24th of October Cloudy Some little Snow (my Rhumetism Continue, not So bad as the 2 last days,) a butufull Countrey on both Sides, bottoms covered with wood, we See no game to day, passed an old [village] of a Band of Me ne tarres Called Mah har ha where they lived 40 year ago on the L. S. [1] Came too on an Island Caused by the river cutting through a narrow point 7 years ago, [2] on this Island we wer visited by the grand Chief of the mandans a 2d Chief and Some other, who wer Camped on the Island, those Chief met our Ricarra Chief with great Corduallity, & Smoked together Cap Lewis Visited the Camps 5 Lodges, and pro-ceeded on & Camped near a 2d Camp of Mandans on the S. S. nearly opposit the old Ricara & Manden Village which the Ricarras abandaned in the year 1789 [3]
N. 20° W | 1 ½ | m to a pt. on the S. S. [4] |
N. 10° W. | 2 | m. to a pt. on the L. S. opsd. to new mandan Island— Cut point— |
N. 34° [5] W. | 2 | m to S S. |
N. 64° W | 2 | m to a point of high land on which the Mandans & after them the Ricaras formrley lived. |
N. 20° W. | 1 | mile to a pt. on the S. S. |
N. 10 W. | 2 | miles to a pt. on the L. S. at this place the river has laterly Cut thro forming a large Island to the S. S. (1) |
N. 35° W. | 2 | miles to an Object on the S. S. |
N. 64° W. | 2 | miles to a point of high land on which the Mandins formerly lived (2) |
7 |
24th October Wednesday 1804
Set out early a Cloudy day Some little Snow in the morning I am Something better of the Rhumutim in my neck— a butifull Countrey on both Sides of the river. The bottoms Covd. with wood, we have Seen no game on the river to day a prof of the Indians hunting in the neighbourhod (1) passed a Island on the S. S. made by the river Cutting through a point, by which the river is Shortened Several miles— on this Isld. we Saw one of the Grand Chiefs of the Mandins, with five Lodges hunting, this Cheif met the Chief of the Ricares who accompanied us with great Cordiallity & Sermony Smoked the pipe & Capt. Lewis with the Interpeter went with the Chiefs to his Lodges at 1 mile distant, after his return we admited the Grand Chief & his brother for a few minits on our boat. proceeded on a Short distance and Camped on the S. S. below the old Village of the Mandins & ricares.— Soon after our landg. 4 Mandins Came from a Camp above, the Ricares Chief went with them to their Camp,
Wednesday 24th Oct. Cloudy. we Set off eairly. proceeded on passed a Bottom on N. S. covered with fine Timber Such as oak & large cottonwood &.C. at 12 o.C. we halted at an Isl. on N. S. where we found a hunting camp of the Mandan Nation of Indians. the chief we had on board Spoke to the chief of this party told them our business &.C. they had Some handsome women with them. at 2 oC. we proceeded on passed the Isl where the River cut th[rough?] [paper worn, several words illegible] [6] which formerly used to be 10 miles Round by its cutting across forms the Isl. Camped on the N. S. 4 of the natives came to our Camp but did not remain with us but a Short time.
Wednesday 24th. We set out early in a cloudy morning. At 9 it began to rain and continued to rain for an hour. At 12 we came to a hunting party of the Mandan nation of Indians, and remained with them untill 2 and then continued our voyage. There were three lodges of these Indians on an island, which has been cut off the Grand Bend, a short distance below the Mandan village. We encamped on the north side. Five of the Indians came to us, and our Indian [7] went over with them and returned in the morning.
Wednesday October 24th This morning was Cloudy, we set off early as usual. at 9 o'Clock A. M. it began to rain, we stopped the Boat and Pettyaugers for about one hour, and then proceeded on, at 12 oClock A. M., we came too, were a party of Indians belonging to the Mandan Nation were hunting, we halted about two hours with them, and then proceeded on our Voyage, 'till the Evening and Encamped on the North side of the River, where five Indians of the Mandan Natlon came to us.—