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Lewis & Clark Expedition

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September 5, 1805 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • They gave 4 of their principal Indians Medals, & gave them Commissions as Chiefs.    they also gave each of them a Shirt, a number of small articles & 2 Flags.   
  • These Indians were the handsomest & most likely Indians, that we have seen yet.—    They behave very kind to our party, and are very honest, not attempting to pilfer the most trifling article from us.— Our Officers had laid out Merchandise in different piles, in order to trade with the Natives for horses.   
  • There were actually five languages: Salish (Flathead Indians) (for the Flatheads (Flathead Indians) ), Shoshone (Shoshone Indians) , Hidatsa (Hidatsa Indians) , French, and English.
  • September 5, 1805
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
September 12, 1806 - Clark, William
  • Choteau (Chouteau, René Auguste) bound to the panias (Pawnee Indians) on River Platt (Platte River (Nebr.)) , the other going up trapping as high as the Mahars (Omaha Indians) .   
  • Jo Gravelin (Gravelines, Joseph) the Ricaras (Arikara Indians) enterpreter whome we had Sent down with a Ricaras (Arikara Indians) Chief in the Spring of 1805 and old Mr.
  • with the unfortunate Arikara (Arikara Indians) chief in the spring of 1805. Pierre Dorion, Sr.
  • September 12, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
August 19, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • Sunday 19th    pleasant, S wind, the Indians got up their horses to water them, all the Indians appear to be friendly.—    at about the hour of 9 o.C.
  • Clark (Clark, William) read a Speech to the Indians & counseled with them. Gave one a medel & the rest they gave commissions & made them all chiefs &C.   
  • the most of this day taken up in giving the Indians Good counsel &.C., Sgt. Floyd (Floyd, Charles) taken verry Sudenly Ill this morning with a collick.
  • August 19, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
December 1, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • we commenced bringing the pickets & preparing to picket in our Garrison &.C.    an Indian came from the Manden (Mandan Indians) village to Inform us that a large nomber Sd. 300 lodge of the Shian (Cheyenne Indians) or [blank] nation had Come to their villages.    a Scotsman who is tradeing at the Mandens (Mandan Indians) came to visit us.    he belonged to the hudson bay company [page torn, some words illegible]    he brought over Tobacco Beeds & other kinds of Goods & traded with the Mandens (Mandan Indians) for their furs & buffalow Robes.   
  • December 1, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
September 20, 1805 - Clark, William
  • These people are now known as the Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) , from the French for "pierced noses (Nez Perce Indians) ," which corresponds to their sign language designation. The Nez Perce (Nez Perce Indians) name for themselves is nimí·pu·, "the people" or cú·p ⊃ nit or cú·p ⊃ nitpel̓u·; the etymology of the latter term is not known, but suggests pierced noses (Nez Perce Indians) .
  • How Clark (Clark, William) reached this conclusion is not apparent. The Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) belong to the Shahaptian (Sahaptin) language family, the Flatheads (Flathead Indians) (Salish (Flathead Indians) ) to the Salishan (Flathead Indians) family.
  • September 20, 1805
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
August 14, 1806 - Clark, William
  • when we were opposit the Minetares (Hidatsa Indians) Grand Village we Saw a number of the Nativs viewing of    we derected the Blunderbuses fired Several times, Soon after we Came too at a Croud of the nativs on the bank opposit the Village of the Shoe Indians (Hidatsa Indians, Awaxawi) or Mah-har-ha's (Hidatsa Indians, Awaxawi) at which place I saw the principal Chief of the Little Village of the Menitarre (Hidatsa Indians) & the principal Chief of the Mah-har-has (Hidatsa Indians, Awaxawi) .   
  • the Chief of the little Village of the Menetarias (Hidatsa Indians) cried most imoderately, I enquired the Cause and was informed it was for the loss of his Son who had been killed latterly by the Blackfoot Indians (Blackfeet Indians) .    after a delay of a fiew minits I proceeded on to the black Cats (Mandan Indians) [NB: Mandan (Mandan Indians) ] Village on the N.
  • August 14, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
May 15, 1806 - Gass, Patrick
  • The natives staid all day at our camp; and one of them had round his neck a scalp of an Indian, with six thumbs and four fingers of other Indians he had killed in battle, of the Sho-sho-ne, or Snake nation (Shoshone Indians) .
  • From the Mandan (Mandan Indians) nation to the Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean) , the arms of the Indians are generally bows and arrows, and the war-mallet.
  • Gass's (Gass, Patrick) version of "Chopunnish (Nez Perce Indians) ," the captains' name for the Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) .
