Clark: August 18, 1806
Heavy overnight rain and strong southeasterly winds delayed the party's departure until 8 a.m. and slowed travel all day, though they still made 40 miles. The Mandan chief Big White's brother met them on the beach for a farewell, receiving a pair of leggings. Hunters killed three deer for dinner and four more at the evening camp, opposite an old Mandan village near the Chisschetar River. That night, Clark recorded Big White's accounts of Mandan and Hidatsa origins, migrations, and devastation by Sioux attacks and smallpox.
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-
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Monday, 18th August 1806. There was moderate rain last night, and the wind this morning from the southeast caused the water to be so rough that we could not proceed until 8 a.m., at which time it fell a little and we proceeded on, though the waves were still 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 beach who appeared anxious to speak to us. I directed the canoes to land. This Indian proved to be the brother of the Chief we had on board, and had come down from his camp at no great distance to take his leave of his brother. The Chief gave him a pair of leggings and took an affectionate leave of his brother, and we proceeded on, having previously sent on two canoes with hunters to kill some meat. At 2 p.m. we overtook the canoe hunters; they had killed three deer, which were 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 extraordinary stories of their tradition.
After dinner we proceeded on to a point on the northeast side opposite the remains of an old Mandan village a little below the entrance of Chiss-che-tar (Chiss-che-tar) River, and the place where we camped as we ascended this river on the 20th of October 1804, having come 40 miles today. After landing, which was a little before night, the hunters ran out into the bottom and killed four deer. The winds blew hard from the southeast all day, which retarded our progress very much. After the fires were made, I sat myself down with the Big White, the Mandan Chief, and made a number of inquiries into the tradition of his nation, as well as the time of their inhabiting and the number of villages whose remains we see on different parts of the river, and also the cause of their evacuation.
He told me his nation first came out of the ground, where they had a great village. A grapevine grew down through the earth to their village, and they saw light. Some of their people ascended by the grapevine upon the earth and saw buffalo and every kind of animal, also grapes, plums, etc. They gathered some grapes and took down the vine to the village, and they tasted them and found them good, and determined to go up and live upon the earth. Great numbers climbed the vine and got upon the earth—men, women, 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 have remained there ever since. (The Mandans believe that when they die they return to this village.) Those who were left on earth made a village on the river below and were very numerous, etc.
He said that he was born in the village opposite to our camp, and at that time his nation inhabited 7 villages as large as that, and were full of people. The Sioux and smallpox 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 Arikara (Ricaras) village above. Their troubles with the Sioux and Pawnees or Arikaras compelled them to move and build the village where they now live.
He said that the Minitarees (Menitarras) came out of the water to the east and came to this country and built a village near the Mandans, from whom they got corn, beans, etc. They were very numerous and resided in one village a little above this place on the opposite side. They quarreled about a buffalo, and two bands left the village and went into the plains. (Those two bands are now known by the titles Pounch and Crow Indians.) The balance of the Minitarees moved their village to where it now stands, where they have lived ever since.
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