The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates September 27, 1804 - September
30, 1804
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: September 27, 1804 - September 30,
1804
September
27, 1804
Thursday September 27. We rose early, and the two chiefs
took off, as a matter of course and according to their
custom, the blanket on which they had slept. To this
we added a peck of corn as a present to each. Captain
Lewis and the chiefs went on shore to see a part of
the nation that was expected, but did not come. He returned
at two o'clock, with four of the chiefs and a warrior
of distinction, called Wadrapa, (or on his guard); they
examined the boat and admired whatever was strange,
during half an hour, when they left it with great reluctance.
Captain Clarke accompanied them to the lodge of the
grand chief, who invited them to a dance, where, being
joined by Captain Lewis, they remained till a late hour.
The dance was very similar to that of yesterday. About
twelve we left them, taking the second chief and one
principal warrior on board: as we came near the boat
the man who steered the pirogue, by mistake, brought
her broadside against the boat's cable, and broke it.
We called up all hands to their oars; but our noise
alarmed the two Indians: they called out to their companions,
and immediately the whole camp crowded to the shore;
but after half an hour they returned, leaving about
sixty men near us. The alarm given by the chiefs was
said to be that the Mahas had attacked us, and that
they were desirous of assisting us to repel it; but
we suspected that they were afraid we meant to set sail,
and intended to prevent us from doing so; for in the
night the Maha prisoners had told one of our men, who
understood the language, that we were to be stopped.
We therefore, without giving any indication of our suspicion,
prepared every thing for an attack, as the loss of our
anchor obliged to come to near a falling bank, very
unfavourable for defence. We were not mistaken in these
opinions; for when in the morning,
September
28, 1804
Friday, September
28, after dragging unsuccessfully for the anchor, we
wished to set sail, it was with great difficulty that
we could make the chiefs leave the boat. At length we
got rid of all except the great chief; when just as
we were setting out, several of the chief's soldiers
sat on the rope which held the boat to the shore. Irritated
at this we got every thing ready to fire on them if
they persisted, but the great chief said that these
were his soldiers and only wanted some tobacco. We had
already refused a flag and some tobacco to the second
chief, who had demanded it with great importunity; but
willing to leave them without going to extremities,
we threw him a carrot of tobacco, saying to him, "You
have told us that you were a great man, and have influence;
now show your influence, by taking the rope from those
men, and we will then go without any further trouble."
This appeal to his pride had the desired effect; he
went out of the boat, gave the soldiers the tobacco,
and pulling the rope out of their hands delivered it
on board, and we then set sail under a breeze from the
S.E. After sailing about two miles we observed the third
chief beckoning to us: we took him on board, and he
informed us that the rope had been held by the order
of the second chief, who was a double-faced man. A little
farther on we were joined by the son of the chief, who
came on board to see his father. On his return we sent
a speech to the nation, explaining what we had done,
and advising them to peace; but if they persisted in
their attempts to stop us, we were willing and able
to defend ourselves. After making six miles, during
which we passed a willow island on the south and one
sandbar, we encamped on another in the middle of the
river. The country on the south-side was a low prairie,
that on the north highland.
|