Clark: August 16, 1806
On a cool Friday, the expedition received six canoe-loads of corn from the Mandan villages, more than they could carry. Chiefs gathered to smoke and talk, and Clark presented the swivel gun to One Eye, chief of the Minitaris, with ceremony, urging him to remember their great father's words. Clark scolded the chiefs for past violence against the Shoshones and Arikaras. Little Cherry and One Eye pledged peace but feared Sioux attacks. Colter was discharged. Little Crow refused to travel downriver, but Big White agreed to go if his family and Jessaume's family came along.
Friday 16th August 1806 a cool morning. Sent up Sergt. Pryor to the mandan
village, for Some Corn which they offered to give us. he informed that
they had more Corn collected for us than our Canoes Could Carry Six load
of which he brought down. I thanked the Chief for his kindness and
informed him that our Canoes would not Carry any more Corn than we had
already brought down. at 10 A. M the Chiefs of the different villages came
to See us and Smoke a pipe &c. as our Swivel Could no longer be
Serveceable to us as it could not be fireed on board the largest Perogue,
we Concluded to make a present of it to the Great Chief of the Menetaras
(the One Eye) with a view to ingratiate him more Strongly in our favour I
had the Swivel Charged and Collected the Chiefs in a circle around it and
adressed them with great ceremoney. told them I had listened with much
attention to what the One Eye had Said yesterday and beleived that he was
Sincere & Spoke from his heart. I reproached them very Severely for
not attending to what had been Said to them by us in Council in the fall
of 1804 and at different times in the winter of 1804 & 5, and told
them our backs were Scercely turned befor a party followed and killed the
pore defenceless snake indians whom we had taken by the hand & told
them not to be afraid that you would never Strike them again &c. also
mentioned the ricers &c. The little Cherry old Chief of the Menetarras
Spoke as follows Viz: “Father we wish to go down with you to See our Great
Father, but we know the nations below and are afraid of the Scioux who
will be on the river and will kill us on our return home. The Scioux has
Stolen our horses and killed 8 of our men Since you left us, and the
Ricaras have also Struck us. we Staid at home and listened to what you had
told us. we at length went to war against the Scioux and met with Ricaras
and killed two of them, they were on their way to Strike us. We will
attend to your word and not hurt any people all Shall be Welcom and we
Shall do as you direct-.” The One Eye Said his ears would always be open
to the word of his great father and Shut against bad Council &c. I
then a good deel of Ceremony made a preasent of the Swivel to the One Eye
Chief and told him when he fired this gun to remember the words of his
great father which we had given him. this gun had anounced the words of
his great father to all the nations which we had Seen &c. &c.
after the council was over the gun was fired & delivered, they Chief
appeared to be much pleased and conveyed it immediately to his village
&c. we Settled with and discharged Colter. in the evening I walked to
the village to See the little Crow and know when he would be ready, took
with me a flag intending to give him to leave at his lodge but to my
astonishment he informed me he had declined going down the reason of which
I found was through a jellousy between himself and the principal Chief he
refused a flag & we Sent for Mr. Jessomme and told him to use his
influn to provail on one of the Chiefs to acompany us and we would employ
him. he informed us soon after that the big white Chief would go if we
would take his wife & Son & Jessoms wife & 2 children we wer
obliged to agree to do
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday, 16th August 1806. A cool morning. I sent Sergeant Pryor up to the Mandan village for some corn that they had offered to give us. He informed me that they had collected more corn for us than our canoes could carry, six loads of which he brought down. I thanked the chief for his kindness and informed him that our canoes would not carry any more corn than we had already brought down.
At 10 A.M. the chiefs of the different villages came to see us and smoke a pipe, etc. As our swivel gun could no longer be serviceable to us, since it could not be fired on board the largest pirogue, we concluded to make a present of it to the great chief of the Minitaris (the One Eye) with a view to ingratiate him more strongly in our favor. I had the swivel charged and collected the chiefs in a circle around it and addressed them with great ceremony. I told them I had listened with much attention to what the One Eye had said yesterday and believed that he was sincere and spoke from his heart. I reproached them very severely for not attending to what had been said to them by us in council in the fall of 1804 and at different times in the winter of 1804 and 5, and told them our backs were scarcely turned before a party followed and killed the poor defenseless Snake Indians, whom we had taken by the hand and told not to be afraid, that they would never be struck again, etc. I also mentioned the Arikaras, etc.
The Little Cherry, old chief of the Minitaris, spoke as follows, viz: "Father, we wish to go down with you to see our Great Father, but we know the nations below and are afraid of the Sioux, who will be on the river and will kill us on our return home. The Sioux have stolen our horses and killed 8 of our men since you left us, and the Arikaras have also struck us. We stayed at home and listened to what you had told us. We at length went to war against the Sioux and met with Arikaras and killed two of them; they were on their way to strike us. We will attend to your word and not hurt any people. All shall be welcome, and we shall do as you direct."
The One Eye said his ears would always be open to the word of his Great Father and shut against bad counsel, etc. I then, with a good deal of ceremony, made a present of the swivel to the One Eye chief and told him when he fired this gun to remember the words of his Great Father which we had given him. This gun had announced the words of his Great Father to all the nations which we had seen, etc., etc. After the council was over, the gun was fired and delivered. The chief appeared to be much pleased and conveyed it immediately to his village, etc.
We settled with and discharged Colter. In the evening I walked to the village to see the Little Crow and find out when he would be ready. I took with me a flag, intending to give it to him to leave at his lodge, but to my astonishment he informed me he had declined going down. The reason, I found, was a jealousy between himself and the principal chief. He refused a flag, and we sent for Mr. Jessaume and told him to use his influence to prevail on one of the chiefs to accompany us, and we would employ him. He informed us soon after that the Big White chief would go if we would take his wife and son and Jessaume's wife and 2 children. We were obliged to agree to do so.
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