Joseph Whitehouse: August 30, 1804
Heavy fog delayed travel on the river this morning. Around 9 a.m., Native visitors were ferried across in a pirogue. The captains held council, read a speech, named five chiefs, and distributed merchandise, which was gratefully received. The visitors played jaw harps and sang, while their boys shot arrows for beads. Captain Lewis demonstrated his air gun, astonishing the group. After dark, the men painted themselves, drummed, sang, and danced around a fire, with warriors rising to recount kills and stolen horses, deeds that earned them honor.
the fog is so thick on the river this morning that we could
not See across the river, untill late in the morning. about
g oClock the Indians was brought across the river in our
pearogue our Captains counseled with them read a Speech
to them, & made 5 of them chiefs & Gave them all Some
Marchandize &c &c. They received them verry thankfully
divided them out among themselves, & play on their juze
a
1804] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
harps, Sung &c. they [their] Boys Shot with their Bows and
‘arrows for Beeds and appeared to be merry, and behaved well
among our parte[y]. Cap! Lewis Shot his air gun told them
that their was medician in hir & that She would doe Great
execution, they were all amazed at the curiosity, & as Soon
as he had Shot a fiew times they all ran hastily to See the Ball
holes in the tree they Shouted aloud at the Site of the execu-
tion She would doe &c. The Captains Gave them provisions
&c. as Soon as it was dark a fire was made a drum was
repaired among them. the young men painted themselves
different ways. Some with their faces all white others with
their faces part white round their forehead, & breasts &c.
then they commenced dancing in curious manner to us. their
was a party that Sung and kept time with the drumm. they
all danced or all their young men especially. they Gave a
houp before they commenced dancing, they would dance
around the fire for Some time and then houp, & then rest a fiew
minutes. one of the warrirs would git up in the centre ‘with
his arms & point towards the different nations, & make a
Speech, telling what he had done, how many he had killed &
how many horses he had Stole &c. all this make them
Great men & fine warrirs, the larger rogues [are] the best
men 8c or the Bravest men & them that kills most gets the
greatest honoured among them
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The fog is so thick on the river this morning that we could not see across the river, until late in the morning. About 9 o'clock the Indians were brought across the river in our pirogue. Our Captains counseled with them, read a speech to them, made 5 of them chiefs, and gave them all some merchandise, etc. They received them very thankfully, divided them out among themselves, and played on their Jew's harps, sang, etc. Their boys shot with their bows and arrows for beads and appeared to be merry, and behaved well among our party.
Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) shot his air gun and told them that there was medicine in her and that she would do great execution. They were all amazed at the curiosity, and as soon as he had shot a few times they all ran hastily to see the ball holes in the tree. They shouted aloud at the sight of the execution she would do, etc. The Captains gave them provisions, etc.
As soon as it was dark a fire was made and a drum was prepared among them. The young men painted themselves different ways: some with their faces all white, others with their faces part white round their forehead and breasts, etc. Then they commenced dancing in a manner curious to us. There was a party that sang and kept time with the drum. They all danced, or all their young men especially. They gave a whoop before they commenced dancing. They would dance around the fire for some time and then whoop, and then rest a few minutes. One of the warriors would get up in the center with his arms and point towards the different nations, and make a speech, telling what he had done, how many he had killed, and how many horses he had stolen, etc. All this makes them great men and fine warriors. The larger rogues are the best men, or the bravest men, and those that kill the most get the most honored among them.
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