Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
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1s Decr. a young Chief arrived
7 Chiens Came to the Village with a pipe & the 3 Ricares who Came here a flew days ago & Sent off yesterday have returned and Say that the Sieaux & ricares are Camped together
wind from the N W. all hands ingaged in gitting pickets &. at 10 oClock the half brother of the man who was killed Came and informd. us that after my 〈arrival〉 departure last night Six Chiens So Called by the french 〈Chat〉 Shar ha Indians had arrived with a pipe and Said that 〈their nation was at one days march and intended to Come & trade &c. three Panies had also arrived from the nation〉 [NB: their nation was then within 3 days march & were coming on to trade with us. 〈to be inserted this〉 Three Pawnees accompd these Chayennes— The Mandans call all ricaras Pawnees; don't 〈know〉 use the name of rics. but the rics call themselves Rics ] [2] The mandans apprehended danger from the Shar has as they were at peace with the Seaux; and wished to Kill them and the Ricarees (or Panies) but the Cheifs informed the nation ["]it was our wish that they Should not be hurt, and forbid being Killed &c." we gave a little Tobacco &c. & this man Departed well Satisfied with our councils and advice to him
in the evening a Mr. G Henderson [3] in the imploy of the hudsons bay Company Sent to trade with the Gros ventre —or big bellies So Called by the french traders
Saturday 1st December 1804. the morning fair. we commenced bringing the pickets & preparing to picket in our Garrison &.C. an Indian came from the Manden village to Inform us that a large nomber Sd. 300 lodge of the Shian or [blank] nation had Come to their villages. a Scotsman [4] who is tradeing at the Mandens came to visit us. he belonged to the hudson bay company [page torn, some words illegible] he brought over Tobacco Beeds & other kinds of Goods & traded with the Mandens for their furs & buffalow Robes. they bring Some Guns to trade for horses &.C. this hudsons bay compy. lay Garrisoned near the N. W. Compy. on River [blank] Eight or 10 days travel by land a North course from this.
Saturday 1st December, 1804. The day was pleasent, and we began to cut and carry pickets to complete our fort. One of the traders from the North West Company [5] came to the fort, and related that the Indians had been troublesome in his way through. An Indian came down from the first Mandan village, and told us that a great number of the Chien or Dog nation [6] had arrived near the village.
December 1st Nothing hapend Extraordinary Continued Picquiting in the huts—
December 1st Saturday This day, all our Men, were employ'd in procuring pickets, and picketting in our Fort which the Officers were determined to have made Strong.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.