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14th Sent 4 men [1] with the Horses Shod & 2 Slays down for the meat I had left, 22 miles below those men were rushed on by 106 [2] Sioux who robed them of 2 of their horses— & they returned
The Snow fell 3 inches Deep last night, a fine morning, Dispatched George Drewyer & 3 men with two Slays drawn by 3 horses for the meat left below—
Thursday 14th Feby. 1805. Snowed the Greater part of last night. 4 men Set out eairly with three horses and 2 Sleds in order to bring up a load of meat from the hunting Camp. the day pleasant.
Thursday 14th. Four men set out early with the horses and sleds to bring home our meat; and had gone down about 25 miles when a party of Indians (they did not know of what nation) came upon them and robbed them of their horses one of which they gave back, and went off without doing the men any further injury. The same night the men came back and gave information of what had happened. At midnight Captain Lewis called for twenty volunteers who immediately turned out. [3] Having made our arrangements, we set out early accompanied by some Indians; and having marched thirty miles, encamped in some Indian huts. [4]
Thursday February 14th This morning we had clear weather but pleasant.— The officers sent 4 Men with 3 Horses and two Sleds (the horses being procur'd from the North West company's Traders) to bring the Meat, left by Captain Clark, and his party to the Fort; They set out on the Ice and proceeded on about 25 Miles, when they halted to water their horses, at a place in the River, that was open near a piece of Timber'd Land, where there was a Warr path, part of the Souix Nation being hidden in that place, waiting to plunder & murder any that might pass by them, that were not of their own nation, The Savages rushed out of this piece of Woods, and Ran towards our four Men Whooping and Shouting as they came, (the Men not having finish'd watering their horses) there being near 120 of those Savages, they then surrounded our Men, and took away the three horses, but offered no Violence then to them, One of these Savages returned back to one of our Men one of the horses, The Man to whom the Indian returned the horse gave that Indian some Corn bread, and divided another loaf of Corn bread, among them, giving their Chief that was with them a large Share.— These Savages took the two other horses, and two knives from them, they then formed a half-Circle round them and held a consultation, the result of which, was that they should be murder'd by their party; which would certainly have been the case; had not two of their Warriors opposed them, and would not agree to its being done, the Savages then set the 〈three〉 four Men at liberty, to go to the fort, These Savages proceeded down the River, to the Rick a Ree nation, and told them what they had done, they likewise informed the Pawne Indians [5] of the same, This was told to Captain Lewis (by a frenchman [6] who lived among the pawne Indians and was there, when this set of Indians, arrived at that Village,) 〈at our Fort some short time afterwards〉.— 〈being the 28th instant〉.— The party that was robbed by the Indians returned to the Fort, at 12 o'Clock the same night, they were very much fataigued. They immediately on their arrival, gave information to our Officers. The Officers immediately called on the party for 20 Volunteers, to off early in the Morning, in pursuit of those Robbers.— Twenty immediately of them volunteered their Service, and prepar'd themselves to be in readiness by day light.—
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.