Clark: August 31, 1804

31st of August, Friday. Rose early. A fair day. A curious society among this nation is worthy of remark, that is, one formed of their active, determined young men, with a vow never to give back, let the danger or difficulty be what it may. In war parties they always go forward, without screening themselves behind trees or anything else, and to this vow they strictly adhere during their lives. An instance of it is that last winter, on a march, in crossing the Missouri, a hole was in the ice immediately in their course which might easily have been avoided by going around. The foremost man went on and was drowned; the others were caught by their party and dragged around. In a battle with the Crow de Curbo Indians, out of 22 of this society, 18 were killed; the remaining four were dragged off by their friends, and are now here. They associate together, camp together, and are merry fellows. This custom the Sioux learned from the de Carbours, who inhabit the Gout Noie or Black Mountain.

All the chiefs delivered a speech agreeing to what we said, etc., and begged, which I answered from my notes. We made or gave a certificate to two brave men, the attendants of the great chief, gave them some tobacco, and prepared a commission for Mr. Darion to make a peace with all the nations in the neighborhood — Mahas, Poncas, Pawnees, Loups, Otoes, and Missouris — and to take to the President some of the great chiefs of each nation who would accompany him, and also to do certain other things. We wrote instructions, gave him a flag and some clothes. The chiefs sent all their young men home, and they stayed for Mr. Dorion. In the evening late we gave the commission and instructions to Mr. Dorion, and he received them with pleasure, and promised to do all which was necessary.

I took a vocabulary of the Sioux language, and a few answers to some queries I put to Mr. Pierre Dorion respecting the war, number, situation, trade, etc., of that people. They are divided into 20 tribes possessing separate interests. They are numerous, between 2,000 and 3,000 men, divided into 20 tribes who view their interests as different — some bands at war with nations with which other bands are at peace. This nation calls themselves Dar co tar (Dakota). The French call them Sioux. Their language is not peculiar to themselves as has been stated; a great many words are the same as with the Mahas, Poncas, Osage, Kansas, etc., which clearly proves to me those people had the same origin. This nation inhabits the Red River of Hudson Bay, the St. Peter's, the Mississippi, the Des Moines River, the Jacques, and the Missouri. They are at war with 20 nations, and at peace with only 8. They receive their trade from the British, except a few on the Missouri. They furnish beaver, marten, lynx, otter, fisher, bear, and deer, and have at least forty traders among them.

The names of the different bands of this nation are:

1st. Che the ree, or Bois Brule (the present band) — inhabit the Sioux, Jacques, and Des Moines Rivers.

2nd. Ho in de bor to, or Poles — they live on the head of the Sioux River.

3rd. Me ma car jo (or Make Fence on the River) — the country near the Big Bend of the Missouri.

4th. Son on to ton (People of the Prairie) — they rove north of the Missouri in the prairies above.

5th. Wau pa Coo do (Beads) — they live near the Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi.

6th. Te tar ton (or Village of Prairie) — on the waters of the Mississippi above Prairie du Chien (Dog Prairie).

7th. Ne was tar ton (Big Water Town) — on the Mississippi above the mouth of the St. Peter's River.

8th. Wau pa to (Leaf Nation) — 10 leagues up the St. Peter's.

9th. Cass car ba (White Man) — 35 leagues up the St. Peter's.

10th. Mi ac cu op si ba (Cut Bank) — reside on the head of the St. Peter's River.

11th. Son onon — on the St. Peter's, in the prairies.

12th. Se si toons — 40 leagues up the St. Peter's.

The names of the other tribes I could not get.

31st August 1804 — Speeches.

At 8 o'clock the chiefs and warriors met us in council, all with their pipes with the stems presented toward us. After a silence of about ____, the great chief dressed himself in his fine clothes, and two warriors in the uniform and armor of their nation stood on his left with a war club and spear each, and dressed in feathers.

The Shake Hand, 1st chief, spoke:

My Father — I am glad to hear the word of my great father, and all my warriors and men about me are also glad.

My Father — Now I see my two fathers, the children of my great father, and what you have said I believe, and all my people do believe also.

My Father — We are very glad you would take pity on them this day; we are poor and have no powder and ball.

My Father — We are very sorry our women are naked, and all our children, no petticoats or clothes.

