Clark: April 14, 1805
On a fine Sunday morning, a stray dog—likely left behind by Indians camped near a lake passed the day before—joined the party. Clark walked through wooded bottoms and hills on the south side, finding two abandoned Indian campsites he attributed to the Assiniboine, identified by small keg hoops indicating their fondness for liquor traded from British posts. He described their buffalo-skin lodges in detail. The party noted scarce, wary game, wide gentle river, and mineral salts in the hills. They killed a lean buffalo bull, named Shabonas Creek after their interpreter, spotted two white bears, and collected birds' nests.
14th of April Sunday 1805. a fine morning, a dog came to us this morning
we Suppose him to be left by the Inds. who had their camps near the Lake
we passd. yesterday not long Sence, I observed Several Single Lodges built
of Stiks of cotten timber in different parts of the bottoms. in my walk of
this day which was through the wooded bottoms and on the hills for several
miles back from the river on the S. S. I Saw the remains of two Indian
incampments with wide beeten tracks leading to them. those were no doubt
the Camps of the Ossinnaboin Indians (a Strong evidence is hoops of Small
Kegs were found in the incampments) no other nation on the river above the
Sioux make use of Spiritious licquer, the Ossinniboins is said to be
pasionately fond of Licquer, and is the principal inducement to their
putting themselves to the trouble of Catching the fiew wolves and foxes
which they furnish, and recive their liquor always in small Kegs. The
Ossinniboins make use of the Same kind of Lodges which the Sioux and other
Indians on this river make use ofThose lodges or tents are made of
a number of dressed buffalow Skins Sowed together with Sinues &
deckerated with the tales, & Porcupine quils, when open it forms a
half circle with a part about 4 Inches wide projecting about 8 or 9 Inches
from the center of the Streight Side for the purpose of attaching it to a
pole to it the hight they wish to raise the tent, when they errect this
tent four poles of equal length are tied near one end, those poles are
elevated and 8 10 or 12 other poles are anexed forming a Circle at the
ground and lodging in the forks of the four attached poles, the tents are
then raised, by attach the projecting part to a pole and incumpassing the
poles with the tent by bringing the two ends together and attached with a
Cord, or laied as high as is necessary, leaveing the lower part open for
about 4 feet for to pass in & out, and the top is generally left open
to admit the Smoke to passThe Borders of the river has been So much
hunted by those Indians who must have left it about 8 or 10 days past and
I prosume are now in the neighbourhood of British establishments on the
Osinniboin; the game is Scerce and verry wild. The River Continues wide
and the current jentle not more rapid than the Current of the Ohio in
middle StateThe bottoms are wide and low and the moist parts of
them Contain Som wood such as cotton Elm & Small ash, willow rose
bushes &c. &c. &. next to the hills Great quantity of wild
Isoop, the hills are high broken in every direction, and the mineral
appearance of Salts Continue to appear in a greater perportion, also
Sulpher, Coal & bitumous water in a Smaller quantity, I have observed
but five burnt hills, about the little Missouri, and I have not Seen any
pumey stone above that River I Saw Buffalow on the L. S. Crossed and
dureing the time of dinner killed a Bull, which was pore, we made use of
the best of it, I Saw a village of Burrowing dogs on the L. S. passed a
Island above which two Small Creeks falls in on the L. S. the upper of
which is the largest and we call Shabonas Creek after our interpreter who
incamped several weeks on this Creek and is the highest point on the
Missouri to which a white man has been previous to this time. Capt. Lewis
walked out above this creek and killed an Elk which he found So meager
that it was not fit for use, and joined the boat at Dusk at our Camp on
the S. S. opposit a high hill Several parts of which had Sliped down. on
the Side of those hills we Saw two white bear running from the report of
Capt. Lewis Shot, those animals assended those Steep hills with Supprising
ease & verlocity. they were too far to discover their prosise Colour
& SizeSaw Several gees nests on trees, also the nests & egs
of the Magpies, a large grey owl killed, booted & with ears &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
14th of April, Sunday 1805. A fine morning. A dog came to us this morning; we suppose he was left by the Indians who had their camps near the lake we passed yesterday not long ago. I observed several single lodges built of sticks of cottonwood timber in different parts of the bottoms. In my walk of this day, which was through the wooded bottoms and on the hills for several miles back from the river on the south side, I saw the remains of two Indian encampments with wide beaten tracks leading to them. These were no doubt the camps of the Ossinnaboin (Assiniboine) Indians—a strong piece of evidence being the hoops of small kegs found in the encampments. No other nation on the river above the Sioux makes use of spirituous liquor. The Ossinniboins are said to be passionately fond of liquor, and this is the principal inducement to their putting themselves to the trouble of catching the few wolves and foxes which they furnish; they always receive their liquor in small kegs.
The Ossinniboins make use of the same kind of lodges that the Sioux and other Indians on this river use. These lodges, or tents, are made of a number of dressed buffalo skins sewn together with sinews and decorated with the tails and porcupine quills. When opened, it forms a half circle with a part about 4 inches wide projecting about 8 or 9 inches from the center of the straight side, for the purpose of attaching it to a pole to the height they wish to raise the tent. When they erect this tent, four poles of equal length are tied near one end; these poles are elevated, and 8, 10, or 12 other poles are added, forming a circle at the ground and lodging in the forks of the four attached poles. The tents are then raised by attaching the projecting part to a pole and encompassing the poles with the tent by bringing the two ends together and fastening them with a cord, or laid as high as is necessary, leaving the lower part open for about 4 feet to pass in and out, and the top generally left open to admit the smoke to pass.
The borders of the river have been so much hunted by these Indians, who must have left it about 8 or 10 days past, and I presume are now in the neighborhood of British establishments on the Ossinniboin (Assiniboine). The game is scarce and very wild. The river continues wide, and the current gentle—no more rapid than the current of the Ohio in the middle states. The bottoms are wide and low, and the moist parts of them contain some wood such as cottonwood, elm, and small ash, with willow, rose bushes, etc. Next to the hills are great quantities of wild hyssop. The hills are high and broken in every direction, and the mineral appearance of salts continues to appear in a greater proportion, as also sulphur, coal, and bituminous water in smaller quantity. I have observed but five burnt hills about the Little Missouri, and I have not seen any pumice stone above that river.
I saw buffalo on the larboard side, crossed, and during the time of dinner killed a bull, which was poor; we made use of the best of it. I saw a village of burrowing dogs on the larboard side. Passed an island, above which two small creeks fall in on the larboard side. The upper of these is the largest, and we call it Shabonas Creek, after our interpreter, who camped several weeks on this creek and is the highest point on the Missouri to which a white man has been previous to this time. Capt. Lewis (Captain Lewis) walked out above this creek and killed an elk, which he found so lean that it was not fit for use, and joined the boat at dusk at our camp on the south side, opposite a high hill, several parts of which had slipped down. On the side of those hills we saw two white bear running from the report of Capt. Lewis's shot. These animals ascended those steep hills with surprising ease and velocity. They were too far away for us to make out their precise color and size. Saw several geese nests in trees, also the nests and eggs of the magpies. A large gray owl was killed, booted and with ears, etc.
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