[Clark, January 1, 1805]
Fort Mandan on the N E bank of the Missouries 1600 miles up
January the 1st 1805 Tuesday
The Day was ushered in by the Discharge of two Cannon, we Suffered 16
men with their musick to visit the 1st Village for the purpose of
Danceing, by as they Said the perticular request of the Chiefs of that
village, about 11 oClock I with an inturpeter & two men walked up to
the Village (my views were to alay Some little miss understanding which
had taken place thro jelloucy and mortificatiion as to our treatment
towards them) I found them much pleased at the Danceing of our men, I
ordered my black Servent to Dance which amused the Croud verry much,
and Some what astonished them, that So large a man Should be active &c.
&.
I went into the lodges of all the men of note except two, whome I heard
had made Some expressions not favourable towards us, in Compareing us
with the trabers from the north--Those Cheifs observed what they Sayed
was in just & lafture.--just as I was about to return the 2d Chief and
the Black man, also a Chief returnd from a mission on which they had
been Sent to meet a large party 150 of Gross Ventres who were on their
way down from their Camps 10 Miles above to revenge on the Shoe tribe
an injurey which they had received by a Shoe man Steeling a Gross
Venters Girl, those Chiefs gave the pipe turned the party back, after
Delivering up the girl, which the Shoe Chief had taken and given to
them for that purpose. I returned in the evening, at night the party
except 6 returned, with 3 robes, an 13 Strings of Corn which the
indians had given them, The Day was worm, Themtr. 34° abov 0, Some fiew
Drops of rain about Sunset, at Dark it began to Snow, and Snowed the
greater part of the night, (the temptr for Snow is about o) The Black
Cat with his family visited us to day and brought a little meet
[Clark, January 2, 1805]
2nd of January Wednesdey 1805
a Snowey morning a party of men go to Dance at the 2nd Village to
Dance, Capt Lewis & the interptr visit the 2d Village, and return in
the evening, Some Snow to Day verry Cold in the evining
[Clark, January 3, 1805]
3rd of January Thursday 1805
Soome Snow to day; 8 men go to hunt the buffalow, killed a hare & wolf
Several Indians visit us to day & a Gross Ventre came after his wife,
who had been much abused, & come here for Protection.
[Clark, January 4, 1805]
Fort Mandan
4th of January Friday 1805
a worm Snowey morning, the Themtr. at 28° abov 0, Cloudy, Sent out 3 men
to hunt down the river, Several Indians Came today the little Crow, who
has proved friendly Came we gave him a handkerchf & 2 files, in the
evening the weather became cold and windey, wind from the N W. I am
verry unwell the after part of the Daye
[Clark, January 5, 1805]
5th of January Satturday 1805
a cold day Some Snow, Several Indians visit us with thier axes to get
them mended, I imploy my Self drawing a Connection of the Countrey from
what information I have recved--a Buffalow Dance (or Medison) for 3
nights passed in the 1st Village, a curious Custom the old men arrange
themselves in a circle & after Smoke a pipe, which is handed them by a
young man, Dress up for the purpose, the young men who have their wives
back of the circle go to one of the old men with a whining tone and
request the old man to take his wife (who presents necked except a
robe) and--the Girl then takes the Old man (who verry often can
Scercely walk) and leades him to a Convenient place for the business,
after which they return to the lodge, if the Old man (or a white man)
returns to the lodge without gratifying the man & his wife, he offers
her again and again; it is often the Case that after the 2d time
without Kissing the Husband throws a nice robe over the old man & and
begs him not to dispise him, & his wife (we Sent a man to this Medisan
last night, they gave him 4 Girls) all this is to cause the buffalow to
Come near So that They may kill thim 2
[Clark, January 6, 1805]
6th of January Sunday 1805
a Cold day but fiew indians to day I am ingaged as yesterday
[Clark, January 7, 1805]