My Father — You do not want me to stop the boats going up if we see. I wish a man out of your boat to bring about a peace between all the Indians, and he can do so.

My Father — Listen to what I say. I had an English medal when I went to see them; I went to the Spaniards, and they gave me a medal and some goods. I wish you would do the same for my people.

My Father — I have your word, I am glad of it, and as soon as the ice is done running I will go down and take with me some great men of the other bands of the Sioux.

My Father — I will be glad to see my grandfather, but our women have got no clothes, and we have no powder and ball. Take pity on us this day.

My Father — I want to listen and observe what you say. We want our old friend (Mr. Dorion) to stay with us, and bring the Indians with myself down this spring.

My Father — I opened my ears, and all my young men, and we wish you to let Mr. Dorion stay, and a pirogue to take us down in the spring.

The speech of the White Crane, Mar to ree, 2nd chief:

My Fathers — Listen to my word. I am a young man and do not intend to talk much, but will say a few words.

My Father — My father was a chief, and you have made me a chief. I now think I am a chief agreeable to your word. As I am a young man and inexperienced, I cannot say much. What the great chief has said is as much as I could say.

Par nar ne Ar par be, Struck by the Pana, 3rd chief:

My Fathers — I can't speak much. I will speak a little to you.

My Fathers — There are the chiefs you have made high; we will obey them, as also my young men. The pipe I hold in my hand is the pipe of my father. I am poor as you see; take pity on me. I believe what you have said.

My Fathers — You think the great medal you gave my great chief pleases me, and the small one you gave me gives me the heart to go with him to see my great father. What the great chief has said is all I could say. I am young and can't speak.

A warrior by name Tar ro mo nee spoke:

My Father — I am very glad you have made this man our great chief. The British and Spaniards have acknowledged him before but never clothed him. You have clothed him; he is going to see our great father. We do not wish to spare him, but he must go and see his great father.

My Fathers — My great chief must go and see his grandfather. Give him some of your milk to speak to his young men.

My Father — Our people are naked. We wish a trader to stop among us. I would be very glad if our two fathers would give us some powder and ball, and some milk with the flag.

Speech of Ar ca we char chi, the Half Man, 3rd chief:

My Fathers — I do not speak very well; I am a poor man.

My Fathers — I was once a chief's boy; now I am a man and a chief of some note.

My Fathers — I am glad you have made my old chief a fine and a great man. I have been a great warrior, but now I hear your words. I will bury my hatchet and be at peace with all, and go with my great chief to see my great father.

My Fathers — When I was a young man I went to the Spaniards to see their fashion. I like your talk and will pursue your advice. Since you have given me a medal, I will tell you the talk of the Spaniards.

My Fathers — I am glad my grandfather has sent you to the red people on this river, and that he has given us a flag large and handsome, the shade of which we can sit under.

My Fathers — We want one thing for our nation very much: we have no trader, and are often in want of goods.

My Fathers — I am glad, as well as all around me, to hear your word, and we open our ears. I think our old friend Mr. Dorion can open the ears of the other bands of Sioux, but I fear those nations above will not open their ears, and you cannot, I fear, open them.

My Fathers — You tell us that you wish us to make peace with the Otoes and Missouris. You have given 5 medals; I wish you to give 5 kegs with them.

My Fathers — My horses are poor from running the buffalo. Give us some powder and ball to hunt with, and leave old Mr. Dorion with us to get us a trader.

My Father — The Spaniards did not keep the medal of the token of our great chief when they gave him one. You have dressed him, and I like it. I am poor; take pity on me.

My Fathers — I am glad you have put heart in our great chief; he can now speak with confidence. I will support him in all your councils.

After all, the chief presented the pipe to us.

The Half Man rose and spoke as follows, viz.:

My Father — What you have said is well, but you have not given anything to the attendants of the great chiefs.

After which, in the evening late, we gave Mr. Dorion a bottle of whiskey, and he himself with the chiefs crossed the river and camped on the opposite bank. Soon after, a violent wind from the N.W., accompanied with rain.

31st of August. We gave a certificate to two men of war, attendants on the chief, and gave to all the chiefs a carrot of tobacco. Had a talk with Mr. Dorion, who agreed to stay and collect the chiefs from as many bands of Sioux as he could this fall, and bring about a peace between the Sioux and their neighbors, etc., etc., etc.

After dinner we gave Mr. Peter Dorion a commission to act, with a flag and some clothes and provisions, and instructions to bring about a peace with the Sioux, Mahas, Pawnees, Poncas, Otoes, and Missouris, and to employ any trader to take some of the chiefs of each, or as many of those nations as he could, particularly the Sioux. I took a vocabulary of the Sioux language, and the answers to a few queries such as referred to their situation, trade, number, war, etc., etc.

This nation is divided into 20 tribes, possessing separate interests. Collectively they are numerous, say from 2,000 to 3,000 men. Their interests are so unconnected that some bands are at war with nations with which other bands are on the most friendly terms. This great nation, whom the French have given the nickname of Sioux, call themselves Dar co tar (Dakota). Their language is not peculiarly their own; they speak a great number of words which are the same in every respect as with the Maha, Poncas, Osage, and Kansas. This clearly proves that those nations at some period not more than a century or two past were the same nation. Those Dar ca ter, or Sioux, inhabit or rove over the country on the Red River of Lake Winnipeg, the St. Peter's, and the west of the Mississippi above Prairie du Chien, the heads of the Des Moines River, and the Missouri and its waters on the north side for a great extent. They are only at peace with 8 nations, and, agreeable to their calculation, at war with twenty odd. Their trade comes from the British, except this band and one on the Des Moines, who trade with the traders of St. Louis. They furnish beaver, marten, lynx, fisher, bear, and deer skins, and have about 40 traders among them. The Dar co tar, or Sioux, rove and follow the buffalo; they raise no corn or anything else, the woods and prairies affording a sufficiency. They eat meat, and substitute the ground potato, which grows in the plains, for bread.

The names of the different tribes or canoes of the Sioux or Dar co tar nation:

1st. Che cher ree Yank ton (or Bois Brule) — now present, inhabit the Sioux and Des Moines rivers and the Jacques.

2nd. Hoin de borto (Poles) — they rove on the heads of the Sioux and Jacques rivers.

3rd. Me ma car jo (Make Fence of the River) — rove on the country near the Big Bend of the Missouri.

4th. Sou on Teton (People of the Prairie) — they rove in the plains north of the Missouri River above this.

5th. Wau pa coo tar (Leaf Beds) — they live near the Prairie du Chien near the Mississippi.

6th. Te tar ton (or Village of Prairie) — rove on the waters of the Mississippi above Prairie du Chien.

7th. Ne was tar ton (Big Water Town) — rove on the Mississippi above the St. Peter's River.

8th. Wau pa tow (Leaf Nation) — live 10 leagues up the St. Peter's River.

9th. Cas Car ba (White Man) — live 35 leagues up the St. Peter's River.

10th. Mi ca cu op si ba (Cut Bank) — rove on the head of the St. Peter's.

11th. Sou on — rove on the St. Peter's River in the prairies.

12th. Sou si toons — live 40 leagues up the St. Peter's River.

The names of the other bands neither of the Sioux's interpreters could inform me. In the evening late we gave Mr. Dorion a bottle of whiskey, and he, with the chiefs and his son, crossed the river and camped on the opposite bank. Soon after night, a violent wind from the N.W. with rain. The rain continued the greater part of the night. The river rising a little.

August the 31st, 1804. After the Indians got their breakfast, the chiefs met and arranged themselves in a row with elegant pipes of peace, all pointing to our seats. We came forward and took our seats. The great chief, The Shake Hand, rose and spoke at some length, approving what we had said and promising to pursue the advice.

Mar to ree, 2nd chief (White Crane), rose and made a short speech, and referred to the great chief.

Par nar ne Ar par be, 3rd chief, rose and made a short speech.

Ar ca we char the (the Half Man), 3rd chief, rose and spoke at some length, much to the purpose.

The other chief said but little. One of the warriors spoke after all was done, and promised to support the chiefs. They promised to go and see their great father in the spring with Mr. Dorion, and to do all things we had advised them to do. And all concluded by telling the distresses of their nation by not having traders, and wished us to take pity on them; they wanted powder, ball, and a little milk.

Last night the Indians danced until late. In their dances we gave them some knives, tobacco, belts, tape, and binding, with which they were satisfied.