University of California Berkeley ! CAPTAIN LEWIS, CAPTAIW CLARKE, THB JOURNAL OF LEWIS AND CLARKE, TO THE MOUTH OP THE COLUMBIA UIYEB BEYOND THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. IN THE YEARS 18045, & 6. CITING A FAITHFUL DESCRIPTION OF THE RIVER AND ITS SOURCE OP THB VARIOUS TRIBES OF INDIAN* THROUGH WHICH THEY PASSED MANNEK8 AND CUS- TOMS-SOIL CL!MATE-COMM ERCE-COLD AND SILVER MINES-ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS, &C. NEW EDITION, WITH NOTES. &BYZ8S&, COBBBCTKD, AND ILLUSTRATED WITH JIVMBBOW WOOD CUTS* TO WHICH 18 ADDEB A CQMPJLETB DICTIONARY OF THE INDIAN DAYTON, O. AND SOLD BT B. , XLM, *OH WILSON, 1840, ADVERTISEMENT. The great demand for the Journal of Lewis d& Clarke, has induced the re-publication of the work, with the additions of extensive and interesting notes, and numerous illustrations on wood. We have divided the work into Chapters, with appropriate captions; corrected much that was erroneous, in the Topography, and especially in the Nomenclature and Or- thography of the Proper Names, and the Philological errors, (of which there were many,) have been corrected, where it could be done, without too materially infringing the text. DAYTON, Aug. 1, 1840. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1840. bjr B. F. ELLS, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Ohio. FROM THOS. JEFFERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TO CONGRESS. NOVEL AND ARDUOUS UNDERTAKING. The expedition of Messrs. LEWIS and CLARKE, for ex- ploring the river Missouri, and the best communication from that to tho Pacific Ocean, has had all the success which could be expected. They have traced the Missouri nearly to its source; descended the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean; ascertained with accuracy tho Geography of that interesting communication across the continent; learned the character of the country, its commerce and inhabitants; and it is but justice to say that Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their brave companions, have, by this arduous service, deserved well of their country. THO. JEFFERSON. AN ADDITIONAL MESSAGE TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE. In pursuance of a measure proposed to Congress by a mes- sage of January l ( .ith, one thousand eight hundred and three, and sanctioned by their approbation for carrying it into exo eution, Captain Meriwether Lewis, of the first regiment of infantry, was appointed with a party of men, to explore the river Missouri, from its mouth to its source, and, crossing the highlands by the shortest portage, to seek the best water communication thence to the Pacific Ocean; and Lieutenant Clarke was appointed second in command. They were to enter into conference with the Indian nations on the route, with a view to the establishment of commerce with them. They entered the Missouri, May 14th, 1804, and on the 1st of November, took up their winter quarters near the Mandan towns, 1,609 miles above the mouth of the river, in latitude 47 degrees 21 minutes 27 seconds north, and longitute S9 degrees 24 minutes 50 seconds west from Greenwich, Oa MESSAGE. the 8t1i of April, 1805, they proceeded up the river in pur snance of the objects prescribed to them. A letter of the preceding day, April 7th, from Captain Lewis, is herewith communicated. During his stay among tbe Mandans, he had been able to lay down the Missouri, according to courses and distances taken on his passage up it, corrected by fre- quent observations of longitude and latitude; and to add to the actual survey of this portion of the river, a general map of the country between the Mississippi and the Pacific, from the thirty-fourth to the fifty-fourth degrees of latitude. These additions are from information collected from Indians with whom he had the opportunities of communicating, during his journey and residence with them. Copies of this map are now presented to both houses of Congress. With these I communicate also a statistical view, procured and forwarded by him, of the Indian nations inhabiting the territory of Lou- isiana, and the countries adjacent to its northern and western borders; of their commerce, and of other interesting eircum- *t2jaces respecting them. THO. JEFFERSON PREFACE. The advantages that arise from the discoveries of unknown regions, are too numerous to be mentioned. They arise one after another in continual succession. Geography, Civiliza- tion, Humanity, and the Arts and Sciences, receive aid from them. From the !;nr.wledgG of Geography accrues the most in- trinsic advantages of any Science extant. It not only feasts the imagination with the amusement of nov'el descriptions; but is the Jife of commerce, whcr.ce the arts and sciences re- ceive succour, and a reciprocal exchange. It cannot fail of gmn^ pleasure to the philanthropic mind, to behold implements of agriculture put in the hands of the uncivilized barbarian, to provide and protect him from the precarious reliance on the chase for a scanty sustenance. The time is not far distant, in all moral probability, when the uncultivated wilds of the interior part of the continent, which is now only inhabited by the tawny sons of the forest, and the howling beasis of prey, will be exchanged for the hardy votaries of agriculture, who will turn the steril wilderness into rich cultivated and verdant fields. It may be suggested that the intolerable sufferings of the Aborigines, from the importation of foreign diseases, and the more banetiil influence of spirituous liquors, more than counterbalance the benefits ihat they receive from civiliza- tion. These objections, it must be frankly confessed, are very powerful. Hut it is hoped, that vigilent measures will be pursued, by a government professed to be founded en the princip'es of humanity and wisdom, to prohibit the introduc- tion of spirituous liquors among them. The small pox has raged, when lit'le or no communication was held with them. Provisions are already made to introduce vaccine inoccula- a PREFACE. tion among thorn, which will prevent those horrid ravage* which arc mentioned in the course of the work. Curiosity is often excited to contemplate, that regions, up- wards of three thousand miles in length, bordering on a coun- try inhabited by an inquisitive and enterprising people, who could avail themselves of the benefit of a lucrative fur trade, should remain so long unexplored. Many impediments have retarded the tour, that has laid open to view a country hith- erto hidden from the knowbdge of the civilized American. Attempts have been made, by the great discoverer, Cap- ta'n Cook, to find a communication by water in the northern regions between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Whether the two great oceans are joined together in those regions re- mains an uncertainty; but the rigors of a frigid zone evin- ced, that though they joined it, it was impracticable to navi- gate between them. To travel among the Indians, is but to often thought the road that inevitably leads the unfortunate adventurer to an untimely death. The barbarity oj'the Indians in war is pro- verbial; but in^time of peace, hospitality and humanity are traits justly due to their character. It is a judicious saying of an eminent traveller arptngthem, that, "in time of peace no greater friend?, in time of war no greater enemies." Before the acquisition of Louisiana i>y the United States, the jealous disposition of the Spaniards debarred all adven- tures for discoveries from that quarter. These impediments would compel the discoveries of the western part of the continent, to be made by a voyage by the way of Cape Horn, which would be too Jong, ardous and ex- pensive to entice the enterprise. In the year 1789, the celebrated traveller Alexander Mac- kenzie embarked from Fort Chcpewyan, in lat. 5S, N. Ion. 110, W. from Greenwich, and with the greatest fortitude, under embarrassing and perilous circumstances, he with as- siduity explored the northern region to nearly the 70lh de- gree of north latitude, where obstruction by ice compelled him to return to Fort Chepevvyan. Thence he ascended Peace River to its source, and thence to the Pacific ocean; making many discoveries which he judiciously narrated in hie jour- nal. PREFACE. xi ichig statement 802 skins 50 401 00 Tigars Cats, \ Raccoonr f 4248 skins 25 1062 00 Bears, black ) 2541 ekins 2 CO 5082 00 gray && yell. ^ Puces, Buffaloes, 1714 skins 3 CO 5142 00 Dressed cow hides 189 skins 1 50 283 50 Shorn deer skins, 9682(5 Ibs 40 S8770 40 Deer skinsy with hci:, \ 0381 skins 50 3 ICO 50 Talloxv and fat, 8313 Ibs 20 1062 60 Bear's oil, 23 10 galls 1 23 2572 00 Muskrats, Mnrf priR_ $77971 20 "The calculations in this table, drawn from the most cor- rect accounts of the produce of the Missouri, during fifteen years, make the average of a com n on year $77,971. U 0ri calculating, in the game proportion, the amount of merchandize entering the Missouri, and given in exchange for peltries, it is found that it amounts $6 1 ,250, including expen- ses, equal to one fourth of the value of the merchandize. "The result is, that tins commerce givc-6 an annual profit of $16,721, or about 27 per cent. "If the commerce of the Missouri, without encouragement, and badly regulated, gives annually so great a profit, may w PREFACE. not rest assured that it will be greatly augmented, should government direct its attention to ill It is also necessary to observe, that the price of peltry, fixed by this table, is the current price in Illinois: if it were regulated by the pri- ces of London, deducting the expenses of transportation, the profit, according to our calculation, would be much more con- siderable. "If the Missouri, abandoned to savages, and presenting but one branch of commerce, yields sucti great advantages, in proportion to the capital employed in it, what might we not hope, if some merchants or companies with large capi- tal, and aided by a population extended along the borders of the river, should turn their attentioi to other branches of the trade, which they might undertake (I daresay) with a cer- tainty of success, when we consider the riches buried in its banks, and of which I have endeavored in these notes to give an idea. ESTIMATE OF THE SEVERAL MINES. Mine at Burton, oar 550,0001bs produce 60S is 336,66GI Ibs lead at $5, is 18,333 33 To which add 30 (on I20,0091bs manufac- tured) to each thou- sand, is 3,600 00 21,933 33 *01d Mines, 200,000 Ibs mi- neral, estimated to' produce 608 is 133,33* Ibs lead at $5 per cwt. is 6,686 67 "Mine at la Mott, 20D,QQQ Ibs lead at f 5 per cwt is 10,000 00 *S:ippose at all the other mines 30,00()lbs lead, at $3, is 1,530 00 18,166 67 Total amount, is $40,100 00 **When the manufacture of white and read lead is put in- to operation, the export valuation wiJl bo considerably aug- mented on the quality of lead/* LEWIS AND CLARKE'S JOURNAL CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. On the 14th of 31 ay, 1804, we embarked from St. Louis on our expedition. Having 1 , previous to our setting out, pro- vided ourselves with every thing requisite for the prosecution of the voyage, which consisted of Urge quantities of ama- nition and fire-arms, for the purpose of protecting us from the hostile attacks of the natives, and for procuring us food. - We likewise took a large quantity of ornaments, consisting of medals, trinkets, &c. for the purpose of gaining a favora- ble reception among the Indians, and : .o procure us such ar- ticles of use as oursitaation required. Our company, consisting of forty-three, were generally divided into two companies; the one for hunting, who trav- elled by land, and overtook the other party at night, who were in our water conveyance, which consibtsd only of two small perogues and a batteau. We were compelled to en- camp by night on the banks of the river; our vessel being too light to sail except by day. The great object of our expedition was to aid Commerce &nd promote Emigration. '1 he country bordering on the Missouri produces immense quantities of fur, which can be purchased of the Indians for a mere trifle, and which can be easily transported from the head of the Missouri to the Columbia river with very little expense, considering the low rate that horses can be purchas- ed from the Snake Indians (who inhabit the country at the bead of the Missouri) to transport them to the Columbia ri- ver, and thence to China by a very short route. This trade would give employment to an immense number of inhabitants, and the country is sufficiently luxuriant for the population of an immense colony. 16 JOURNAL OP CHAPTER IT. T&? Missouri Lergth Color Variovs ether river* Indi- an tribes Prainrs on fire Glstmrtions in Ike river Trees thiir size-^Plantx Products rf the soil Salt Springs Salt pet re Stones Volcancei Good Spirit and Evil Spirit Oar* (Salines on the Arkansas) Salt Mines, fyc. The Missouri is already ranked among- the greatest rivers. It is an object of astonishment to the whole world. The curious mind admires its rapidity, length, salubrious water, and is astonished at its color, while the reflecting mind ad- mires the innumerable riches scattered on its banks, and fore- seeing th^ future, beholds already this rival of the Mile, flow- ing through countries as fertile and populous, and as exten- sive as those of Egypt. A traveller, however intelligent he may be, can give but a faint idea of the innumerable riches accumulated on its banks. This sketch will barely point out the most impor- tant. The Missouri joins the Mississippi five leagues above th town of St. Louis, about the 4Cth degree of north latitude. It is necessary to observe, that after uniting; with the Mis- sissippi, it flows througli a space of 1^00 miles before it empties itself into the Gulf of Mexico, As this part of its course is well known, I shall speak of the Missouri only. I ascended about six hundred leagues, without perceiving a diminution either in its width or rapidity. The principal rivers which empty into the Missouri are as you ascend, the Gasconade, the river of the Usages, the two Charaturns, the Great river, the river Des Cariips, Nichinen, Batoiiey, the Great and little Nimaha, the river Platte, the river des Sioux, and L'Eau Qui Court. As far as twenty-five leagues above its jurction with tbe Mississippi, are to be found different settlements of Ameri- can families, viz: at Bonhoinme, and Feme Cfeage, &c.; be- yond this its banks are inhabited only by savage nations the Great and little Usages, settled one hundred and twenty league* on the xiver of that iiwuej luu Camp*, the Otto*, tb* I LEWIS AND CLARKE. 1 7 Panis, the loups or Pants Mahas, the Mahas, the Poukas, the Hicars, the Mandanes, and the Sioux; the last nation is not fixed on the banks of the Missouri, but habitually goes there to hunt. The banks of the Missouri are alternately woods and prai- ries; it is remarked that the higher you ascend this river, the more common are these prairies, and they seem to in- crease every year by the fires which are kindled every au- tumn by the savages or white hunters, either by chance of the design of facilitating their hunting.* * "We have no means of determining at what period the fires began to sweep over these plains, because we know not when they began to be inhabited. It is quite possible that they might have been occassionlly fired by lightning pre- vious to the introduction of that element by human agency. At all events, it is very evident that as soon as the fire be- gan to be used in this country by its inhabitants, the annual burning of the prairie must have commenced. "One of the peculiarities of this climate is the dryness of its summers and autumns. A drought often commences in August, which with the exception of a few showers towards the close of that month, continues, with little interruption, throughout the fall season. The auttrmnal months are al- most invariably cleir, warm and dry. The immense mass of vegetation, with which this fertile soil loads itself during the summer, is suddenly withered, and the whole earth cov- ered with combustible materials. This is especially true of the prairies, where the grass grows from two to ten feet high, and being entirely exposed to the action of the sun and wind, dries with great rapidity. A single spark of fire, falling any where upon these plains, at such a time, instantly kin- dles a blaze, that spreads on every side, and continues its destructive course as long as it finds fuel. "Travelers have described these fires as sweeping with a rapidity, which renders it hazardous even to fly before them; and our children's books and school geographies are embel- lished with plates, representing men, horses, and wild ani- mals, retreating at full speed, and with every mark of terror, 2 LEWIS AND CLARKE, 19 The waters of the Missouri are mudt'y, and contain through- out its course a sediment of very fine sand, which soon pre- cipitates; but this circumstance, which renders them disa- greeable to the sight, lakes nothing from their salubrity. Experience has proved, that the waters of the Missouri are rr.ore wholesome than those of the Ohio, or the upper Mississippi. The rivers and s reams, which empty into the Missouri, below the river JPlatte, are clear and limpid, but above this river, they are as n:uddy as those of the Missouri itself. This is occasioned by beds of sand, or hills of a very fine white earth, where they take their rise. The bed of the Missouri is obstructed with hanks, some- times of sand and sometimes gravel, which frequently change their place, and consequently render navigation always un- certain. Its course is generally west by nor.h-w.esi. To give a precise idea of the incalculable riches scattered on the banks of the Missouri, would require unbounded knowledge. before the devouring element. These are exaggerations If instances of this kind of danger have ever occurred, they have been rare. There is not an authenticated case, on re- cord, or in tradition, in which a man or an animal has been burned by these fires, unless he was drunk or wounded. (The burning of several Indians mentioned by Lewis and Clarke, was probably the result of some unusual accident, which they did not think necessary to explain.) The thick sward of the prairie presents a considerable mass of fuel, and offers a barrier to the progress of the flame, not easily surmounted. The fire advances slowly, and with power. The heat is intense. The flames often extend across a wide prairie, and advance in a long line, No sight can be mow sublime, than to behold at night, a stream of fire several miles in breadth* advancing across these plainsy leaving N- hind it a black cloud of smoke, and throwing before it T *- vid glare which lights up the whoie landscape with tb Bril- liancy of noonday. A roaring and cracking sound & neard like the rushing of a hurricane. The flame, whic* *n gener- al riees to the height of about twenty feet, is >cen finking , 20 JOURNAL OF The flats are covered with huge trees; the Liardor pop> liir; the sycamore, out of one piece of which are made ca- 'po.es, which carry almost 18,000 cwt; the maple which af- fords the inhabitants a wholesome and agreeable sugar; the wild cherry tree, and the red and black walnut, so useful in jpihers work; the red and white elm, neccssiry to cartwrights; thelriacanthos, which, when well trimmed, forms impene- trable hedges; the water willow, the white and red mulber- ry tree, &c. &c. On the shores are found, in abundance, the white and black oak, proper for every kind of shipwrights' and carpenters' 'work. The pine, 59 easily worked, and the stony moun- tains the durable cedar. It would be impossible to detail all the species of trees, even those unknown in other countries, and the use that can be made of them, of which we are still ignorant. and darting upward in spires, precisely as the waves dash "against each other, and as the spray flies up into the air; and the whole appearance is 'often that of a boiling and flaming sea, violently agitated. The progress of the fire is eo slow, and the heat so great, that every combustible ma- terial in* its course is consumed. The root of the prairie- grass 1 alone, by some peculiar adaptation of nature, is spared; for of most other vegetables, not only is the stem destroyed, but, the vital principle extinguished. Woe to the farmer, wliose ripe corn fields extend into the prairie, and who has carelessly suffered the tall grass to grow in contact with his fences! The whole labor cf the year is swept away in a few hours. But such accidents are comparitively unfrequent, as the preventive is simple, and easily applied. A narrow strip of bare ground prevents the fire from extending to the space Beyond it. A beaten road, of the width of a single wagon tr^k, arrests its progress. The treading of the domestic annuls around the inclosures of the farmer offords often a sufficient protection, by destroying the fuel in their vicinity; "and i n v>r cases a few furrows are drawn round the field the wild grass is closely mowed down on uee."~ -Hall's Statistics of the West. LEWIS AND CLARKE 21 The plants are still more numerous: I will pass lightly over this article, for the want of sufficient botanical knowl- edge. The Indians are well acquainted with the virtues of many of them: they make use of them to heal their wounds and to poison their arrows; they also use different kinds of Savoyanues, to dye different colors; they have one which is a certain and'prornpt cure for the venereal disease. The lands on the borders of the Missouri are excellent, and when cultivated are capable of yielding abundantly all the productions of the temperate, and even some of the warm climates; wheat, maize and every species of grain, Irish po- tatoes, and excellent sweet potatoes, hemp seems here to be an indigenous plant; even cotton succeeds, though not as well as in more southerly countries; its culture, however, yields a real advantage to the inhabitants, settled on the banks of the Missouri, who raise from two acres sufficient for the wants of their families. The natural prairies are a great resource, being of them- selves excellent pasturages, and facilitating the labors of the man who is just settled, and who can thus enjoy, with little labor, from the first year, a considerable crop. (Clay fit for making brick is very common: there is also Fayance clay, and every species of clay, which, in the opinion of intelli- gent persons, is the real koaolin to which the porcelain of China owes the whole of its reputation. There are found on the borders of the Missouri many springs of salt water of every kind, which will be more than sufficient for the consumption of the country, when it shall become inhabited. Salt-petre is fond here in great abundance, in numberless caves, which are met with along the banks of the river. The stones are generally calcareous and gates. There i* one found also, which I believe to be peculiar to the banks of the Missouri* It is of blood red colour, compact, soft under the chisel, and hardens in the air, and is susceptible of a most beautiful polish. The Indians make use of it for their ealu- muts; and from the extent of its layers it might be easily employed in more important works. They have also quar- ries of marble > of which . we only know the colour; they are S3 JOURNAL OF streaked with read. One quarry is well known anl easily worked, namely, a species of plaster, which we are assured is of the eame nature as that of Paris, ai.d of which the Uni- ted States make a great use; we also found volcanic stones, which demonstrate the ancient existence of unknown vol- canoes. We are confirmed in the belief, that there were volcan- oes in some of their mountains, by the intelligence that we received from the Indians; who informed us, "that the Evil Spirit was mad at Kcd people, and caused the mountains to vomit fire, sand, gravel, and largo stones, to terrify and de- stroy them; but the Good Spirit had compassion on them, and put out the fire, chased the Ev!l Spirit out of the moun- tains, and left them unhurt, but when they returned to their wickedness, the Great Spirit had permitted the Evil Spirit to return to the mountains again, and vomit up fire; but on their becoming good and making sacrifices, the Great Spirit chased away ths Eoil Spirit from disturbing them, and for forty snows (forty years) he had not permitted him to re- turn.' The short stay we generally made among the savage na- tions prevented us from making those researches which would have supplied us with more extensive information, respect- ing the various mines found on the borders of the Missouri; we know with certainty, only those of iron, lead anil coal; there is however, no doubt, but there are some of tin, of cop- per, of silver, and even of gold, according to the account of the Indians, who have found some particles or dust of theso metals either on the surface of the earth, or on the banks of email torrents. I consider it a duty at thesnms time to give an idea of ths salt mines and the salines, which are found in tho same lati- tude on the branches of the river Arkansas. At about 300 miles from the village of the Great Dsages, in a westerly di- rection, after having passed several brandies of the river Arkansas, we find a flat surrounded by hills of an immense extent, and about 15 leagues in diameter; the soil is black Band, very fine, and so hard that the horses hardly leave a trace. During a warm and dry season, there exhales from this LEWIS AND CLARKE. 3 'flat, vapours, which after being condensed, fall on this black Band, and cover it with an incrustation of salt, very white and fino, and about half an inch thick; and rains destroy thin phenomenon. At about 18 miles from this flat, there are (bund mines of genuine salt, near the surface of the earth: the Indians who are well acrjiriinted with them, are obliged to use levers, to break and raise it. At a distance of about 15 leagues from the flat, of which we have just spoken, and in a Foutherly direction, there is a second mine of genuine salt of the same nature as the other. These two mmes differ only in colour; the fi^t borders on a blue, the second approaches a red. In short much further eouth, and still on the branches of the Arkansas, is a saline, which may be considered as one of the most interesting phe- nomena in nature. On the declivity of a small hill there are five holes, about a foot and a half in diameter, and two in depth, always full of salt water, without ever overflowing. If a person were to draw any of this salt, water, the hole would immediately fill itself; and about ten feet lower , there flows from this same hill, a largo stream cf pure and sweet water. If this country was peopled, the working of these genuine salt mines would be very easy, by means of the river Arkansas. This species of salt is found by experience to be far prefera- ble to any other for salting provisions. Should these xotes, imperfect and without order, but in every respect founded on truth, and observations made by myself, cite the curiosity of men of intelligence, capable of investigating the objects which they have barely suggested, I do not doubt but that incalculable advantages would result , to the United States, and especially to the district of Lou- 24 JOURNAL OF CHAPTER III THE FUR TRADE, &/C. By whom carried on Best market Country at the head of the Missouri and Columbia Snake Indians Their wretch- edness Food Character Personal appearance Price of a horse Flat heads Origin of the name Kindness Honesty > fyc. It is impossible to give an exact account of the Peltries, which are brought down the Mississippi, as they are imme- diately transported to Canada, without passing any port of this country: we can obtain a true statement only from the settlements on the Lakes. It is but a short time since the Red river was explored. After leaving the river Des Moines, the Fur trade from the Upper Missouri is carried on by British houses, and almost the whole of the Furs which are obtained from the other In- dian traders, are also sent to Canada, where they command much higher prices than at New Orleans; where, in fact, there is no demand for them. It is also necessary to observe, that the further north we go, the greater the value for the peltries. It is but a few years since peltries were exported from America, by way of the Ohio. It is to be desired, that the eastern part of America should encourage this exporta- tion, by raising the prices of peitries to nearly those of Canada. The country at the head of the Missouri and Columbia river bears a great similarity; being cold and very sterile, ex- cept in pasturage only. At the foot of the mountain, at the head of the Missouri, lives a tribe of Indians, called Serpen- tine or Snake Indians] who are the most abject and misera- ble of the human race, having little besides the features of human beings. They live in a most wretched state of poverty, subsisting on berries and fish; the former they manufacture into a kind of bread, which is very palatable, but posssses very little nutricious quality. The only article of value which they possess is horses, in which the country abounds, and in very LEWIS AND CIARKE. 