Teton Sioux confrontation near Pierre, SD — John Ordway: September 28, 1804
Clark and the pirogues spent the morning unsuccessfully dragging the river for an anchor lost the previous night. As the expedition prepared to depart, around 200 armed Teton Sioux gathered on the bank, and warriors seized the boat's tow rope, demanding the party either turn back or stay. After a tense standoff, Lewis ordered the men to their stations and angrily confronted the chiefs, eventually giving them tobacco to secure release. The party traveled four miles upriver, used stones as makeshift anchors, took an older friendly chief aboard, and anchored near a sandbar overnight.
Clark went with the pearogues eairly. this morning to hunt for
anker. Searched Some time with the Boat hook & poles, could
not find it. they took a chord and put Sinks to the middle and
took each end to the 2 pearogues and dragged the river diligently
a long time but could not find it. took breakfast about 10 0. Clock
the whole lodge of Indians were waiting on the bank to See us
Start, as we intended if the excident had not of happened last
night we gave up the Idea of finding our anker. We then were
about to Set off. Some of the chiefs were on bord insisting on our
Staying untill the others came. We told them we could not
wait any longer, they then did not incline to let us go on they
Sayed we might return back with what we had or remain with
them, but we could not go up the Missouri any further, about 200
Indians were then on the bank. Some had fire arms. Some had
Spears. Some had a kind of cutlashes, and all the rest had Bows
and steel or Iron pointed arrows. Several of the warries Set by
the chord where our boat the big Barge was tied the 2 pearogues
were tied on the outside of the Barge. Cap’ Clark was Speaking
to the chiefs in the cabbin. Cap* Lewis asked the chiefs if they
were going out of the boat, they did not incline to. then Cap’
Lewis came out [and] ordered every man to his place ordered the
Sail hoisted, then one man went out [and] untied the chord, which
the warrier had in his hand, then 2 or 3 more of their warries
caught hold of the chord and tyed it faster than before. Cap*
Lewis then appeared to be angarry, and told [them] to Go out of
the Boat and the chief then went out and Sayd we are sorry to
have you go. But if you will Give us one carret of tobacco we will
be willing for you to go on & will not try to stop you. Cap*
Lewis Gave it to them, the head chief Sayd then that we must
Give him one more carrit of tobacco more for his warries who held
the chord and then we might go, boath of our Captains told him
that we did not mean to be trifled with, nor would not humer
them any more, but would Give him 1 carrit more for the warriers,
if he would be a man of his word and Stand to his word like a man.
the chief Sayd he was mad too, to See us Stand So much for 1
carrit of tobacco if we would Give it we might go on. Cap’
Lewis Gave it to him. he then took the chord in his hand & Gave
it to us. we then Set off under a gentle Breeze which happened
1804] SERGEANT ORDWAY’S JOURNAL 143
to be favourable, we proceeded on passd bottom prarie on s.
s. high land on N. S. went 4 miles and halted, we fixed 2 large
Stone to our boats to answer as ankers, as we did not intend to
Camp on Shore again untill we Got to an other Nation. We saw
one of the fourmentioned chiefs comming up the river s. s. we
took him on board, he informed us that their was 300 Indians
around which was the other lodge, they wished to have us Stop,
this old chief Sayd he was our friend and wished to go with us for
a while, the Capte alowed him to Stay on board, we then pro-
ceeded on. at Sunset we cast anker near a small Sand bar in the
middle of the river, where we Stayed all night.1 heared Some
Indians on boath Sides of the river, corn cooked on the little
Sand bar for the next day all but the cooks Slept on board.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Clark went with the pirogues early this morning to hunt for the anchor. They searched some time with the boat hook and poles, but could not find it. They took a cord and put sinkers in the middle and took each end to the two pirogues and dragged the river diligently for a long time, but could not find it. We took breakfast about 10 o'clock. The whole lodge of Indians were waiting on the bank to see us start, as we had intended to do if the accident had not happened last night. We gave up the idea of finding our anchor.
We were then about to set off. Some of the chiefs were on board insisting on our staying until the others came. We told them we could not wait any longer. They then did not want to let us go on. They said we might return back with what we had or remain with them, but we could not go up the Missouri any further. About 200 Indians were then on the bank. Some had firearms, some had spears, some had a kind of cutlasses, and all the rest had bows and steel or iron pointed arrows. Several of the warriors sat by the cord where our boat the big barge was tied. The two pirogues were tied on the outside of the barge.
Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) was speaking to the chiefs in the cabin. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) asked the chiefs if they were going out of the boat. They did not want to. Then Capt Lewis came out and ordered every man to his place and ordered the sail hoisted. Then one man went out and untied the cord, which the warrior had in his hand. Then two or three more of their warriors caught hold of the cord and tied it faster than before. Capt Lewis then appeared to be angry and told them to go out of the boat. The chief then went out and said, "We are sorry to have you go. But if you will give us one carrot of tobacco we will be willing for you to go on and will not try to stop you." Capt Lewis gave it to them. The head chief said then that we must give him one more carrot of tobacco for his warriors who held the cord, and then we might go. Both of our captains told him that we did not mean to be trifled with, nor would we humor them any more, but would give him one carrot more for the warriors, if he would be a man of his word and stand to his word like a man. The chief said he was mad too, to see us stand so much for one carrot of tobacco; if we would give it, we might go on. Capt Lewis gave it to him. He then took the cord in his hand and gave it to us.
We then set off under a gentle breeze which happened to be favorable. We proceeded on, passed bottom prairie on the south side, high land on the north side, went 4 miles and halted. We fixed two large stones to our boats to serve as anchors, as we did not intend to camp on shore again until we got to another nation. We saw one of the aforementioned chiefs coming up the river on the south side. We took him on board. He informed us that there were 300 Indians around, which was the other lodge, and they wished to have us stop. This old chief said he was our friend and wished to go with us for a while. The captain allowed him to stay on board. We then proceeded on.
At sunset we cast anchor near a small sandbar in the middle of the river, where we stayed all night. We heard some Indians on both sides of the river. Corn was cooked on the little sandbar for the next day. All but the cooks slept on board.
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