  • May 15, 1806
  • Journals
  • Gass, Patrick
Lewis & Clark among the Indians 1. The Voyage Begins
  • Lewis & Clark among the Indians 1. The Voyage Begins
  • Lewis & Clark among the Indians
  • Later in his career Gallatin made a major contribution in collecting and systematizing Indian material in his "Synopsis of the Indian Tribes." But just how much he had to do with framing the expedition's Indian questions remains unclear.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • James P. Ronda
October 12, 1805 - Gass, Patrick
  • We had a fine morning and proceeded on early. Two of the Flathead (Flathead Indians) chiefs remained on board with us, and two of their men went with the stranger in a small canoe, and acted as pilots or guides.
  • Some of the Flathead (Flathead Indians) nation of Indians live all along the river this far down. There are not more than 4 lodges in a place or village, and these small camps or villages are 8 or 10 miles apart: at each camp there are 5 or 6 small canoes.
  • The people along the Snake River (Snake (Ki-moo-e-nim, Lewis's, Southeast Branch of Columbia) River) in this area were Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) and Palouses (Palouse Indians) .
  • October 12, 1805
  • Journals
  • Gass, Patrick
November 17, 1805 - Clark, William
  • Several Chinnook (Chinook Indians) Indians followed Capt L (Lewis, Meriwether) —    and a Canoe came up with roots mats &c. to Sell.    those Chinnooks (Chinook Indians) made us a present of a rute boiled much resembling the common liquorice in taste and Size: [ML?
  • A vertical line runs from "The Chinnook (Chinook Indians) Nation" to about this point.
  • November 17, 1805
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
March 27, 1806 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • M. we proceeded on, & crossed over to an Island, which lay on the North side of the River, where we halted.    We found on this Island, an Indian Village of the Chilutes Tribe (Watlala Indians) it contained 7 Houses.—    These Indians treated us in a friendly manner.   
  • M. we left this Island and continued on & passed several Indian fishing Camps.    A number of Indians followed us with small Canoes.   
  • We encamped on the South side of the River, where we found plenty of Oak & Ash wood to make our fires with.— A Skillute (Watlala Indians) village, say the captains' entries for March 25 and 27, 1806.
  • March 27, 1806
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
October 24, 1804 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • M., we came too, were a party of Indians belonging to the Mandan (Mandan Indians) Nation were hunting, we halted about two hours with them, and then proceeded on our Voyage, 'till the Evening and Encamped on the North side of the River, where five Indians of the Mandan (Mandan Indians) Natlon came to us.—
  • October 24, 1804
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
December 31, 1805 - Gass, Patrick
  • .— Clark (Clark, William) identified them as Wahkiakums (Wahkiakum Indians) and Skillutes (Watlala Indians) . The latter were probably Watlalas (Watlala Indians) , an Upper Chinookan (Chinook Indians) -language people living near the Cascades of the Columbia (Columbia River, Cascades (Great Rapids, Great Shute)) .
  • December 31, 1805
  • Journals
  • Gass, Patrick
October 8, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Side by a Narrow Deep Channel, those Indians Cultivate on the Island Corn Beens Simmins, Tobacco &c &c.   
  • The word may actually be the Mandan (Mandan Indians) term witahu, "place characterized by oaks." Buffaloberry.
  • This hostility must have influenced the unfavorable judgements of many later white traders and travelers, who emphasized the "Rees (Arikara Indians) '" various deviations from Anglo-American mores. Eventually declining numbers, caused by disease and war with the Sioux (Sioux Indians) , forced them to move to Like-a-Fishhook (Like-a-Fishhook village) village in North Dakota (North Dakota) with the Hidatsas (Hidatsa Indians) and Mandans (Mandan Indians) .
  • October 8, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
May 6, 1806 - Ordway, John
  • Staked up    the war axes these Indians have they got from the Grousevauntares (Hidatsa Indians) on the Missourie (Missouri River) & they got them from us at the Mandans (Mandan Indians) .   
  • the big horn chief and a number other Indians Camped with us.— These Gros Ventres are again the Hidatsas (Hidatsa Indians) ; see Ordway's (Ordway, John) entry of October 29, 1804, and Lewis's (Lewis, Meriwether) entry of May 11, 1806.
  • May 6, 1806
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
September 24, 1804 - Clark, William
  • we prepared Some Clothes and a fiew meadels for the Chiefs of the Teton's (Sioux Indians, Teton) hand of Seaux (Sioux Indians) which we expect to See to day at the next river, observe a Great Deel of Stone on the Sides of the hills on the S.