7th of January Monday 1805 Fort Mandan
a verry Cold clear Day, the Themtr Stood at 22 d below 0 wind N W., the
river fell 1 inch Several indians returned from hunting, one of them
the Big White Chef of the Lower Mandan Village, Dined With us, and gave
me a Scetch of the Countrey as far as the high mountains, & on the
South Side of the River Rejone, he Says that the river rejone recves 6
Small rivers on the S. Side, & that the Countrey is verry hilley and
the greater part Covered with timber, Great numbers of beaver &c.--the
3 men returned from hunting, they kill'd 4 Deer & 2 wolves, Saw
Buffalow a long ways off, I continue to Draw a connected plote from the
information of Traders, Indians & my own observation & idea--from the
best information, the Great falls is about 800 miles nearly west,-
[Clark, January 8, 1805]
8th of January Tuesday 1805
a Cold Day but fiew indians at the fort to day wind from the N, W, one
man at the Village
[Clark, January 9, 1805]
9th of January Wednesday 1805
A Cold Day Themometer at 21° below 0, Great numbers of indians go to Kill
Cows, the little Crow Brackft. with us, Several Indians Call at the
Fort nearly frosed, one man reported that he had Sent his Son a Small
boy to the fort about 3 oClock, & was much distressed at not finding
him here, the after part of this day verry Cold, and wind Keen
[Clark, January 10, 1805]
10th Of January 1805 This morning a boy of 13 years of age Came to the
fort with his feet frozed, haveing Stayed out all night without fire,
with no other Covering than a Small Robe goat skin leagens & a pr.
Buffalow Skin mockersons--The Murcery Stood at 72° below the freesing
point--Several others Stayed out all night not in the least hurt, This
boy lost his Toes only-
[Clark, January 10, 1805]
10th of January Thursday 1805
last night was excessively Cold the murkery this morning Stood at 40°
below 0 which is 72° below the freesing point, we had one man out last
night, who returned about 8 oClock this morning The Indians of the
lower Villages turned out to hunt for a man & a boy who had not returnd
from the hunt of yesterday, and borrowd a Slay to bring them in
expecting to find them frosed to death about 10 oclock the boy about 13
years of age Came to the fort with his feet frosed and had layen out
last night without fire with only a Buffalow Robe to Cover him, the
Dress which he wore was a pr of Cabra Legins, which is verry thin and
mockersons--we had his feet put in Cold water and they are Comeing too-
Soon after the arrival of the Boy, a man Came in who had also Stayed
out without fire, and verry thinly Clothed, this man was not the least
injured Customs & the habits of those people has ancered to bare more
Cold than I thought it possible for man to indure
Send out 3 men to hunt Elk below about 7 miles
[Clark, January 11, 1805]
11th January Friday 1805
verry Cold, Send out 3 men to join 3 now below & hunt,
Pose-cop se ha or Black Cat came to See us and Stay all night
Sho sa har ro ra or Coal also Stayd all night, the inturpeter oldst
wife Sick, Some of our men go to See a war medison made at the village
on the opposit Side of the river, this is a
[Clark, January 12, 1805]
Fort Manden
12th of January Satturday 1805
a verry Cold Day three of our hunters J. & R Fields withe 2 Elk on a
Slay Sent one more hunter out.
[Clark, January 13, 1805]
13th of January Sunday (1805)
a Cold Clear Day (great number of Indians move Down the River to hunt)
those people Kill a number of Buffalow near their Villages and Save a
great perpotion of the meat, their Custom of makeing this article of
life General leaves them more than half of their time without meat
Their Corn & Beans &c they Keep for the Summer, and as a reserve in
Case of an attack from the Soues, which they are always in dread, and
Sildom go far to hunt except in large parties, about 1/2 the Mandan
nation passed this to day to hunt on the river below, they will Stay
out Some Days, Mr. Chabonee (our inturpeter) and one man that
accompanied him to Some loges of the Minatarees near the Turtle Hill
returned, both frosed in their faces.