25 nerere winters they are compelled to subsist on thorn, for the want of a better substituto for food. They are a very harmless inoffensive people; when we first made our appearance among them, they were filled with ter- ror, many of them fled, while the others who remained, were in tears, but were soon pacified by tokens of friendship, and by presents of beads, &c., which soon convinced them of our friendly disposition. The Snake Indians are in their stature crooked, which is a peculiarity, as it does not characterize any other tribe or Indians, that came within the compass of our observation. - To add to this deformity, they have high cheek bones, lagre light colored eyes, and are very meagre, which gives them a frightful aspect. With an axe we could purchase of them a good horse, we- purchased twenty-seven from them, which did not cost more than one hundred dollars; which will be a favora- ble circumstance for transporting Fur over to the Columbia river. At the head of the Columbia river, resides a tribe by the name Pallotepallors or Flat Heads; the latter name they de- rive from an operation, which renders the top of the head flat; which is performed while they are infants, when the bones of the cranium are soft and elastiej and are easily brought to the desired deformity. The operation is perform- ed by tying boards, hewn to a proper shape for the purpose, which they cornpres on the head. In performing this singu- lar operation., many infants, I think without doubt, lose their lives. The more they get the head misshapen, it is consid- ered with them the greater beauty. They are very kind and hospitable people. We left in charge with them when descending the Columbia river, our horses, which they kept safely. '1 hey likewise found where we had concealed our ammunition in the earth; and had they not been an honest people, and preserved it safe, our lives must have been inevitably lost; they delivered up the whole, without wishing to reserve any, or to receive for it a compen- sation. They, like the Snake Indians abound in horses, whichi 28 JOURNAL OF euboist in the winter season on a shrub, which they call evergreen; which bears a Urge leaf, and is tolerably uu- tricious; they likewise feed upon the side of hills which gush out small tnrirgs of water, which melt the snow, and afford pasture. In this manner our hurses subsisted while going over the rocky mountains. The country inhabited by the Snake and Flathead Indians produces but very little game. Captain Clarke kept an account of the distances of places from one to another; which were not kept by myself, for which raacon I hope it will Le a sufficient apdogy lor sub- joining two of -his statements. CHAPTER IV. LETTER FROM CAP! AI\ CLARKE TO HIS EX- CELLENCY GOVERNOR ITAKRISOX. Fort Mandan, April 2d, "Dear Sir, "By t.h? return of a party which w'e sent from this place with despatches. I ice, fifteen miles from the river Demoir, nnd i sixty-four yards wide, here commen- ces the Sioux country. The next by nute is the Big Hioux ri^cr, which heads with the St. Peters, and waters of lake Winnepie, in some high wooded country. About ninety miles still higher, the river Jacque falls on the same side; and about one hundred yards wide. This river heads with the waters of 1-iko Winnepio, at no great distance east from the place, the head of the river Demon in Pelicin lake, be- tween the Sio-.ix rivers and St. Peters. The country on both sides of the .Missouri, from the river Platte to that pkce, has very much the same appearance; extensively fer- tile plains, containing but little timber and that little, princi- pally confined to the river bottoms and streams. The coun- try east of this place, and oif. from the Missouri as low as Stone river, contains a number of small streams, many of which are said to be so much impregnated with g'lau ber salt as to produce all its effects; certain it is that t.he water in the small s: reams from the hill bfl.>w on the south west side possesses this quality. "A/bout the river Jacque Bruff the country contains a great quantity of mineral, cobalt, cinabar, alum, copperas, and several other things; the stone coal which is on the Mis- souri is very indifferent. As. -ending fifty- two miles above the Jacque, the river Qnicum falls on the south west side cf this river, is one thousand arid twenty-six miles up, one hun- dred and fifty yards wide, not navigable; it heads in the IJlack Hills which run nearly parallel with the Missouri from about the head of the Kanzas river, and ends south west of this place. Cluicurn waters a broken country one hundred and twenty-two miles, by water, higher. White 28 JOURNAL OF river fills in on the south west side, and is three hundred yartls wide, and navigable, as all the other streams arc, which are not particularly mentioned. This river heads int. some small lakes, short of the Black Hills. The Mahaii and Pocan nations rove on the heads of this river and the Q,ui- cum, and can raise two hundred and fifty men; they ^were very numerous a few years ago, but the small pox aftd the Sioux have reduced them to their present state. The Sioux possess the south west side of the Missouri above White river, one hundred and thirty two miles higher, and on the west side. Teton river tails into it; it is small, and heads in the open plains; here we met a large band of Sioux, and the second which we had seen, called Tetons; those are ras- cals, and may be justly termed the pirates of the Missouri. They made two attempts to stop us. They a^e subdivided, and stretching on the river near to this place, having reduced the Racres and Mandans, and drove them from the country t they now occupy. "The Sioux bands rove in the country to the Mississippi. About forty -seven miles above the Teton river, the Chaycnne river falls in from the sou f ,h-west, four thousand yards wide; is navigable to the Black Hills, in which it takes its rise, in the third range. Several bands of Indians, but little known, rove on the heads of this and the river Platte; and are stated to be as follows; Chosenne, three hundred men; Stsetons, one hundred; Canenaviech, four hundred; Cayanwa and Wetaha- to, t\vo hundred; Cahata, seventy; Detame, thirty; Meme- soon, fifty; Castahana, one thousand three hundred men. It is probable that some of those bands are the remains of the Padoucar nation. At fourteen hundred and forty miles up the Missouri, (and a short distance'above two handsome rivers, which take their rise in the Black Hills) the Kicaras live in three villages, and are the remains of ten different tribes of Paneas, who have been reduced and driven from their country lower down by the Sioux; their number is about five hundred men; they raise corn, beans, &c. and appear friendly and well disposed. They were at war with the nations of this neighborhood, and we have brought about peace. Between the Itccars and this place, two rivers fall in on the southwest LEWIS AND CLARKE. 29 "and one on the north-east, not very long, and take their rise in the open country. This country abounds in a great var- iety of wild animals, but a few of which the Indians take; many of these animals are uncommon in the United States, such as white, red, and grey bears; Icng eared mules, or black tailed deer, (black at the end of the tail only) large hare, antelope or Goat; the rsd fox; the ground pranrie dogs, (who burrow in the ground) the braroca, which has a head like a dog, and the size of a small dog; the white brant, mag- p'e, calumet, er.gle, &c. and many others are said to inhabit the rocky mountains. "I have collected the following accounts of the rivers and country in advance cf this, to wit: two day's march, in ad- vance of this, the Little Missouri falls on the south side, and heads at the northwest extremity of the Black Hills, six days' march further, a large river joins the Missouri, afford- ing as much water as the main river; this river is rapid without a fall, and navigable to the Rocky Mountains, its branches head with the waters of the river Platte; the coun- try in advance is said to be broken. "The trade' of the nations at this place is from the north west, and Hudson's Bay establishments, on the Assinnehoin river, distant about one hundred and fifty miles; those traders are nearly at open war with each other, and better calcula- ted to destroy than promote the happiness of those nations to which they have latterly extended their trade, arid intend to form an establishment near this place in the course of this year. "Your most "Obedient servant, WM. CLARKE. CHAPTER V. LETTER FROM CAPT. CLARKE TO HIS BROTHER St. Louis, Sept. 1806. "Dear Brother. , We arrived at this place at twelve o'clock to day, from the. Pacific Ocean, where we remained during 30 JOURNAL OF the last winter, near the entrance of the Columbia river. This station we left on the 27th of M:irch last, and should have reachet! St. Louis early in August, had we not been de- tained by the snow, whicli barred our passage across the Hocky Mountains until tl\Q t3it 1 ^ of June. In returnii.g through those mountains, we divided ourselves into several parties, digressing from ihe route by which we went out, in order the more effectually to explore the coun 1 ry, and discov- er the most practicable route which does exist across tho Continent by the way of the Missouri and Columbia rivers: in this w.e were completely .successful, and have therefore no hesitation in declaring 1 , that, such as nature has permitted, we have discovered the best route which does exist across the continent <>f North 'America in that direction. Such is that by way of the Missouri to the foot of the rapids, below the great falls of that river, a distance of 'two thousand five hundred and seventy-five miles, thence by land, passing by the Rocky Mountains to a navigable part of the Kouskouski, three hundred and forty; and with the Kouskouski, seventy- three miles. Lewis's river one hundred and fifty four miles, and the Columbia four hundred and thirteen miles to the Pa- cific Ocean, making the total distance from the corflaence of the Missouri and Mississippi to the discharge of the Colum- bia into the Pacific Ocean, three thousand five hundred and fifty-five miles. The navigation of the Missouri may be deemed good; its difficulties arise from its falling banks, the timber imbedded in the mud of its channel, its sand bars, and steady rapidity of its current, all which may be overcome by the nocersary precaution, Thss. passage by land of three hundred and forty miles, from the falls cf the Missouri to the KouskouskJ, is the most formidable part of the tract propos- ed across the Continent. Of this, distance, two hundred miles is along a good road, and one hundred and forty miles over tremendous mountains, which for sixty miles is covered with eternal gnows. A passage over these- mountains is, however, practicable from the latter part of June to the last of September, and the cheap rate at which horses are to be obtained from the Indians of the Kocky Mountains, and west of them, reduces the expences of transportation over thi* LEWIS AND CLARKF. 3*1 portage to a mere trifle. The navigation of the Kouskouski, Lewis's river, and t l ie Columbia, is bale and good, from tho first of April to the middle of August, by making three por- tages on the latter river: the first of which, in descending, is twelve hundred paces at the falls of < oluL.bia, two hundred and sixty one miles up that river; the second of two miles, at the long narrow, six miles below the falls; and a third, also of two miles, at the great rapide, sixty-five miles slili lower down. The tide flovs up the Columbia one hundred and eighty-three miles and within seven miles of the great rapids. Lar^e sloops may with safety ascend as high as the tide water, and vessels of three hundred tons burthen reach the entrances of the Multnomih river, a large Southren branch of the Columbia, which takes its rise on the confines of New Mexico, with the Collorado and Apostle's rivers, discharging itself into the Columbia, one hundred and twen- ty-five mites from its entrance into the Pacific Ocean. I consider this track across the Continent of immense advan- tage to the fur trade, as all the furs collected in nine tenths of the most valuable fur country in America, may be con- veyed to the mouth of the Columbia, and shipped from thence to the East Indies, by. the fiiht of August in each year; and will of course reach Canton earlier than the furs which are annually exported from Montreal, arrive in Great Britain. "In our outward bound passage we ascended to the foot of the rapids below the great &lls of the Missouri, where we arrived on the l^th of June 1805. Not having met with any of the natives of the Rocky Mountains, we were of course ignorant of the. pasess by land, which existed through those mountains to the Columbia river:- And had we even known the route, wo were destitute of horses, which would have been indispensably, necessary to enable us to transport the requisite quantity or' ammunition and other stores to ensure the remaining part of our voyage down the Columbia; we therefore determined to navigate the Missouri as far as it was practible, or unless we met with some of the natives from whom we could obtain horses and information of the cauntry. Accordingly we undertook a most labor- 32 JOURNAL OF jous portage at the falls of tho Missouri, of eighteen miles, which we effected with our canoes and hag-gage by the 3d of July. From hence ascending the Missouri, we penetrated the Rocky Mountains at the distance cf seventy-one miles above the upper part of the portage, and penetrated as far as the three forks of that river, a distance of one hundred and eighty miles further. Here the Missouri divides into three nearly equal branches at the same point. The two largest branches are so nearly of the same dignity, that we did not conceive that either of them could with propriety retain the name of the Missouri, and therefore called these streams Jefferson's, Maaison's and Gallatin's rivers. The confluence of those rivers is two thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight miles from the mouth of the Missouri, by the meanders of that river. We arrived at the three forks of the Missouii on the 27th of July. Not having yet been so fortunate as to n.eet with the natives, although I had pre- viously made several excursions for that purpose, we were compelled still to continue our route by water. "The most northerly of the three forks, that to which we had given the name of Jefferson's river, was deemed the most proper for our purpose, and we accordingly ascended it two hundred and forty-eight miles to the upper forks, and its extreme navigable point; making the total distance to which we had navigated the waters of the Missouri three thousand and ninety-six miles, of which four hundred and twenty- nine lay within the Rocky Mountains. On the morning of the 17th of August, 1805, 1 arrived at the forks of Jeffer- son's river, where I met Captain Lewis, who had previous- ly penetrated, with a party of three men, to the waters of the Columbia, discovered a band of the Shoshone nation, and had found means to induce thirty-five of their chiefs and warriors to accompany him to that place. From these peo- ple we learned that the river on which they resided was not naviga! le, and that a passage through the mountains in that direction was impractibJe. Being unwilling to confide in this unfavorable acccui-t of the natives, it was concerted be- tween Captain Lewis and myself', that one of us should go forward immediately with a small party, and explore tb LEWIS AND CLARKE. 33 "river; while the other in the interim should lay up the canoes at that place, and engage the natives with their horses to assist in transporting our stores and baggage to their camp. Accordingly I set out the next day, passed the dividing mountains between the waters of the Missouri and Columbia, and descended the river which I call the East Fork of Lew- is river, about seventy m'iles. Finding that the Indian's account of the country in the direction of this river, was cor- rect, I returned and rejoined Captain Lewis on the 29th of August, at the Shoshone camp, excessively fatigued, as you may suppose; having passed mountains almost inaccessible, and compelled to subsist on berries during the greater part of my route. We now purchased twenty-seven horses of these Indians, and hired a guide, who assured us that he could in fifteen days take us to a large river in an open coun- try, west of these mountains, by a route some distance to the north of the river on which they lived, and that by which the natives west of the mountains visit the plains of the Missouri, for th^ purpose of hunting the buffaloe. Every preparation being made, we set forward with our guide on the 31st of August, through those tremendous mountains in which we continued until the 22d of September, before we reached the lower country beyond them; on our way we met with the Olelachshoot, a band of the Tuchapaks, from whom we obtained an accession of seven horses; and exchanged eight or ten others. This proved of infinite service to us, as we were compelled to subsist on horse beef about eight days before we reached the Kouskouski. "During our passage over those mountains, we suffered every thing which hunger, cold, and fatigue could impose; nor did our difficulties, with respect to provisions, cease on our arrival at the Kouskouski; for although the Pallotepallers, * numerous nation inhabiting that country, were extremely hospitable, and for a few trifling articles furnished us with an abundance of roots and dried salmon, the food to which they were accustomed, we found that we could not subsist on these articles, and almost all of us grew sick on eating them; we were obliged, therefore, to have recourse to the flesh of hor- e and dogs, as food, to supply the deficiency of our guns, 3 j 4 JOURNAL OF which produced but little meat, as game waa scarce in the vicinity of our camp on the Kouskouski, where we were compelled to remain, in order to construct our perogues, to descend the river. At this season the salmon are meagre lad form but indifferent food. While we remained here, I was myself sick for several -days, and iny friend Captain Lewis suffered a severe indisposition. "Having comnleted four perogues and a small canoe, we gave our horses hi charge to the Pallotepallow until we re- turned, and on the "7th of October, re-embarked for the i B.CI tic Ocean. We, descended by the route I have already men- tioned The water of the river being low at this season, we experienced much difficulty in descending: we found it obstructed by a great number of difficult and dangerous ra- pids in passing of which our perogues several times tilled, and the men escaped narrowly with their lives. However, this difficulty does not exist in high water which happens within the period which ! have previously mentioned. We found the natives extremely numerous, and generally friend- ly though we have on several occasions owed our lives and the fate of the expedition to our number; which consisted of thirty- one men. On the 17th of November we reached the ocean where various considerations induced us to spend the winter; we therefore, searched for an eligible situation for that purpose, and selected a spot on the south side of a lit- tle river, called by the natives Jve/u/, which discharges itselt at a small bar on the south side of the Columbia, and four- teen miles within point Adams. Here we constructed some log houses- and defended them with a common stockaoe work. This place we called Fort Clattop, after a nation of that name who were our nearest neighbors. In this country we found an abundance of Elk, on which we subsisted principal- ly during the last winter. We left Fort Clatsop on the 27th of March. On our homeward bound voyage, being much better acquainted with the country, we were enabled to take such precautions as in a great measure secured us from the want of provisions at any time, and greatly lessoned our fa- tigues, when compared with those to which we were com- pelled to submit in our outward bound journey* We have LEWIS AND CLARKE. 35 not lost a man since we left Mandans, a circumstance which I assure you is a pleasing consideration to me. As I shall shortly be with you, and the post is now waiting I deem it unnecessary here to attempt minutely to detail the occur- rences of the last eighteen months. 44 1 am &e. "Ycur affectionate brother, WM. CLARKK. CHAPTER VI. Indian trertment their dread of the Small Pox in ittentio to future wants-Evil Spirti-Marder-Indivns restrained from murder by being threatened with the Small Pox Friendship-Indian Prayer-Death of a comrade-Da*, gr from wild beasts-Eacounter with a Snake- Similar- '* m the physical organization of Indians n . of their color Hatred Oj - o ea ems 'he nose and ea r S -JJ ecoratins the putei-Hul, or Lodges-Moveable Ho ^ali-Food-Xode of cooking ^ - of cooking dance before a ,id*Jler eating-Mode o Apparent wml ofajfection-n^ This fatal infection, epread around with a banefol rapid- ity, wh,ch nofl lg h could escape, and with a &U1 SeTSt 36 JOURNAL OF nothing could resist. It destroyed, with' its pestilentia; breath, whole families and tribes; and the horrid scence pre- sentented to those who had the melancholy and effecting ^opportunity of beholding it, a combination of the dead and dying-, and such as to avoid the horrid fate of their friends around them, prepared to disappoint the plague of its prey, by terminating their own existence. The habits and lives of these devoted people, who provide not to day for the wants of to-morrow, must have heightened the pains of such an af- fliction, by leaving them not only without remedy, but even without allevia f ion. But nothing was left them, but to sub- mit in agony and despair. To aggrevate the picture, if ag- gravation was possible, may be added the sight of the help- Ices child beholding the putrid carcase of its beloved parents dragged by the wolves from their huts, (who were invited by the stench) and with a ferocious verocity, satiate their hun- ger on the mangled corpse. Or in the same manner, serve the dog with food from the body of his once beloved master, Nor was it uncommon for the father of a family, whom the infection had just reached, to call hivS family around him, to represent the Bufferings and cruel fate from the influence of some evil spirit^ who was preparing to extirpate their race; and to invite them to baffle death, with all its horrors with their own weapons; and at the same time, if their hearts failed in this necessary act, he was himself ready to perform the deed of mercy with his own hand, as the last act of his af- affection, and instantly follow them to the chambers of -death."* The Indians being destitute of physicians, living on animal food, plunging themselves into cold water, on the first discovery of the disease, rendered it generally mor- tal. While we wre at fortMandan, the Sioux robbed several of our party when they were returning to the fort, with the fruits of an excursion after game; and murdered several of the Mandan tribe in cold blood, without provocation, while reposing on the bosom of friendship. On hearing of this massacre, Captain Clarke and the greater part of ue voiun- *A western Traveller. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 37 teered to avenge the murder; but were deterred by not re- ceiving succor from the Mandan warriors; who declined to avenge the outrage committed on them. The probability of their not enlisting, was, that they were afraid of the su- perior number of the Sioux to warrant an engagement. Soon after this massacre, we received authentic intelli- gence, that the Sioux had it in contemplation (if their threats were true) -to murder us in the spring; but were prevented from making the attack, by our threatening to spread the small pox with all its horrors among them. They, knowing that it first originated among the white people, and having heard of innoculation and the mode of keeping the infection in vials, which they had but an imperfect idea of, that bare- ly a threat filled them with horror, and was sufficient to de- ter them from their resolute and bloody purpose. This strat- agem may appear insignificant to the reader, but was of the greatest consequence to us; for to it alone we owe not only the fate of the expedition, but our lives. Most of the tribes of Indians that we became acquainted with (except the Sioux) after being introduced by our inter- preter, and finding that our intentions were friendly towards them, never failed of greeting us with many tokens of their friendly disposition. Soon after our interview, we were in- vited t,o smoke the calumet of peace, and to partake freely of their venison. The women and children in particular, wer,e not wanting in showing tokens of friendship, by endeavoring to make our stay agreeable. On our first meeting, they generally held a council as they term it, when their chief de- livers a "talk," in which they give their sentiments respect- ing their new visitors; which were filled with professions of frsindship, and often were very eloquent, and abounded with sublime and figurative language. When we departed, after taking leave, they would often put up a prayer, of which the following is a sample, which was put up for us by a Mandtui: "That the great spirit wouM i favor us with smooth water, with a clear sky by day, and a bright star-light by night; that we might not be presented with the red hatchet of war; but, that the great pipe of peace might ever shine upon us, as the sun shines in an unclouded 38 JOURNAL OP day, and that we might be overshadowed by the smoke there- of; that w might have sound sleep, and that the bird of peace might whisper in our ears pleasant dreams; that the deer might be taken by us in plenty; and that the great spirit would take us homo in safety to our squaws and children.'