  • Dak.)) , The Tribes of the Scouix (Sioux Indians) Called the Teton (Sioux Indians, Teton) , is Camped about 2 miles up on the N W Side and we Shall Call the River after that nation, Teton (Sioux Indians, Teton)    This river is 70 yards wide at the mouth of water, and has a considerable Current    we anchored off the mouth— the french Perogue Come up early in the [NB: 〈morning〉 day], the other did not get up untill in the evening Soon after we had Came too. I went & Smoked with the Chief who Came to See us here    all well, we prepare to Speek with the Indians tomorrow at which time we are informed the Indians will be here, The French man who had for Some time been Sick, began to blead which allarmed him—    ⅔ of our party Camped on board    The remainder with the Guard on Shore.
  • September 24, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 4, 1805 - Ordway, John
  • our guide (Old Toby) and the young Indian who accompanied him eat the verry guts of the deer. Saw fresh Sign of Indians.   
  • Probably one of the forks of Camp Creek (Camp Creek (Ravalli County, Mont.)) , Ravalli County (Ravalli County, Mont.) . More correctly, Salish Indians (Flathead Indians) . Clark (Clark, William) has thirty-three lodges and eight people at this place.
  • Ordway (Ordway, John) recalls the myth that some interior Indians may have descended from a legendary Welsh (Welsh Indians) traveler.
  • September 4, 1805
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
August 1, 1804 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • Gibson (Gibson, George) was Sent back One Days Journey to See if the Indians came there with Liberty (La Liberté) that was Sent for them to come to a Treaty with Captn.
  • Clark (Clark, William) at the Camp of the Brareowes (Council Bluff (Nebr.)) —    Shields Kill One Deer    Gibson (Gibson, George) returnd but did not see liberty or the Indians there Wednesday August 1st    This morning was clear, we remain'd still at our encampment; the Captains sent two of our hunters out, in Order to hunt for the two horses that was lost; and one Man who was to proceed one days Journey back, in order to see if the Zoto (Oto Indians) Indians, had come with the frenchman Liberty, in Order to hold a treaty with them.—    We named this place, the Camp of Brareowes (Council Bluff (Nebr.)) the name of the unknown animal that we had brought to us by our Hunters.— Two of our hunters returned, with one deer they had kill'd, but had not seen Liberty (La Liberté) or the Zoto (Oto Indians) Indians on their route.— Whitehouse (Whitehouse, Joseph) , along with Ordway (Ordway, John) , uses this name for the Council Bluff camp (Council Bluff (Nebr.)) .
  • August 1, 1804
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
August 24, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Side    it appear to be about 25 or 30 yards Wide; at the mouth of this river 10 Indians had latterly cross Supposed to be Soues (Sioux Indians) , the part of a band which are at war with the Mahars (Omaha Indians) , This Soues (Sioux Indians) nation are divided into bands Som 100 to 500 men in a band    at peace with eath other, ther Interest & prejudices different, for instance one band the most envetterate enimy of the mahars (Omaha Indians) , all the other Bands in the greatest harmony with that nation and even go with thim to War, those Soues (Sioux Indians) , follow the Buffalow, & Kill them on foot, they pack their Dogs, which carry their Bedn.
  • August 24, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
October 2, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • Valley (Vallé, Jean) , the Trador among the Souix (Sioux Indians) nation    he could talk English.    he informed us that we Should not See many more of the Souix (Sioux Indians) to Trouble us.   
  • 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 (Sioux Indians, Yankton) Souise (Sioux Indians) language that he wanted us to come to Shore.   
  • Camped on a Sand bar in the middle of the River.—    no hunting for Indians Troublesom.— The expedition's Caution Island (Plum (Caution) Island) , later Plum Island (Plum (Caution) Island) , Dewey County (Dewey County, S.
  • October 2, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
November 13, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Clark 13th    The Ice begin to run    we move into our hut, visited by the Grand Chief of the Mandans (Mandan Indians) , and Che chark (La Grue) Lagru (La Grue) a Chief of the Assinniboin (Assiniboine River) s (Assiniboine Indians) & 7 men of that Nation, I Smoke with them and gave the Chief a Cord & a Carrot of Tobacco—    this Nation rove in the Plains above this and trade with the British Companes on the Ossinniboin River (Assiniboine River) , they are Divided into Several bands, the decendants of the Sioux (Sioux Indians) & Speak nearly their langguage    a bad disposed Set & Can raies about 1000 men in the 3 bands near this place, they trade with the nations of this neighbourhood for horses Corn &    Snow all Day    Capt.
  • (Lewis, Meriwether) at the village. This Assiniboine (Assiniboine Indians) chief's name may be the Cree word otchitchâk, "crane," and his French name La Grue (La Grue) , also translates "The Crane (La Grue) ." He owed his life, in 1806, to Le Borgne (Le Borgne (One Eye)) (One Eye (Le Borgne (One Eye)) ) of the Hidatsas (Hidatsa Indians) , who protected him, as a guest, from the Cheyennes (Cheyenne Indians) .
