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The Day was ushered in by the Discharge of two Cannon, we Suffered 16 men [1] with their musick to visit the 1st Village for the purpose of Danceing, by as they Said the perticular request of the Chiefs of that village, about 11 oClock I with an inturpeter & two men walked up to the Village (my views were to alay Some little miss understanding which had taken place thro jelloucy and mortificatiion as to our treatment towards them[)]
I found them much pleased at the Danceing of our men, I ordered my black Servent to Dance which amused the Croud verry much, and Some what astonished them, that So large a man Should be active &c. &.
I went into the lodges of all the men of note except two, whome I heard had made Some expressions not favourable towards us, in Compareing us with the trabers from the north— Those Cheifs observed [NB: to us that] what they Sayed was in just [NB: in jest] & lafture.— just as I was about to return the 2d Chief and the Black man, also a Chief returnd from a mission on which they had been Sent to meet a large party 150 of Gross Ventres who were on their way down from their Camps 10 Miles above to revenge on the Shoe tribe an injurey which they had received by a Shoe man Steeling a Gross Venters Girl, those Chiefs gave the pipe turned the party back, after Delivering up the girl, which the Shoe Chief had taken and given to them for that purpose. I returned in the evening, at night the party except 6 returned, with 3 robes, an 13 Strings of Corn which the indians had given them, The Day was worm, Themtr. 34° abov 0, Some fiew Drops of rain about Sunset, at Dark it began to Snow, and Snowed the greater part of the night, (the temptr for Snow is about 0) The Black Cat with his family visited us to day and brought a little meet
Tuesday 1st Jany. 1805. cloudy but moderate. we fired a Swivel & drank a Glass. about 9 o.C. 15 of the party went up to the 1st village of Mandans to dance as it had been their request. carried with us a fiddle & a Tambereen & a Sounden horn. as we arived at the entrence of the vil. we fired one round then the music played. loaded again. then marched to the center of the vil, fired again. then commenced dancing. a frenchman danced on his head [2] and all danced round him for a Short time then went in to a lodge & danced a while, which pleased them verry much they then brought victules from different lodges & of different kinds of diet, they brought us also a quantity of corn & Some buffalow Robes which they made us a present off. So we danced in different lodges untill late in the afternoon. then a part of the men returned to the fort the remainder Stayed all night in the village— rained a little in the eve.
Tuesday 1st Jan. 1805. Two shot were fired from this swivel, followed by a round of small arms, to welcome the New year. Captain Lewis then gave each a glass of good old whiskey; and a short time after another was given by Captain Clarke.
About 11 o'clock one of the interpreters and half of our people, went up, at the request of the natives, to the village, to begin the dance; and were followed some time after by Captain Clarke, and three more men. [3] The day was warm and pleasant. Captain Lewis in the afternoon issued another glass of whiskey; and at night Capt Clarke and part of the men returned from the village, the rest remained all night.
January 1st 1805. Tuesday. 2 Guns was discharged from the Swivel to celebrate the new year, a round of Small arms immediately after by each man of the party, a Glass of old ardent Spirits was given. a short time after Capt. Clark gave another. about 10 oClock one of the Intrepters & one half of the party went up to the 1st village of Mandans [4] by their request to dance. Some time after Capt. Clark and 3 more men Came up also. the day was warm and pleasant. in the afternoon Capt. Lewis Gave another glass. in the evening Capt. Clark & Some of the party came home & Some Stayed all night.
January 1st Tuesday This being the first day of the Year, we Early this morning fired off our Swivels twice, and immediately after, fired a Volley of small Arms, in honor of the day.— Captain Lewis gave each of the party a Glass of spirit, which was a short time after, repeated by Captain Clark, about 10 o'Clock A. M. One of our Interpreters, and one half of the Men of our party; went up to the first Village of the Mandan Nation, by request of their Chiefs, to dance, they having a desire to see our manner of dancing. The party had not been long arrived at this Village, when Captain Clarke and three more of the Men arrived.— The Men commenced dancing, which the Natives much admir'd, frequently signifying their approbation by a Whoop they gave, In the evening Captain Clark and some of the Men returned, and part of the Men staid all Night at the Village—
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.