon after we were visited by a Brother of the Burnia who gave us a Vocabulary of his Language--the Coal & many other Mandans also visit us to Day. a find Day in the fore part in the evening a little rain & the first this winter
[Clark, March 25, 1805] 25th of March Sunday 1805 a Cloudy morning wind from the N E the after part of the Day fair, Several Indians visit us today, prepareing to Set out on our journey Saw Swans & wild Gees flying N E this evening
[Clark, March 25, 1805] March 25, 1805 26h The ice broke up in Several places in the evenig broke away and was nearly takeing off our new Canoes river rise a little
[Clark, March 26, 1805] 26th of March Monday 1805 a find Day wind S. W. but fiew Inds visit us to day the Ice haveing broken up in Several places, The ice began to brake away this evening and was near distroying our Canoes as they wer decnding to the fort, river rose only 9 Inches to day prepareing to Depart
[Clark, March 27, 1805] 27th of March Tuesday 1805 The river choked up with ice opposit to us and broke away in the evening raised only 1/2 Inch all employed prepareing to Set out
[Clark, March 28, 1805] 28th had all the Canoes, the Perogus corked pitchd & lined cover the Cotton Wood, which is win Shaken (the Mandans feed their horses on the cotton wood Sticks in places of corn).
[Clark, March 28, 1805] 28th of March Friday 1805 a windey Blustering Day wind S W ice running the river Blocked up in view for the Space of 4 hours and gave way leaveing great quantity of ice on the Shallow Sand bars. had all the canoes corked pitched & tirred in and on the cracks and windshake which is universially in the Cotton wood
[Clark, March 28, 1805] March 28, 1805 25th the ice Stoped running owing to Some obstickle above all prepareing to Set out but few Indians visit us to day they are watching to catch the floating Buffalow which brake through the ice in Crossing, those people are fond of those animals tainted and Catch great numbers every Spring
[Clark, March 29, 1805] 29th of March Satturday 1805 The ice has Stoped running owing to Som obstickle above, repare the Boat & Perogues, and prepareing to Set out but few Indians visit us to day they are now attending on the river bank to Catch the floating Buffalow
[Clark, March 30, 1805] 30th of March. The Ice is passing in great quantites, river ran a little, The Plains are on fire on both Sides of the river it is common for the indians to Set those Plains on fire near their village for the advantage of early Grass for the hors & as an inducement to the Buffalow to visit them
[Clark, March 30, 1805] 30th of March Sunday 1805 The obstickle broke away above & the ice came dow in great quantites the river rose 13 inches the last 24 hours I observed extrodanary dexterity of the Indians in jumping from one Cake of ice to another, for the purpose of Catching the buffalow as they float down maney of the Cakes of ice which they pass over are not two feet Square. The Plains are on fire in view of the fort on both Sides of the River, it is Said to be common for the Indians to burn the Plains near their villages every Spring for the benifit of ther horse, and to induce the Buffalow to come near to them.
[Clark, March 31, 1805] 31 h of March Monday 1805 Cloudy Several gangus of Ducks and Gees pass up not much ice floating. All the party in high Spirits, but fiew nights pass without a Dance they are helth. except the-vn.--which is common with the Indians and have been communicated to many of our party at this place--those favores bieng easy acquired. all Tranquille
[Clark, March 31, 1805] 31t of March Monday 1805 Cloudy Day Seven Gangs of Gees and Ducks pass up the river--but a Small portion of ice floating down to day--but fiew Inds visit us to day all the party in high Spirits they pass but fiew nights without amuseing themselves danceing possessing perfect harmony and good understanding towards each other Generally healthy except venerials complains which is verry Commion amongst the natives and the men Catch it from them
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End of part 11 of 31
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