* These prayers were generally made with great fervency, often smiting with great vehemence, their hands upon their breast, their eyes fixed in adoration towards heaven. In this manner they would continue their prayers until we were out of sight. In the fore part of autumn we experienced Blight typhus indispositions, caused by great vicissitudes of weather, which at times were very damp. Our affectiorate companion serjeant Floyd was seized V7ith a severe astenic disease, of which ho fell a victim. He was seized with an acute pain in his intestines, accompan- ied with a great suppression of the pulmonary function. Eve- ry 'effort that our eituaticn allowed, was in vaii used for his recovery; we buried him in the most decent manner that our circumstance would admit. He was universally lamented by us. Several times, many of our party were in imrnifient dan- ger of being devoured by wild beasts of prey; but happily- we escaped. .Frequently we were annoyed by a kind of light colored bear, of which the country near the head of the Mis- souri, abounds. After being attacked, they give no quarter, ..but rush with great fury towards their enemy. One of our party shot at one of them, and wounded him, the bear in- stead of being intimidated by the smart of the wound, was stimulated into rage, and rushed with great fury to devour the assailant, who savpd his life by running headlong down a steep precipice, that formed the bank of the river; but was severely bruised by the precipitant retreat. The following narrative of an encounter with a Snake it told by a companion, whose veracity can be relied on. I will give it in his own words, as he related it in a letter to his friend, 'Some time," says he "before we reached Fort Manda&, 40 JOURNAL OF while I was out on an excursion of hunting, one of the great cst monsters that ever shocked the mind with horror was pre- sented to my sight. When passing deliberately in a forast that bordered on a prairie, I heard a rustling in the bushes; I leaped towards the object, delighted with the prospect of acquiring game. But on proceeding a few paces further, my blood was chilled with horror, by the appearance of a serpent of an enormous size. On discovering me, he imme- diately erected his head to a great height; his color was of a yellower hue than the spots of a rattle snake; and on the top of his back were spots of a redish color. His eyes emitted 5re, his tongue darted, as though he menaced my destruc- tion. He was evidently in the attitude of springing at me, when I levelled my riflle at him; but probably owing to my consternation, I only wounded him; but the explosion of the gun and the wound turned to flight the awful enemy. Per- haps you may think, that my fright has magnified the de- scription. I can candidly aver, that he was in bulk half as large as a middle-sized man." In the Indian tribes there is so great a similarity in their stature, color, government, and religious tenets, that it will bo requisite, for sperspicuity, to rank them under one gen- eral head. And; when there is a contrast in course of the description, it will be mentioned. The Indians are all (except the Snake Indians) tall in sta- ture, straight and robust. It is very seldom they are deform- ed, which has .given rise to the supposition, that they put to death their deformed children, which is not the case. Their skin is of a copper color, their eyes large, black, and of a bright and sparkling color, indicative of a subtle and discern- ing mind. Their hair is of the same color, and prone to grow long, straight, and seldom or never curled; their teeth are large and white. I never observed any decayed among them, which makes their breath as sweet as the air they exale. The women are about the stature of the English-. women, and much inclined, to corpulency, which is seldom the case with the other se.#. I shall not enter into 9., discussion 2/jbout the cause of their LEWIS AND CLARKE. 41 hue. 1 shall barely mention the suppositions that are made respecting it. Some have asserted, that it is derived prin- cipally from their annointing themselves with fat in the summer season, to prevent profuse perspiration, and this, combined with the influence of the sun, has given the tinc- ture of their complexion. To support the hypothesis they assert, that the repeated above mentioned causes give color to the parent, who procreates his own likeness, until at length it is entailed on posterity. But notwithstanding this curious reasoning, others are of opinion, that the hand of tho Creator gave the reddish hue to the Indians, the sable color to the African, and that of white to the civilized na- tions. They esteem a beard exceedingly unbecoming, and take great pains to get rid of it; nor is there ever any to be per- ceived on their faces, except when they grow old and .become inattentive to their appearance. Every crinose exerescense on other parts of their body is held in as great abhorrence by them, and both sexes are equally careful to extirpate it, in which they often employ much tim'e. The PalJotepaUors, Serpentine, Mandan, and other interi- or tribes of Indians, pluck them, out with bent pieces of hard wood, formed into a kind of nippers, made for that purpose; while those that have a communication with Americans or Europeans, procure from them wire, which they ingeniously make into an instrument resembling a screw, which will take so firm a hold of the beard, that with a sudden twitch they extirpate them out by the roots, when considerable blood ne- ver fails to flow. The dress of the Indians, varies according to the tribe that they belong to; but in general, it is very commodious, not to encumber them in pursuing the chase, or their enemy; those that inhabit the Missouri, I have often seen, in cold weath- er, without any apparel to screen themselves from the incle- mency of the weather. The lower rank of the Pallotepal- lors and Clatsops, wear nothing in the summer season, but a smell garment about their hips, which is either manufactur- ed out of bark or skins, and which w r ould vie with, if not ex- el, any European manufacture, being diversified with dif- 4.2 JOURNAL OF ferent colours, which gave it a gray appearance. Their Chiefs are generally dres&ed in robes that are made out of email skins, (which takes several hundred for a garment,) of different colors, neatly tanned, which they ha.ng loosely over their shoulders. In deep snows they wear skins, which entirely cover their legs and feet, and almost answer for breeches: being held up by strings tied to the lower part of the waist. Their bodies in the winter season, are covered with different kinds of skin, which are tanned with the fur on, which they wear next to the skin. Those of the men, who wish to appear more gay than others, pluck out the greatest part of their hair, leav- ing only small locks as fancy dictates, on which are hung different -kinds of quills, and feathers of elegant plumage su- perbly painted. The Sioux and Usages, who traffic with. the Americans, wear some of our apparel, such as shirts and blankets; the former they cannot bear tied at the wristbands and collar, and the latter they throw loosely over their shoul- ders. Their chiefs dress very g;\v; about their heads thpy wear all kinds of ornaments that fan well be bestowed upon them, which are curiously wrought, and in the winter lung robes of the richest fur that tsail on the ground. In the summer there is no great peculiarity, only what the higher rank wear is excessively ornamented. The Indians paint their heads and faces yellow, green, red and black; which they esioem very ornamental. They also paint themselves when they go to war; but the method they make use of on this occasion di tiers from that which they wear merely as a decoration. The Chipaway young men, who are emulous of excelling their companions in fineny, slit the outward rim of both ears; at the same time they t^ke care not to separate them entire- ly, but leave the flesh thus cut, still untouched at both ex- tremities; around this spungy substance, from the upper to the lower part, they twist brass wire till the weight draw s the amputated rim in a bow of five or six inches diameter and draws it down almost to the shoulder. This decoration' is esteemed gay and becoming. It Is also a custom among them to bore their noses, and LEWIS AND CLARKE. 43 wear in them pendants of different sorts. Shells are often wore, which when painted are reckoned very ornamental. The dress of the Indians who inhabit the borders of Lou- isiana is for their legs, a kind of stocking, cither of skins or cloth; these are sewed up as much as possible in the shrpe of their leg-, so as to admit of being drawn on and off; the edges of tne stuff on which they are composed are left an- nexed to the seams, and hang loose about the breadth of a hand; and this part which is placed on the outside of the leg, is generally ornamented with lace and ribbons, find often with embroidery and porcupine quills variously colored. The hun- ters from Louisiana find these stockings much more conve- nient than any others. Their shoes are made of the skins of deer or elk; these after being dressed with the hair on, are cut into shoes, and faishioned so as to be easy to their feet and convenient for walking. The edges around the an- kle are decorated with pieces of bra^s or tin, fixed around a leather string about an inch long, which being placed very thick, make a delightsome noise when they walk or dance. The dress of the women in the summer season consists only of a petticoat that does not reach down to their knees. In the winter they wear a shift, rnaJe of skins which an- swers a very good purpose when they stand erect, as it is sufficiently low. but when they bend over they often put mod- esty to the blush. .Their feet and legs are covered similarly to the other sex. Most of the female Indians who dwell on the west side of the Mississippi, near its confluence with the Missouri, deco- rate their heads by enclosing their hair in plates of silver; it is a costly ornament and is made use of by the highest rank only. Those of the lower rank make use ef the bones, which they manufacture to resemble that of silver. The silver made use of, is formed into thin plates of about four cr five inches broad, in several of which they confine their hair. That plate which is nearest the head is of considerable width; the next narrower, and made so as to pass a little way under the other, and gradually tapering till they get to a very iri- . considerable magnitude/ .This proves to be of great expense, for they often wear it LE,WIS AND CLAKE. 4and food. The Indians commonly eat in large parties, so that their meals may, with propriety, be termed feasts; they have not set hours for their meals, but obey the dictates of na- ture. Many of the tribes dance before or after their meals, in devotion to the Great Spirit, for the blessings they receive. Being informed of the mode of our say ing grace, they an- swered that they thought we were stupid and ungrateful not to exercise our bodies for the great benefits that we received: but muttering with our lips, they tnought was an unaccepta- ble sacrifice to the Great Spirit, arid the stupid mode of the coreinony ridiculous in the extreme. In their feasts, the men and women eat apart; but in their domestic way of liv- ing, they promiscuously, eat together* 48 JOURNAL OF Instead of getting together and drinking as the Americans do, they make use of feasting as a substi'tue. . When their chiefs are assembled together-, on any occas- ion, they always conclude with a feast, at which their hilari- ty and cheerfulness know no hounds. No people on earth are more hospitable, kind, and free, than the Indians. They will readily share with any of their own tribe the last part of their provisions, and even those of a different nation. Though they do not keep one common stock, yet the community of goods is so prevalent among them, and their generous dispositions render it nearly of the same effect. They strike fire by rubbing together two sticks of wood, of a particular kind, which they procur e with ease; from oth- er kinda it is impossible to procure fire. They are extremely circumspect and deliberate in every word and action; there is nothing that hurries them into any intemperate wrath, but that inveteracy of their enemies, which is rooted in every Indian's breast, and never can be eradicated. In all other instances they are cool, and delib- erate, taking care to suppress the emotions of the heart. If any Indian has discovered that a friend of his is in danger of being cut off by a lurking enemy, he does not inform him of his danger in direct terms, as though he was in fear, but he first cooly asks him which way he is going that day; and having his answer; with the same indifference tells him, that he has been informed, that an obnoxious beast lies on the route where he is going, which might probably do him mischief. This hint proves sufficient; and his friend avoids the danger with as much caution, as though every design and motion of his enemy had been pointed out to him. This apathy often shows itself, on occasions that would draw forth the fervor of a susceptible heart. If an Indian hud been absent from his family for several months, either on a war or hunting party, and his wife and children meet him at some distance from his habitation, instead of the affection- ate sensations that naturally arise in the breast of more re- fined beings, and are productive of mutual congratulations^ lit -continues bis course without looking to the right or left; LEWIS AND CLARKE. 49 without paying the least attention to those around him, till he arrives at his house: He there sits down, and with the same unconcern as if ho had not been absent a day, smokes his pipe; those of his friends who followed him, do the same; perhaps it is several hours before he relaies to them the in- cidents that have b. fallen him during the abscence, though perhaps ho has left a father, a brother, or a son dead on the field, (whose loss he ought to have lamented) or has been successful in the undertaking that called him from home. If an Indian has been engaged for several days in the chase or any other laborious expedition, ant? by accident continued long without food, when he arrives at the hut of a friend, where he knows that his wants will be immediately supplied, he takes cure not to show the least symptoms of impatience, or betray the extreme hunger that he is tortured with; but on being invited in, sits contentedly down, and smokes his pipe with as much composure as if Jiis appetite was cloyed, and he was .perfectly at ease: he does the same if among strangers. This custom is strictly adhered to by every tribe, and they esteem it a proof of fortitude, and think the reverse wo^d entitle them to the appellation of old women. If you tell an Indian, that his children have greatly sig- nalized themselves against an enemy, have taken many ecalps, and brought home many prisoners, he does not ap* pear to feel any great emotions of pleasure on the occasion; his answer generally is, "they have done well," and makes hut very little inquiry about it; on the contrary, if you in- form him that his children are glain or taken prisoners; he makes no complaints, he only replies, "it is unfortun- ate," and for some time asks no questions about how it hap- pened. This seeming indifference, however, does not proceed from a want of the natural affections, for, notwithstanding they are esteemed savages, I iiovor s,uv among any other people greater proofs of filial tnmteni ?; and, although they meet their wives after a long aba ?nbo '.vali tiio stoical indiffer- ence just mentioned, they are uot jii ^ucval, void of congu* gal affection. 4 50 JOURNAL OF Another peculiarity is observable in their manner of pay- ing visits. If an Indian goes to visit a particular person in a family, he mentions to whom his visit is intended, and the rest of the family immediately retire to the other end of the hut or tent, and are care:ul not to come near enough to in- terrupt them during the whole conversation. r J he came method is pureucd when a youi;g man goes to pay his ad- dresses to a young woman; Lut then he must be careful not to let love be the subject of his discourse while the day light remains. They discover an amazing sagacity, and acquire with the greatest readiness, any thing that depends upon the atten- t'on of the mind. By experience, and an acute observation, they attain many perfections, to which the Americans are strangers. For instance, they will cross a forest, or a plain, which is two hundred miles in breadth, ar.d reach with great exactness the point at which they intend to arrive, keeping during the whole of thai space in a direct line, with- out any material deviations; and this they will do with the same ease, let the weather be fair or cloudy. With equal acuteness they will point to that part of the heavens, the sun is in, though it be intercepted by clouds or fogs; besides this they are able to pursue with incredible fa- cility the traces of man or beast, either on leaves or grass.; and on this account it is with great difficulty that a flying enemy escapes discovery. They are indebted fur these talents not only to nature, but to an extraordinary command of the intellectual faculties, which can only be acquiied by an unremitted attention, and by long experience. They are in general very happy in a retentive memory: they can recapitulate every particular that has been treated of in councils, and remember the exact time when they were held. Their belts of wampum preserve the substance of the treaties they have concluded with the neighboring tribes; for ages back, to which they will appeal, and refer with as much perspicuity, and readiness, as Europeans can to their written records. Every nation pays great respect to old age. The advice LEWIS AND CLARKE. 61 of a father will never receive any extraordinary attention from the young Indians; probably they receive it with only a bare assent; but they will tremble before a grandfather, and submit to his injunctions with the utmost alacrity. The words of the ancient part of the community are esteemed by the young as orr.cles. If they take during hunting par- ties, any game that is reckoned, by them uncommonly deli- cious, it ia immediately presented to tke eldest of their rela- tions. They never suffer themselves to be overburthened with care; but live in a state of perfect tranquility and content- ment, being naturally indolent. If provisions, just sufficient for the ii* subsistence, can ^be procured with little trouble, and near a: ban j, they will not go far, or take any extraordinary pains for it t though by so doing they might acquire greater plenty and of a more estimable kind. Having much leisure time they indulge this indolence to which they are prone, by sleeping or rambling about among their tents. But when necessity obliges them to take the field, either to oppose an enemy; or to procure themselree food, they are alert and indefatigable. Many instances of their activity, on these occasions, will be given when we treat of their wars. The greatest blemish in their character, ig that eavage disposition, which impels them to treat their enemies with a severity, that every other nation ehudders at; but if they are th IB barbarous to those with whom they are at war, they are friendly, hospitable and humane in peace. It may with truth be siid of them, that they are the worst enemies, and the best friends of any peopte ia the world. They are, in genera), strangers to the passion of jealousy, and brand a man with folly that is distrustful of his wife. Among some tribes the very idea is not known; ae the most abandoned of their young men very rarely attempt the vif- tue of married women, nor do these put themselves in the wiy of BO icitation^; yet, the Indian women in general, are of an amorou? disposition; and before they are married i2 JOURNAL OF are not the lees esteemed for the indulgence of their pas- sions. The Indians, in their common state, arc strangers to all distinction of property, except in the articles of domestic use, which every one considers as his own, and increase as circumstances admit. They are extremely liberal to each other and eupplv the deficiency of their friends with any su- perfluity of tl.eir own. In dangers tiiey readily give assistance to any of their band that btand in need of it, without any expectation of re- turn, except those just rewards that are always confered by the Indians on merit* Governed by the plain and equitable laws of nature, every one is rewarded according to his de- serts; and their equality of condition, manners, and privili- ges, with that constant and social familiarity which prevails through every Indian nation, animates them with a pure and patriotic spirit, that tends to the general good of the society to which they belong. If any of their neighbours are bereaved by death, or by an enemy, of their children, those who are possessed of the greatest number of prisoners, who are made slaves, supply the deficiency: and these are adopted by them and treated in every respect as if they really were the children of the person to whom they are presented. The Indians can form to themselves no idea of the value of money; they consider it, when they are made acquainted with the uses to which it is applied, by other nations, as the source of innumerable evils. To it they attribute all the mischiefs that .are prevalent among Europeans, such as treachery, plundering, devastation, and murcier. They esteem it irrational, that one man should be poss- essed of a greater quantity than another, and are amazed that any honour should be annexed to the possession of it. But that the want of this useless metal should be the cause of depriving persons of their liberty, and that on ac- count of this j>iirUvular distribution of it, great numbers should be si-nit u:> u J.m the dreary walls. of a prison, cut off from 60'cittfyuf vv'uiuh i':.oy constitute a part, exceeds their lelici; Lor Co tlioy lad, on hearing this part of the United!' LEWIS AND CLARICE. 63 States system of government related, to charge the i net i tu- tors of it with a total want of humanity, and to brand them with the names of savages, brutes. They show almost an equal degree of indifference for th& productions of art. When any of these are eliown them, they say, "It is pretty, I like to look at it/' and are not inquisitive about the construction of it, neither can thej form proper conceptions of its use. But if you tell them a person runs with great agility, is skilled in hunting, can di- rect with unerring aim a gun, or bends with ease a bow, can dexteriously work a canoe, understands the art of war, is ac- quainted with the situations of the country, and can make his way without a guide through an immense forest, subsist- ing during this on a small quantity of provisions, they are in rapture?; they will listen with great attention to the pleasing tale, and bestow the highest commendation on the hero of it. They make but very little use of physicians and medicine^ and consequently they have but very few diseases among them. There is seldom an Indian but what blooms with the appearance of health. They have no midwives among them^ and among several tribes the mother is without the assis- tance of any person being with her at the time of her delive- ry, not even a femnle attendance. Soon after the birth of a child, it is placed on a board, which is covered with a skin stuffed with soft moss: the child is laid on its back and tied to it. To these machines are tied strings, by which they hang them to branches of trees; or, if they do not find trees handy, they lean them against a stump or stone while they dress the deer or fish K or do any other domestic business. In this position they are kept until they are several months old. When token out they are suffered to go naked, and are daily bathed in cold water, which render them vigorous and active. The diseases manufactured by the modern sons of dissipa- tion, were unknown by them. These hardy disciples of health, do not hear of the powerful and painful eloquence of the Gout, Consumption, and the rsst of the long catalogue of 54 JOURNAL OF Typhut diseases, which is preached to the votaries of Epi- curus and liacchus, when their repentence ia too late. An Indian child is generally kept at the breast until it is two years old, and sometimes, though rarely, until three years. The Indians often occasion inflammatory disease, by ex- cessive eating, after a fast of three or four days, when retreat* ing from or pursuing an enemy. Tl:e inequality of riches, the disappointment of ambition, and mercileFB ofprcEs'one. are not with them exciting caus- es of insanity. I made great inquiry, but was not able to -learn, that a single case of melancholy or madness was ever known among them. The dreadful havoc that the small-pox has made, has no* cesearily been mentioned. The mode of curing a fever, is by profuse perspiration, which is effected by the patients being confined in a close tent or wigwam, over a hole in the earth, in which red-hot stones are placed; a quant'ty of hot water is then thrown upon the stones, which involves the patient in a cloud of va- pours and sweat; in this situation he rushes out; and plunges into a river of water, and from hence he retires into a warm bed. They never think of giving medicine, until they have first made an attempt to remove the disease by sacrifices end prayer; and if the patient recovers eoon, it is attributed to ; the holy management of the priest; and if medicine is to be used as the last alternative, they never administer it without its being accompanied with prayer, nnd a largo quantity of meat, which they consume on the fire for a sacrifice. They have a plant among them, which has the power of producing abortion. It is related by Mr. Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia, that the Indians inhabiting the frontiers possess a plant that produces the fame effect. LEWIS AND CLVRKE. 66 CHAPTER VII. Indian mode of counting 1 tine Names of the different months Indian Ckurts M>de of reckoning distance Know- ledge of Arithmetic Civil divisions Names of the. differ- ent tribes Chief* Democracy of government Heredi* tary succession of the Chief style ff Language, in debate or Speech young men not allowed to speak, #c. Conpiilerin^ their ignorance of astronomy, time is very rationally divided by t!i3 Indians. Those in the interior parts (and of those I would generally be understood to speak) count their years by the winters; or, as they express them- selves by snows. Some nations among- them reckon their years- by moons, and makes them consist of twelve synod ical or lunar months, observing, when thirty moons have waned, to add a super- numerary one, which they term the Lost Moon; and then begin to count as before. They pay a groat regard to the first appearance of every moon; and on the occasion always repeat some joyful sounds, stretching at the same time their hands towards it. Every month has with them a name expressive of its sea- son; for instance, they call the month of March (in which their year geneially begins at the first new moon, after the vernal Equinox) tin Worm Month cr Moon; because at this time the worms quit their retreats in the bark of the treee, wood, &c. where they have sheltered themselves dur- ing the winter. The m'Mith cf Ap-il i? termed by them the month of Plants. Miy, the month cf Flowers. June the Hot Moon. July, the liu:k Moon. Their reason for thus denominating these is obvious. August, the Sturgeon Moon; because in this IDOL ft they catch great numbers of that fish. September, the Corn Moon; because in that month they gather in their Indian Corn. October, the Travelling Moon; rts they leave at this time their villages, and travel towards the place where they intend to hunt during the winter. 