Chaboneu informs that the Clerk of the Hudsons Bay Co. with the Me ne
tar res has been Speaking Some fiew expressns. unfavourable towards us,
and that it is Said the N W Co. intends building a fort at the Mene tar
re's--he Saw the Grand Chief of the Big bellies who Spoke Slightly of
the Americans, Saying if we would give our great flag to him he would
Come to See us.
[Clark, January 14, 1805]
14th of January 1805 Monday
This morning early a number of indians men womin children Dogs &c &
passed down on the ice to joine those that passed yesterday, we Sent
Sergt Pryor and five men with those indians to hunt one of our hunters
Sent out Several days arived & informs that one Man (Whitehouse) is
frost bit and Can't walk home-
[Clark, January 15, 1805]
Fort Mandan
15th January Tuesday 1805
between 12 & 3 oClock this morning we had a total eclips of the moon, a
part of the observations necessary for our purpose in this eclips we
got which is at 12h 57m 54s Total Darkness of the moon @ 1 44 00 End of
total Darkness of This moon @ 2 39 10 End of the eclips-
This morning not So Cold as yesterday wind from the S. E. wind choped
around to the N W. Still temperate four Considerate men of the
Minetarre Came to See us we Smoked in the pipe, maney mands. present
also, we Showed to those men who had been impressed with an
unfavourable oppinion of us.
[Clark, January 16, 1805]
16th January Wednesday 1805
about thirty Mandans Came to the fort to day, 6 Chiefs. Those Me ne to
rees told them they were liars, had told them if they came to the fort
the whites men would kill them, they had been with them all night,
Smoked in the pipe and have been treated well and the whites had danced
for them, observing the Mandans were bad and ought to hide themselves-
one of the 1st War Chiefs of the big belles nation Came to See us to
day with one man and his Squar to wate on him we Shot the Air gun, and
gave two Shots with the Cannon which pleased them verry much, the
little Crow 2d Chf of the lower village came & brought us Corn &. 4 men
of ours who had been hunting returned one frost'd
This war Chief gave us a Chart in his way of the Missourie, he informed
us of his intentions of going to war in the Spring against the Snake
Indians we advised him to look back at the number of nations who had
been distroyed by war, and reflect upon what he was about to do,
observing if he wished the hapiness of his nation, he would be at peace
with all, by that by being at peace and haveing plenty of goods amongst
them & a free intercourse with those defenceless nations, they would
get on easy terms a great Number of horses, and that nation would
increas, if he went to war against those Defenceless people, he would
displease his great father, and he would not receive that pertection &
Care from him as other nations who listened to his word--This Chief who
is a young man 26 yr. old replied that if his going to war against the
Snake indians would be displeasing to us he would not go, he had horses
enough.
we observed that what we had Said was the words of his Great father,
and what we had Spoken to all the nations which we Saw on our passage
up, they all promis to open their ears and we do not know as yet if any
of them has Shut them (we are doubtfull of the Souxs) if they do not
attend to what we have told them their great father will open their
ears--This Cheif Said that he would advise all his nation to Stay at
home untill we Saw the Snake Indians & Knew if they would be friendly,
he himself would attend to what we had told him
[Clark, January 17, 1805]
17th January Thursday 1805 a verry windey morning hard from the North
Thermometer at 0, Several Indians here to day
[Clark, January 18, 1805]
18th January Friday 1805 a fine worm morning, Mr. La Rock & McKinzey
Came down to See us with them Several of the Grosse Venrees.
