October 2, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

October 2, 1804

 

2nd of October Tuesday 1804,    Mr. Vallie Came on board, Lat. 44° 19' 36 N.    we observed Some Indians on a hill on the S. S.    one Came to the river & fired off his gun and asked us to come [hole] he wish us to go to his Camp near at hand [1]    we refused, passed a large Island [2] on the S. S., here we expected the Tetons would attempt to Stop us, and prepared for action, &c.    opposit this Island on the L. S. a Small Creek comes in, w[e] call this Caution Island, Camped on a Sand bar ½ mile from the main Shore [3]    the wind hard from the N W.    Cold, the current of the river less rapid, & retains less Sediment than below.

Course & Distance
S. 70° E. 2 ½ m. to a wood on the L. S.—
S. 80° E. 1 ½ m. on the L. S.—
N 62° E. 2 m on the L. S.
N. 15° E 4 m. to the L. S. of an Island Situated near the S. S.—
N. 28 E. 2 m. to the upper pt. of the Sand bar abov the Island.
 
Course Distance and refferuns
S. 70° E   2 ½ miles to a wood on the L. Side    pass a large Sand bar in
the middle & a willow Isd. close under the L. S.
S. 80° E   1 ½ me. on the L. S. 〈a willow〉
N. 62 E   2 miles on the L. S. a willow bottom opposit on the S S.
N. 15° E   4 miles to the L. Side of an Island Situated near the S S. & 1
me. above the lower point of the Sd. Island (1)
N. 28° E   2 miles to the pt. of a Sand bar makeing from the head of
the Island & Camped (2)
  12  

2nd of October Tuesday 1804

a Violent wind all night from the S. E.    Slackened a little and we proceeded on. Mr. Jon Vallee Came on board and proceeded on 2 miles with us, a verry Cold morning    Some black clouds flying    took a meridian altitude & made the Lattitude    44° 19' 36" North    this was taken at the upper part of the gouge of the Lookout bend, the Sentinal heard a Shot over the hills to the L. S. dureing the time we were Dineing on a large Sand bar.    the after part of this day is pleasent, at 2 oClock opposit a wood on the L. S. we observed some Indians on a hill on the S. S.    one Came down to the river opposit to us and fired off his gun, & beckind. to us to Come too, we payed no attention to him    he followed on Some distance, we Spoke a few words to him, he wished us to go a Shore and to his Camp which was over the hill and Consisted of 20 Lodges, we excused our Selves advised him to go and here our talk of Mr. Durion    he enquired for traders    we informed him one was in the next bend below & parted, he returned—    & we proceeded on (1) passed a large Island, 〈on〉 the S. S.    here we expected the Tetons would attempt to Stop us and under that idear we prepared our Selves for action which we expected every moment.    opsd. this Island on the L. S. a Small Creek Comes in, This Island we call Isd. of Caution    we took in Some wood on a favourable Situation where we Could defend our men on Shore & (2) Camped on a Sand bar ½ a mile from the main Shore.    the wind changed to the N. W. & rose verry high and Cold which Continud. The Current of the Missourie is less rapid & contains much less Sediment of the Same Colour.—

 

Proceeded on as mentioned in journal No. 2 [4]    twelve miles    Camped above a large Island on a Sand bar, verry windy and Cold the after part of this day, the mid day verry worm, The Lattitude as taken to day is 44° 19' 36"—    observe great Caution this day expecting the Seaux intentions Some what hostile towards our progression, The river not So rapid as below the Chien, its width nearly the Same    12 miles

 

On a large sand bar Lard. shore, opposite to the gorge of the bend look-out .