55 JOURNAL OF November, the Beaver Moon; fot in this month the Beav- ers begin to take shelter in their houses, having laid up a suf- ficient store of provisions for the winter season. December, the Hunting Moon; because they employ this month in pursuit of their game. January, the Cold Moon; as it generally freezes harder, and the cold is more intense in this than in any other month. February, they call the Snow Moon, because more snow commonly falls during this month, than any other in the win- ter. When the Moon does not shine they sayjthe Moon is dead; and some call the three last days of it the naked days. The Moon's first appearance they term, is coming to life again. They make no division of weeks; but days they count by sleeps; half days by pointing to the bun at noon; and quar- ters by the rising and setting of the sun: to express which in their traditions they make use of very significant hiero- glyphics. The Indians are totally unskilled In geography as well as all other sciences; and yet they draw on their birch bark very exact charts or maps of the countries they are acquain- ted with. The latitude and longitude is only wanting to mike them tol r ibly complete. Their sole knowledge in astronomy consistg in being able to point out the pole star; by which they regulate their course when they travel in the night. They reckon the distance of places, not by miles or leagues, but by a day's journey, which according to the best calcula- tions I could make, appears to be abcut twenty English miles. These they also divide into halves and quarters, and will demonstrate them in 'their maps with great exactness, by the hieroglyphics just mentioned , when they regulate in council their war parties, or their most distant hunting ex- cursions. They have no idea of Arithmetic; and though they are able to count any number, figures as well as letters appear mysterious to them, and above their, comprehension. Every separate body of ludians, is.,, divide^, into bands or LEWIS AND CL\RKE. 57 tribes, which band or tribe forms a little comnr.unity with the nation to which it belongs. As-the nation has some particu- lar symbol by which it is d 8 inguished from others, so each tribe has a badge from which it is denominated; as that of the Eagie, the Panther, the Tiger, the Buffalo, &c. One band is represented by a Snake, ano .her a i ortoise, a third a Squirrel, a fourth a Wolf, and a fifth a Buffalo. Through- out every nation they particuiize themselves in the same manner; and the meanest person among them will remem- ber his lineal descent, and distinguish himself by his respec- tive family. Did not many circumstances tend to confute the supposi- tion, I should be almost induced to conclude from this dis- tinction of tribes, and the particular attachment of the In- dians to them, that they de.i.e their origin, as some have as- serted, from the Israelites. Besides this, every nation distinguishes itself by the man- ner of constructing its tents or huts. And *o well versed are all the Indians in this distinction, that though there ap- pears to be no difference on the nicest observations made by an American, yet they will immediately discover, from the position of a pole left in the ground, what nation has en- camped on the spot many months before. Kvery bnnd has -i chif j f who is termed the great chief, or chief warrior; ar:d of his approved valor, to direct their mili- tary operations, and to regulate all concers belonging to that department. But this chief is not considered as the hoad of the state. Besides the great warrior who is elected for his warlike -qualifications, there is another who enjoys a pre- eminence as his h? r^dit iry right, and hns the more immediate management of their civil affni'S. This ch.'ef might with great propriety bo denominated their Sachem; whose arsent is neccssarv in all conveyances and treaties, to whic^l he af- fixes the mark of the tribe < r nation. Though these two are considered as the heads of the band, and the latter is usually denominated their king, yet the In- . dians are sensible of neither civil or military subor.Jination. ''As every one offlbtn entertains a high opinion of his conse- quence, and is extremely tenacious of his liberty, all injunc- 58 JOURNAL OF tions that carry with them the appearance of a positive coin mand, are instantly rejected with scorn. On this account, it is seldom that their leaders are so in- discreet as to give out any of their orders in a peremptory style; a bare bint from a chief that he thinks such a thing necessiry to be done, instantly arouses an emulation among the inferior ranks, and it is i mined iitoly executed with great alacrity. By this rne;,hod the disgustful part of the command is evaded, and an authority that tails little short of absolute sway instituted in its room. Among the Indiana no visible fjrm of oovsrnmsnt is es- tablished; they allow of no such distinction as magistrate and subject, every one appearing to ei joy an independence that cannot he c mtrdled. The object of government among them is rather foreign than domestic, for their attention seem more be employed in preserving such a union among mem- bers of their tribes as will enable them to watch the mo- tions of their enemies, and act against them with concert and vigour, than to maintain interior order by any public re- gulations. If a scheme that appears to be of service to the community is proposed by the chief, every one is at liberty to choose whether he will assist in carrying it on; for they have no compulsory laws that lay them under any restric- tions. If violence is committed, or 11 od is shed, the right of revenging these misdemeanors is left to ihe family of the injured: the chiefs assume neither the power of inflicting or moderating the punishment. Some nations, where the dignity is hereditary, limit the succession to tho female line. On the death of a chief, his sister's son sometimes succeeds him in preference to his own son; and if ha happens to have no sister, the nearest female rela',i<|n assumes the dignity. This accounts far a woman being at the head of the Winuebago nation, which, before I was acquainted with their laws, appeared btrange to me. Each fan.ily Ivis a right to appoint one of its chiefs to be an sssistai/t cliLf, and vvithoi.t who^e consent nothing of a public nature can be carried into execuiiM These are gen- erally chosen >r their ability in speakinJJ and such only are LEWIS AND CLARKE. 69 permitted to mako orations in their councils and general as- sembles. In this body, with the hereditary chief at its head, the su* preme authority appears to be lodged; as by its determina- tion every transaction relative to their hunting to their ma- king war or peace, and to all their pub ] ic concerns, are regu- lated. Next to those, the bo.ly of warriors wl.ich compre- hends all that are able to bear arms, In Id t.heir rank. This division has sometimes at its head the chief of the nation, if he has signalized himself by any renowned action, if not, some chief that has rendered himself farnouj. In their councils which are held by the foregoing mem- bers, every affair of consequence is debated; and no enter- prise of the leart moment undertaken, unless it there meets with the general approbation of the chiefs. They common- ly assemble in a hut or tent appropriated to this purpose, and being seated in a circle on the ground, the eldest chief rises and makes a speech, when he has concluded, another gets up and thus they speak if necessary, by turns. On this occasion their language is nervous, and their man- ner of expression emphatical. Their style is adorned with images, comparisons and t-trong metaphors, and is equal in allegories to that of any of the eastern nations. In all their eet speeches t!)3y express themselves with much vehem- ence, but in common discourse according to our usual method of speech. The young men are suffered to be present at the council?, though ihey are not allowed to make a speech till they are regulirly admitted; they however listen with -gr^at atten- tion, and to show that they both understand and approyo of the resolutions taken by the assembled chiefs, they fre- quently exclaim, "That is right,*' "That is good." The customory mode among all ranks of expressing their assent, and which they repeat at the e:ul of almost every per- iod, is by uttering a kind cf forcible aspiration, which seems like an union of the letters GAB. 60 JOURNAL OF CHAPTER VIII. Dancing' Euting dog's Jlcsh Superstition -Dangerous $il- uatiou Haul ing Wasting Dreaming Agility Jfietk- odof hunting buffalo Hunting beaver y &c. Dancing is a favorite exercise among the Indians: they never meet on any public occasion, but this makes a part of the entertainment; and wh.*n they are not engaged in war or hunting, the youth of both sexes amuse themselves in this manner every evening. They always dance, as I have jp.tst observed at their feasts. In these as well as other dances, every man rises in his turn, and moves about with great freedom and boldness; singing as he does so, the exploits of his ancestors. During this the company who are, seated on the ground in a circle around the dancer, join with him in making the cadence, by an odd tune, which they utter all together, and which sounds, Heh, heh, heh.' These notes, if they might be so termed, are articulated with a harsh accent, and strained out with the ut- most force of their lungs; so that one would imagine their strength must soon be exhausted by it; instead of which, they repeat it with the samp- violence during the whole oi the entertainment. The women, particularly those of the western nations dance very gracefully. They carry themselves erect, and with their arms hanging down close to their sides, mo/e first a few yards to the right, and then back again to the left. This movement they perform without taking any steps as an American would do, but with their feet conjoined, mov- ing by turns their toes and heels. In this manner they glide with great agility to a certain distance, and then return: and let those who join in the d:m:e be ever so numerous, they keep time so exactly with each other, that no interruption ensues. During this, at stated periods, they mingle their shrill voices, with the rnarser ones of the men, who sit around (for it is observed that the sexes never intermix in the same dance) which, with the music of the drums and chi-r cicoes, make an agreeable harn-ony. The Indians hay e. several liin.ils of dances, which they use LEWIS AND CLARKE. 61 on different occasions, as the Pipe Calumet Dance, the War Dance, the Marriage Dance, and the Dance of the sacrifice. The movements of every one r>f thes-e are dissimilar; but it is almoct impossible to convey any idea of the points in which they are unlike. Different nations likewise vary in their manner of dancing. The Chipeway throw themselves into a greater variety of attitudes than any other people; some-times they hold their heads erect, at others they bend them almost to the ground; then recline on one side, and immediately on the other. Others carry themselves more upright, step firmer, and move more gracelully; but they all accompany their dances with the disagreeable noise just mentioned. The Pipe J.ance is the principal and most pleasing to a spectator of any of them, being the least frantic, and the movement of it most gracvful. It is but on particular oc- casions that it is used: as when ambassadors from an enemy arrive to treat of pence, or v\hen Grangers of eminence pass through their territories. The War Dance, which they use both brfore they set out en ther war parties, and on their return from them, strikes terror into strangers. It is performed, as others, amidst a circle of the warriors; a chief generally begins it, who moves from the ri.(U to the left, singing at the same time both his own exploits, and those of his aricdfctors. W r hen he has con- cluded his accourt of any memorable action, he gives a vio- lent blow with his war club, against a post that is fixed in the ground, near the centre of the assembly for this pur- pose. Every one dances in his turn, and recapitulates the won- derous deeds of his family, till they all at last join in the dance. Then it becomes trujy alarming to any stranger that happens to be among them, as they throw themselves into every horrible and terrifying posture that can be ima- gined, rehearsing nt the same time the parts they expect to act ag;iint/I tLeir enemies in tho field. During this they hold their, him;-;) kiiivns iu their ham's, with which, as they whirl about, they are every moment in danger of cult ing each oth- ers throats; aud Oiu tiiey not shun the threatened mischief 62 JOURNAL OF with inconceivable dexterity, it could not be avoided. By these motions they intend to represent the manner in which they kill, scalp, and take their prisoneie. To hightcn the scene, they set up the same hideous yells, cries, and war- hoops they use in the time of action: so that it is impossible to consider them in any other light than as an assemblage of demons. After some hours spent in dancing, the feast begins; the dishes being brought near me, I perceived that they consist- ed of dog's flesh: and I was informed that at a)i public grand feasts they never malts use of any other kind of food. In this custom of eating dog's ilcsh on particular occasions, they resemble the inhabitants of some of the countries that lie on the northeast hon'ers of Asia. The author of the ac- count of Kamschatka, published by order of the empress of Russia: informs us, that the people inhabiting Koreka, a country north of Karnschatka, who wander about in horde like the Arabs, when they pay their worship to the evil be- ings; kill a rein deer or a dog, the flesh of which they eat, and leave the he-id and tongue sticking on a pole with the front towards the east. Also, that when they are afraid of any infectious distemper, they kill a dog, and winding the guts about two poles, pass between them.. These customs in which they are nearly imitated by the Indians, seem to add strength to my supposition, that America was first peo- pled from this quarter. I know not/ says a traveller among them, "under what .class of dances to rank that performed by the Indians who came to my tent when I landed near lake Pepin, on the banks of the Mississippi. When I looked out, as I there mention- ed, I saw about twenty naked young Indians, the most per- fect in their shape, and by far the handsomest of any I had ever seen, coming towards rne, and dancing as they approach- ed, to the music of their drums. At every ten or twelve yards they halted, and set up their yells. and cries. "When they reached my tent, I asked them to come in; which, without deigning to make mo any answer, they did. As I observed that they were painted red and black, as they usually are when they go against an enemy, and perceived LEWIS AND CLARKE 63 that some par*s of the war dance was intcrmixt with their other movements, I doubted not but they were set on by the inimical chief who had refused my salutation: I therefore determined to sell my life as dear as possible. To this pur- pose, I received them sitting on my chest with my gun and pistols beside me, and ordered rny men to keep a watchful eye on them and be also upon thuir guard . "The Indians being entered they continued their dance alternately, singing at the same time of their heroic exploits, and the superiority of their race over every people. To en- force their language, though it was uncommonly nervous and expressive, and such as would of itself have carried terror to the firmest heart, at the e:id of every period they struck their war clubs against the poles of my tent with such vio- lence, that I expected every moment it would have tumbled upon us. As each of them in dancing round, passed by me they placed their right hand above their eyes, and coming close to me, looked ine steadily in the face, which I could not construe into a token of friendship. My men gave them- selves up for lost, and I ackiowledge, fur my own part, that I never found my apprehensions more tumultuous on any oc- casion. u When they had nearly ended their dance, I presented to them the pipe of peace, but they would not receive it. I then, as my last resource, thought I would try what presents would do; accordingly I took from my chest some ribbands and trinkets, which I laid before them. These seemed to stagger their resolutions, and to avert in some measure their anger; for after holding a consultation together, they eat down on the ground, which Iconsiderad as a favorable omen. "Thus it proved that in a short time they received the pipe of peace, and lighting it first presented it to me, and then smoked with it themselves. Soon after they took up the presents, which had hitherto lain neglected, and appear- ing to be greatly pleased with them, departed in a friendlj manner. And nerer did I receive greater pleasure than at getting rid of such formidable guests. "It was not ever in my power to gain a thorough knowl edge of the designs of my visitors. I had sufficient reason 64 JOURNAL OF to conclude that they were hostile, and that their visit, at so late tin hour, was made through the instigation of the Grand Sautor; but I was afterwards informed that it might be in- tended as a compliment which they usually pay to the chiefs, of every other nation who happened to fall in with them, and that the circumstances in tlioir conduct which had appeared so suspicious to me, were merely the ,o(Tects of their vanity and designed to impress on the minds of those whom they thus vinducted out of the door at which she js wait to attend he* to 94 JOURNAL OF her father's house; there the bridegroom is obliged to seek her, and the marriage is consummated. Very often the wife remains at her father's house till she has a child, when she packs up her apparel, which is all the fortune she is general- ly possessed of, and accompanies her husband to his habita- tion. When from any dislike a separation takes place, for they are seldom known to quarrel, they generally give their friends a few days notice of their intentions, and sometimes offer reasons to justify their conduct. The witnesses, who were present at the marriage, meet on the day requested, at the house of the couple that are about to separate, and bringing with them the pieces of rod which they had received at their nuptials, throw them into the fire in the presence of all the parties. This is the whole of the ceremony required, and the separ- ation is carried on without any murmurings, or ill will be- tween the couple or the relations; and after a few months they are at liberty to marry again. When a marriage is thus dissolved, the children which have been produced from it, are equally divided between them; and as children are esteemed a treasure by the Indi- ans, if the number happens to be odd, the woman is allowed to take the better half. Though this custom seems to encourage fickleness and fre- quent separations, yet there are many of the Indians, who have but one wife, and enjoy with her a state of connubial happiness, not to be exceeded in more refined societies. There are also, not a few instances of women preserving an inviolable attachments to their husbands, except in the cases before mentioned, which are considered as either a violation of their chastity or fidelity. Although I have said that the Indian nations differ very lit- tle from each other in their marriage ceremonies, there are some exceptions. The Naudowessies have a singular meth- od of celebrating their marriages; which seems to bear no resemblance to those made use of by any other nation I pas- sed through. When one of their young men has fixed on a young woman lie approves of\he discovers his passion to her LEWIS AND CLARKE. 9$ parents, who give him an invitation to come and live with them in their tent. He accordingly accepts the offer, and by so doing engages to reside in it for a whole year, in the character of a menial servant. During this time he hunts, and brings all the game he kills to the family; by which means the father has an op- portunity of seeing whether he is able to provide for the sup- port of his daughter and the children that might be the con- sequence of their union. This however is only done whilst they are young men and for their first wife, and not repeated like Jacob's servitude. When this period is expired, the marriage is solemnized after the custom of the country, in the following manner: three or four of the oldest male relations of the bridegroom, and as many of the bride's, accompany the young couple from their respective tents, to an open part in the centre of the camp. , The chiefs and warriors, being here assembled to receive them, a party of the latter are drawn up in two ranks on each side of the bride and bridegroom immediately on their arrival. Their principal chief then acquaints the whole assembly with the design of their meeting, and tells them that the couple before them, mentioning at the same time their names, are come to avow publicly their intentions of living together as man and wife. He then asks the two young people alter- nately, whether they desire that the union might take place. Having declared with an audible voice that they do so, the warriors fix their arrows, and discharge them over the heads of the married pair; this done, the chief pronounces them man and wife. The bridegroom then turns round, and bending his body, takes his wife on his back, in which manner he carries her amidst the acclamations of the spectators to his tent. The ceremony is succeeded by the most plentiful feast the new married man can afford: and songs and dances, according to the usual custom conclude the festival. Among the Indians, as well as European nations, there are many that devote themselves to pleasure, and notwith- standing the accounts given by some modern writers of the 9S JOURNAL OF frigidity of an Indian's constitution, become the zealous vota- ries of Venus. The young warriors that are thus disposed, seldom want opportunities for gratafying their passion: and as the mode usually followed on these occasions is rather singular, I shall describe it. 4 When one of these young debauchees imagines, from the behaviour of the person he has chosen for his mistress, that he shall not meet with any great obstruction to his suit from her, ho pursues the following plan. "It has been already observed that the Indians acknowl- edge no superiority; nor have they any ideas of subordina- tion, except in the necessary regulations of their war or hun- ting parties; they consequently live nearly in a state of equal- ity, pursuant to the first principles of nature. The lover therefore is not apprehensive of any check or control in the accomplishments of his purposes, if he can find a convenient opportunity for completing them. "As the Indians are also under no apprehension of robbers, or secret enemies, they leave the doors of their tents or huts unfastened during the night, as well as in the day. Two or three hours after sunset, the old people cover over the fire, that is generally burning in the midst of their apartment, with ashes, and retire to their repose. * Whilst darkness thus prevails, and all is quiet, cne of these sons of pleasure, wrapped up closely in his blanket, to prevent his being known, will sometimes enter the apart- ment of his intended mistress. Having first lighted at the smothered fire a small splinter of wood, which answers the purpose of a match, he approaches the place where she repo- ses, and gently pulling away the covering from the head, jogs her till she awakes. If she then rises up, and blows out the light, he needs no further confirmation that his company is not disagreeable; but if after he has discovered himself she hides her head, and takes no notice of him, he might rest assured that any further solicitations will prove vain, and that it is necessary immediately for him to retire. During his etay he conceals the light as much as possible in the hol- low of his hands; and as the tents or rooms of the Indians are usually large and capacious, he escapes without detec- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 97 tion. It is said that the young women who admit their lov- era en these occasions, take groat care, by an immediate ap- plication to herbs, \vitii the potent efficacy of which they are well acquainted, to prevent the affects of these illicit amours from becoming visible; for should the natural consequences ensue, they must forever remain unmarried." The children or" the Indians are always distinguished by the name of the mother; and if a woman marries several hus- bands, and has issue by each of them, they are called after her. The reason they give for this is, tint as their offspring are indebted to the father for their souls, the invisible part of their essence, and to the mother for treir corporeal and ap- parent part, it is more rational that they should be distin- guished by the name of the latter, from whom tl^ey indubi- tably derive their being, than by that of the father, to which a doubt might sometimes arise whether they are justly entitled. There are some ceremonies made use of by the Indians at the opposition of the name, and it is considered by them as a matter of great importance but what these are I could never learn, through the secrecy observed on the occasion. I only know that it is usually givori when the children have passed the state of infancy. Nothing can exceed the tenderness shown by them to their offspring; and a person cannot recommend himself to their favour by any method more certain, than by paying some attention to the younger branches of their families. There is some difficulty attends an explanation of the man- ner in which the Indians distinguish themselves from each other. Besides the name of the animal by which evey nation and tribe is denominated there are others that are personal, and which the children receive from their mother. The chiefs are also distinguished by a name that has either some reference to their abilities, or to the hieroglyphic of their families; and these are acquired after they arrive at the age of manhood. Such as have signalized themselves cither in their war or hunting parties, oi are possessed of some eminent qualifications receive a name that serves to perpetu- ate the fame of these actions, or to make their abilities con- picuous. 7 LEWIS AND CLARKE. 