Fort Mandan, North Dakota — Patrick Gass: November 28, 1804
The expedition prepared to depart around 9 a.m., with some chiefs aboard intending to travel with them. Tensions flared when Indians grabbed the boat's rope and refused to release it; Captain Lewis nearly ordered the rope cut and fire opened, but the chiefs negotiated, and a carrot of tobacco secured peaceful passage. They sailed under a gentle breeze, passed varied terrain, and took aboard a messenger reporting 300 more Indians had arrived. Anchoring at sunset using two large stones, the party noted these nomadic people use dogs to haul roughly 70 pounds of baggage.
where the boat lay, but could not find the anchor. At 9 o’clock
we made preparations to sail ; some of the chiefs were on
board, and concluded to go some distance with us. When
we went to shove off, some of the Indians took hold of the
rope and would not let it go. This conduct had like to be
attended with bad consequences, as Captain Lewis was near
giving orders to cut the rope and to fire on them. The chiefs,
however, went out and talked with them : they said they wanted
a carrot of tobacco, and that if we gave that we might go.
The tobacco was given them, and we went off under a gentle
breeze of wind. We passed high land on the north side and
bottom on the south. We proceeded 4 miles and then saw an
Indian following us along the beach, when captain Lewis went
in a periogue and brought him on board. He informed us
that 300 more Indians had come to their camp, and desired
we should stop and talk with them. We did not then stop,
but proceeded on, and he remained on board. We passed a
fine bottom covered with timber on the north side, and bare
hills on the south. We made two large stones serve the pur-
pose of an anchor, and at sunset anchored for the night, near
a small sand bar in the middle of the river.
While I was at the Indian camp yesterday, they yoked a
dog to a kind of car, which they have to haul their baggage
from one camp to another ; the nation having no settled place
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 41
or village, but are always moving about.* The dogs are not
large, much resemble a wolf, and will haul about 70 pounds
each.
*It appears that these people, (in some respects resembling the wandering Arabs)
are an unsettled, ferocious, blood-thirsty race, and have been great destroyers of the
Algonquin nation, who inhabit the country about lake Superior. Mr. Mackenzie
states the following circumstance : ” Within three miles of the last portage ” (a place
near lake Superior) ” is a remarkable rock, with a smooth face, but split and cracked
in different parts, which hang over the water. Into one of its horizontal chasms a
great number of arrows has been shot, which is said to have been done by a war party
of the Nadowasis or Sieux, who had done much mischief in this country, and left these
weapons as a warning to the Cheboisor natives, that, notwithstanding its lakes, rivers
and rocks, it was not inaccessible to their enemies.”
General History of the Fur Trade.
42 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
CHAP. IF.
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where the boat lay, but could not find the anchor. At 9 o'clock we made preparations to sail; some of the chiefs were on board, and decided to go some distance with us. When we went to shove off, some of the Indians took hold of the rope and would not let it go. This conduct nearly led to bad consequences, as Captain Lewis was close to giving orders to cut the rope and fire on them. The chiefs, however, went out and talked with them: they said they wanted a carrot of tobacco, and that if we gave them that, we might go. The tobacco was given to them, and we went off under a gentle breeze of wind. We passed high land on the north side and bottom land on the south. We proceeded 4 miles and then saw an Indian following us along the beach, when Captain Lewis went in a pirogue and brought him on board. He informed us that 300 more Indians had come to their camp, and asked that we stop and talk with them. We did not stop then, but proceeded on, and he remained on board. We passed a fine bottom covered with timber on the north side, and bare hills on the south. We used two large stones to serve as an anchor, and at sunset anchored for the night, near a small sand bar in the middle of the river.
While I was at the Indian camp yesterday, they yoked a dog to a kind of cart, which they use to haul their baggage from one camp to another; the nation has no settled place or village, but is always moving about.* The dogs are not large, much resemble a wolf, and will haul about 70 pounds each.
*It appears that these people (in some respects resembling the wandering Arabs) are an unsettled, fierce, bloodthirsty race, and have been great destroyers of the Algonquin nation, who inhabit the country around Lake Superior. Mr. Mackenzie states the following circumstance: "Within three miles of the last portage" (a place near Lake Superior) "is a remarkable rock, with a smooth face, but split and cracked in different parts, which hangs over the water. Into one of its horizontal chasms a great number of arrows has been shot, which is said to have been done by a war party of the Nadowasis or Sieux, who had done much mischief in this country, and left these weapons as a warning to the Cheboisor natives, that, notwithstanding its lakes, rivers and rocks, it was not inaccessible to their enemies."
General History of the Fur Trade.
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