  • November 13, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
November 23, 1805 - Clark, William
  • Clatsop Indians
  • our hunters killed 3 Bucks, 4 Brant & 3 Ducks to day. in the evening Seven indians of the Clot Sop (Clatsop Indians) Nation Came over in a Canoe, they brought with them 2 Sea otter Skins for which they asked blue beads &c. and Such high pricies that we were unable to purchase them without reducing our Small Stock of merchendize, on which we depended for Subcistance on our return up this river—    mearly to try the Indian who had one of those Skins, I offered him my Watch, handerchief a bunch of red beads and a dollar of the American Coin, all of which he refused and demanded "ti-â, co-mo-shack["] which is Chief beads and the most common blue beads, but fiew of which we 〈happen to〉 have at this time This nation is the remains of a large nation destroyed by the Small pox or Some other which those people were not aquainted with, they Speak the Same language of the Chinnooks (Chinook Indians) and resemble them in every respect except that of Stealing, which we have not Cought them at as yet.
  • The word is Chinookan (Chinook Indians) tiaq̓mušakš, "chief beads."
  • November 23, 1805
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
April 22, 1806 - Ordway, John
  • assended a high hill    one of the horses threw his load & Scattered it    one of the Indians Stole a robe & hid it in one of their lodges.    we found it & proced on the high Smooth plain which is extensive & Smooth back from the river    about noon we halted at a village of the Wal-a-wal (Walula Indians) tribe where we bought a dog and a little firewood.   
  • Fields (Field, Reubin) came across the river & joined us with one of the Small canoes In Klickitat County (Klickitat County, Wash.) , Washington (Washington) , in the vicinity of Maryhill Museum (Maryhill Museum) . It was at a village of Tenino Indians (Tenino Indians) (called "Eneshur" by the captains) and not Walula Indians (Walula Indians) as Ordway (Ordway, John) seems to indicate.
  • April 22, 1806
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
August 3, 1804 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • Whitehouse Friday 3rd    the morning was 〈clear〉 foggy    the Indians Beheavd. well while Incampd. Neer our party    Captn. Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) Brought them to a treaty after the hour of 9 Oclock—    there was Six of the Zottoe (Oto Indians) Cheifs & Six of the Missueriees (Missouri Indians) ;    he gave 3 of the head chiefs a Meaddle Each; and the Other three Commissions in the Name of the president of the U.
  • when the Articles was Opend Out the[y] Said as long as the 〈San〉 french had traded with [them] the[y] Never Gave them as much as a Knife for Nothing    Got underway in the Evening    Saild 5 miles— Friday August 3d    This morning was foggy, the Indians had behaved themselves well in their encampment which lay near ours.—    At 9 o'Clock Captains Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) & Clark (Clark, William) held a treaty with those Indians.   
  • is in 41° 17' north Latitude Probably meaning the non-ranking Indian warriors.
  • August 3, 1804
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
August 18, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Fields (Field, Joseph) for the Party from the Ottoes (Oto Indians) , whom did not Come up last night    Wind from the S. E. [(]* Panies (Pawnee Indians) 〈arived〉 returned from their hunt, the 12th of August)    in the after Part of the Day the Party arrived, we had a Short talk after which we gave them Provisions to eate & Proceeded to the trial of Reed (Reed, Moses B.) , he confessed, & we Sentenced him only to run the Ganelet four times thro: the Detachment & party, and not to be considered in the future as one of the Permonant Party, after the Punihment of about [500?]
  • E Day & year of 〈N. 5    N. 52 W. 7 Miles to a point of highwoods on Stard. and having passed the lower point of Pellican Island (Wood (Pelican) Island) ¼ of a mile, to which the last course was taken〉   36 〈Children〉 1 Frenchman   45 〈Ottoes (Oto Indians) & Missouries (Missouri Indians) 〉 2 Great Chiefs of the Ottoes (Oto Indians) —   45 〈you do Somethig〉 2 Second Chifs of the Missouries (Missouri Indians) — 126   5 Wariors, accompanied the Party Sent to the Towns, i e Reiubin Fields (Field, Reubin) Will: Brattin (Bratton, William E.)
  • Some of the material seems to be tentative beginnings for speeches, made to or by the Indian chiefs. Material dealing with this council on document 43 is written in different directions on the sheet and has been sorted out as well as can be done.
  • August 18, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
October 15, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • passd. a Timbred bottom where we Saw Some Indians.    at 7 oC. we met a hunting party of the Rickarees (Arikara Indians) comming down the river returning to their village, they had 12 Cannoes made of Bufflow hides loaded with excelent fat meat.   
  • passed a handsome Bottom prarie & the Mouth of a creek where their was an old village Some years ago of the Chien (Cheyenne Indians) Nation on S. S.    we proceeded on.    passed timbred bottoms on each Side of the River we Saw a nomber of Indians on the Shore on N.