99 CHAPTER XII. Great Spirit Good Spirits of a lesser degree Ideas of a falure Stale Priests Superstition Religion Anecdote Fearless of death Dying speech Character of the Indians -Love nf Country Sons of honor &c. It is certain the Indian,! acknowledge one Supreme Being, or Giver of Life, who presides over all thiags, That is, the Great Spirit; and they look up to him as the source of good, from whom no evil can proceed. They also believe in a bad spirit, to whom they ascribe great power, and suppcso that through his means all the evils which befal mankind are in- flicted. To him therefore do they pray in their distresses, begg ing that he would either avert their troubles^or moder- ate them when they fire no longer avoidable. They say that the Great Spirit, who is infinitely good, neither wishes nor is able to do any mischief to mankind; but on the contrary, that he showers down on them all the blessings they deserve; whereas the evil spirit is continually employed in contriving how he may punish the human race; and to do which he is not only possessed of the will, but of the power. They hold also that there *are good spirits of a lesser de- gree, who have their particular departments, in which they aro constantly contributing to the happiness of mortals. These they suppose to preside over all the extraordinary productions of nature, such as those lakes, rivers, or moun- tains that are of an uncommon magnitude; and likewise the beasts, birds, fishes, and even vegetables, or stones that ex- ceed the rest of their species in size or singularity. To all of these they pay some kind of adoration. But at the same time I fancy thai the ideas they annex to the word spirit, are very different from the conceptions more enlightened nations entertain of it. They appear to fashion to themselves corporeal representations of their gods, and believe them to be of a human form, though of a nature more excellent than man. Of the same kind are their sentiments relative to futuri- ty. TJaey doubt not but they shall exist ia some future 100 JOURNAL OF state; they however fancy that their employments there will be somewhat similar to those they are engaged in here, with- out the labour and difficulties annexed to them in this period of their existence. They consequently expect to 03 translated to a delightful country, where they shall always have a clear, unclouded sky, and enjoy a perpetual spring; where the forests will abound with game, and the lakes with fish, which mi^ht be taken without a painful exertion of skill, or a laborious pur- suit; in short that they shall live forever in regions of plenty, and enjoy every gratification they delight in here, in a grea- ter degree. To intellectual pleasures they are strangers; nor are[those included in their scheme of happiness. But they expect tha', even these animal pleasures will be proportioned and distri- buted according to their merit; the skillful hunter, the bold and successful warrior, \v ill be entitled to a greater share than those who through indolence or want of skill cannot boast of any superiority over the common herd. The Priests of the Indians are at the same time their physicians, and their conjurers; whilst they heal their wounds, or cure their diseases, they interpret dreams, give them pro- tective charms, and satisfy that desire which is so prevalent among them of searching into futurity. How wel) they execute the latter part of their profession- al engagements, and the methods they make use of on some of these occasions, I have already shewn in the exertions of the priest of the Killistinoes, who was fortunate enough to succeed in his extraordinary attempt near Lake Superior. They frequently are successful , likewise in administering the salubrious herbs they have acquired a knowledge cf; but that the ceremonies they make use of during the administration of them contributes to their succes, I shall not take upon me to assert. When any of the people are ill, the person who is inves- ted with this triple character of doctor, priest and magician, Bits by the palient day and night, rattling in his ears a goad shell filled with dry beans, called a Chichicoue, and making a disagreeable noise that cannot b3 well described. LEWIS AND CLAKE, 101 This uncouth harmony one would imagine ehould disturb the sick person and prevent the good effects of the doctor's prescription; but on the contrary they believe that the method made use of, contributes to his recovery, by diverting from his malignant purposes the evil spirit who has inflicted the disorder; or at least that it will take off his attention, so that he shall not increase the malady. This they are credulous enough to imagine he is constantly on the watch to do, and would carry his inveteracy to a fatal length if they did not thus charm him. I could not discover that they make use of any other reli- gious ceramonies than those I have deocribed; indeed on the appearance of the new rnoon they dance and sing; but it is not evident that they pay that planet any adoration; they on- ly seem to rejoice at the return of a luminary that makes the night cheerful, and which serves to light them on their way when they travel during the absence of the sun. Notwithstanding.Mr. Adair has asserted that the nations among whom he resided, observe with very little variation all the rites appointed by the Mosaic Law. I own I could never discover among the tribes that lie but a few degrees to the north west, the least traces of the Jewish religion, ex- cept it be admitted that one particular female custom, and their divisions into tribes carry with them proof sufficient to establish this assertion. The Jesuits and French Missionaries have also pretended, that the Indians had, when they first travelled into America, some notions, though these were dark and confused, of the Christian institution; that they have been greatly agitated at the sight of a crosp, and given proofs by the impressions made on them that they were not entirely unacquainted with tlie sacred mysteries of Christianity. I need not say that these are two glaring absurdities to be credited, and could only receive their existence from the zeal of those fathers, who endeavored at once to give the public a better opinion of the success of their missions, and support to the cause they were engaged in. The Indians appear to be in their religious principles, rude and uninstructed. The doctrines they hold are few and 102 JOURNAL OF simple, and such as have been generally impressed on the human mind, by eome means or other, in the most ignorant ages. They however have not deviated, as many other un- civilized nations; and too many civilized ones have done, into idolatrous modes of worship; they venerate indeed and make offerings to the wonderful parts of the creation, as I have be- fore observed; but whether these rights are performed on ac- count of the impressions such extraordinary appearances make on them, or whether they consider them as the pecu- liar charge, or the usual place of residence of the invisible spirits they acknowledge,! cannot possitively determine. The human mind in its uncultivated state is apt to ascribe the extraordinary occurrences of nature, such as earthquakes, thunder, or hurricanes, to the interposition of unseen beings; the troubles and disasters also that a reannexed to a savage life; the apprehensions, attendant on the precarious subsistence, and those numberless inconveniences which man in his im- proved state has found means to remedy, are supposed to pro- ceed from the interposition of evil spirits; the savage, conse- quently, lives in continual apprehensions of their unkind at- tacks, and to avert them has recourse to charms, to the fan- tastic ceremonies of his priest, or the powerful influence of his Manitous. Fear has of course a greater share in his de- votions than gratitude, and he pays more attention to depre- cating the wrath of the evil, than to securing the favour of the good beings. The Indians, however, entertain these absurdities in com- mon with those of every part of the globe who have not been illuminated with tbat religion, which can only disperse the clouds of superstition and ignorance, and they are as free from error as people can be, that have not been fovoured with its instructive doctrines. In PenobscoU a settlement in the province of Maine, in the north east parts of New England, the wife of a soldier was taken in labour, and notwithstanding every necessary as- sistance was given her, could not be delivered. IK this (situ- ation she remained for two or three days, the persons around her expecting that the next pang would put an end to her ex- istence. LHWIS AND CLA.TCKE. An Indian \vornan, '- ^:1 by, heard the groans of the unhappy sufferer, and enquired from whence they proceeded. lieing made acquainted with the desper- ate circumstance-attending 1 the case, she told the informant that if she might he permitted to Fee the person, she did not doubt but that she should be of great service to her. The surgeon tint had attended, and the midwife who was then present, having given up every hope of preserving 1 iheir patient, the Indian woman was allowed to make use of any methods she thought proper. She accordingly took a hand- kerchief, and bond it, tight aver the nose and mouth of the wo- man; this immediately brought on suffocation; and from the struggles that consequently ensjcd she was in a few seconds .delivered. The moment this was achieved, and time enough to prevent any fatal effect, the handkerchief was taken off. The long suffering patient thus happily relieved from her pains, soon after perfectly recovered, to the astonishment of those who had been witnesses to the desperate situation. The reason given by the Indian for this hazardous method of proceeding, was, that desperate disorders require desper- ate remedies; that as she observed the exertions of nature were not sufficiently forcible to effect the desired conse- quence, she thought it necessary to augment their force which could only be done by some mode that was violent in the ex- treme. An Indian meets death when it approaches him in his hut with the same resolution he has often faced hi Ji in the field. His indifference relative to this important article which is the source of so many apprehensions to almost every other nation is truly admirable. When his fate is pronounced by the physician and it remains no longer uncertain, he haran- gues those about him with the greatest composure. If he be a chief and has a family, he makes a kind of fu- neral oration, which he concludes by giving to his children such advice for the regulation of their conduct as he thinks necessary. He then takes leave of his friends, and issues out orders for the preparation of a feast, which is designed to regale those of his .tribe .that can come to pronounce his 104 JOURNAL OF The character of the Indians, like that of other uncivili- zed nations, is composed ot' a mixture of ferocity and gentle- ness. They are at once guided by passions and appetites, which they hold in common with the fiercest beasts that in- habit the woods, and are possessed of virtues which do hon- or to human nature. In the following estimate T shall endeavor to forget, on the one hand, the prejudices of the Americans, who usually an- nex to the word Indian, epithets that are disgraceful to hu- man nature, and who vijw them as savages and cannibale, whilst with equal care I avoid my partiality towards them, as some must naturally arise from the favourable reception I met with during rny etay among them. That the Indians are of a cruel revengeful, inexorable dis- position, that they will watch whole days unmindful of the calls of nature, and make their way through pathless, and almost unbounded woods, subsisting only on the scanty pro- duce of them, to pursue and avenge themselves of an enemy; that they hear unmoved the piercing eries of such as unhappi- ly fall into their hands, and reeeive a diabolical pleasure from the tortures they inflict on their p"isoners, I readily grant; but let us look on the reverse of this terrifying picture, and we shall find them temperate both in their diet and pota- tions, (it must be remembered that I speak of those tribes, who have little or no communication with Americans) that they withstand, with unexampled patience, the attacks of hunger, or the inclemency of the seasons, and esteem the gratification of their appetites but as a secondary considera- tion. We shall likewise see them social and humane to those whom they consider as their friends, and even to their adop- ted enemies; and ready to partake with them of the last mor- sel, or to risk their lives in their defence. In contradiction to the report of many other travellers, all of which have been tinctured with prejudice, I can assert, that notwithstanding the apparent indifference with which an Indian meets his wife and children after a long abscence, an indifference proceeding rather from custom than insensi- 106 JOURNAL OF bility, lie is not unmindfil of tho cl'iirrio eith : of or parental tenderness. Accustomed from tlicir youth to innumerable hardship*, they soon become superior to a sr,sc of danger, or the dre-id of death; and their fortitude, implanted by nature, and nurtur- ed by example, by precept and accident, never experience a moment's allay. Though slothful and inactive whilst their stores of provis- ion remain unexausted, and their foes are at a distance, they are indefatigable and persevering* in pursuit of their ganK- ,;r in circumventing their enemies. If they are artful and designing, ^nd ready to tak advautage,if they are cool and delibeate in their councils?, and cautious in the extreim, either of discovering thoir sen- timents, or of revealing a secret, they might at the same time boast of possessing qualifications of a more animated nature, of the sagacity of hound, the penetrating sight of a lynx, the cunning of a f>x, the anility of a bounding doe, and the unconaurabla fierceness of tho tiger. In their public characters, as forming part of n communi- ty, they possess an attachment for that band to which they belong, unknown to the inhabitants of any other country. They combine, as if they were actuated only by one soul against the ex.ernies of their na;ion, and banish from their minds every consideration opposed to this. They consult without unnecssary opposition, or without giving way to tho excitements of envy or ambition, on the measures necessary to be pursued fur the destruction of those who have drawn on themselves their displeasure. No sel- fish views ever influence their advice, or obstruct their con- sultation. Nor is it in the power of bribes or threats to di- minish the love they bear their country. The honor of their tribe, and the wellfare of their nation, is the firdt and most predominant emotion of their hearts; nnd from hence proceed in a great measure all their virtues and their vices. Actuated by this, they brave every danger, en- (lure the most exquisite torment?, and expire triumphing in their fortitude, not ..as a personal qualification, but as a nation- al characteristic, i ' LEWIS JVND OJBN1RKE. 107 From thence also flov:s that insatiable revenge towards those with whom they are at war, and all the consequent hor- rors that disgrace their name. Their uncultivated mind be- ing 1 incapable of judging of the propriety of an action, in op- position to their passions, whicti are totally insensible of the controuls of reason and humanity, they know not how to keep their fury within any bounds, and consequently that courage and resolution, which would otherwise do them hon- or, degenerates into a savage ferocity. But this short discretion must suffice; the limits of my work will not permit me to tre^.t the subject moie copiously, or to pursue it with a logical regularity. The observations already made by my readers on proceeding pace's, will, I trust render it unnecessary; as by them they will be enabled to form a tolerable juet idea of the people I have been descri- bing. Experience teaches that anecdotes, and relations of particular events, however trifling they might appear, ena- ble us to form a truer judgement of tho manners and customs of a people, and are much more declaratory of their real state, than the most studied and elaborate disquisitians without these aids. CHAPTER XIII. Ths. two subjoined delineations, of the two Tribes of Indians who inhabit the country on this side of the Rocky mountains, is a summary , from the pen of Mackenzie. THE Knistenaux arc of a moderate stature, well propor- tioned, and of great activity. Examples of deformity ?re seldom to be seen among them. Their complexion is of a copper color and their hair black, which is common to all the natives of North America. It is cut in various forms accor- ding to the fancy of the several tribes, and by some is loft in the long, jank flow of nature. Their eyes are blsrk, keen and penetrating; their countenance open and agreeable, and it is a principal object of their vanity to give every pos- sible decoration to their persons. A material article in their toilets is vermilliou. which they contrast with their native 108 JOURNAL OF t;lue, white, and brown earths, to which charcoal is frequent- ly added. Their dress is at once simple and commodious. It consists of tight leggins, reaching near the hip; a strip cf cloth or leather, called assiari, obout afoot wide, and five feet long, whose ends are drawn inwards, and hang behind and before, over a belt tied round the waist for that purpose; a close vest or shirting reaching down the former garment and tinctured with a broad strip of parchment fastened with thongs, bshind: and a cap for the head, consisting of a piece of fur, or small skin, with the brush of the animal as a, suspended ornament; a kind of robe is thrown occasionally over the whole of the dress, arid serves both night and day. These articles, with the addition of shoes and mittens, constitute the variety of their apparel. 1 he materials vary according to the season, end consists of dressed moose-skin, beaver prepared with the fur, or European woollens. Trie leather is neatly painted, and fancifully worked ir. some parts with porcupine-quills, and moose-deer hair; the shirts and leggins are also adorned with fringe and tassals; nor are the shoes and mittens with- out somewhat of appropriate decoration, and worked with a considerable degree of skill and taste. These habiliments are put on, however, as fincy or convenience suggests; and they will sometimes proceed to the chase in the severest frost, covered only with the slightest of them, Their head dresses are composed of feathers of the swan, the eagle, and other birds. The 'teeth, horns, and claws of different ani- mals, are also the occasional ornaments of the head and neck. Their hair, however arranged, is always besmeared with greese. The making of every article of dress is a fe- male occupation; and the women, though by no means inat- tentive to the decoration of their own persons, appear to have a still greater degree" of pride in attending to the ap- pearances of the men, "whose faces are painted with more care than those of the women. The female dress is formed of the same materials as these of the other sex, but of a different make and arrangement: Their shoes are commonly plain, and their leggins gartered hcr.ea.th the knees. The coat or body covering falls down to LEWIS AND CLARKE \&d the middle of the leg, and is fastened over the shoulders with cords, a flap or c.ipo turning down about eight inches, both before and behind, and agreeably ornamented with quill-work and fringe; the bottom is also fringed and fancifully painted as high as the knee. As it is very loose, it is enclosed round the waist with a stiff belt, decorated with tassels, and fas- tened behind. The arms are covered to the wrist with de- tatched sleeves, which are sewed as far as the bend of the arm; from tiseiice they are drawn up to the neck, and the cor- ners of them fall duwa behind as low as the waist. The cap, when they wear ono, consists of a certain quantity of leath- er or cloth, sewed at one end, by which means it is kept on the head, and, hanging down the back, is fastened to the belt, as well as under the ciiin. The up >er garment is a robe like that worn by the men. Their hair is divided on the crown, and tied behitul, or some-times fastened in large knots over the ears. They are fund of European articles, and prefer them to their own native commodities. Their ornaments consist, in common with all other savages, in bracelets, rings, and similar baubles. Some of the women tattoo three per- pendicular lines, which are sometimes double; one from the centre of tiie chin to that of the under lip, and one parallel on either side of tli5 corner of the mouth. Of all the nations which I have seen on this continent, the Kisteneaux women are the most comely. These people are naturally mild and aria ble, as well as just in their deal- ings, not only among themselves, but with strangers.* They are also generous and hospitable, and good-natured in the ex- treme, except when their nature is perverted by the inflam- matory influence of spirituous liquors. To their children they are indulgent to a fault. The father, though he assumes no command over them, is ever anxious to instruct them in all the preparatory qualifications for war and hunting; while the mother is equally attentive to her daughters in teaching *They h;ue ivjen called tiaeves, but when that vice can with justice bo iiLi rtbuted to thorn, it may be traced to their connexion witli tho' civilized people, who come into their 'country to i 110 JOURNAL OF them every thing 1 that is considered as necessary to their character and situation. It does not appeal' that the husband makes any distinction between the children of his wife, though. they may he the oiftprii-g of different lathers. II] i- gitimaey is only attached to th<;se who are born before their mothers have cohabited with any man by t!ie title of hus- band. When a man loses his wife, it is considered as a .duty to marry her sister, if she has one; or he may, if he pie . have them both at the same time. It will appear from the fatal consequence I have repeated- ly imputed to the us-b of spirituous liquors, that I mere par- ticularly considered these people as. having been, morally speaking, grest sufferers from their communication with the subjects of civilized nations. At the same time they were not, in a state of nature, without their vices, and some of n of a kind which are the most abhorrent to cultivated ana reflecting man. I shall only observe, that incest and bestiality are among them. When a young man marries, he immediately goes to livb with the father and mathercf his wife, who treat him, nev- ertheless, as a perfect stranger, until after the birth of his first child: he then attaches himself more to them than to his own parents; and his wife no longer gives him any other denomination than that of the father of her child. The profession of the men in war and hunting, and the more active scene of their duty is the field of battle, and the chase in the woods. They also spear fish, but the manage- ment of the nets is left to the women. The females of this nation are in the same subordinate state with those of ail oth- er savage tribes; but the severity of their labor is much di- minished by their situation on the banks of lakes and rivers, where they employ canoes. In the winter, when the waters are frozen they make their journeys, which ars never of any great length, with sledges drawn by dogs. They are at the game time, subject to every kind of domestic drudgery; they dress the leather, make r.he clothes and shoes, weave the nets, collect Wool, erect u.j i, rater, and perform every culinary service; so that when the duties of maternal care 112 JOURNAL OF are added, it will appear that the life of these women in an uninterrupted succession or' toil and pain. This, indeed is the sense they entertain of their own situation; and, under the influence of that sentiment, they are sometimes known to cbstroy their female children, to save them from the mis- eries which they themselves have suffered. They also have a ready w*y, by the use of certain simples, of procuring abortions, which they sometimes practice, from their hatred of the father, or to save themselves the trouble which chil- dren occasion; and, as I have been credibly informed, this unnatural act is repeated without any injury to the health of the women who perpetrate it. The funeral rites begin, like all other solemn ceremonials, with smoking, and are concluded by a feast. The body is dressed in the best habiliments possessed by the deceased, or his relations, and is then deposited in a grave, lined with branches; some domestic utensils are placed on it, and a kind of canopy erected o^-er it. Durirg this ceremony, great la- mentioES are made; and if the departed person is very much regretted, the near relations cut oft" their hair, pierce the fleshy part of their thighs and arms with arrows, knives, &c. and blacken their face with charcoal. If they have distin- guished themselves in war, they ore sometimes on a kind of scaffolding; and I have been informed that women in the east, have been known to sacrifice themselves to the nianes of their husbands. The whole of the property belonging to the departed person is destroyed; and the relations take in exchange for the wearing apparel, any rags that will cover their nakedness. The feast bestowed on the occasion, which is, or at least used to be, repeated annually, is accompanied with eulogiumson the deceased, and without any ^icts of fe- rocity. On the tomb is carved or painted, the symbols of his tribe, which are taken from the different animals of the coun- try. They have frequently feasts, and particular circumstances never fail to produce them; euch as a tedious illness, long fasting, &c. On these occasions it is usual for the person who means to give the entertainment, to announce his de- sign, on a certain day of opening the medicine bag and emo- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 113 king out his sacred stem. This declaration is considered aa a sacred vow that cannot be broken, 'i here are also stated periods, such as the spring and autumn, when they engage in very long and solemn ceremonies. On these occasions dogs are offered as sacrifices; and those who arc very fat, and milk white, are preferred. They also make large offer- ings of their property, whatever it may be. The scene of these ceremonies is in an open enclosure on the bank of a river or lake, and in the most conspicuous situation, in order that such as are passing along or travelling, may be induced to make their oiferings. There H also a particular custom among them, that on these occasions, if any of the tribe,- or even a stranger, should be passing by, and be in real want of any thing that is displayed as an offering, he has a right to take it, so that he replaces it with some article he can spare, though it be of far infer 'or value: but to take or touch any thing wantonly, is considered as a sacrilegious act, and high- ly insulting to the great Master of Life, to use their own ex- pression, who is the sacred object of their devotion. The scene of private sacrifice is the lodge of the person who performs it, which is prepared for that purpose by re- moving every thing out -of it. and spreading green branches in every part. The fire and ashes are also taken away. A new hearth is made of fresh earthy and another fire is lighted. The owner of the dwelling remains alone in it; and he be- gins the ceremony by spreading a piece of new cloth, or a well-dressed moose-ski a neatly painted, on which he opens his medicine bag and exposes its contents, consisting of, va- rious articles. The principle of them is a kind of household god, which is a small dftrved image about eight inches long. Its first covering is of down, .over which a piece of birch bark is closely tied; and the whole is enveloped in several folds of red and blue cloth. -..This little e efficacious. A sharp flint serves them as a lan- cet for letting blood, as well as for sacrification in bruises and swellings. For sprains, the dung of an animal just kill- ed is considered as the best remedy. They are very fond of European medicines, though they are ignorant of their ap- 118 JOURNAL OF plication: and those articles form an inconsiderable pa r t of the European traffic with them. Among their various superstitions, they believe the vapor which is seen to hover over moist and swampy places is the spirit of some person lately dead. They also fancy another spirit, which appears in the shape of a man, upon the trees near the lodge of a person deceased, whose property has not been interred with him. He is represented as bearing a gun in his hand; and it is believed lie does not return to his rest, until the property, that has been withheld from the grave has been sacrificed to it. CHAPTER XIV. Some account of the Chipewyan Indians. They are a numerous people, who consider the country be- tween the parallels of latitude 60 and 65 north, and longi- tude 100 to 110 west, as their lands of home. They speak a copious language, which is very difficult to be attained. The notion which these people entertain of the creation, is of a very singular nature. They believe that, at the first, the globe was one vast and entire ocean, inhabited by no living creature, except a mighty bird, whose eyes were fire, whose glances were lightning, and the clapping of whose wings was thunder. On his descent to the ocean, and touch- ing it, the earth instantly arose, and relnained on the surface of the waters. This omnipotent bird then called forth all the variety of animals from the earth, except the Chipewy- ans, who were produced from a dog; and this circumstance occasions their aversion to the flesh of that animal, as well as the people who eat it. This extraordinary tradition pro- ceeds to relate, that the great bird, having finished his work, made an arrow, which was to be preserved with great care, and to remain untouched; but that the Chipewyans were so devoid of understanding, as to carry it away; and the sacri- lege so enraged the bird, that he has never since appeared. They have also a tradition among them, that they origin- ally came from another country, inhabited by a very wicked people, and have traversed a great lake which was narrow, shallow, and full of islands, where they had suffered great LEWIS AND CLARKE. 