Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — John Ordway: March 16, 1805
The party spent the day shelling corn at Fort Mandan, with strong easterly winds suggesting incoming rain. Editorial notes accompanying the entry describe Le Borgne, or One Eyed, a physically imposing and notoriously villainous chief who had been among recent visitors. Additional notes recount the captains' dispute with interpreter Charbonneau, whom they suspected of being influenced by North West Company traders. After he demanded new terms the captains found unacceptable, they released him from his engagement with the expedition.
ployed hailing corn, the wind high from the East, looklikely for rain.
1 The principal man among the visitors was Le Borgne, or One Eyed. He
was a man of gigantic size, and enjoyed a reputation for villainy comparable
to his physical stature. For tales of his misdeeds see Early Western Travels,
V, 161-62, and Coues, I, 244.
2 Clark’s journal en tries for March 11 and 12 give the particulars of the disagree-
ment with Charbonneau. Having “every reason to believe” that he had been
corrupted by the traders of the North West Company, the captains gave him
until the following day to determine whether he would go with the expedition
on the terms which had been verbally agreed upon. Charbonneau chose to de-
mand new and, as the captains thought, inadmissible terms, and they accord-
ingly suffered him “to be off with the engagement.”
1805J SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 187
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employed shelling corn. The wind was high from the East, looking likely for rain.
1. The principal man among the visitors was Le Borgne, or One Eyed. He was a man of gigantic size, and enjoyed a reputation for villainy comparable to his physical stature. For tales of his misdeeds see Early Western Travels, V, 161-62, and Coues, I, 244.
2. Clark's journal entries for March 11 and 12 give the particulars of the disagreement with Charbonneau. Having "every reason to believe" that he had been corrupted by the traders of the North West Company, the captains gave him until the following day to determine whether he would go with the expedition on the terms which had been verbally agreed upon. Charbonneau chose to demand new and, as the captains thought, inadmissible terms, and they accordingly allowed him "to be off with the engagement."
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