Clark: September 27, 1804

27th of September 1804. The bank, as usual, was lined with Sioux. We gave the two principal chiefs a blanket and a peck of corn each. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) accompanied the chiefs to their lodges. They informed us that a great part of their nation had not yet arrived, and would arrive tonight, and requested us to delay one day longer so that they might see us.

I wrote a letter to Mr. Durion and prepared some commissions and a medal, and sent them to Captain Lewis. At 2 o'clock Capt Lewis returned with 4 chiefs and a brave man named War-cha-pa. After a delay of half an hour I went with them on shore. They left the boat reluctantly (we suspect they are treacherous and are at all times guarded and on our guard). They again offered me a young woman and wished me to take her and not despise them. I avoided the subject. At dark the dance began as usual and was performed as last night, with women carrying their husbands' and relations' clothes, arms, scalps on poles, etc. Capt Lewis joined me and we continued until about 11 o'clock, and two chiefs accompanied us to the boat.

I, with two chiefs, was in a pirogue going on board. Due to bad steering, the pirogue struck the cable with such force as to break it near the anchor. Capt Lewis and 3 or 4 men were on shore. I had all hands up and was compelled to land. The chief got alarmed and alarmed the Indians. The 1st chief and about 200 men came down in great haste, armed and ready for action, and found it was false. About 20 of them camped on shore all night. This alarm Capt Lewis as well as myself viewed as the signal of their intentions. One half stayed on guard. Our misfortune of losing our anchor obliged us to lay under a falling-in bank, much exposed to the accomplishment of the hostile intentions of those Tetons (who, from their conduct, we had every reason to believe intended to make an attempt to stop our progress and, if possible, rob us). Peter Crusat, who spoke Mahar, came in the night and informed me that the Mahar prisoners told him that the Tetons intended to stop us. We showed but little sign of knowledge of their intentions.

27th of September Thursday 1804. I rose early after a bad night's sleep, found the chiefs all up, and the bank as usual lined with spectators. We gave the 2 great chiefs a blanket apiece, or rather they took off, agreeable to their custom, the one they lay on, and each one a peck of corn. After breakfast Capt. Lewis and the chiefs went on shore, as a very large part of their nation was coming in, the disposition of whom I did not know, one of us being sufficient on shore. I wrote a letter to Mr. P. Durion and prepared a medal and some commissions and sent them to Capt Lewis. At 2 o'clock Capt. Lewis returned with 4 chiefs and a brave man named War-cha-pa, or On His Guard. When the friends of those people die, they run arrows through their flesh above and below their elbows as a testimony of their grief.

After staying about half an hour, I went with them on shore. Those men left the boat with reluctance. I went first to the 2nd chief's lodge, where a crowd came around. After speaking on various subjects I went to a principal man's lodge, from there to the grand chief's lodge. After a few minutes he invited me to a lodge within the circle, in which I stayed with all their principal men until the dance began, which was similar to the one of last night, performed by their women, with poles on which scalps of their enemies were hung, some with the guns, spears, and war implements of their husbands in their hands.

Capt. Lewis came on shore and we continued until we were sleepy and returned to our boat. The 2nd chief and one principal man accompanied us. Those two Indians accompanied me on board in the small pirogue, Capt. Lewis with a guard still on shore. The man who steered, not being much accustomed to steering, passed the bow of the boat, and the pirogue came broadside against the cable and broke it, which obliged me to order in a loud voice, "All hands, all hands up and at their oars!" My peremptory order to the men and the bustle of their getting to their oars alarmed the chiefs, together with the appearance of the men on shore, as the boat turned. The chief hollered and alarmed the camp or town, informing them that the Mahars were about to attack us. In about 10 minutes the bank was lined with armed men, the 1st chief at their head. About 200 men appeared, and after about half an hour all returned but about 60 men, who continued on the bank all night. The chiefs continued all night with us. This alarm I, as well as Captain Lewis, considered as the signal of their intentions (which were to stop our proceeding on our journey and, if possible, rob us). We were on our guard all night. The misfortune of the loss of our anchor obliged us to lay under a falling bank, much exposed to the accomplishment of their hostile intentions. P. Cour, bowman, who could speak Mahar, informed us in the night that the Maha prisoners had told him we were to be stopped. We showed as little sign of knowledge of their intentions as possible. All prepared on board for anything which might happen. We kept a strong guard all night in the boat. No sleep.