Clark: September 28, 1804

28th of September 1804, Friday. I made many attempts in different ways to find our anchor without success; the sand had covered it up. We determined to proceed on, and after breakfast we with great difficulty got the chiefs out of the boat. When we were about setting out, the class called the Soldiers took possession of the cable. The 1st Chief was still on board and intended to go a short distance up with us. He was informed that the men sat on the cable. He went out and told Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis), who was at the bow, that they wanted tobacco. The 2nd Chief demanded a flag and tobacco, which we refused to give, stating proper reasons to them for it. After much wrangling, we gave a carrot of tobacco to the 1st Chief, and he gave it to the men and jerked the cable from them. We proceeded on under a breeze from the SE. We took in the 3rd Chief, who was sitting on a sandbar 2 miles above. He told us the rope was held by order of the 2nd Chief, who was a double-spoken man. Soon after, we saw a man riding at full speed up the bank. We brought him on board, and he proved to be the son of the 3rd Chief. By him we sent a talk to the nation, explaining our hoisting the red flag under the white: if they were for peace, stay at home and do as we had directed them; and if they were for war, or determined to attempt to stop us, we were ready to defend ourselves (as I had before said). We substituted large stones in place of an anchor. We came to at a small sandbar in the middle of the river and stayed all night. I am very unwell, I think for the want of sleep.

28th of September 1804, Friday. Made many attempts in different ways to find our anchor, but could not; the sand had covered it. From the misfortune of last night, our boat was lying at shore in a very unfavorable situation. After finding that the anchor could not be found, we determined to proceed on. With great difficulty we got the chiefs out of our boat, and when we were about setting out, the class called the Soldiers took possession of the cable. The 1st Chief, who was still on board and intended to go a short distance up with us, I told that the men of his nation sat on the cable. He went out and told Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis), who was at the bow, that the men who sat on the rope were Soldiers and wanted tobacco. Capt. L. said he would not agree to be forced into anything. The 2nd Chief demanded a flag and tobacco, which we refused to give, stating proper reasons to them for it. After much difficulty—which had nearly reduced us to hostility—I threw a carrot of tobacco to the 1st Chief, spoke so as to touch his pride, and took the port fire from the gunner. The chief gave the tobacco to his soldiers, and he jerked the rope from them and handed it to the bowsman. We then set out under a breeze from the SE. About 2 miles up, we observed the 3rd Chief on shore beckoning to us. We took him on board. He informed us the rope was held by the order of the 2nd Chief, who was a double-spoken man. Soon after, we saw a man coming at full speed through the plains. He left his horse and proceeded across a sandbar near the shore. We took him on board and observed that he was the son of the chief we had on board. We sent by him a talk to the nation stating the cause of our hoisting the red flag under the white: if they were for peace, stay at home and do as we had directed them; if they were for war, or were determined to stop us, we were ready to defend ourselves. We halted one hour and a half on the south side and made a substitute of stones for an anchor, refreshed our men, and proceeded on about 2 miles higher up, and came to at a very small sandbar in the middle of the river and stayed all night. I am very unwell for want of sleep, determined to sleep tonight if possible. The men cooked, and we rested well.