Building Fort Mandan — John Ordway: October 29, 1804

Indians to assemble to day for to hold a Council with our officers.
Specially the chiefs & warries of 3 nat3 at 11 oClock the counsel
commenced a Gun was fired from our Bow peace when our
officers took the chiefs by the hand Cap* Lewis delivered a
Speech to them through Interpreter, & counseled with the
Manden Grovanters & Weta Souix4 nations, the counsel was
ended about 4 oC. P. M. another Gun was fired, & then our
officers Gave the or each head chief a meddel & a flag and made a
l3t & 2nd chief to each village & Gave the head chiefs a Suit of
cloaths and a quantity of Small Goods for their nations, cocked
hats & feathers &. C. &. C. Gave also a Steel corn mill to the
1 This was Rene Jessaume, for whom see post, 163, note 1.
2 In McLean County, one or two miles below the mouth of Knife River.
3 More properly known by the French name, Grosventre.
4 The traveler, Maximilian, questions the correctness of many of the Indian
names given by Lewis and Clark, ascribing them to errors in interpreting.
“Wattasoon” is the more common form of the last name here given.
160 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Oct. 30
Manden nation which pleased them verry much1 the captains
requested them to assemble again tomorrow if possable to Give
us answer to what we;had-Sd to them respecting makeing peace
with the Rickarees and all other nations & whether they mean to
Go to See their Great father &. C. Cap* Lewis Shot the air Gun
which pleased them much they returned home to their village,
hoisted the flag we Gave them as well as the officers Gave an
american flag for each village &. C. &. C.