119 misery, it being always winter, with ice and deep snow, At the Copper mine river, where they made the first land, the ground was covered with copper, over which a body of earth has since been collected, to the depth of a man's height. They believe also, that in ancient times their ancestors lived till their feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating. They describe a deluge, when the waters spread over the whole earth, except the highest mountains, on the tops of which they preserved themselves. They believe, that immediately after their death, they pass into another world, where they arrive at a large river, on which they embark in a stone canoe, and that a gentle cur- rent bears them on to an extensive lake, in the centre of which is a most beautiful island; and that, in the view of this delightful abode, they receive that judgment for their conduct during life, which terminates their final state and unalterable allotment. If their good actions are declared to predominate, they are landed upon the island, where there is to be no end to their happiness; which, however, accord- ing to their notions, consist in an eternal enjoyment of sen- sual pleasure, and carnal gratification. But if there be bad actions to weigh down the balance, the stone canoe sinks at once, and leaves them up to their chins in the water, to be- hold and regret the reward enjoyed by the good, and eternal- ly strugling, but, with unavailing endeavors, to reach the blissful island from which they are excluded forever. They have some faint notions of the transmigration of the soul; so that if a child be born with teeth, they instantly imagine, from its premature appearance, that it bears a re- semblance to some person who had lived to an advanced pe- riod, and that he has assumed a renovated^ life, with these extraordinary tokens of maturity. The Chepewyans-are sober, timorous, and vagrant, with a selfish disposition which has sometimes created suspicions of their integrity. Their stature has nothing remarkable in it; but though they are seldom corpulent, they are sometimes robust. Their complexion is swarthy; their features coarse, and their hair lank, but not always of a dingy black; nor have they universally the piercing eye, which generally an- 120 JOURNAL OF imates the Indian countenance. The woman have a more agreeable aspect than the men; but their gait is awkward, which proceeds from their being accustomed nine months in the year, to travel on snow-shoes and drag sledges of a weight from two to four hundred pounds. They are very submis- sive to their husbands, who have, ho w ever, their fits of jeal- ousy; and, for very trifling causes, treat them with such cru- elty as sometimes to occasion their death. They are fre- quently objects of traffic; and the father possesses the right of disposing of his daughter.* The men in general extract their beards; though some of them are seen to prefer a bushy, black beard, to a smooth chin. They cut their hair in various forms, or leave it in a long natural flow, according as their caprice or tancy suggests. The woman always wear it in a great length; -and some of them are very attentive to its arrangement. If they at any time appear despoiled of their tresses, it is to be esteemed a proof of the husband's jealousy, and is considered as a Severer punishment than manuel correction. Both sexes have blue or black bars, or from one to four straight lines on their cheeks or forehead; to distinguish the tribe to which they belong. These marks are either tatooed, or mad6 by drawing a thread, dipped in the necessary colour, beneath the skin. There are no people more attentive to the comforts of fheir dress, or less anxious respecting its exterior appear- ance. In the winter it is composed of the skins of deer, and their fawns, and dressed as fine as any chamois leather in the hair. In the summer their apparel is the same, ex- cept that it is prepared without the hair. The shoes and leg- gins are sewed together, the latter reaching upwards, to the middle, and being supported by a belt, under which a small piece of leather is drawn to cover the private parts, the ends of which fall down both before and behind. In the shoes they put the hair of the rnoose or rein-deer, with additional pieces of leather as socks. The shirt or coat, when girded *They do not, however, sell them as slaves; but as com- panions to those who aje supposed to liy.e more comfortably than themselves. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 121 round the waist, reaches the middle of the thigh; and the mittens are sewed to the sleeves, or are suspended hy strings from the shoulders. A mil* or tippet surrounds the neck; and the skin of the head of the deer forms a curious kind of cap. A robe, made of several deer or fawn skins sew3d, together, covers the whole. This dress is worn single or double, but always in the winter, with the hJir within and without. Thus arrayed, aChepewyari iv ill lay himself down on the ico in the middle of a lake, and repose in comfort; though he will sometimes find a difficulty in the morning to disencum- ber himself from the snow drifted on him during the night. If in his passage he should be in want of provision, he cuts a hole in the ice, when he seldom fails of taking some trout or pike, whose eyes he instantly scoops out, and eats as a great delicacy; but if they should not be sufficient to satisfy his appetite, he will, in this necesity, make his meal of the fish in its raw state; but, those whom I saw, preferred to dress their victuals when circumstances admitted the neces- sary preparation. When they are in that part of their coun- try which does not produce a sufficient quantity of wood for fuel, they are reduced to the same exigency; though they generally dry their meat in the sun.* The dress of the woman diffbrs from that of the men. Tlteir leg^fins are tied below the knee; and their coat or shift is wido, hanging down to the ankle, and is tucked up at pleasure by means of a belt, which is fastened round the *The provision called Pe'mican, on which tho Chepewy- ans, as well as the other savages of this country, chiefly sub- sists in their journies, is prepared in the following manner. The lean parts of the flesh of the larger animals are cut in thin slices, and are placed on a wooden grate over a slow fire, or exposed to the sun, and sometimes to the frost. These operations dry it; and in that state it is pounded between two stones: it will then keep with care for several years. If, however, it is kept in iarge quantities, it is disposed to fer- ment in the spring of the year, when it must be exposed to the air, or it will soon decay. The inside fat, and that of 122 JOURNAL OF waist. Those who have children have these garments made full about the shoulders; and when they are travelling they carry their infants upon their backs, next their skin, in which situation they are perfectly comfortable, and in a position convenient to be suckled. Nor do they discontinue to give their milk to them until they have another child. Child- birth is not the object of that tender care and serious atten- tion among the savages as it is among civilized people. At this period no part of their usual occupation is. omitted; and this continual and regular exercise must contribute to the welfare of the mother, both in the progress of partuition and in the moment of delivery. The women have a singular cus- tom of cutting off a small piece of the navel-string of the new born children, and hanging it about their necks: they are curious in the covering they make for it, which they de- corate with porcupine-quills and beads. Though the women are as much in the power of the men, as any other articles of their property, they are always con- sulted, and possess a very considerable influence in the traffic with Europeans, and other important concerns. Plurality of wives is common among them; and the cere- mony of marriage is of a very simple nature. The girls are betrothed at a very early period to those whom the parents think the best able to support them: nor is the inclination of the woman considered. Whenever a separation takes place, which sometimes happens, it depends entirely on the will and pleasure of the husband. In common with the other Indians of this country, they have a custom respecting the the rump, which is much thicker in these wild than our do- mestic animals, is melted down and mixed in a boiling state, with the pounded meat, in equal proportions: it is then put in baskets or bags for the convenience of carrying it. Thus it becomes a nutritious food, and is eaten, without any furth- er preparation, or the addition of spice, salt, or any vegeta- ble or farinaceous substance. A little time reconciles it to the palate. There is another sort made with the addition of marrow and dried berries, which is of a superior quality. LEWIS AND CLARKK. 123 periodical state of a woman, which is rigorously observed; at that tim^ she must seclude herself from society. They are riot even allowed in 'that situation to keep the same path as the men, when travelling: and it is considered a great breach of decency for a woman so circumstanced to touch any uten- sils of manly occupation. Such a circnmstance is supposed to defile them, so' that their subsequent use would be follow- ed by certain mischief or misfortune. There are particular skins which the women never touch, as of the bear and wolf; but those animals the men are seldom known to kill. As these people are not addicted to spirituous liquors, they have a regular and uninterrupted use of their understanding, which is always directed to the advancement of their own interests; and this disposition, as may be readily imagined, sometimes occasions them to be charged with fraudulent hab- its. They will submit with patience to the severest treat- ment, when they are conscious they deserve it, but will nev- er forget nor forgive any wanton or unnecessary rigour. A moderate conduct I never found to fail; nor do I hesitate to represent them, altogether, as the most peaceable tribe of In- dians known in North America. There are conjurers and high-priests; but I was not pres- ent at any of their ceremonies; though they certainly operate in an extraordinary manner on the imaginations of the peo- ple in the cure of disorders. Their principal maladies are the rheumatic pains, the flux and consumption. The vene- real complaint is very common; but though its progress is slow, it gradually undermines the constitution, and brings on premature decay. They have recourse to superstition for their care; and charms are their only remedies, except the bark of the willow, which being burned and reduced to pow- der is str&wed upon green wounds and ulcers, and places con-, trived for promoting perspiration. Of the use of simples and plants they have no knowledge; nor can it be expected, as their country does not produce them. In their quarrels with each other, they very rarely pro- ceed to a greater degree of violence than is occasioned by blows, wrestling, and pulling of the hair; while their abusive language consists in applying the name of the most ofFen- 124 JOURNAL OF sive animal to the object of their displeasure, and adding the term ugly, and chiay, or stillborn.* The snow-shoes are of very superior workmanship. The inner part of their frame is straight, the outer is curved, and it is painted at both ends, with that in front turned up. They are also laced with great neatness, with thongs made of deer-skin. The sledges are formed of thin slips of board turned up also in front, and are highly polished with crooked knives in order to slide along with facility. Close-grained wood is, on that account, the best; but theirs are made of the red or swamp spruce-fir tree Their amusements or recreations are but few. Their mu- eic is so inharmonious, and their dancing so awkward, that they might be supposed to be ashamed of both, as they very seldom practice either. They also shoot at marks, and play at the games common among them; but in fact prefer sleep- ing to either; and the greater part of their time is passed in procuring food, and resting from the toil necessary to ob- tain it. They are also of a querulous disposition, and are continu- ally making complaints; which they express by a constant repetition of the word eduiy, "it is hard," in a whining and plaintive tone of voice. They are superstitious in the extreme; and almost every action of their lives, however trivial, is more or less influen- ced by some whimsical notion. I never observed that they had any particular form of religious worship; but as they be- lieve in a good and evil spirit; and a state of future rewards and punishments, they cannot be devoid of religious impres- sions. At the same time they manifest a decided unwilling- ness to make any communications on the subject. The Chepewyans have beon accused of abandoning their aged arid imfirm people to perish, and of not burying their dsad; but these are melancholly necessities, which procee from their wandering way of life. They are by no means *This name is also applicable to the fsetus of an animal, when killed, which is considered as one of the greatest deli- cacies. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 12& universal; for it is within my knowledge, that a mm render- ed helpless by palsy, was carried about for many years, with the greatest tenderness and attention, till he died a natural death. That they should not bury their dead in their own country, cannot be imputed to them a custom arising from a savage insensibility, as they inhabit such high latitudes that the ground never thaws; but is well known, that when they ere in the woods, they cover their dead with tresj. Besides, they manifest no common respect to the* memory of their de- parted friends, by a long period of mourning, c:it;ing of their hair, and never make use of the property of the deceased. Nay, they frequently destroy or sacrifice their own, as a token of regret and sorrow. CHAPTER XV. STATISTICAL VIEW. GRAND OSAGE. They claim the country within the fol- lowing limits, viz: commencing at the mouti of a south branch of the Osage river, called Neangeua, and with the game to its source, thence southwardly to intersect the Ar- kansas, about one hundred miles below the three forks of that river; thence up the principal branch of the same; to the con- fluence of a large northwardly branch of the same, lying a considerable distance west of the Great Saline, and with that stream nearly to its source; thence north-wardly, towards the Kansas river, embracing the waters of the upper portion of the Osage river; and thence obliquely approaching the same to the bcgining. The climate is del.'ghtful, and the soil fertile in the extreme. The face of the country is gen- erally level, and well watered; the eastern part of the coun- try is covered with a variety of excellent timber; the wes- tern and middle country, high prairies. It embraces within its limits four salines, \A Inch are, in point cf magnitude and excellence, unequalled by any known in North America; there are also many others of less note. The principal part of the Great Osage have always resided tt their villages, on the Osage river, since they have been known to the inhabi- tants of Louisiana; About three years since, nearly one LEWIS AND CLARKE. 127 of this nation, headed by their chief the Biglrack, em- igrated to throe forks of the Arkansas; near which, and on its north side, they established a village, where they now reside. The Liitle Osage formerly resided on the south west side of the Missouri, near the mouth of Grand river; but, being reduced by continual warfare with their neighbors, .were compelled to seek the protection of the Great Osage; near whom they now reside. KANSAS. The limits of the country they claim, is not known. The country in which they reside, and from thence to the Missouri is a delightful one, and generally well water- ed, and covered with excellent timber; they hunt to the up- per part of Kansas and Arkansas rivers; their trade -may be expected to increase with proper management. At present they are a dissolute, lawless banditti; frequently p'under their traders and commit depredations on persons ascending and descending the Missouri river; population rather increas- ing. The people, as well as the Great and Little Csa^es, are stationary, at their villages, from about the 15th of March to the 15th of May, and- again from the 15th of Au- gust to the 15th of October; the Balance of the year is appro- priated to hunting. They cultivate cora, &c. OTTOES. They have no. idea of an exclusive possession of any country; nor do they assign themselves any limits. I do not believe that they would object to the introduction of any well disposed Indians; they treat the traders with res- pect and hospitality, generally. In their occupations: of hun- ting and cultivation, they are the same with the Kansas and Osage. They hunt on the Saline and Nimmehaw rivers, and west of them in the plains. The country in which they hunt lies well; it is extremely fertile and well watered; that part of it which borders on Nimmehaw and Missouri posses- ses a good portion of timber; pupulation rather increasing. They have always resided near the place their village is sit- uated, and are the descendants of the Missouris. MISSOURIS. These are the remnant of the most numer- ous nation inhabiting the Missouri, when first known to the French. Their ancient and principal village was situated. 128 JOURNAL OF in an extensive and fertile plain, on the north bank of the Missouri, just below the entrance of the Grand river. Re- peated attacks of the small-pox, together with their war with the Saukees and Uenards, has reduced them to their present state of dependence on the Ottoes, with whom they reside, as well in their village, as on their hunting excursions. The ' Ottoes view them as their inferiors, and sometimes treat them amiss. These people are the real proprietors of an ex- tensive and fertile country lying on the Missouri, above their ancient village for a considerable distance, and as low as the mouth of the Osage river, and thence to the Mississippi. PANIAS.- With respect to their idea of the possession 'of soil, it is similar to that of the Ottoes, they hunt on the south side of the river Platte, higher up. and on the head of the Kansas. A great proportion of this country is open plains, interspersed, however, with groves of timber, which are most generally found in the vicinity oi the water-courses. It is generally fertile and well watered; lies level, and free of stone. They have resided in the country which they now inhabit, since they were known to the whites. Their trade is a valuable one; from the large proportion of beaver and ot- ter which they furnish; and it may be expected yet to in- crease, as those animals are still abundant in their country. The periods of their residence at their village and hunting, are similar to the Kansas and Usages. Their population is increasing. They are friendly and hospitable to all white persons; pay great respect and deference to theie traders, with whom they are punctual in their payment of their debts. PANIAS REPUBLICANS. Are a branch of the Pania Proper, or, as they are frequently termed, the Big Paunch. About ten years since they withdrew themselves from the mother naiton, and established a village on a large northwardly branch of the Kansas, to which they have given name; they afterwards subdivided and lived in different parts of the country on the waters of Kansas, they rejoined the Panias Proper last spring. What has been said with respect to the Panias Proper is applicable on the Republican river, which is better stocked with timber than that hunted by the Pa- mas. LEWIS AND CLARKE, 129 PANIAS Lours OR WOLVES. These are also a branch of the Panias Proper, who separated themselves from that na- tion many years since, and established themselves on a north branch of the river Platte, to which their name was also giv- en; these people, have likewise no idea of an exclusive right to any portion of that country. They hunt on the Wolf riv- er above their village, and on the river Platte above the mouth of that river. This country is very similar to that of the river Panias Proper, though there is an extensive body of fertile well timbered land between the Wolf river belovr their village and the river Corn de Cerf, or Rlkhorn river They cultivate corn, beans, &c. The particulars related of the other Panias are also applicable to them. MAHAS. They have no idea of exclusive possession of soil. About ten years since, they boasted of seven hundred warriors. They have lived in a village, on the west bank of the Missouri; two hundred and thirty-six miles above the mouth of the river Platte, where they cultivated corn, beans, and melons: they were warlike, end the terror of their neigh- bors. In the summer and autumn of 1802, they were visi- ted by the small-pox, which reduced their numbers to some- thing less than three hundred; they burnt their village, and have became a- wandering nation, deserted by the traders, and the consequent deficiency of arms and ammunition has invited frequent agrcss ions from their neighbors, which have tended to reduce them still further. They rove principally on the waters of the river Q,uicurre, or Kapid river. PONCARS. The remnant of a nation once respectable in point of numbers. They formerly resided on a branch of the Red river of lake Winnipie; being oppressed by the Si- oux, they removed to the west eide of tho Missouri, on Pon- car river, where they built and fortified a village, and remain- ed some years: but being purged by tiieir ancient enemies the Sioux, and reduced by continual wars, they have joined and no\V reside with the Mali^s, whose language they speak RICARS. Are the remains of ten large tribes of Panias, who have been reduced by the small-pox and the Sioux to the present number. They live in fortified, villages, and 9 130 JOURNAL OF hunt immediately in their neighborhood. The country around them, in every direction for several hundred miles, is entire- ly bare of timber, except on the watercourses and steep de- clivities of hills, where it is sheltered from the ravages of fire. The land is tolerably well watered, and lies well for cultivation. The remains of the villages of these people are to be seen on many parts of the Missouri, from the mouth qf Tetone river to the Mandans. They claim no land except that on which their villages stand, and the fields which they cultivate. The Tetons claim the country around them They are the oldest inhabitants, and may properly be called the farmers or tenants at will of that lawless, savage and ra- pacioas race the Sioux Teton, who rob them of their horses, plunder their gardens and fields, and sometin.es murder them without opposition. If these people were freed from the op- pression of the Tetons their trade would increase rappidly, and might be extended to a considerable amount. They maintain a partial trade with their oppressors, the Tetons, to whom they barter horses, mules, corn, beans, and a spe- cies of tobacco, which they cultivate; and receive in return guns, ammunition, kettles, axes, and other articles which the Tetons' obtain from the Yanktons of the North, and Sissa- tones, who trade with Mr. Cameron, on the river St. Peters- Thcse horses and mules the Ricaras obtain from their western neighbors, who visit them frequently for the purpose of traf- ficking. MANDANS. These are the most friendly, well disposed In- dians inhabiting the Missouri. They are brave, humane, and hospitable. About twenty-five years since they lived in six villages, about forty miles below their present villages, on both sides of the Missouri. Repeated visitations of the small-pox, aided by frequuent attacks of the Sioux, have re- duced them to their present number. They claim no par- ticular tract of country. They live in fortified villages, hunt immediately in their neighborhood, and cultivate corn, beans, squashes, and tobacco, which, form articles of traffic with their neighbors the Assiniboins: they also barter horsea with Assiniboins for arms, ammunition, axes, kettles and other articles of European manufacture, which these last ob LEWIS AND CLARKE. 131 tain from the British establishments on the Assinniboin river. The articles which they thus obtain from the Assinniboins, and the British traders who visit them, they again exchange for horses and leather tents with the Crow Indians, Chyen- nes, Wetcpahatoes, Kiawae, Kanenavieh, Stacton, and Ca- t aka, who visit them occasionally for the purpose of traffic. AHWAHHAWAY They differ but very little, in any partic- ular, from the Mandans, their neighbors, except in the unjust war which they, as well as the Minetares, prosecute against the defenceless Snake Indians, from which, I believe, it will be difficult to induce them to desist. They claim to have once been a part of the Crow Indians, whom they still ac- knowledge as relations. They have resided on the Missouri as long as their tradition will enable them to inform. MINETARES. They claim no particular country, nor do they assign themselves any limits: their tradition relates that they have always resided at their present villages. In their customs, manners, and dispositions, they are similar to the Mandans and Ahwahhaways. The scarcity of fuel induces them to reside, during the cold season, in large bands, in camps, on different parts of the Missouri, as high up that riv- er as the mouth of the river Yellow Stone, and west of their villages, about the Turtle mountain. I believe that these people, as well as the Mandans and Ahwahhaways, might be prevailed on to remove to the mouth of Yellow Stone river, provided an establishment is made at that place. They have as yet furnished scarcely any beaver, although the country they hunt abounds with them; the lodges of these animals are to be seen within a rnile of their villages. These people have also suffered considerably by the small-pox; but have successfully resisted the attack of the Sioux. SAUKIES AND RENARDS, OR FOXES. These nations are so perfectly consolidated, that they may, in fact, be considered as one nation only. They speak the same language; they formerly resided on the east side of the Mississippi, and et'iH claim the land on that side of the river, from the mouth of the Wisconsin to the Illinois river, and eastward toward lake Michigan; but to what particular boundary, I am not inform - 132 JOURNAL OF ed; they also claim, by conquest, the whole of the country belonging to the ancient Missouris, which forme one of the most valuable portions of Louisiana, but what .proportion of this territory they are willing to assign to the Ayouways, who alsoclaim a part of it, I do not know, as they are at war with the Sioux, who live north and north west of them, ex- cept the Yankton Ahnah. Their boundaries in that quarter are also undefined: their trade would become much more val- uable if peace was established between them and the nations west of the Missouri, with whom they are at war; the pop- ulation has remained nearly the same for many years; they raise an abundance of corn, beans, and melons; they some- times hunt in the country west of them, towards the Missouri; but their principal hunting is on both sides of the Mississip- pi, from the mouth of the Wisconsin to the mouth of the Illi nois river. These people are extremely friendly to the whites, and seldom injure their traders; but they are most implacable enemies to the Indian nations with whom they are at war. To them is justly attributable the almost entire des- truction of the Missouris, the Illinois, Cahokias, Kaskaskias, and Piorias. WAPATONE Claim the country in which they rove on the north west side of the river St. Peters, from their village to the mouth of the Chippeway river, and thence north eastwardly towards the head of the Mississippi, including the Crow-wing river. Their lands are fertile and gen- erally well timbered* They are only stationary while their traders are with them, which is from the beginning of Octo- ber to the last of March. Their trade is supposed to be at its greatest extent. They treat their traders with respect, and seldom attempt to rob them. This, as well as other Si- oux bands, actc, in all respects, as independly of each other .as if they were a aistinct nation. MINDAWARCARTON. This is the only band of Sioux that cultivates corn, beans, &c.; and these even cannot properly be termed a stationary people. They live in tents of dressed leather, which they transport by means of horses and dogs, and rambje from place to place during the greater part of the LEWIS AND CLARKE. 