Observed the meridian altd. of ☉'s U. L. with Sextant by the fore observation.    84° 45' 15"

Latitude deduced from this observation.    N. 44° 19' 36.3"

 

Tuesday 2nd Oct. 1804    (we Set off as usal)    a frenchman came over to us this morning, we found him to be Mr. Valley, the Trador among the Souix nation    he could talk English.    he informed us that we Should not See many more of the Souix to Trouble us.    he came with us a Short distance & returned.    we proceeded on    passed a large Bottom on S. S. Some Timber on the edge of the river.    about 2 o.Clock we came round a bend where we had come 20 miles round, & it was only 2 miles across by land.    we discovered Some Indians on the hills N. S.    one of them came down to the River.    we asked him what he wanted    he Said (their was 20 lodges) or so in the Yanktown Souise language that he wanted us to come to Shore.    we told him we had Spoke to his chief &.C. & proceeded on.    the wind Shifted to N. W.    passed an Island [6] on N. S. & a creek on the S. Side. Camped on a Sand bar in the middle of the River.—    no hunting for Indians Troublesom.—

 

Tuesday 2nd.    We set sail before day light. A Frenchman [7] came on board, who could speak English. He mentioned it as his opinion, that we should see no more Indians, until we should arrive at the nation of Rees. We passed a range of black bluffs on the north side and a large bottom on the south, where there was some timber on the bank of the river. About 2 o'clock we discovered some Indians on the hills on the north side, and one of them came down to the bank and fired a gun; the object or intention we did not well understand, but were ready to meet an attack. We passed black bluffs on the south side, an island covered with timber, and a handsome bottom on the north side. We halted and spoke to the Indian, who said he belonged to the Jonkta or Babarole band, [8] and that there were 20 lodges of them. We told him we had seen two of their chiefs, and given them a flag and medal. [9] We passed a creek on the south side, and encamped on a sand bar in the middle of the river.

 

Tuesday 2 October 1804.    Set off eairly.    proceeded on.    passed a range of black bluffs on N. S. and a large bottom on S. S.    about 2 oClock we discovered a nomber of Indians on the hills on N. S.    one of them came down on the bank of the river & fired off his Gun and cryed out.    we hardly new his meaning but we held ourselves in rediness    in case they Should attack us we were determined to fight or dye.    proceeded on    passed a Creek [10] on the S. S.    Camped on a Sand bar in the middle of the river.

Tuesday October 2nd    We set off early this morning, and proceeded on, and passed a range of black bluffs, lying on the North side, and a large bottom on the South side of the River; about 2 oClock P. M. we discovered a number of Indians, on the hills on the North side of the River, One of those Indians came on the bank of the River, and fired off his Gun, and hallowed to us.    We hardly knew his meaning, but stood in readiness, in case 〈they〉 any of these Savages should attackt us, Our Officers being determin'd to proceed on our Voyage, at the risque of their lives, and the Men determin'd to support them in the attempt

We proceeded on, and passed a Creek lying on the South side of the River, and in the evening we encamped on a Sand barr, lying in the middle of the River—

1. Gass says the Indian "said he belonged to the Jonkta or Babarole band"—evidently meaning either the Yankton or Bois Brulé divisions of the Sioux. (back)
2. On Atlas map 24 this appears as "Caution Island," as in the Codex B entry; probably the later Plum Island. MRC map 42; Mattison (OR), 62. (back)
3. Just above Plum (Caution) Island, with Sully County, South Dakota, on the starboard shore and Dewey County on the larboard. The area is now inundated by Oahe Reservoir. Atlas map 24; MRC map 42. (back)
4. Clark Codex B; Clark is again referring to the longer entry for the day in that journal. (back)
5. Lewis's astronomical observation from Codex O. (back)
6. The expedition's Caution Island, later Plum Island, Dewey County, South Dakota, now probably inundated. (back)
8. Evidently either the Yankton or Bois Brulé divisions of the Sioux. (back)
9. Presenting medals to Indian dignitaries was a longstanding custom. Lewis and Clark carried medals of various sizes and inscriptions. The most common displayed the profile of President Jefferson on one side, while the reverse showed clasped hands and crossed tomahawk and pipe. (back)
10. Besides Whitehouse, only Gass mentions this stream, probably the one that appears on Atlas map 24, opposite the party's Caution Island, later Plum Island. It would be in Dewey County, South Dakota, and is now inundated by Oahe Reservoir. (back)