[Clark, January 19, 1805]
19th January Satturday 1805.
a find Day Messrs. Larock & McKinzey returned home, Sent three horses
down to our hunting Camp for the meet they had killed, Jussoms Squar,
left him and went to the Village
[Clark, January 20, 1805]
20th a Cold fair day Several Indians at the fort to day a miss
understanding took place between the two inturpeters on account of
their Squars, one of the Squars of Shabownes Squars being Sick, I
ordered my Servent to, give her Some froot Stewed and tee at dift Tims
which was the Cause of the misundstd
[Clark, January 21, 1805]
Fort Mandan
21st Monday January 1805
a number of Indians hereto day a fine day nothing remarkable one ban
verry bad with the pox
[Clark, January 22, 1805]
22nd January 1805 Tuesday
a find warm Day attempted to Cut the Boat & the perogues out of the
Ice, found water at about 8 inches under the 1st Ice, the next
thickness about 3 feet
[Clark, January 23, 1805]
23rd January 1805 Wednesday a Cold Day Snow fell 4 Inches deep, the
occurrences of this day is as is common
[Clark, January 24, 1805]
24th January Thursday 1805
a fine day, our inturpeters appear to understand each others better
than a fiew days past Sent out Several hunters, they returned without
killing any thing, Cut Coal wood
[Clark, January 25, 1805]
25th of January 1805 Friday
we are informed of the arrival of a Band of Asniboins at the Villages
with the Grand Cheif of those Tribes call the (Fee de petite veau) to
trade, one of our interpeter & one man Set out to the Big Belley Camp
opposit the Island men employ'd in Cutting the Boat out of the ice, and
Collecting Coal wood.
[Clark, January 26, 1805]
26th of January Satturday 1805
a verry fine warm Day Several Indians Dine with us and are much
Pleased--one man taken violently Bad with the Plurisee, Bleed & apply
those remedeis Common to that disorder.
[Lewis, January 26, 1805]
Saturday January 26th 1805 Observed Meridian Altitude of sun's U. L.
with sextant and artificl. Horzn. of water 48° 50 Latitude deduced from
this observatn. N. 47 21 47
[Clark, January 27, 1805]
27th of January Sunday 1804
a fine day, attempt to Cut our Boat and Canoos out of the Ice, a
deficuelt Task I fear as we find waters between the Ice, I Bleed the
man with the Plurisy to day & Swet him, Capt Lewis took of the Toes of
one foot of the Boy who got frost bit Some time ago, Shabonoe our
interpeter returned, & informed that the Assiniboins had returned to
their Camps, & brough 3 horses of Mr. Laroches to Stay here for fear of
their being Stolen by the Assiniboins who are great rogues--Cut off the
boy toes
[Clark, January 28, 1805]
28th January Monday 1805
attempt to cut through the ice &c get our Boat and Canoo out without
Suckcess, Several Indians here wishing to get war hatchets made this
shape the man Sick yesterday is getting well Mr. Jessome our interpeter
was taken verry unwell this evening warm day
[Clark, January 29, 1805]
29th January Tuesday 1805
Gave Jassome a Dost of Salts we Send & Collect Stones and put them on a
large log heap to heet them with a View of warming water in the Boat
and by that means, Sepperate her from the Ices, our attempt appears to
be defeated by the Stones all breaking & flying to peaces in the fire,
a fine warm Day, we are now burning a large Coal pit, to mend the
indians hatchets, & make them war axes, the only means by which we
precure Corn from them
[Clark, January 30, 1805]
30th January Wednesday 1805
a fine morning, Clouded up at 9 oClock, Mr. La Rocke paid us a Visit, &
we gave him an answer respecting the request he made when last here of
accompanying us on our journey &c.
[Clark, January 31, 1805]
31st January Thursday, 1805
Snowed last night, wind high from the N W. Sawed off the boys toes Sent
5 men down the river to hunt with 2 horses, our interpeter Something
better, George Drewyer taken with the Ploursey last evening Bled & gave
him Some Sage tea, this morning he is much better--Cold disagreeable
Part II: Journal Entries of January 1805
- Details
- Written by: Meriwether Lewis and and William Clark
- Category: The Journals of Lewis and Clark 1804-1806