  • the children would follow after him, & if he turned towards them they would run from him & hollow as if they were terreyfied, & afraid of him. Meaning the Cheyenne Indians (Cheyenne Indians) , which Ordway (Ordway, John) gave as "Shian (Cheyenne Indians) " in his next entry.
  • October 15, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
April 7, 1805 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • at same time on board of which was sent the deserter Read    we proceeded on and encamped, on the North side of the Mesouri River (Missouri River) , opposite to the first Village of the Mandan (Mandan Indians) Nation.— This Village lies on the South side of the River and contains 300 Lodges.   
  • They are of a very light Colour, the Men are very well featur'd and Stout; the Women are in general handsome; this Town or Village Contains from the best calculation we could make 2,000 Inhabitants, they are Governed by a Chief called the Big White (Big White (Sheheke)) and the Indians here live to a very old age, numbers being 100 Years old.— Kakawita (Raven Man (Kakawita)) , or Raven Man (Raven Man (Kakawita)) , an Arikara (Arikara Indians) chief; see Clark's (Clark, William) entry for the date.
  • An exaggeration since Clark (Clark, William) counts about 1,250 people in both Mandan (Mandan Indians) villages. See Clark's (Clark, William) "Estimate of Eastern Indians".
  • April 7, 1805
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
August 29, 1805 - Ordway, John
  • about 8 oClock A. M. a nomber of Indians arived here who had been gone along time from the nation    one of them got Sculped by some Indians in the prarie or plain    he did not know what nation they belonged to.
  • and that their was troublesome tribes of Indians to pass.    that they had no horses and if they could git hold of any they would eat them as they lived on roots &C their being no game the country So rough and mountaineous.   
  • Probably a description of the Tukudika (Tukudika Indians) , or Sheepeater (Tukudika Indians) , Indians, referred to by Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) as the Broken Moccasin (Tukudika Indians) Indians; see Lewis's (Lewis, Meriwether) entry of August 14, 1805.
  • August 29, 1805
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
October 16, 1805 - Ordway, John
  • in the afternoon we Came to the last bad rapid as the Indians Sign to us.    we halted little above and carried Some of the baggage past by land abt. one mile then took the canoes Safe down and loaded them again and procd. on    passed over Several rapid places in the River.   
  • The party camped this day and the next at the point where the rivers join, in Franklin County (Franklin County, Wash.) , Washington (Washington) . They were Yakima (Yakima Indians) and Wanapam (Wanapam Indians) Indians; the former lived in the immediate vicinity of the Snake (Snake (Ki-moo-e-nim, Lewis's, Southeast Branch of Columbia) River) -Columbia (Columbia River) fork, with the latter nearby. Also nearby were the Walulas (Walula Indians) (Walla Wallas (Walula Indians) ), Umatillas (Umatilla Indians) , and Palouses (Palouse Indians) .
  • October 16, 1805
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
June 4, 1806 - Clark, William
  • (Lewis, Meriwether) to the falls of Missouri (Missouri River, Great Falls of the) and there wait his return from the upper part of Maria's river (Marias River) where it was probable he Should meet with Some of the bands of the Blakfoot Indians (Blackfeet Indians) and Minitarres of Fort dePrarie (Atsina Indians) , that in Such Case Capt L. (Lewis, Meriwether) would indeavor to bring about a good understanding between those indians and themselves, which when effected they would be informed of it through the young men thus Sent with him.   
  • I also urged the necessaty of Sending one or two of their Considerate men to accompany me by the way of the Shoshonees (Shoshone Indians) on the head of Jeffersons river (Jefferson River (North, Southwest Fork)) and about the three forks of the Missouri (Missouri River, Three Forks of the) which whome there is most probably Some of the Chiefs of those bands of Shoshones (Shoshone Indians) with whome they are at war, and by which means a message Sent to that nation & good understanding brought about between the Shoshones (Shoshone Indians) and the Chopunnish (Nez Perce Indians) Nations which appears to be the wish of both Nations.
  • June 4, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
June 25, 1806 - Clark, William
  • we left 4 of those indians at our encampment they promised to pursue us in a fiew hours.   
  • at this place the squaw Collected a parcel of roots of which the Shoshones (Shoshone Indians) Eat.    it is a Small knob root a good deel in flavour and Consistency like the Jerusolem artichoke.   
  • (Lewis, Meriwether) gave the Sick indian a Small buffalow robe which he brought from the Missouri (Missouri River) , this indian having no other Covering except his mockersons and a dressed Elk Skin without the hair—.
  • June 25, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 27, 1804 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • Capt Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) and Some of the party went over to See the Indians Camps.    their lodges are about 80 in nomber and contain about 10 Souls Each, the most of them women and children.   
