Joseph Whitehouse: September 7, 1804
The party remained in camp while Captain Lewis and others visited the nearby Indian village of about 80 lodges, each housing roughly ten people, mostly women and children busy dressing buffalo hides. The hosts seemed exceptionally friendly though prone to pilfering, and lived in unsanitary conditions. They shared unfamiliar foods and described a recent battle with the Mahars in which they killed 65 men and took 25 women captive. That evening about 80 warriors performed a war dance around a fire, with women holding poles bearing scalps. Returning to the boat, a pirogue collided with the barge, breaking the cable and losing the anchor; the men rowed to shore and stood guard all night despite the natives offering help.
we Stayed here this day. Cap! Lewis and Some of the party
went over to See the Indians Camps their lodges are about 80
in nomber and contain about 10 Souls Each, the most of them
women and children, the women are employed dressing buffa-
loe hides for to make themselves cloathing and to make their
lodges &c. they are or appear as yet to be the most freendly
people I ever Saw but they will Steal and plunder if they can
git an oppertunity. they are verry dirty the vessels they carry
their water in is the pouch of their game which they kill and in
the Same manner that they take them out of the animel. they
gave us different kinds of victules to eat. Some of it I never
Saw the like before, about 15 days ago they had a battle with
the Mahars. they killed 65 men and took 25 women prisoners,
they took the 65 of the Mahars sculps and had them hung on
Small poles, which ther women held in their hands when they
danced, we Saw them have one dance this evening, they
kept it up untill one oclock dancing round a fire about 80 of
them in nomber. they had drums and whistle’s for musick.
they danced war dances round the fire which was curious to us.
when we came on board an axedant happened by running the
perogue across the bow of the boat and broke our cable and
lost our anker all hands was raised and roed the barge to
Shore, the Savages ran down to know what was the matter.
we told them they Said that they came to our assistance we
thanked them for Showing their good will but kept on
our guard all night for fear they would turn our enimies
themselves.
i8o4] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
We stayed here this day. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and some of the party went over to see the Indians' camps. Their lodges are about 80 in number and contain about 10 souls each, the most of them women and children. The women are employed dressing buffalo hides to make themselves clothing and to make their lodges, etc. They are, or appear as yet to be, the most friendly people I ever saw, but they will steal and plunder if they can get an opportunity. They are very dirty. The vessels they carry their water in is the pouch of the game which they kill, and in the same manner that they take them out of the animal. They gave us different kinds of victuals to eat. Some of it I never saw the like before.
About 15 days ago they had a battle with the Mahars. They killed 65 men and took 25 women prisoners. They took the 65 Mahar scalps and had them hung on small poles, which their women held in their hands when they danced. We saw them have one dance this evening. They kept it up until one o'clock, dancing round a fire, about 80 of them in number. They had drums and whistles for music. They danced war dances round the fire, which was curious to us.
When we came on board, an accident happened by running the pirogue across the bow of the boat and broke our cable and lost our anchor. All hands were raised and rowed the barge to shore. The savages ran down to know what was the matter. We told them, and they said that they came to our assistance. We thanked them for showing their good will, but kept on our guard all night for fear they would turn our enemies themselves.
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