Rapid descent of Missouri, 70-80 miles/day — Patrick Gass: August 21, 1806
The party reached the first Arikara village around 10 a.m., meeting three Frenchmen along the way; one young former North West Company trader was permitted to join the expedition. Captain Clark held council with the Arikara, who pledged peace but declined to send chiefs to the United States since an earlier envoy had not yet returned. Cheyenne traders were also encamped there exchanging buffalo meat and robes for corn and beans. Another Frenchman joined the group, and they camped at an island village. The next morning brought rain; they departed at noon, dried baggage, and continued twelve more miles.
morning. At 10 o’clock we arrived at the first village of the
Rickarees, and halted. In our way here we met three French-
men in a canoe; one of them a young man, who formerly be-
longed to the North West Company of traders, wished to go
with us to the United States; which our Commanding Officers
consented to and he was taken on board one of our canoes.
When we halted and landed at the villages, the natives gener-
278 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
ally assembled, and Captain Clarke held council with them;
when they declared they would live in peace with all nations;
but that their chiefs and warriors would not go to the United
States at present, as they had sent one chief already, and he
had not returned. There are also a great many of the Chien,
or Dog nation encamped here, in large handsome leather
lodges; and who have come to trade with the Rickarees for
corn and beans, for which they give in exchange buffaloe meat
and robes. They are a very silly superstitious people. Cap-
tain Clarke gave one of their chiefs a medal, which he gave
back with a buffaloe robe, and said he was afraid of white
people, and did not like to take any thing from them; but
after some persuasion he accepted the medal, and we left
them.* Here a Frenchman joined us to go to St. Louis, who
was in the service of the Commanding Officers; and we
dropped down to the village on an island, and encamped for
the night.
*We think that some further proof is necessary to establish the weakness and
superstition of these Indians. Had the chief persevered in his rejection of the medal,
we, instead of thinking him silly and superstitious, would have been inclined to the
opinion, that he was the wisest Indian on the Missouri.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION “279
CHAP. XXV.
RIDAY 22d. There was a cloudy wet morning, after a
night of hard rain, and we staid at this village to 12
o’clock. The natives used us friendly and with kindness;
gave us corn and beans with other articles; but none of them
would go down with us. At noon we got under way; and
having proceeded twelve miles the weather became clear, and
we halted to dry our baggage, which got very wet last night.
At four o’clock we again went on, and had a fine passage till
night when we encamped.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Morning. At 10 o'clock we arrived at the first village of the Rickarees (Arikaras) and stopped. On our way here we met three Frenchmen in a canoe. One of them, a young man who formerly belonged to the North West Company of traders, wished to go with us to the United States. Our Commanding Officers consented, and he was taken aboard one of our canoes. When we halted and landed at the villages, the natives generally gathered, and Captain Clarke (Captain Clark) held a council with them. They declared they would live in peace with all nations, but that their chiefs and warriors would not go to the United States at present, as they had already sent one chief and he had not returned. There are also a great many of the Chien, or Dog nation, camped here in large, handsome leather lodges. They have come to trade with the Rickarees for corn and beans, for which they give in exchange buffalo meat and robes. They are a very silly, superstitious people. Captain Clarke gave one of their chiefs a medal, which he gave back along with a buffalo robe, saying he was afraid of white people and did not like to take anything from them. After some persuasion, however, he accepted the medal, and we left them.*
Here a Frenchman, who was in the service of the Commanding Officers, joined us to go to St. Louis. We then dropped down to the village on an island and camped for the night.
*We think that some further proof is necessary to establish the weakness and superstition of these Indians. Had the chief continued to refuse the medal, we, instead of thinking him silly and superstitious, would have been inclined to the opinion that he was the wisest Indian on the Missouri.
CHAPTER XXV.
Friday 22nd. It was a cloudy, wet morning after a night of hard rain, and we stayed at this village until 12 o'clock. The natives treated us in a friendly and kind manner, giving us corn, beans, and other articles, but none of them would go down with us. At noon we set off, and after going twelve miles the weather cleared, and we stopped to dry our baggage, which had gotten very wet the night before. At four o'clock we went on again and had a fine passage until night, when we camped.
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