  • about 15 days ago they had a battle with the Mahars (Omaha Indians) .    they killed 65 men and took 25 women prisoners.    they took the 65 of the Mahars (Omaha Indians) Sculps and had them hung on Small poles, which ther women held in their hands when they danced.   
  • The Interpreter thanked them for showing their good will.— Our officers fearing the treachery of these Indians, kept up a strong guard this night, not wishing to lay it in the power of these Indians to do us any injury, as the boat lay under the bank of the River & fasten'd to a Stake with the remainder of the Cable.—
  • September 27, 1804
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
August 18, 1805 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • Captain Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) purchased from the Indians that were encamped with us 4 more horses, he gave them for those horses, a Uniform Coat, knives, a handerchief red leggins &ca.   
  • they had no knives, or tomahawks among them; or any War like Instruments (excepting 3 Guns which we expect they had got from some other Indians, that had purchased them from French or Spanish traders, for horses,)    These Indians were tolerable well made Men, have very good countenances, but are darker colour'd, than the Mandan (Mandan Indians) Indians, Their dress was made out of the Skins of Antelopes & mountain Rams or Ibex, they had some Beads & ear bobs among them.   
  • Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) received such a tippet from Cameahwait (Cameahwait) , chief of the Lemhi Shoshones (Shoshone Indians, Lemhi) ; it is shown in vol. 5, p. xii.
  • August 18, 1805
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
October 11, 1805 - Clark, William
  • Came to and encamped at 2 Indian Lodges at a great place of fishing here we met an Indian of a nation near the mouth of this river.
  • The area was also inhabited by the Upper Palouses (Palouse Indians) , who often shared villages with the Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) .
  • This area was occupied by the Almotipu (Nez Perce Indians, Almotipu) band of Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) . Archaeological surveys have apparently failed to locate the site recorded by Clark (Clark, William) , although several sites have been found on the south side of the river in this area.
  • October 11, 1805
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
April 18, 1806 - Clark, William
  • among other Tribes was those of the Skad-datts (Klickitat Indians) who bantered the Skillutes (Watlala Indians) to play with them at a Singular Kind of game which was Soon Made up and 9 of a side Sat down    they were Some time making up their bets of Beeds, brass thimbles or tubes robes &c.
  • Several of those games were played to day in which the Skillute (Watlala Indians) won, indeed the won all the beeds and Som robes of the Skad datts (Klickitat Indians) which they [word unclear]    one other game which they also played [word illegible] 2 by men with 4 Sticks.    2 black & 2 White under a kind of hat made of bark.   
  • I left Drewyer (Drouillard, George) , Warner (Werner, William) , Shannon (Shannon, George) & Goodrich (Goodrich, Silas) with the articles and went down with Capt Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) to the bason, Cut up 2 of our canoes for fire wood no horses more    maney nations resort here for trade Game Bone, April 18, 1806, First Draft Voorhis Fragment Missouri Historical Society They lived on Klickitat River (Klickitat (Cataract) River) , and were possibly a division of the Klickitat Indians (Klickitat Indians) . In the Estimate of Western Indians, they were incorrectly identified as being Pisquows (Pisquow Indians) or Kittitas (Kittita Indians) ; see April 20, 1806.
  • April 18, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
Great Plains Quarterly 24:4 (2004): 263–82.
  • Foremost, this is the "home of the peoples who gave to most of the world the current perception of what an American Indian is." The Plains Indians encountered by Lewis and Clark also were culturally and linguistically distinct (Siouan, Algonquian, Caddoan) from the Rocky Mountain Indians, with a unique set of intertribal relations and interracial dealings with white traders.
  • Amy Mossett, a Mandan-Hidatsa, wants the commemorations to recognize that "Indians have the strongest sense of place of anyone in the world." Of the sophistication of her society she adds, "Jefferson wanted to make Indians into farmers and traders.
  • Ronda, Lewis and Clark among the Indians, rev. ed. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, [1984] 2002), and this perspective is also best related by Plains Indian storytellers.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Kevin S. Blake
May 12, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • This morning a great number of indians collected about us as usual. we took an early breakfast and Capt.
  • The Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) needed to establish trade relations with the whites, to obtain guns and ammunition for defense against Blackfeet (Blackfeet Indians) and Atsinas (Atsina Indians) .
  • At this period the Flatheads (Flathead Indians) , Kutenais (Kutenai Indians) , and Nez Perces (Nez Perce Indians) were sometimes allies of the Shoshones (Shoshone Indians) against the Blackfeet (Blackfeet Indians) and sometimes their enemies.
  • May 12, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
July 5, 1804 - Clark, William
  • in 1705 and first visited the Missouri Indians (Missouri Indians) in 1714. Having deserted, he lived for some time among the Missouris (Missouri Indians) and Osages (Osage Indians) , marrying an Indian woman; eventually he received a pardon for desertion.
