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8th of October Monday 1804 a cool Morning wind from the N. W. passed the mouth of a Small Creek on the L. S. [1] about 2½ Miles above the Isd. Passed the Mouth of a River on the L. S. called by the Ricaries We-tar-hoo. [2] this river is 120 yards wide, the water Confined within 20 yards, throws out mud with little Sand, great quanties of red Berries, resembling Currents [3] near the mouth of this river Latd. 45° 39' 5' N. this river heads in the 1s Black Mountain, [4] 2 Miles higher up passed a Small River on the L. S. Called Maropa [5] 25 yards wide Chocked up with mud— our hunters discovered a Ricara village on an Island a flew miles above [6] we passed the 1s Ricara Village [7] about the center of the Island, in presence of Great numbers of Spectators and Camped above the Island on the L. S. at the foot of Some high land. (Mr. Gravotine a French man joined us as an interpeter) [8] The Island on which 1s Ricara Village is Situated, is about 3 miles long Seperated from the Main L. Side by a Narrow Deep Channel, those Indians Cultivate on the Island Corn Beens Simmins, [9] Tobacco &c &c. after Landing Capt. Lewis with Mr. Gravelin and 3 men went to the Village, I formd a Camp on Shore [10] with the Perogue crew & guard, with the Boat at Anchor, Capt Lewis returned late, a french man and a Spaniard accompanied him [11]
| N. 70° W. | 2 | m. to a Tree in a bend to the L. S. passed a Small creek L. S. |
| N. 10° W | 1 | M. to a point on the S. S. |
| N 15° E | 2 ½ | m. to the mouth of We terhoo River in a Bend to the L. S. |
| N. 40° E | 1 | m. on the L. S. |
| N. 30 E | 1 | m to the mouth of Maropa River on the L. S. |
| N 15° E | 1 | m. to the lower point of an Island |
| North | 3 ½ | m to a pt. on the L. S passed the 1s Ricara V. & the Island. |
a Cool morning Set out early the wind from the N. W. proceeded on passed the mouth of a Small Creek on the L. S. about 2½ miles above Grouse Island, (3) passed a willow Island which Divides the Current equilly. (2) passed the mouth of a River called by the ricares We tar hoo on the L. S. this river is 120 yards wide, the water of which at this time is Confined within 20 yards, dischargeing but a Small quantity, throwing out mud with Small propotion of Sand, great quantities of the red Berries, ressembling Currents, are on the river in every bend— 77° 33' 0" Lattitude from the Obsevation of to day at the mouth of this river [NB: heads in the Black mountn ] is 45° 39' 5"—North— proceeded on passed a (3) Small river of 25 yards wide Called (4) 〈 Rear par 〉 or Beaver Dam R this river [WC: Maropa ] is intirely Chocked up with mud, with a Streem of 1 Inch Diamiter passing through, discharging no Sand, at 1 (5) mile passed the lower pint of an Island close on the L. S. 2 of our men discovered the reckerrei village, about the Center of the Island on the L. Side on the main Shore. this Island is [12] about 3 miles long, Seperated from the L. S. by a Channel of about 60 yards wide verry Deep, The Isld. is covered with fields, where those people raise their Corn Tobacco Beens &c. &c. Great numbers of those People came on the Island to See us pass, we passed above the head of the Island & Capt. Lewis with 2 interpeters & 2 men went to the Village I formed a Camp of the french & the guard on Shore, with one Sentinal on board of the boat at anchor, a pleasent evening all things arranged both for Peace or War, This Village (6) is Situated about the Center of a large Island 〈on〉 near the L. Side 〈at the〉 & near the foot of Some high bald uneaven hills, Several french men Came up with Capt Lewis in a Perogue, one of which is a Mr. Gravellin a man well versed in the language of this nation and gave us Some information relitive to the Countrey naton &c
8th Octr
| N. 70° W | 2 | miles to a tree in the bind to the L. Side, passed a small Creek L. S. (1) |
| N. 10° W. | 1 | miles to the pt. on the S. S. |
| N. 15° E. | 2 ½ | to the Mo: of a River We ter hoo in the bend to the L. S., (2) passing over a 〈low [Bluff?] of Soft Slate Stone〉 120 yds wide 〈passd〉 a willow Island (3) |
| N. 40° E. | 1 | mile on the L. Side |
| N. 30 E | 1 | mile on the L. S. to the mouth of a Small river
Ma-ro-pa
(4) |
| N. 15° E | 1 | mile to the lower pt. of an Isd. (5) |
| North | 3 ½ | miles to a pt. on the S. S. passd. the head of the Isd. and the 1st. reckorrees Village (6) opsd. a Creek we Call after the 1st. Chief Kakawissassa Creek. L. S. |
| 12 |
Robert Frazer being regularly inlisted and haveing become on of the Corps of Vollenteers for North Western Discovery, he is therefore to be viewed & respected accordingly; and will be anexed to Sergeant Gass's mess.