133 year. They are friendly to their, traders; but the inveterate enemies to such as supply their enBmies, the Chippeways, with merchandise. They also claim the country in which they hunt, commencing at the entrance of the river St. Pe- ters, and extending apwards. on both sides of the Mississip- pi river, to the mouth of the Crow river. WAHPACOOTA. They rove in the country south-west of the river St. Peters, from a place called the Hardwood* to the mouth of Yellow Medicine river: never stationary but when their traders are with them; and this does not happen at any regular or fixed point. At present they treat traders tolerably well. Their trade cannot be expected to increase much. SISSATONE. They claim the country in which they rove, embracing the upper portions of Red river, of lake Winni- pie, and St. Peters: it is a level country, intersected with many small lakes; the land is fertile and free of stone; the majority of it open plaias. This country abounds more in valuable fur animals, beaver, otter, and martin, than any por- tion of Louisiana yet known. This circumstance furnishes the Sisatones with the means of purchasing more merchan- dise, in proportion to their number, than any nation in this quarter. A great proportion of this merchandise is reserved by them for their trade with the Tetens, whom they annually meet at some point previously agreed on, upon the waters of James river, in the month of May. This Indian fair is fre- quently attended by the Yanktons of the north and Ah- nah. YANKTONS OF THE NORTH. This band although they purchase a smaller quantity of merchandise than the Sissa- tonss, still appropriate a considerable proportion of what they do obtain in a similar manner with that mentioned of the Sissatones This trade, as small as it may appear, has been sufficient to render the Tetons independent of the trade of the Missouri, in a great measure, and has furnised them with the means, not ofily of distressing and plundering the tra- ders of the Missouri, but also, of plundering and massacre- ing the defenceless savages of the Missouri, from the mouth 134 JOURNAL OF of the river Platte to the Mine tares, and west to the Rocky mountains. YANKTONS AHNAH. These are the best disposed Sioux who rove on the banks of the Missouri, and these even will not suffer any trader to ascend the river, if they can possibly avoid it: they have, heretofore, invariably arrested the pro- gress of all those they have, met with, and generally compel- led them to trade at the prices, nearly, which they them- selves think proper to fix on their merchandise: they seldom commit any further acts of violence on the whites. They sometimes visit the river Demoin, where a partial trade has been carried on with them, for a few years past, by a Mr. Crawford. Their trade, if well regulated might be extreme- ly valuable. CHAPTER XVI. Tetons Bois Bride Tetons Okandandas Tetons Minna- kineazzo Tetons Sahone. These are the vilest miscreants of the savage race, and must ever remain the pirates of the Missouri, until such measure's are pursued, by our government, as will make them ibel a dependence on its will for their supply of merchandise. Unless these people are reduced to order> by coercive measures, I am ready to pronounce that the citizens of the United States can never enjoy but partially the advantages which the Missouri presents. Relying on a regular supply of mer- chandise, through the channel of the river St. Peters, they view with contempt the merchants of the Missouri, whom they never fail to plunder, when in their power. . Persua- sion or advice, with them is viewed as supplication, and on- ly tends to inspire them with contempt for those who offer either. The tamenass with which the traders of Missouri have heretofore submitted to their rapacity, has tended not a little to inspire them with contempt for the white persons who visit them through that channel. A prevalent idea a- mongthem, and one which they make the rule of their con- duct, is, that the more ill they treat the traders, the greater quantity of merchandise they will bring them, and that they LEWIS AND CLARKE 135 9 will thus obtain the articles they wish on better terras. They have endeavored to inspire the Ricaras with similar senti- ments, but, happily, without any considerable effect. They claim, jointly with the other band of the Sioux, all the coun- try lying within the following limits, viz. beginning at the confluence of the Demoin and Missippi, thence up the West side of the Mississippi to the mouth of the St. Peters river, thence on both sides of the Missippi to the rnouth of Crow- wing river, and upwards with that stream, including the wa- ters of the upper portion of Red river, of lake Winnipie, and down the same nearly to Pembenar river, thence a south- westerly course to intersect the Missouri at or near the Man- dans, and with that stream downwards to the entrance of the Warrecunne creek, thence passing the Missouri it goes to inclue the lower portion of the river Chyanne, all the wa- ters of White river and river Teton, includes the lower portion of the river Quicurre, aad returns to the Missouri, and with that stream downwards to the mouth of Wappidon river, and thence eastwardly to intersect the Mississippi at the beginning. CHYANNES. They arc the remnant of a nation once res- pectable in point of number: fomrcrly resided on a branch of the Red river of Lake Winnipie, which still bears their name. Being oppressed by the Sioux, they removed to the west side of the Missouri, about fifteen miles below the mouth of Warrecunne creek, where they built and fortified a vil- lage, but being pursued by their ancient enemies the Sioux, they fled to the Black-hills, about the head of the Chyanne river, where they wander in quest of the buffaloe, having no fixed residence. They do not cultivate. WETEPAHATOES. They are a wandering nation, inhabit an open country, and ra : se a great number of horses which they barter to the Ricaras, Mandars, &c. for articles of Eu- ropean manufacture. They are a well disposed people, and might be readily induced to visit the trading establishments on the Missouri. From the animals their country produces, their trade would, no doubt, become valuable. DOTAMES. The informal ian I possess, with respect to 136 JOURNAL OF I this nation, is derived from Indian information: they are said' to be a wandering nation, inhabiting an open country, and who raise a great number of horses and rnules. They are a friendly, well disposed people, and might, from-the position of their country, be easily induced to visit an establishment on the Missouri, about the rnouth of Chyanne river. They have not, as yet, visited the Missouri. CASTAHANA. What has been said of the Dotames is ap- plicable to these people, except that they trade principally with the Crow Indians, and they would most probably prefer visiting an establishment on the Yellow Stone river, or at its mouth on the Missouri. CROW INDIANS. -These people are divided into four bands, called by themselves Ahah-ar-ro-pir-no-pah, Noo-taa, Pa- rees-car, and E-liart sar. They annually visit the Mandans, Menetares, and Ahwahhaways, to whom they barter horses, mules, leather lodges, and many articles of Indian apparel, for wich they receive in return, guns, ammunition, axes, ket- tles, awls, and other European manufactures. When they return to their country, they are in turn visited by the Paunch and Snake Indians, to whom they barter most of the articles they have obtained from the nations on the Missouri, for hor- ses and mules, of which those nations have a greater abun- dance than themselves. They also obtain of the Snake In- dians, bridle-bits, and blankets, and some other articles which those Indians purchase from from the Spaniards. PAUNCH INDIANS. These are said to be a peaceable, well disposed nation. Their country is a variegated one, consist- ing of mountains, valleys, plains, and woodlands, irregularly interspersed. They might be induced to visit the Missouri, at the mouth of the Yellow Stone river; and from the great abundance of valuable fured animals, which their country, well as that of the Crow Indians, produces, their trade must become extremly valuable. They are a roving people, and have no idea of exclusive right to the soil. LEWIS AND CLARK". 137 CHAPTER XVII. M. Manetopa. Osecgah. Mahtopanato. Are the descendants of the Sioux, and partake of their ' turbulent and faithless disj>osition: they frequently plunder, and sometimes murder their own traders. . The name by which this nation is generally known was borrowed from the Chippeways, who call them Assiimiboan, which litterally translated, is Stone Sioux, hence the name of Stone Indians, by which they are sometimes called. The country in which they rove is almost entirely uncovered with timber; lies ex- tremely level; and is but badly watered in many parts; the Innd, however, is tolerable fertile and unincumbered witli stone. They might be induced to trade at the river Yellow Stone; but I do not think that their trade promises mush. Their numbers continue about the same. These bands, like Sioux, act entirely independent of of each other, although they claim a national affinity, and never make war on each other* CHIPPEWAYS, OF LEACH LAKE. Claim the country on both sides of the Mississippi, from the mouth of the Crow wing river to its source, arid extending west of the Mississipi to the lands claimed by the Sioux, with whom they contend for dominion. They claim, also, east of the Mississipi, the country extending as far as lake Superior, including the wa- ters of the St. Louis. This countiy is thickly covered with timber generally; lies level, and generally fertile, though a considerable proportion of it is intersected and brokon up by email lakes, morasses and small swamps, particularly about the heads of the Mississippi and river St. Louis. They do not cultivate, but live principally on the wiid rice, which they procure in great abundance on the borders of Leach Lake and the banks of the Mississippi. CHIPPEWAYS OF RED LAKE. Claim the country about Red lake and Red lake river, as far as the Red river of lake Winnipie, beyond which last river they contend with the Sioux for territory. This is a low level country, and gener- ally thickly covered with timber, interupted with many r/T i LEWIS AND CL\RKE. 13:> swamps and morasses. This, as well as the other bands of liippeways, are esteemed the best hunters of the north west imtry; but from the long residence of this band in the counrty ey now inhabit, game is becoming scarce; therefore, their de is supposed to be at its greatest extent. OF RIVER PEMBENA. These people formerly resided on he east side of the Mississippi, at Sand lake, but were indu- ced, by the north west company, to remove, about two years since, to the river Pembon^. They do not claim the lands on which they hunt. The country is level and the soil good. The west side of the river is principally prairies or open plains; on the east side there if a greater proportion of timber. . Their trade at present is a very valuable one. ALCONQIHNS OF RAINY LAKE. With the precise limits of country they claim, I am not informed. They live very much detached, in small parties. The country they inhabit is but an indifferent one; it has bean much hunted, and the game of course nearly exhausted. They are well disposed towards the white*. Their number is sc.id to decrease. OF PORTAGE I)E PRAIRIE. These people inhabit a low flat, marshy country, mostly covered with timber and well stocked with game. They are emigrants from the lake of the Woods and the country east of it, who were introduced, some years since, by the North West traders in order to hunt the country on the lower parts of Red river, which then abounded in a variety of animals of the fur kind. CIIRITENOES. They are a wandering nation; do not cul- tivate, nor claim any particular tract of country. They are well disposed towards the whites, and treat their traders with respect. The country in which they rove is generally open plains, but in some parts, particularly about the head of the Assinniboin river, it is marshy and tolerably well furnished with timber, as are also the Fort Dauphin mountains, to which they sometimes resort. From the quantity of beaver in their country, they onghtto furnish more of that article than they do at present. ALIATONS SNAKE INDIANS. These are o numerous^ and well disposed people, inhabiting ft woody and mountainous 140 JOURNAL OF country; they are divided into three large trribes, who wan- der at a considerable distance frdm each other, and are 'called by themselves So-so-na, So-so'bubar, and La-kar. r [ hese are again sub-divided into smaller though independent bands, the names of which I have not yet learnt; they raise a num- ber of horses and mules, which they trade with the Crow In- dians, or are stolen by the nations to the east of them. They maintain a partial trade with the Spaniards, from whom they obtain many articles of cloathing and ironmongery, but no warlike implements. OF THE WEST. These people also inhabit a mountainous country, and sometimes venture in the plains east of the Rocky mountains, about the head of the Arkansas riv- er. They hare no* more intercourse with the Spaniards of New Mexico, than the Sr;ake Indians. They are said to be very numerous and warlike, but are badly armed. The Spaniards fear these people, arid therefore take the precau- tion not to furnish them with any warlike implements. In their present unarmed state, they frequently commit hostili- ties on the Spaniards, They raise a great many horses. LA PLAYES. They inhabit the rich plains, from the head of the'Arkansas, embracing the heads of Red river, and ex- tending with the mountains s.nd high lands eastwardly as far as is known towards the gulfaf Mexico. They possess no fire arms, but are war-like and brave. They are as well as the other Aliatans, a wandering people. Their country abounds in wild horses, beside great numbers which they raise themselves, Thase people, and the West Aliatans, might be induced to trade with us on the upper part of the Arkansas river.' PANIA PIQUE. These people have no intercourse with the inhabitants of the Illinois; the information, therefore, which I have been enabled to obtain with respect to them, is very imperfect. They were formerly by the name of the White Panias, and are of the family with the Panias of the river Platte. They are said to be a well disposed people, and inhabit a very fertile country; certain it is, that they en- jay a delightful climate. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 141 PADUCAS This once powerful nation lias, apparently en- tirely disappeared; every inquiry I have made after them has proved ineffectual. Ip the year 1724, they resided in sev- eral villages on the head of the Kansas river, and could, at that time, bring upwards of two thousand men into the field. (See Monsieur Dupratz History of Louisiana, page 71, and the Map attached to that work.) The information that I have received is, that being oppressed by the nations residing on the Missouri, they removed to the upper part of the river Platte, where they afterwards had but little intercourse with the whites. They seem to have given name to the northern branch of the river, which is still called the Paducas Fork. The most probable conjecture is, that being still further re- duced, they have divided into small wandering bands, which assumed the names of the sub-divisions of the Paducas na- nation, and are known to us at present under the appellation ,of Wetepahatoes, Kiawas, Kansnavish, Katteka, Dotame, &c. who still inhabit the country to which the Paducas ars said to have removed. CHAPTER XVIII. HISTORICAL SKETCHES. Of the several Indian, tribes in Louisiana, south of ihe Ar- kansas river, and between the Mississippi and river Grand. CADDOQUES. They live about thirty-five miles west of the main branch of Red river, on a bayou or creek called by them Sodo, which is navigable for perOgues only within about eix miles of their village, and that only in the rainy season. They are distant from NatchiUnhes about one hundred aad twenty miles, the nearest route by land, and in nearly a north west direction. They have lived where they now do only five years. The first year they moved there, the small pox got amongst them and destroyed nearly one half of them; it was in the winter season, and they practiced plunging in- to the creek on the first appearance of the eruption, and died in a few hours. Two years ago they had the measles, of which several more of them died. They formerly lived on 142 JOURNAL OF the south bank of the river, by the course of the river, three hundred and seventy-five miles higher up, at a beautiful prai- rie, which haa a clear lake of good water in the middle of it, i surrounded by a pleasant and fertile country, which had been the residence of their ancestors from time immemorial. They have a traditionary tale which not only the Caddos, but half a dozen other smaller nations believe in, who claim the honor of being descendants of the same family; they say, when all the world was drowned by a flood that inundated the whole country, the great Spirit placed on an eminence near this lake, one family of Caddoqucs, who alone were saved; from that family all the Indians originated. The French, for many years before .Louisiana was trans- ferred to Spain, had, at this place, a fort and some soldiers; several French families were likewise settled in the vicinity, where they had erected a good flour mill with burr stones brought from France. These French families continued there tilJ about twenty-five years ago, when they moved down and settled at Campti, on the Red river, above Natchitoches, where they now live; and the Indians left it about fourteen years ago, on account of a dreadful sickness that visited them. They settled on the river nearly opposite, where they now live, on a low place, but were driven thence on account of its overflowing, occasioned by a jam of timber choking the river at a point below them. The whole number of what they call warriors of the an- cient Caddo nation, is now reduced to about one hundred, who are looked upon somewhat like knights of Malta, or some distinguished military order. They are brave, despise danger of death, and boast that they never shed white man's blood. Besides these, there are of old men and strangers who live among them, nearly the same number; but there are forty or fifty more women than men. This nation has great influence over the Yattassees, Nandakoes, Nabadaches, Inies or Yatchies, Nacogdoches, Keycchies, Adaize and Yat- chitoches, who all speak the Caddo language, look up to them as their fathers; visit and intermarry among them, and join hem in all their wars. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 143 YATTASSEES. They live on Bayou Pierre, (or Stony creek) which falls into Red river, western division, about fifty miles above Natciiitoches. Their village is in a large prairie a- bcut half way between the Caddoques and Natch itolches sur- rounded by a settlement of French families. The Spanish government at present exercise jurisdiction over this settle- ment, where they keep a guard of a non-commissioned officer and tfighi; soldiers. A few months ago, the Caddo chief with a few of his young men were coining to this place to trade, and came by that way which is the usual road. The Spanish officer of the guard threatened to stop them from trading with the Amer- icans, and told the chief if ho returned that way with the goods he should take' them from him; the chief and his par- ty were angry, and threatened to kill the whole guard, and told them that road had been always theirs and that if the Spaniards attempted to prevent their using it as their ances- tors had always done, he would soon make it a bloody road. He came here, purchased the goods he wanted, and might have returned another way and avoided the Spanish guard, and was advised to do so; but he said he would pass by them, and let them attempt to stop him if they dared. The guard said nothing to him as he returned. This settlement, till some few years ago, used to belong to the district of Natciiitoches, and ihe rights to their lands were given by the government of Louisiana, before it was ceded to Spain. It's now being under the government of Texas, was only an agreement between the commandant of Natchitoches and the commandant of Nacogdoches. The French formerly had a station and factory there, and another on the Sabir.e river, neaily one hundred miles north-west from the Bayou Pierre settlement. The Yattassees now say, the French used to be their people, and now the Americans. But of the ancient Yattassees there are but eight men re- maining, and twenty-five women, besides children; but a numbor of men of other nations have intermarried with them and live together. I paid a visit at their village last sum- mer; there were about forty men of them altogether: their original language differs from any other; but now, all speak 144 JOURNAL OF Caddo. They live on rich land, raise plenty of corn, beans, pumpkins, tobacco, &c. have horses, cattle, hogs and poul- try. " NANDAKOES. They live on the Sabine river, sixty or sev- enty miles to the westward of Yattassees, near where the French formerly had a station and factory. Their language is Caddo: about ten men only of them remaining. A few years ago they suffered very much by the small-pox. They consider themselves the same as Caddoes, with whom they intermarry, and are occasionally, visiting one another in the greatest harmony: have the same manners, customs and at- tachments. ADAIZE. They live about forty miles from Natchitoches,, below the Yattassees, on t a lake called Lac Macedon, which communicates with the division of Red river that passess by Bayou Pierre. They live at or near where their ancestors have lived from time immemorial. They being the near- j est nation to the old Spanish fort, or Mission of Adaize, that place was named after them, being about twenty miles from them, to the south. There are now but twenty men of them j remaining, but more women. Their language differs from .1 all others, and is so difficult to speak or understand, that ho : nation can speak ten words of it; but they all speak Caddo, and most of them French, to whom they were always attach- | ed, and joined them against tLd Natchez Indians. After the | massacre of the Natchez, in 17 ( J8, while the Spaniards oc-1 cupied the post of Adaize, their priests took much pains to-I proselyte these Indians to the Roman Catholic religion, but, I am informed, were totally unsuccessful. ALICHE, (commonly pronounced Eyeish.} They live near Nacogdochesj but are almost extinct, as a nation, not beingf more than twenty-five souk of them remaining^ four years ago the small -pox destroyed a greater part of them. They were some years ago, a considerable nation, and lived on a. Bayou which bears their name, which the road from Nacag- doches crosses, about twelve miles west of Sabine river, on which a few French and American families are settled. Their native language is spoken by no other nation, but they LEWIS AND CLARKE. 145 speak and understand Caddo, with whom they are in amity, often visiting one another. KEYS, OR KEYCIIIES. They live on the east bank of Trinity river, a small distance above where the road from Natchitoches to St. Antonie crosses it. There are of them sixty men: have their peculiar native language, but mostly now sneak Caddo; intermarry with them, and live together in much harmony, formerly having lived near them, on the head waters of the Sabine. They plant corn, and some oth- er vegetables. INIES, OR TACHIES. From the latter name the name of the province of Tachus or Taxus is derived. The Inies live about fifteen miles west of Natchitoches, on a smaller river a branch of Sabine, called the Natches. T^by are, like all their neighbors, diminishing; but have now eighty men. Their ancestors, for a longtime, lived where they now do. Their language the same as that of the Caddoes, with whom they are in great amity. These Indians have 'a good charac- ter, live on excellent land, and raise corn to sell. NABEDAOHES. They live on the west side of the same river, about fifteen miles above them; have about the same * number of men; speak the same language; live on the best of land; raise corn in plenty; have the same manners, customs and attachments. BEDIES. They are on the Trinity river, about eixty miles to the southward of Nacogdoches; have one hundred men; are good hunters for deer, which are ve*y large, and plenty about them; plant, and make good crops of corn; lan- guage differs from all others, but speak Caddo; are a peacea- ble people, and have an excellent character for their honesty and punctuality. ACCOCKESAWS. Their ancient town and principal place of residence is on the west side of Colerado or Rio Rouge, about two hundred miles south-west of Nacogdoches, but of- ten change their place of residence for a season; being near the bay, make great use of fiish, oysters, &c. kill a great many deer, which are the largest and fattest in the province; and their country is universally said to* be inferior to no part 10 146 JOURNAL OF of the province in soil, growth of timber, goodness of water, and beauty of surface; have language peculiar to themselves, but have a mode of communication by dumb signs, which they all understand; number about eighty men. Thirty or forty years ago, the Spaniards had a mission here, but broke it up or removed it to Nacogdoches. They talk of re-settling it, and speak in the highest terms of the country. MAYES. They live on a large creek called St. Gabriel, on the bay of St. Bernard, near the mouth of Gaudaloupe river; are estimated at two hundred men; never at peace with the Spaniards, towards whom they are said to possess a fix- ed hatred, but profess great friendship for the French, to whom they havajpeen strongly attached since Monsieur de Salle landed in their neighborhood. The place where there is a talk of the Spaniards opening a new port } and making a settlement, is near them; where the party, with the governor of St. Antoine, who were there last fall to examine it, say they found the remains of a French block-house; some of the cannon now at Labahie are said to have been brought from that place, and known by the engraving now to be seen on them. The French speak highly of these Indians for their ex- treme kindness and hospitality to all Frenchmen who have iKfen amongst them: have a language of their own, but speak Attakapa, which is a language of their neighbors the Ca_ rankouas; they have likewise a way of conversing by signs t CARANKOTJAS. They live on an island, or peninsula, in the bay of St. Bernard, in length about ten miles, and five in breadth; the soil is extremely rich and pleasant; on one side of which there is a high bluff, or mountain of coal, which has been on fire for many years, affording always a light at night, and a strong thick smoke by day, by which vessels are sometimes deceived and lost on the shoaly coast, which shoals are said to extend nearly out of sight of land. From this burning coal, there is emitted a gummy substance the Spaniards called cheta, which is thrown on the shore by the aurf, and collected by them in considerable quantities, which they are fond of chewing; it has the appearance and consis- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 147 tance of pitch, of a strong, aromatic, and not disagreeable smell. These Indians are irreconcilable enemies to the Spaniards, always at war with them, and kill them when- ever they can. The Spaniards call them cannibals, but the French give them a different character, who have al- ways been treated kindly by them since Monsieur de Salle and his party were in their neighborhood. They are said to be five hundred men strong, but I have not been able to estimate their numbers from any very accurate informa- tion; in a short time expect to be well intbrrned. They speak the Attakano language; are friendly and kind to all other In- dians, and, I presume, are much like all others, notwithstan- ding what the Spaniards say of them; for nature is every where the same. Last summer an old Spaniard came to me from Labahie, a. journey of about five hundred miles, to have a barbed arrow taken out of his shoulder, that one of these Indians had shot in it. I found it under his shoulder-blade, near nine inches, and had to cut a new place to get at the point of it, in order to get it out the contrary way from that in which it had en- tered: it was made of a piece of an iron hoop, with wings like a fluke and an inche. GANGES. They are a very numerous nation, consisting of a great many different tribes, occupying different parts of the country, from the bay of St. Bernard, across river Grand, towards La Vera Cruz. They are not friendly to the Span- iards, and generally kill them when they have an opportuni- ty. They are attached to the French; are good hunters, principally using the bow. They are very particular in their dress, which is made of neatly dressed leather; the women wear a long loose robe, resembling that of a Franciscan friar, nothing but their heads and feet are to be seen. The dress of the men are straight leather leggins, resembling panta- loons, and a leather hunting-shirt, or frock. No estimate can be made of their number. Thirty or forty years ago the Spaniards used to make slaves of them when they could take them; a considerable number of them were brought to Natchitoches and sold tc 148 JOURNAL OF the French inhabitants at forty or fifty dollars a head, and a number of them are still Jiving here, but are now free. About twenty years ago an order came from the king of Spain that no more Indians should be made slaves^ and those that were enslaved should be emancipated; after which some of the wcmen who had been servants in good families, and taught spinning, sewing, &c. as well as managing household affairs, married natives of the country, and become respectable, well behaved women, and have now, growing up, decent families of children: have a language peculiar Lo themselves, and are understood, by signs, by all others. They are in amity with all other Indians except the Hietans, TANKAWAYS, OR TANKS. As the French call them, have no land nor claim the exclusive right to any, nor have any particular place of abode, but are always moving, alternately occupying the country watered by the Trinity, Braces, and Colerado, toward 's St. a Fe. Resemble in their dress, the Cances and Hietans, but all in one horde or tribe. Their number of men is estimated at about two hundred; are gocd hunters, kill buffaloe and deer with the bow; have the best breed of horses; are alternately friends and ensmies of the Spaniards. An old trader lately informed me, that he had received five thousand deer skins from them in one year, ex- clusive of tallow, rugs and tongues. They plant nothing, but live upon wild fruits and flesh: are strong, athletic peo- ple, and excellent horsemen. TAWAKENOES, OR THREE CANES. They are called by both names indifferently; live on the west side of the Braces, but are often, for months at a time, lower down than their usual place of residence, in the great prairie at the Tortuga, or Turtle, called so from its being a hill in the prairie, which at a distance, appears in the form of a Turtle; upon which , there are some remarkable springs of water. Their usual residence is about two hundred miles westward of Nacog- doches, towards St. a Fe. They are estimated at two hun- dred men: are good hunters; have guns, but hunt principally with the bow: are supplied with goods from Nacogdoches, and pay for them in rugs, tongues, tallow, and skins. They LEWIS AND CLARKE. 