Pawnee Nation Archives - Lewis & Clark Research Database

Clark: August 18, 1806

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:37:54 +0000

Monday 18th August 1806. moderate rain last night, the wind of this
morning from the S. E. as to cause the water to be So rough that we Could
not proceed on untill 8 a.m. at which time it fell a little & we
proceeded on tho the waves were yet high and the wind Strong. Saw Several
Indians on either Side of the river. at 9 A.M. I saw an Indian running
down the beech and appd. to be anxious to Speak to us I derected the
Canoes to land. this Indian proved to be the brother of the Chief we had
on board and Came down from his Camp at no great distance to take his
leave of his brother. the Chief gave him a par of Legins and took an
effectunate leave of his brother and we procedeed on haveing previously
Sent on 2 canoes with hunters to kill Some meat at 2 P. M we overtook the
Canoe hunters, they had killed three deer which was divided and we halted
and Cooked Some dinner on the Sandbar. wind Still high and from the Same
point. The Chief pointed out Several places where he Said his nation
formerly lived and related Some extroadinary Stories of their tredition.
after Dinner we proceeded on, to a point on the N E. Side opposit the
remains of an old Mandan village a little below the enterance of Chiss-che
for River and the place we Encamped as we assended this river 20th of
October 1804 haveing come 40 miles today. after landing which was a little
before night the hunters run out into the bottom and Killed four deer. The
winds blew hard from the S. E. all day which retarded our progress very
much after the fires were made I set my self down with the big white man
Chiefe and made a number of enquiries into the tredition of his nation as
well as the time of their inhabiting the number of Villages the remains of
which we see on different parts of the river, as also the cause of their
evacuation. he told me his nation first Came out of the ground where they
had a great village. a grape vine grew down through the Earth to their
village and they Saw light Some of their people assended by the grape vine
upon the earth, and Saw Buffalow and every kind of animal also Grapes
plumbs &c. they gathered Some grapes & took down the vine to the
village, and they tasted and found them good, and deturmined to go up and
live upon the earth, and great numbers climbed the vine and got upon earth
men womin and children. at length a large big bellied woman in climbing
broke the vine and fell and all that were left in the Village below has
remained there ever Since (The Mandans beleive when they die that they
return to this village) Those who were left on earth made a village on the
river below and were very noumerous &c. he Said that he was born in
the Village Opposit to our Camp and at that time his nation inhabited 7
villages as large as that and were full of people, the Sieoux and Small
pox killed the greater part of them and made them So weak that all that
were left only made two Small villages when Collected, which were built
near the old Ricaras village above. their troubles with the Scioux &
Pawnees or Ricaras Compelled them to move and build a village where they
now live.

he Said that the Menitarras Came out of the water to the East and Came to
this Country and built a village near the mandans from whome they got Corn
beens &c. they were very noumerous and resided in one village a little
above this place on the opposit Side. they quarreled about a buffalow, and
two bands left the village and went into the plains, (those two bands are
now known bye the title Pounch, and Crow Indians.) the ballance of the
Menetaras moved their village to where it now Stands where they have lived
ever Since-

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Arrival at the Platte River

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:34:27 +0000

Reaching the Platte River was a significant milestone. In the geography of the Missouri fur trade, the Platte marked the boundary between the “lower” and “upper” Missouri — essentially the gateway to the Great Plains.

“At 4 oClock we came too at the mouth of the Great River Platt — this Great river being much more rapid than the Missourie forces its Current against the opposite Shore.”

Clark noted the river was about 600 yards wide but very shallow. The expedition was now in the territory of the Otoe, Pawnee, and other Plains nations. They would soon hold their first formal council with Native peoples.

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Treaty with the Grand Pawnee, 1818

admin — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:15:36 +0000

The Treaty with the Pawnee of 1818 was signed on June 18, 1818 between the United States and the Grand Pawnee tribe. Its main purpose was to establish perpetual peace and friendship between the U.S. and the Pawnee tribe. The Pawnee chiefs placed their tribe under the protection of the United States and no other sovereign power. They agreed to deliver up any individuals who violated the treaty’s terms to be punished under U.S. law. The treaty served to formally align the Pawnee tribe with the United States after the War of 1812.

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Treaty with the Pawnee Marhar, 1818

admin — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:45:07 +0000

The Treaty with the Pawnee Marhar of 1818 was signed on June 22, 1818 between the U.S. and the Pawnee Marhar tribe. Its purpose was to establish perpetual peace and friendship between the parties. The Pawnee Marhar chiefs acknowledged U.S. protection and no other sovereign power. They agreed to deliver up any individuals who violated the treaty’s terms to be punished under U.S. law. The treaty formally aligned the Pawnee Marhar with the U.S. through renewed peace and regulated relations.

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Treaty with the Noisy Pawnee, 1818

admin — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 15:14:54 +0000

The Treaty with the Pawnee (Pitavirate Noisy) of 1818 was signed on June 19, 1818 between the U.S. and the Pitavirate Noisy Pawnee tribe. Its purpose was to establish perpetual peace and friendship between the parties. The Pawnee chiefs acknowledged U.S. protection and no other sovereign power. They agreed to deliver up any individuals who violated the treaty’s terms to be punished under U.S. law. The treaty formally aligned the Pitavirate Noisy Pawnee with the U.S. through renewed peace and regulated relations.

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Treaty with the Pawnee Republic, 1818

admin — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 21:19:26 +0000

This 1818 treaty was between the United States and the Pawnee Republic to establish peace and friendship. It stipulated mutual forgiveness for any past injuries or hostilities. The Pawnee acknowledged U.S. protection and sovereignty. The Pawnee promised to deliver up any individuals who violated this treaty’s terms. The treaty aimed to solidify peaceful relations between the Pawnee tribe and the United States.

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