Wm Clark Cpt &.
Meriwether Lewis
Capt. 1st U' S. Regt. Infty
On the Lard. shore, in the point fromed [formed] by the junction of the Weterhoo river with the Missouri.
Observed meridian Altd. of ☉'s U. L. with Sextant by the fore observation. 77° 35' "
Latitude deduced from this observation N. 45° 39' 5"
Monday 8th Oct. 1804. a pleasant morning. We Set off eairly. proceeded on passd. high land on S. S. passd. a run on S. S. named Slate run. [15] Some hunters out on Shore N. S. hunting in a bottom covered with Timber on N. S. passd an Island we halted at 12 oC. took dinner at the Mouth of a River which came in on S. S. a large Timber Bottom at the Mouth of this River. we named this River Marappa—. [16] the hunters came on board. they Saw a large flock of goats, wounded an Elk, but killed nothing. the wind from the North. Capt. Lewis took the Medrian altd. & made the Lat. [blank] we proceeded on passd. a Timbered Bottom land on S. S. Barron hills on N. S. [movd?] on one mile passd another creek on S. S. [17] proceeded on passed an Island [18] on S. S. where we found a large Rickor Ree village on S. S. a nomber of the Indians assembled on the Sand bar opposite the village to See us. a frenchman [19] with them. we took the frenchman on board he Informed us that they were all friendly & Glad to See us. we Camped about one mile abo. the first Ricka Ree village. Capt. Lewis went to the village. carried Some tobacco & Smoaked with the chiefs of thee Nation. thier is 2 more villages of the Rickarees a Short Distance abo. this place &.C.
Monday 8th. The morning was pleasant and we set out early: passed high land on the south side and bottom on the north. The river here is very shallow and full of sand bars. We passed a run on the south side called slate run. Two of our hunters went out to some timber land on the north side to look for game. At 12 we came to a river on the south side, 120 yards wide, called the Marapa, [20] where we halted for dinner. The hunters came up, but had killed nothing. We passed a long range of hills on the north side; about two miles from the Marapa we passed a creek 25 yards wide; and about four miles further came to an island, where one band of the Rickarees live; and encamped at the upper end.
Monday 8th Oct. 1804 we Set off eairly, a pleasant morning. we passed a run on the S. S. called Slate run. proceeded on about 12 oClock we passed the mouth of Marroppy River. [21] we came to the upper end of an Island where one band of the Rick a rees live. we camped [22] above the Isd on the S. S.
Monday October 8th We set off early this morning, having pleasant Weather, we passed a Run of water lying on the south side of the River called Slatt Run, and proceeded on, about 12 o'Clock A. M we passed the Mouth of the Marrapy River, and came to the upper end of an Island, where One band of the Rick a Rees Indians lived, and Encamped above the Island on the South side of the River.—
The Arikaras were sedentary farmers in earth-lodge villages. Their social and political structure was distinctly hierarchical, with hereditary chiefs. Like the other village tribes of the upper Missouri, they were middlemen in intertribal trade. They had by 1804 been in contact with traders for several years, and venereal disease was already a problem.
The friendly relations between whites and Arikaras did not continue. The death of their chief who went to Washington at the captains' invitation apparently antagonized them, and they prevented the return of the Mandan chief Sheheke to his people in 1807.
During the fur-trade days of the 1820s and 1830s they were openly hostile to whites. This hostility must have influenced the unfavorable judgements of many later white traders and travelers, who emphasized the "Rees'" various deviations from Anglo-American mores. Eventually declining numbers, caused by disease and war with the Sioux, forced them to move to Like-a-Fishhook village in North Dakota with the Hidatsas and Mandans. This event, about 1845, finally brought about an alliance suggested by Lewis and Clark. The tribe now resides at Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota. Meyer; Denig; Holder; Parks (BVAP); Ronda (LCAI), 43–53; Thwaites (EWT), 5:127–41, 167–81, 6:111–31, 142–46, 23:386–95; Hodge, 1:83–86; Atlas map 25.
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