Clark: September 27, 1804

27th of Septr. 1804The Bank as usial lined with Sioux, gave the 2
principal Chiefs a blanket & a peck of Corn each, Capt Lewis
accompanied the Chiefs to their Lodges, they informed us that a great part
of their nation had not arrived, & would arrive to night and requested
us to Delay one Day longer, that they might See us

I rote a letter to Mr. Durion, & prepared Some Commissions & a
meadel & Sent to Captain Lewisat 2 oClock Capt Lewis retuned
with 4 chiefs & a Brave man named War-cha paafter a delay of
half an hour I went with them on Shore, they left the boat with
reluctiance (we Suspect they are treacherous and are at all times guarded
& on our guard) They again offered me a young woman and wish me to
take her & not Dispise them, I wavered the Subject, at Dark the Dance
began as usial and performed as last night. womin with ther Husbands &
relations cloths arms Scalps on poles &c. &c. Capt Lewis joined me
& we continued until about 11 oClock and 2 Chief accompaned us to the
boat I with 2 Cheifs was in a Perogue going on board, by bad Stearing the
parogu Struk the Cable with Such force as to brake it near the anchor (Cap
Lewis) and 3 or 4 men on Shore, I had all hands up and was Compelled to
Landthe Chief got allarmed & allarmed the Indians the 1s Chief
& about 200 men Came down in great hast armd and for action, and found
it was false, about 20 of them Camped on Shore all nightthis allarm
Cap Lewis & well as my Self viewed as the Signal of their intentions,
one half on guard, our misfortune of loseing our anchor obliged us to lay
under a falling in bank much exposed to the Accomplishment of the hostile
intentions of those Tetons (who we had every reason to believe from ther
Conduct intended to make an attempt to Stop our progress & if possible
rob us-) Peter Crusat who Spoke Mahar came in the night and informed me
that the mahar Prisoners told him that the Tetons intended to Stop usWe
Shew’d but little Sign of a knowledge of there intentions.

—

27th of Septr. Thursday 1804 I rose early aftr a bad nights Sleep found
the Chief all up, and the bank as usial lined with Spectators we gave the
2 great Cheifs a Blanket a peace, or rethr they took off agreeable to
their Custom the one they lay on and each one Peck of Corn after Brackfast
Capt. Lewis & the Chiefs went on Shore, as a verry large part of their
nation was Comeing in, the Disposition of whome I did not know one of us
being Suffcent on Shore, I wrote a letter to Mr. P. Durion & prepared
a meadel & Some Comsns. & Sent to Cap Lewis at 2 oClock Capt.
Lewis returned with 4 Chiefs & a Brave man named War cha pa or on his
Guard. when the friends of those people die they run arrows through their
flesh above and below their elbous as a testimony of their Greaf after
Staying about half an hour, I went with them on Shore, Those men left the
boat with reluctience, I went first to the 2d Chiefs Lodge, where a Croud
Came around after Speeking on various Subjects I went to a princpal mans
lodge from there to the grand Chiefs lodge, after a fiew minits he invited
me to a Lodge within the Circle in which I Stayed with all their principal
men untill the Dance began, which was Similer to the one of last night
performed by their womn which poles on which Scalps of their enemies were
hung, Some with the Guns Spears & war empliments their husbands in
their hands

Capt. Lewis came on Shore and we Continued untill we were Sleepy &
returned to our boat, the 2nd Chief & one principal man accompanid us,
those two Indians accompanied me on board in the Small Perogue, Capt.
Lewis with a guard Still on Shore, the man who Steered not being much
acustomed to Steer, passed the bow of the boat & peroge Came broad
Side against the Cable & broke it which obliged me to order in a loud
voice all hands all hands up & at their ores, my preempty order to the
men and the bustle of their getting to their ores allarmd the Cheifs,
togethr with the appearance of the men on Shore, as the boat turnd. The
Cheif hollowered & allarmed the Camp or Town informing them that the
Mahars was about attacting us. in about 10 minits the bank was lined with
men armed the 1st Cheif at their head, about 200 men appeared and after
about 1/2 hour returned all but about 60 men who Continued on the bank all
night, the Cheifs Contd. all night with usThis allarm I as well as
Captn. Lewis Considered as the Signal of their intentions (which was to
Stop our proceeding on our journey and if Possible rob us) we were on our
Guard all night, the misfortune of the loss of our Anchor obliged us to
Lay under a falling bank much exposd. to the accomplishment of their
hostile intentions P. Cour Bowman who Cd. Speek Mahar informed us
in the night that the Maha Prisoners informed him we were to be Stopedwe
Shew as little Sighns of a Knowledge of their intentions as possible all
prepared on board for any thing which might hapen, we kept a Strong guard
all night in the boat no Sleep