  • At various times he explored up the Missouri River (Missouri River) , possibly as far as the Arikara (Arikara Indians) villages in South Dakota (South Dakota) . After various ventures among the Plains tribes, he took a delegation of Indian chiefs to Paris in 1725 and apparently remained in France.
  • The passage that puzzled Clark (Clark, William) occurs in an account of Bourgmont's (Bourgmont, Etienne Véniard de) 1724 mission to the Indians on the Kansas River (Kansas (Decaugh, Kaw) River) . The confusion arises from a faulty translation; the "canes" do not appear in the original, which states that the Indians crossed the river in cajeux (rafts) made of unstated materials.
  • July 5, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
October 12, 1804 - Clark, William
  • The Chief By me will go to the Mandans (Mandan Indians) & hear what they will Say.    (we agree'd.)
  • Finished 3d Chief of Ricares (Arikara Indians) My fathers    I will see the Indians below & See if they have the hart as they tell you The nation below is the 〈Mandan (Mandan Indians) 〉 Mahas (Omaha Indians) & Ottes (Oto Indians) & but one nation, (the Souix (Sioux Indians) [)] has not a good heart.
  • See Indian Speeches, Miscellaneous Documents of Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) and Clark (Clark, William) , Appendix C.
  • October 12, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
May 11, 1806 - Clark, William
  • we were Crouded in the Lodge with Indians who continued all night and this morning Great numbers were around us. The One Eyes Chief Yoom-park-kar-tim (Five Big Hearts) arived and we gave him a medal of the Small Size and Spoke to the Indians through a Snake (Shoshone Indians) boy Shabono (Charbonneau, Toussaint) and his wife (Sacagawea) .   
  • to this end we drew a map of the Country with a coal on a mat in their way, and by the assistance of the Snake (Shoshone Indians) boy and our interpeters were enabled to make ourselves under stood by them altho' it had to pass through French, Minnetare (Hidatsa Indians) , Shoshone (Shoshone Indians) and Chopunnish (Nez Perce Indians) languages.   
  • May 11, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
May 31, 1806 - Clark, William
  • this Skin was of a uniform pale redish brown colour, the indians inform us that it was not the Hoh-host or white bear, that it was the Yâck-kâh    this distinction of the indians induced us to make further enquiry relitive to their oppinions of the defferent Species of bear in this country.
  • This evening Joseph (Field, Joseph) and Reuben Fields (Field, Reubin) returned with the three deer they had killed. The indians brought us another of our Original Stock of Horses; there are only two Absent now of these horses, and these the indians inform us that our Sho-sho-ne (Shoshone Indians) guide rode back when he returned.   
  • It was given to him by Nez Perce Indians (Nez Perce Indians) and he had worked on it over the preceding two days.
  • May 31, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 24, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • while they were a Dressing and gitting the meat on board the Indians Stole the horse & Some Salt out of his bag &.C.    we Saw 5 Indians on Shore. Colter (Colter, John) came running along the Shore Informed us that the Indians had Stole the horse & bridle &.C.    took Colter (Colter, John) on bord.
  • S.—    we ankered out 100 yds. from Shore, all remained on bord except the Guard Cooks & frenchman who remained on Shore with one pearogue.    the 5 Indians Stayed with the Guard all night verry peaceable.    we had an old frenchman with us who could speak a little of the Souix (Sioux Indians) language    he found that one of them was a chief.   
  • September 24, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
October 10, 1804 - Clark, William
  • we prepare all things ready to Speak to the Indians, Mr. Tabo (Tabeau, Pierre-Antoine) & Mr. Gravolin (Gravelines, Joseph) Came to brackfast with us    the Chiefs &. came from the lower Town, but none from the 2 upper Towns, which is the largest, we Continue to delay & waite for them    at 12 oClock Dispatchd Gravelin (Gravelines, Joseph) to envite them to Come down, we have every reason to believe that a jellousy exists between the Villages for fear of our makeing the 1st Cheif from the lower Village, at one oClock the Cheifs all assembled & after Some little Cerrimony the Council Commenced, we informd them what we had told the others before i' e' Ottoes (Oto Indians) & Seaux (Sioux Indians) .   
  • Nor is it clear whether the Frenchman intended to remain at the Arikara (Arikara Indians) villages, leaving the expedition, or was only left at the lowest village temporarily.
  • Dak.)) from the Arikara (Arikara Indians) villages with Gravelines (Gravelines, Joseph) . This could be Peter Roi (Roi (Roie, Rokey), Peter) , an expedition engagé, who may be the man left at the Arikaras (Arikara Indians) .
