August 14, 1804

Journal by Clark

14th August Tuesday 1804

a fine morning wind from the S E    The men Sent to the Mahar Town last evening has not returned    we Conclude to Send a Spye to Know the cause of Their delay    at about 12 oClock the Party returned and informed. us that they Could not find the Indians nor any fresh Sign, those people have not returned from their Buffalow hunt, Those people haveing no houses no Corn or any thing more than the graves of their ancesters to attach them to the old Village, Continue in pursuite of the Buffalow longer than others who had greater attachments to their native Village— the ravages of the Small Pox [NB: about 4 years ago] (which Swept off 400 men & women & Children in perpoposion) has reduced this Nation not exceeding 300 men and left them to the insults of their weaker neighbours which before was glad to be on friendly turms with them—    I am told whin this fatal malady was among them they Carried ther franzey to verry extroadinary length, not only of burning their Village, but they put their wives & Children toD[e]ath with a view of their all going together to Some better Countrey—    They burry their Dead on the tops of high hills and rais mounds on the top of them,—    The cause or way those people took the Small Pox is uncertain, the most Probable from Some other Nation by means of a warparty

Journal Reference:
Lewis, M., Clark, W., and Members of the Corps of Discovery. (2002). September 4, 1806. In G. Moulton (Ed.), The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2005, from the University of Nebraska Press / University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center, The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition web site:

August 3, 1804 Council Bluffs

 

Journal entry by Clark

August 3rd, Friday 1804

mad[e] up a Small preasant for those people in perpotion to their Consiqunce.    also a package with a meadile to accompany a Speech for the Grand Chief 〈which we intend to send to him〉    after Brackfast we Collected those Indians under an orning of our Main Sail, in presence of our Party paraded & Delivered a long Speech to them expressive of our journey the wirkes of our Government, Some advice to them and Directions how They were to Conduct themselves, 〈made one〉 the princapal Chief for the nation 〈to whom〉 being absente we sent him the Speech flag Meadel & Some Cloathes.    after hering what they had to say Delivered 〈two of〉 a medal of Second Grade to one for the Ottos & and one for the Missourie 〈part of the nation〉 present and 4 medals of a third Grade to the inferior Chief    two for each tribe. Those two parts of nations, Ottos & Missouries now 〈forming one of〉 residing together is about 250 men are 〈nearly equal in number〉 the Ottoes Composeing ⅔d and Missourie ⅓ part

Those 〈people〉 Chiefs all Delivered a Speech acknowledgeing Their approbation to the Speech and promissing to prosue the advice & Derictions given them    that they wer happy to find that they had fathers which might be depended on &c.

We gave them a Cannister of Powder and a Bottle of whiskey and delivered a few presents to the whole after giveing a Br: Cth: [breech cloth] Some Pain guartering & a Meadele to those we made Cheifs    after Capt Lewis's Shooting the air gun a feiw Shots (which astonished those nativs) we Set out and proceeded on five miles on a Direct line passed a point on the S. S. & round a large Sand bar on the L. S. & Camped on the upper point. The Misquitors excessively troublesom this evening    Great appearance of wind and rain to the N. W.    we prepare to rec've it—    The man Liberty whome we Sent for the Ottoes has not Come up    he left the Ottoes Town one Day before the Indians. This man has eithered tired his horse or, lost himself in the Plains    Some Indians are to hunt for him,

The Situation [WC: 25 Days from this to Santafee] of our last Camp Councill Bluff or Handssom Prarie appears to be a verry proper place for a Tradeing establishment & fortification    The Soil of the Bluff well adapted for Brick, Great deel of timbers above in the two Points.    many other advantages of a Small nature.    and I am told Senteral to Several nations    Viz. one Days march from the Ottoe Town, one Day & a half from the great Pania village,[18] 2 days from the Mahar Towns, two ¼ Days from the Loups Village, & Convenient to the Countrey thro: which Bands of the Soux [NB: rove &] hunt.    perhaps no other Situation is as well Calculated for a Tradeing establishment. The air is pure and helthy So far as we can Judge.

Journal entry by Floyd

Friday august 3dth    the Council was held and all partes was agreed    the Captens Give them meney presents    thes is the ottoe and the Missouries    The Missouries is a verry Small nathion    the ottoes is a very Large nathion So thay Live in one village on the Plate River    after the Council was over we took ouer Leave of them and embarked at 3 oclock P. m under Jentell Brees from the South Est. Sailed made 6 miles    Campt on the South Side    the Land Low, that on the N. prarie Land—

Journal Reference:
Lewis, M., Clark, W., and Members of the Corps of Discovery. (2002). September 4, 1806. In G. Moulton (Ed.), The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Retrieved Oct. 1, 2005, from the University of Nebraska Press / University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center, The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition web site: