Clark: July 23, 1806
Wolves or stray dogs raided camp overnight, eating most of the dried meat. Sergeant Pryor and Windsor found a fresh Indian moccasin and piece of robe, convincing Clark that Indians had stolen 24 horses on July 10th and were searching for the rest. Labiche tracked the missing horses heading downriver. The men finished two canoes by noon and lashed them together. Shields and Labiche killed three buffalo. Clark gave Pryor instructions and a letter for Mr. Heney, sending him with Shannon and Windsor to drive remaining horses to the Mandans. Clark also drafted a speech for the Yellowstone Indians.
Wednesday 23rd July 1806. last night the wolves or dogs came into our Camp
and eat the most of our dryed meat which was on a scaffold Labeech went
out early agreeable to my directions of last evening. Sergt. Pryor and
Windser also went out. Sgt. pryor found an Indian Mockerson and a Small
piece of a roab, the mockerson worn out on the bottom & yet wet, and
have every appearance of haveing been worn but a fiew hours before. those
Indian Signs is Conclusive with me that they have taken the 24 horses
which we lost on the night of the 10th instant, and that those who were
about last night were in Serch of the ballance of our horses which they
could not find as they had fortunately got into a Small Prarie Serounded
with thick timber in the bottom. Labeech returned haveing taken a great
Circle and informed me that he Saw the tracks of the horses makeing off
into the open plains and were by the tracks going very fast. The Indians
who took the horses bent their course reather down the river. the men
finished both Canoes by 12 oClock to day, and I sent them to make Oars
& get poles after which I sent Shields and Labeech to kill a fat
Buffalow out of a gangue which has been in a fiew miles of us all day. I
gave Sergt Pryor his instructions and a letter to Mr. Haney and directed
that he G. Shannon & Windser take the remaining horses to the Mandans,
where he is to enquire for Mr. H. Heney if at the establishments on the
Assinniboin river to take 12 or 14 horses and proceed on to that place and
deliver Mr. Heney the letter which is with a view to engage Mr. Heney to
provale on some of the best informed and most influential Chiefs of the
different bands of Sieoux to accompany us to the Seat of our Government
with a view to let them See our population and resourses &c. which I
believe is the Surest garentee of Savage fidelity to any nation that of a
Governmt. possessing the power of punishing promptly every aggression.
Sergt. Pryor is directed to leave the ballance of the horses with the
grand Chief of the Mandans untill our arival at his village also to keep a
journal of the of his rout courses distances water courss Soil production,
& animals to be particularly noted. Shields and Labeech killed three
buffalow two of them very fat I had as much of the meat Saved as we could
Conveniently Carry. in the evening had the two Canoes put into the water
and lashed together ores and everything fixed ready to Set out early in
the morning, at which time I have derected Sergt. Pryor to Set out with
the horses and proceed on to the enterance of the big horn river at which
place the Canoes will meat him and Set him across the Rochejhone below the
enterance of that river.
—
Speech for Yellowstone Indians Children. The Great Spirit has given a fair
and bright day for us to meet together in his View that he may inspect us
in this all we say and do.
Children I take you all by the hand as the children of your Great father
the President of the U. States of America who is the great chief of all
the white people towards the riseing sun.
Children This Great Chief who is Benevolent, just, wise & bountifull
has sent me and one other of his chiefs (who is at this time in the
country of the Blackfoot Indians) to all his read children on the
Missourei and its waters quite to the great lake of the West where the
land ends and the sun sets on the face of the great water, to know their
wants and inform him of them on our return.
Children We have been to the great lake of the west and are now on our
return to my country. I have seen all my read children quite to that great
lake and talked with them, and taken them by the hand in the name of their
great father the Great Chief of all the white people.
Children We did not see the ____ or the nations to the North. I have come
across over high mountains and bad road to this river to see the ____
Natn. I have come down the river from the foot of the great snowey
mountain to see you, and have looked in every detection for you, without
seeing you untill now
Children I heard from some of your people ____ nights past by my horses
who complained to me of your people haveing taken 24 of their cummerads.
Children The object of my comeing to see you is not to do you injurey but
to do you good the Great Chief of all the white people who has more goods
at his command than could be piled up in the circle of your camp, wishing
that all his read children should be happy has sent me here to know your
wants that he may supply them.
Children Your great father the Chief of the white people intends to build
a house and fill it with such things as you may want and exchange with you
for your skins & furs at a very low price. & has derected me to
enquire of you, at what place would be most convenient for to build this
house. and what articles you are in want of that he might send them
imediately on my return
Children The people in my country is like the grass in your plains
noumerous they are also rich and bountifull. and love their read brethren
who inhabit the waters of the Missoure
Children I have been out from my country two winters, I am pore necked and
nothing to keep of the rain. when I set out from my country I had a plenty
but have given it all to my read children whome I have seen on my way to
the Great Lake of the West. and have now nothing.
Children Your Great father will be very sorry to here of the ____ stealing
the horses of his Chiefs warrors whome he sent out to do good to his red
children on the waters of Missoure.
_____ their ears to his good counsels he will shut them and not let any
goods & guns be brought to the red people. but to those who open their
Ears to his counsels he will send every thing they want into their
country. and build a house where they may come to and be supplyed whenever
they wish.
Children Your Great father the Chief of all the white people has derected
me to inform his red children to be at peace with each other, and the
white people who may come into your country under the protection of the
Flag of your great father which you. those people who may visit you under
the protection of that flag are good people and will do you no harm
Children Your great father has detected me to tell you not to suffer your
young and thoughtless men to take the horses or property of your
neighbours or the white people, but to trade with them fairly and
honestly, as those of his red children below.
Children The red children of your great father who live near him and have
opened their ears to his counsels are rich and hapy have plenty of horses
cows & Hogs fowls bread &c.&c. live in good houses, and sleep
sound. and all those of his red children who inhabit the waters of the
Missouri who open their ears to what I say and follow the counsels of
their great father the President of the United States, will in a fiew
years be as hapy as those mentioned &c.
Children It is the wish of your Great father the Chief of all the white
people that some 2 of the principal Chiefs of this ____ Nation should
Visit him at his great city and receive from his own mouth. his good
counsels, and from his own hands his abundant gifts, Those of his red
children who visit him do not return with empty hands, he send them to
their nation loaded with presents
Children If any one two or 3 of your great chiefs wishes to visit your
great father and will go with me, he will send you back next Summer loaded
with presents and some goods for the nation. You will then see with your
own eyes and here with your own years what the white people can do for
you. they do not speak with two tongues nor promis what they can’t perform
Children Consult together and give me an answer as soon as possible your
great father is anxious to here from (& see his red children who wish
to visit him) I cannot stay but must proceed on & inform him &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Wednesday, July 23rd, 1806. Last night the wolves or dogs came into our camp and ate most of our dried meat, which was on a scaffold. Labeech (Labiche) went out early according to my directions of last evening. Sergeant Pryor and Windser (Windsor) also went out. Sergeant Pryor found an Indian moccasin and a small piece of a robe. The moccasin was worn out on the bottom and still wet, and had every appearance of having been worn only a few hours before. These Indian signs are conclusive to me that they have taken the 24 horses we lost on the night of the 10th of this month, and that those who were about last night were in search of the rest of our horses, which they could not find because the horses had fortunately gotten into a small prairie surrounded with thick timber in the bottom. Labeech returned, having taken a great circle, and informed me that he saw the tracks of the horses heading off into the open plains, and by the tracks they were going very fast. The Indians who took the horses bent their course rather down the river. The men finished both canoes by 12 o'clock today, and I sent them to make oars and get poles, after which I sent Shields and Labeech to kill a fat buffalo out of a herd that has been within a few miles of us all day.
I gave Sergeant Pryor his instructions and a letter to Mr. Haney, and directed that he, G. Shannon, and Windser take the remaining horses to the Mandans, where he is to inquire for Mr. H. Heney. If he is at the establishments on the Assinniboin (Assiniboine) River, Pryor is to take 12 or 14 horses and proceed to that place and deliver Mr. Heney the letter, which is intended to engage Mr. Heney to prevail on some of the best informed and most influential chiefs of the different bands of Sieoux (Sioux) to accompany us to the seat of our government, so they may see our population and resources, etc. I believe this is the surest guarantee of savage fidelity to any nation possessing a government with the power of promptly punishing every aggression. Sergeant Pryor is directed to leave the rest of the horses with the grand chief of the Mandans until our arrival at his village, and also to keep a journal of his route, courses, distances, watercourses, soil, productions, and animals, all to be particularly noted. Shields and Labeech killed three buffalo, two of them very fat. I had as much of the meat saved as we could conveniently carry. In the evening I had the two canoes put into the water and lashed together, oars and everything fixed ready to set out early in the morning, at which time I have directed Sergeant Pryor to set out with the horses and proceed to the entrance of the Big Horn River, where the canoes will meet him and set him across the Rochejhone (Yellowstone) below the entrance of that river.
Speech for Yellowstone Indians
Children: The Great Spirit has given a fair and bright day for us to meet together in his view, that he may inspect us in all we say and do.
Children: I take you all by the hand as the children of your great father, the President of the United States of America, who is the great chief of all the white people toward the rising sun.
Children: This great chief, who is benevolent, just, wise, and bountiful, has sent me and one other of his chiefs (who is at this time in the country of the Blackfoot Indians) to all his red children on the Missourei (Missouri) and its waters, quite to the great lake of the West, where the land ends and the sun sets on the face of the great water, to learn their wants and inform him of them upon our return.
Children: We have been to the great lake of the West and are now on our return to my country. I have seen all my red children all the way to that great lake, and have talked with them and taken them by the hand in the name of their great father, the great chief of all the white people.
Children: We did not see the ____ or the nations to the north. I have come across over high mountains and bad roads to this river to see the ____ Nation. I have come down the river from the foot of the great snowy mountain to see you, and have looked in every direction for you without seeing you until now.
Children: I heard from some of your people ____ nights past by my horses, who complained to me of your people having taken 24 of their comrades.
Children: The object of my coming to see you is not to do you injury but to do you good. The great chief of all the white people, who has more goods at his command than could be piled up in the circle of your camp, wishing that all his red children should be happy, has sent me here to learn your wants so that he may supply them.
Children: Your great father, the chief of the white people, intends to build a house and fill it with such things as you may want, and to exchange them with you for your skins and furs at a very low price. He has directed me to inquire of you what place would be most convenient for building this house, and what articles you are in want of, so that he might send them immediately upon my return.
Children: The people in my country are like the grass in your plains, numerous; they are also rich and bountiful, and love their red brethren who inhabit the waters of the Missoure (Missouri).
Children: I have been out from my country two winters. I am poor, naked, and have nothing to keep off the rain. When I set out from my country I had plenty, but have given it all to my red children whom I have seen on my way to the great lake of the West, and have nothing now.
Children: Your great father will be very sorry to hear of the ____ stealing the horses of his chiefs and warriors, whom he sent out to do good to his red children on the waters of the Missoure (Missouri).
_____ their ears to his good counsels, he will shut them and not let any goods and guns be brought to the red people; but to those who open their ears to his counsels, he will send everything they want into their country, and build a house where they may come and be supplied whenever they wish.
Children: Your great father, the chief of all the white people, has directed me to tell his red children to be at peace with each other, and with the white people who may come into your country under the protection of the flag of your great father. Those people who may visit you under the protection of that flag are good people and will do you no harm.
Children: Your great father has directed me to tell you not to allow your young and thoughtless men to take the horses or property of your neighbors or of the white people, but to trade with them fairly and honestly, as do those of his red children below.
Children: The red children of your great father who live near him and have opened their ears to his counsels are rich and happy. They have plenty of horses, cows, hogs, fowl, bread, etc., live in good houses, and sleep soundly. And all those of his red children who inhabit the waters of the Missouri who open their ears to what I say and follow the counsels of their great father, the President of the United States, will in a few years be as happy as those mentioned, etc.
Children: It is the wish of your great father, the chief of all the white people, that some 2 of the principal chiefs of this ____ Nation should visit him at his great city and receive from his own mouth his good counsels, and from his own hands his abundant gifts. Those of his red children who visit him do not return with empty hands; he sends them back to their nation loaded with presents.
Children: If any one, two, or three of your great chiefs wish to visit your great father and will go with me, he will send you back next summer loaded with presents and some goods for the nation. You will then see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears what the white people can do for you. They do not speak with two tongues, nor promise what they cannot perform.
Children: Consult together and give me an answer as soon as possible. Your great father is anxious to hear from (and see his red children who wish to visit him). I cannot stay, but must proceed on and inform him, etc.
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