John Ordway: September 25, 1804
The expedition held a council with the Teton Sioux, with about 30 selected to meet under the American flag. Captains Lewis and Clark distributed medals, a flag, tobacco, and gave head chief Black Buffalo a red coat and cocked hat. Communication was poor without a good interpreter. After receiving gifts the chiefs demanded more goods and tried to detain the boats, with Black Buffalo seizing the pirogue's cable. Both sides armed themselves before tensions eased. Clark took the chiefs aboard overnight, and the party moved about a mile upstream to camp on a willow island.
things made ready to receive the Band of the Souix nation of
Indians, Called the Tribe of Tetons. about 10 o.C. A. M. they
Came flocking in from boath Sides of the River, when 30 odd was
selected under the american Collours Cap* Lewis & Cap* Clark
went out to Speak and treat with them. Gave the 3 Chiefs 3 niew
meddals & 1 american flag Some knives & other Small articles of
Goods & Gave the head chief the Black Buffalow1 a red coat & a
cocked hat & feather &.C. likewise Some Tobacco. We had no
good interpreter but the old frenchman could make them under-
stand tollarable well, but they did not appear to talk much untill
they had got the goods, and then they wanted more, and Said we
must Stop with them or leave one of the pearogues with them as
that was what they expected. Cap* Lewis Shewed them the air
Gun. Shot it several times, then the Captains brought [on board]
the 3 chiefs and one warrier they had with them. Gave the warrier
a Sertifhcate. then Shewed the chiefs Some curiousities. Gave
them a draghm. they brought a quantity of fat Buffaloe meat and
offered us the Captains accepted of Some of it. & Gave them
pork in return, then the Captains told them that we had a great
ways to goe & that we did not wish to be detained any longer,
they then began to act as if they were Intoxicated with Some
difficulty Cap* Clark got them to Shore, they then began to Show
Some Signs of Stopping or attempting to Stop us. one of them
Stayed on board the pearogue when Cap* Clark & the chiefs went
out of it. the head chief the Black Buffaloe, Seized hold of the
cable of the pearogue and Set down. Cap* Clark Spoke to all
1 Aside from the present unpleasant encounter with this chief, Clark met
him again two years later (Aug. 30, 1806), on which occasion the white leader
indulged in the pleasure of freeing his mind concerning his opinion of the red
one’s misconduct. For the funeral oration delivered over Black Buffalo’s
grave see Early Western Travels, V, 222-23.
138
SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 139
the party to Stand to their arms Cap4 Lewis who was on board
ordered every man to his arms, the large Swivel [was] loaded
immediately with 16 Musquet Ball in it the 2 other Swivels loaded
well with Buck Shot [and] each of them manned. Cap* Clark
used moderation with them told them that we must and would
go on and would go. that we were not Squaws, but warriers.
the chief Sayed he had warriers too and if we were to go on they
would follow us and kill and take the whole of us by degrees or
that he had another party or lodge above this [and] that they were
able to destroy us. then Cap* Clark told them that we were Sent
by their great father the president of the U. S. and that if they
misused us that he or Cap* Lewis could by writing to him have
them all distroyed as it were in a moment.1 they then requested
that their women and children See the Boat as they never Saw
Such an one, the Cap* told them that we could not go far as the
day was far Spent, but we would let them see that they Should
not Stop us and that we Should go a Short distance and can
Camp for the night, the chief then let go the Cable, and Sayed
that he was Sorry to have us Go for his women and children were
naked and poor and wished to G;+ Some Goods, but he did not
think we were Marchants, nor that we were loaded with Goods,
but he was Sorry to have us leave them So Soon — they wished to
come on board Cap* Clark took the chief and warriers on bord to
Stay all night with them, we then Set off and proceeded on about
1 mile and Camped ankered out. the Guard and cooks on Shore
&.C. the Indians Camped on s. s. our Camp was on a willow
Is1 in the middle of the river, at our Starbord Side.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Things were made ready to receive the band of the Sioux nation of Indians, called the tribe of Tetons. About 10 o'clock A.M. they came flocking in from both sides of the river. When 30-odd had been selected, under the American colors Capt. Lewis and Capt. Clark went out to speak and treat with them. They gave the 3 chiefs 3 new medals and 1 American flag, some knives, and other small articles of goods, and gave the head chief, the Black Buffalo, a red coat, a cocked hat and feather, etc., as well as some tobacco. We had no good interpreter, but the old Frenchman could make them understand tolerably well. They did not appear to talk much until they had received the goods, and then they wanted more, and said we must stop with them or leave one of the pirogues with them, as that was what they expected. Capt. Lewis showed them the air gun and shot it several times. Then the captains brought aboard the 3 chiefs and one warrior they had with them. They gave the warrior a certificate, then showed the chiefs some curiosities. They gave them a dram. The Indians had brought a quantity of fat buffalo meat and offered it to us; the captains accepted some of it and gave them pork in return. Then the captains told them that we had a great way to go and that we did not wish to be detained any longer.
They then began to act as if they were intoxicated. With some difficulty Capt. Clark got them to shore. They then began to show some signs of stopping us, or attempting to stop us. One of them stayed on board the pirogue when Capt. Clark and the chiefs went out of it. The head chief, the Black Buffalo, seized hold of the cable of the pirogue and sat down. Capt. Clark spoke to all the party to stand to their arms. Capt. Lewis, who was on board, ordered every man to his arms. The large swivel was loaded immediately with 16 musket balls in it; the 2 other swivels were loaded well with buckshot, and each of them was manned. Capt. Clark used moderation with them, telling them that we must and would go on, and would go; that we were not squaws, but warriors. The chief said he had warriors too, and if we were to go on they would follow us and kill and take the whole of us by degrees, or that he had another party or lodge above this and that they were able to destroy us. Then Capt. Clark told them that we were sent by their great father, the president of the U.S., and that if they mistreated us, he or Capt. Lewis could, by writing to him, have them all destroyed as it were in a moment.
They then requested that their women and children see the boat, as they had never seen such a one. The captain told them that we could not go far, as the day was far spent, but we would let them see that they should not stop us, and that we should go a short distance and camp for the night. The chief then let go the cable, and said that he was sorry to have us go, for his women and children were naked and poor and wished to get some goods, but he did not think we were merchants, nor that we were loaded with goods; but he was sorry to have us leave them so soon. They wished to come on board. Capt. Clark took the chief and warriors on board to stay all night with them. We then set off and proceeded on about 1 mile and camped, anchored out, with the guard and cooks on shore, etc. The Indians camped on the south side. Our camp was on a willow island in the middle of the river, at our starboard side.
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