  • October 10, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
October 15, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Camp [NB: of hunters Ricaras (Arikara Indians) ] on the S. S.    we halted above and about 30 of the Indians came over in their Canoos of Skins, we eate with them, they give us meat, in return we gave fishhooks & Some beeds, about a mile higher we came too on the L. S. at a Camp of Ricres (Arikara Indians) [NB: ricaras (Arikara Indians) ] of about 8 Lodges, we also eate & they gave Some meat, 〈here we found the relation of〉    we proceded on    Saw numbers of Indians on both Sides passing a Creek, Saw many Curious hills, high and much the resemblance of a house [NB: like ours] with a hiped roof, at 12 oClock it Cleared away and the evening was pleasent, wind from the N.
  • passing old Village of the Shár há or Chien (Cheyenne Indians) Indians on the L. S below a Creek on the Same Side.    passed a Camp of Ricares (Arikara Indians) on S.
  • October 15, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 16, 1806 - Clark, William
  • Bobidoux (Robidoux, Joseph) with a large boat of six ores and 2 Canoes, the licenes of this young man was to trade with the Panias (Pawnee Indians) Mahars (Omaha Indians) and ottoes (Oto Indians) reather an extroadanary a license for [so] young a man and without the Seal of the teritory anexed, as Genl.
  • Ordway (Ordway, John) and Gass (Gass, Patrick) both say that this party was bound to trade with the Kansa Indians (Kansa Indians) . Several members of the Robidoux family of Saint Louis (Saint Louis, Mo.) , over several generations, were leaders in the fur trade.
  • Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) , in an "Essay on an Indian Policy," later expressed further suspicions that the Robidoux family were fomenting disloyalty to the United States among the Indians, but Clark (Clark, William) evidently changed his mind about them, since he granted trading licenses to them as superintendent of Indian affairs.
  • September 16, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
August 27, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • S.    here we See a likely young Indian of the Mahar (Omaha Indians) nation.    he told us that their camp was near; their is considerable of cottonwood Timber about this place, while we were halted here 2 more young Indians came to us.    one a Mahar (Omaha Indians) the other a Siowee (Sioux Indians) . Sergt. pryor (Pryor, Nathaniel Hale) & 2 more went from the Boat with 2 of the Indians out to their Camp to invite them in to See us especially the Chiefs, the other Indian came along and went with us, we proceeded on till dark and Camped on a large Sand beach on the N.
  • August 27, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
August 2, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Fairfong (Farfonge) [NB: Ottoe (Oto Indians) interpreter resident with them] and a pt. of Otteau (Oto Indians) & Missourie (Missouri Indians) Nation Came to Camp, among those Indians 6 were Chiefs, the principal Chiefs    Capt. Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) & myself met those Indians & informed them we were glad to See them, and would Speak to them tomorrow, Sent them Som rosted meat Pork flour & meal, in return they Sent us Water millions.   
  • August 2, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
August 2, 1804 - Ordway, John
  • appearence of rain, Peter Cruset (Cruzatte, Pierre) killed one fine Buck & brought it in    about 14 of the Zottous (Oto Indians) Indians arived here at Dusk.    2 Guns fired from our Bow peace, we Gave them Some provisions.    they appear to be friendly &C— Oto (Oto Indians) and also Missouri (Missouri Indians) Indians, according to Clark (Clark, William) .
  • August 2, 1804
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
August 11, 1804 - Gass, Patrick
  • A storm came on at three o'clock this morning and continued till nine, notwithstanding which, we kept under way till ten, when we came to a high bluff, where an Indian chief had been buried, and placed a flag upon a pole, which had been set up at his grave. His name was Blackbird (Blackbird) , king of the Mahas (Omaha Indians) ; an absolute monarch while living, and the Indians suppose can exercise the power of one though dead.
  • Gass (Gass, Patrick) says more about the Omaha (Omaha Indians) Indian Chief Blackbird (Blackbird) himself than Clark (Clark, William) , showing that the Blackbird (Blackbird) legend was already well developed a few years after the chief's death.
  • August 11, 1804
  • Journals
  • Gass, Patrick
October 11, 1804 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • about 12 oClock the natives came to our camp & Gave us Some corn beans & Squashes & wished our officers to Speak a good word for them at the Mandans (Mandan Indians) , for they Said they wished to make peace. Thursday October 11th    This day at 12 o'Clock the Indians came to our Camp, and brought to us some Corn, Beans and squashes; They requested of our officers, by their Interpreter, to speak a good word for them to the Mandan (Mandan Indians) Nation of Indians, as they wished to make a peace with them, which our Officers agreed to do.   
  • We came to the Village of the Rick A Rees (Arikara Indians) , they had a Flag hoisted which Captain Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) had given them the day before.   
  • October 11, 1804
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph

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