149 speak the same language as the Panias, or Towiaches, and pretend to have descended from the same ancestors. PANIAS, OR TOWIACHES. The French call them Paniae, and the Spaniards Towiaches; the latter is the proper Indi- an name. They live on the south side of Red river; by the course of the river upwards of eight Hundred miles above Natchitoches, and by land, by the nearest path, is estimated at about four hundred and forty. They have two towns near together; the lower town, where the chief lives, is cal- led Niteheta, and the other is called Towahach. They call their present chief the GREAT BEAR. They are at war with the Spaniards, but friendly to those French and American hunters who have lately been among them. They are likewise at war with the Osages, as are every other nation. For many hundreds of miles round them, the country is rich prairie, covered with luxuriant grass, which is green, summer and winter, with skirts of wood on the river bank, by the springs and creeks. They have many horses and mules. They raise more corn, pumpkins, beans and tobacco, than they want for their own consumption; the surplusage they exchange with the Hie- tans for buffalo rugs, horses, and mules; the pumpkins they cut round in their shreads, and when it is in a state of dry- ness, that it is so tough it will not break but bend, they plait and work it into large mats, in which state they sell it to the Hietans. who as they travel, cut off und eat it as they want it. Their tobacco they manufacture and cut as fine as tea, which is put in leather bags of a certain size, and is likewise an article of trade. They have but few guns, and very lit- tle ammunition; what they have they keep for war, and hunt with the bow. Their meat is principally buffalo; seldom kill a deer, though they are so plenty that they come into their villages, and about their houses, like a domestic animal; elks, bears, wolves, antelopes and wild hogs are likewise plenty in their cunntry, and white rabbits, or hares, as well as the common rabbit: white bears sometimes come down amongst them, and wolves of various colours. The men gen- erally go entirely naked, and women nearly so, only wearing" a srnaJl flap of a piece of a skin. They have a number of Spaniards among them* of fair complexion, taken from the 150 JOURNAL OF settlement of St. a Fe, when they were children, who live as they do, and have-no knowledge of where they came from. Their language differs from that of any other nation, the Tawakenoes excepted. Their present number of men is es- timated at about four hundred. A great number of them were .swept off by the small pox. CHAPTER XIX. HIETANS, OR COMANCHES. Who are likewise called by both names, have no fixed place of residence; have neither towns nor villages; divided into so many different hordes or tribes, that they have scarcely any knowledge of one anoth- er. No estimate of their numbers can well be made. They never remain in the same place more than a few days, but follow the buffalo, the flesh of which is their principal food. Some of them occasionally purchase of the Panias, corn, beans, and pumpkins; but they are so numerous, that any quantity of these articles the Panias are able to supply them with, must make but a small proportion of their food. They have tents made of neatly dressed skins, fashioned in the form of a cone, sufficiently roomy for a family often or twelve persons; those of the chiefs will contain occasionally fifty or sixty persons. When they stop, their tents are pitch- ed in very exact order, so as to form regular streets and squares, which in a few minutes has the appearance of a town, raised, as it were by enchantment; and they are equal- ly dexterous in striking their tents and preparing for a march when the signal is given; to every tent two horses or mules are allotted, one to carry the tent, and another the poles or sticks, which are neatly made of red cedar, they travel on horseback. Their horses they never turn loose to graze, but always keep them tied with a long cabras or halter; and eve- ry two or three days they are obliged to remove on account of all the grass near them being eaten up, they have such num- bers of horses. They are good horsemen and have good hor- ees, most of which are bred by themselves; and being aceus- tomed-from when very young to be handled, they are remar- kably docile and gentle* They sometimes catch wild horses,, LEWIS AND CLARKE. 151 which are every where among them in immense droves. They hunt down the buffalo on horseback, and kill them either with the bow or a sharp stick like a spear, which they carry in their hands. They are generally at war with the Span- iards, often committing depredations upon the inhabitants of St. a Fe and St. Antoine; but have always been friendly and civil to any French or Americans who have been among them. They are strong athletic, and the elderly men as fat as though they had lived upon American beef and porter. It is said, that the man who kills a buffalo, catches the blood, and drinks it while warm; they likewise eat the liver raw, before it is cold, and use the gall by way of sause. They are, for savages, uncommonly cleanly in their persons: the dress of the woman is a long loose robe, that reaches from their chin to the ground, tied round with a fancy sash, or girdle, all made' of neatly dressed leather, on which th'ey paint figures of different colours and significations: the dress of the men is close leather pantaloons, and a hunting shirt, or frock of the same. They never remain long enough in the same place to plant any thing: the small Cayenne pepper grows spontaneously in the country; with which, and some wild herbs and fruits, particularly a bean that grows in great plenty on a small tree resembling a willow, called masketo, the women cook their buffalo beef in a manner that would be grateful to an American squire. They alternately occu- py the immense space of the country from the Trinity and Braces, crossing the Red river, to the heads of Arkansas and Missouri, to the river Grand, and beyond it, about St. a Fe, and over the dividing ridge on the waters of the Western ocean, where they say they have seen large peroques, with masts to them; in describing which, they have seen vessels ascending a river, over which was a draw-bridge that opened to give them a passage. Their native language of sounds differs from the language of any other nation, and none can either speak or understand it; but they have a lan- guage by signs, that all Indians understand, and by which they converse much among themselves. They have a num- ber of Spanish men and women among them, who are slaves, which they made prisoners when young. 152 JOURNAL OF An elderly gentleman now living at Natchitoches, who, some years ago, carried on a trade with the Hietans, a few years ago, related to me the following story. "About twenty years ago a party of these Indians passed over the Grand river to Chewawa, the residence of the gov- ernor-general of what is called the Five Internal Provinces; lay in ambush for an opportunity, and made prisoner the gov- ernor's daughter, a young lady going in her coach to mass, and brought her off. The governor sent a message to him (my informant) with a thousand dollars, for the purpose of re- covering his daughter: he immediately despatched a confi- dential trader for the purpose of recovering his daughter, then in his employ, with the amount of the thousand dollars in merchandise, who repaired to the nation, found her, and purchased her ransom; but to his great surprise, she refused to return with him to her father, and sent, by him the following message: ''That the Indians had disfigured her face by tatoo- ing it, according to their fancy and ideas of beauty, and a young man of them had taken her for his wife, by whom she believed herself pregnant; that she had become reconciled to their mode of life, and was well treated by her husband; and that she should be more unhappy by returning to her father, under these circumstances, than by remaining where she was:" Which message was conveyed to her father, who re- warded the trader by a present of three hundred dollars more for his trouble and fidelity. His daughter is now living with her Indian husband in the nation, by whom she has three children." NATCHITOCHES. Formerly lived where the town of Nat- chitoches is now situated which took its name from them. An elderly French gentleman lately told ;ne, he remembered when they were six hundred strong. I believe it is now ninety-eight years since the French first established them- selves at Natchitoches; ever since these Indians have been their steady and faithful friends. After the massacre of the French inhabitants of Natchez, by the Natchez Indians, in 17- 28, those Indians, fled from the French, after being reinforced, and came up red river, and encamped about six miles below the town of Natchitoches, neacthe rivex, by the/side of a small lake LEWIS AND GLARE. 153 of clear water, and erected a mound of considerable size, where it now remains. Monsieur St. Dennie, a French Can- adian, was then commandant at Natchitoches; the Indians called him the Big Foot, were fond of him, for he was a brave man. St. Dennie, with a few French soldiers, and what malitia he could muster joined by the Natchitoches In- dians, attacked the Natchez in their camp, early in the morn- ing: they defended desperately for six hours, but were at length totally defeated by St. Dennie, and those of them that were not killed in battle, were driven into the lake, where the last of them perished, and the Natchez, as a nation, be- came extinct. The lake is now called by no other name than the Natchez lake. There are now remaining of the Natchitoches but twelve men and nineteen women, who live in a village about twenty-live miles by land above the town, which bears their name, near a lake, called by the French Lac de Muire. Their original language is the same as the Yattassee, but speak Oddo, and most of them French. The French Inhabitants have great respect for this nation; and a number of very decent families have a mixture of their blood in them. They claim but a small tract of land, on which they live, and I am informed,, have the same rights to it from government, that other inhabitants in their neighbor- hood have. They are gradually wasting away; the small-pox has been their great destroyer. They still preserve their In- dian dress and habits, raise corn aiid those vegetables com- mon in their neighborhood. BOLUXAS. Are emigrants from near Fensacola. They came to Red river about forty-two years ago, with some French families, who left that country about the time Penea- cola was taken possession of by the English. They Were then a considerably numerous tribe, and have generally em- braced the Roman Catholic religion, and were ever highly esteemed by the French. They settled first at Avoyall, then moved higher up the Rapide Bayou, and from thence to the mouth of Regula de Bondieu, a division of Red river, about forty miles below Natchitoches, where they now live, and are reduced to about thirty in number. Their native language is peculiar to themselves,, but speak Hobiliau 154 JOURNAL OF which is spoken by all the Indians from the east side of the Mississippi. They are an honest, harmless, and friendly people. APPAL ACHES. They are likewise emigrants from West Florida, from off the river whose name they bear; came over to Red river about the same time the Boluxas did, and have ever since lived on the river about Bayou Rapide. No nation have been more highly esteemed by the French inhabitants; no complaints against them are ever heard; there are only fourteen men remaining; have their own language, but speak French and Mobil ian. ALLIBAMIS. They are likewise from West Florida, off the Allibami river, and came to Red river about the same time of the Boluxas and Appalaches, Part of them have lived on Red river, about sixteen mi'lps above the Bayou Ra- pide, till last year, when most of this party, of about thirty, men, went up Red river, and have settled themselves near the Caddoques; where,! am informed, they last year had a good crop of corn. The Caddoques are friendly to them, and have no objection to their sattling there. They speak the Greek and Chataw language's, and Mobilian; most of them French, and seme of them English. There is another party of them, whose village is on a small creek, in A ppelousa district, about thirty miles north west from the church of A ppelousa. They consist of about forty men. They have lived at the same place ever since they came from Florida; are said to be increasing a little in num- bers, for years past. They raise corn; have horses, hogs and cattle' and are harmless quiet people. CONCRTTAS. They are almost the same people as the Al- libamis, but came over only ten years ago; first lived on Bayou Chico, in A ppelousa district; but, four years ago, mo- ved to the river Sabine settled themselves on the east bank, where they now live, in nearly a south direction from Natchi- toches, and distant about eighty miles. They call their num- ber of men about one hundred and sixty; but say, if they were all together, they would amount to two hundred. Sev- eral families of tnem live in detached settlements. They LEWIS AND CLARK fi. 155 are good hunters. Game is plenty. A few days ago, a small party of them were hare, consisting of fifteen persons, men, women, and children, who were on their return from a bear hunt up the Sahine. They told -nie they had killed one hundred and eighteen; but this year an uncommon number of bears have come down. One man alone, on the Sabirie, dur- ing the summer and fall hunting, killed four hundred deer, sold his skins at forty dollars a hundred. The bears this year are not so fat as comman; they usually yield from eight to twelve gallons of oil, each of which never sells for less than a dollar a gallon, and the skin a dollar more. No great quantity of the meat is saved. What the hunters do .not use when out, they generally give to the dogs. The Conchat- tas are friendiy with all other Indians, and speak well of their neighbors the Caranhouas, who; they say live abput eighty miles south of them, on the bay, which I believe, is the nearest point to the sea from Natehitoches. A few families of Chactaws have lately settled near them from Bayou Boeuf. The Conchattas sneak Greek, which is their native language, and Chactaw, and several of them English, and one or two of them can read it a little. PACANAS, They are a small tribe of about thirty men, who live on the Quelqueshoe river, which falls into the bay between Attaka-)pa and Sabine, which heads in a prairie called Cooko Prairie, about forty miles south west of Natehi- toches. These people *are likewise emigrants from West Florida, about forty years ago. Their village is abput fifty miles south-east of the Conchattas; are said to be increasing a little in number; quiet, peaceable^ and friendly people. Their own language differs from any other, but speak Mo- bilian. ATTAKAPAS This word, I am informed, when transla- ted into English, means Man-eater, but is no more applicable to them than any other Indians. The district they live in is called after them. Their village is about twenty-five miles to the westward of the Attakappa church, towards Quelque- shoe. Their number of men is about fifty, but some Tunicas and Humas, who have married in their nation, and live with 155 JOURNAL OF them altogether about eighty. They arc peaceable and friend- ly to every body; labor, occasionally, for the white inhabi- tants: raise their own com; have cattle and hogs. Their lan- guage and the Carankouas is the same. They were, or near where they now live, when that part of the country was first discovered by the French. APPALOUSA. It is said the word Appalousa, in the Indi- an language, means, Black head, or Black skull. They are aborigines of the district called by their name. Their village is about fifteen miles west from the Appalousa church; have about forty-five men Their native language differs from all - other; understand Attacapa, and speak Frerch; plant corn, have cattle and hogs. TUNICAS. These, people lived formerly on the Bayou Tu- nica, abr-ve Point Coupee, on the Mississippi, east side; live now at Avoyall; do not at present exceed twenty-five men. Their native language is peculiar to themselves, but speak Mobilian; are employed, occasionally, by the inhabitants as boatmen, &c. are in amity with all other people, and gradual- ly diminishing in numbers. PASCAGOLAS. These people live in a small village on Red river, about sixty miles below Natchitoches; are emi- grants from Pascagola river, in West Florida; twenty -five men of them only remaining; speak Mobilian, but have a language peculiar to themselves; most of them speak and un- derstand French. They raise good crops of cum, and gar- den vegetables; have cattle, horses, and poultry plenty. TENISAWS. They are likewise emigrants from the Ten- nesau river, that falls into the bay of Mobile; have resided on Red river about forty years; are reduced to about twenty-five men. Their village is within one mile of the Pascagolas, on the opposite side; but have lately sold their land, and have, or are about moving to Bayou I>o3uf, about twenty-five miles south from where they lately Jived. All speak French and Mobilian, and live much like their neighbors the Pasca- golas. CHATTOOS. They live on Bayou Boeuf, about ten miles. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 157 to the southward of Bayou Rapide, on Reel river, towards Ap- pallousa: a small honest -people; arc aborigines of the coun- try where they live; of men about thirty; diminishing: have their own peculiar tongue; speak Mobilian. The lands they claim on Bayou Bceuf are inferrior to no part of Louisiana in depth and richness of soil, growth of timber, pleasantness of surface, and goodness of water. The Bayou Boeuf falls into the Chaffeli, and discharges though Appellousa and At- takapa and Vermillion bay. WASHAS. When the French first came into the Missis- sippi, this nation lived on an island to the southwest of New Orleans, called Barritaria, and were the first tribe of Indi- ans they become acquainted with, and were always friends. They afterwards lived on Bayou La Fosh; and, from being a considerable nation, are now reduced to five persons only, two men and three women, who are scattered in French fam- ilies; have been many years extinct, as a nation, and their native language is lost. CIIACTAWS. There are a considerable number of this na- tion en the west side of the Mississippi, who have not been home for several years. About twelve miles above the post on Ouacheta, on that river, there is a small village of them of about thirty men, who have lived there for several years, and made corn; and likewise on Bayou Chica, in the northern part of the district of Appalousa, there is another village of them of about fifty men, who have been there for about nine years, and say they have the governor of Louisiana's per- mission to settle there. Besides these, there are rambling hunting parties of them to be met with all ever Lower Lou- isiana. They are at war with the Caddoques, and liked by neither red nor white people. ARKANSAS. They live on the Arkansas river, south side, in three villages, about twelve miles above the post, or sta- tion. The name of the first village is Towanima; second Oufotu, and the third Ocapa; in all, it is believed, they do not at present exceed one hundred men, and diminishing. They are at war with the Osages, but friendly with all other people, white and red; are the original proprietors of tbe 158 JOURNAL OF * country on the river, to all which they claim, for about three hundred miles above them, to the junction of the river Cad- wa with Arkansas; above this fork the Osages claim. Their language is Osage. They generally raise corn to sell; are called honest and friendly people. CHAPTER XX. Origin of the American Indians. "The means," says an ingenious traveller, "by which A- merica received its first Inhabitants, have, since the time of its discovery by the Europeans, been the subject of number- less disquisitions. Was I to endeavor to collect the differ- ent opinions and 'reasonings of the various writers that have taken up the pen in defence of their conjectures, the enumer- ation would much exceed the bonds I have prescribed to my- self, and oblige me to be less explicit on points of greater moment. From the obscurity in which this debate is envel- oped, through the total disuse of letters among every nation of Indians oa this extensive continent, and the uncer- tainty of oral tradition at the distance of so many ages, I fear, that even after the most minute investigation, we shall not be able to settle it with any great degree of certainty. And this apprehension will receive additional force, when it is considered that the diversity of language, which is appar- ently distinct between most of the Indians, tends to ascer- tain that this population was not effected from one particu- lar country, but from several neighboring ones, and comple- ted at different periods. Most of the historians, oj travel- lers that have treated on the American Aborigines, disagree in their sentiments relative to them. Many of the ancients are supposed to have known that this quarter of the globe not only existed, bat also that k was inhabited. Plato in his Timseus has asserted, that beyond the island which he calls Atalantis, and which, according to his discription, was situated in the Western Ocean, there were a great number of other islands, and behind those a vast continent. Oviedo, a celebrated Spanish author, of much later date, has made no scruple to affirm, that the- Antilles are the famous Hesperides, LEWIS AND CLARKE. 159 so often mentioned by the poets; which are at length restored to the kings of Spain, the descendants of king Hesperus, who lived upwards of three thousand years ago, and from whom these islands received their name. Two other Span- iards, the one Father Gregorio Garcia, Dominican; the other Father Joseph De Acosta, a Jesuit, have written on the ori- gin of the Americans. The former, who had been employ- ed in the missions of Mexico and Peru, endeavored to prove from the traditions of the Mexicans, Peruvians, and others which he received on the spot, and from the variety of char- acters, customs, languages and religion observed in the dif- ferent countries of the New World, that different nations had contributed to the peopling of it. The latter, Father De Acosta, in his examination of the means by which the first Indians of America might have found a passage to that continent, discredits the conclusions of those who have sup- posed it to be by sea, because no ancient author has made men- tion of the compass; and concludes, that it must be either by the north of Asia and Europe, which adjoin to each other, or by those regions that lie to the southward of the Straits of Magellan. He also rejects the assertions of such as have advanced that it was peopled by the Hebrews. John de Laet, a Flemish writer, has controverted the opinions of the Span- ish fathers, and of many others who have writen on the same subject. The hypothesis he endeavors to establish, is, that America was certainly peopled by the Scythians or Tar- tars, and that the transmigration of these people happened soon after the dispersion of Noah's grandsons. He under- takes to show, that the most northern Americans have a greater resemblance, not only in the features of their coun- tenances, but also in their complexion and manner of living, to the Scythians, Tartars and Samoeides, than to any other nations. In answer to Grotius, who had asserted that soma of the Norwenians passed into America by way of Green* land, and over a vast continent, he says, that it is well known that Greenland was not discovered till the year 964; and both Gomera and Herrera inform us, that the Chichime- ques were settled on the lake of Mexico in 721. He adds, that these savages, according k> the uniform tradition of the 1GO JOURNAL OF Mexicans who dispossessed them, came from the country since called New Mexico, and from the neighborhood of Cali- fornia; consequently North America must have been inhabi- ted many ages before it could receive any inhabitants fr ;m Norway, by way of Greenland. It is no less certain, he ob- serves, that the real Mexicans founded their empire in 902, after having subdued the Chichimeques, the Otomias, and other barbarous' nations, who had taken -possession of the country round the lake of Mexico, and each of whom spoke a language peculiar to themselves. The real Mexicans are likewise supposed to come from some of the countries that lie near California; and that they performed their journey for the most part by land; of course they could not come from Norway. DC Laet further adds, that though some of the inhabitants of North America may have entered it from the north-west, yet, as~it is related by Pliny, and some other wri- ters, that on many of the islands near the western coast of Africa, particularly on the Canaries, some ancient edifices were seen, it is highly probable from their being now deserted; that the inhabitants may have passed over to America; the passage neither long nor difficult. This migration, accord- ing to the calculation of those authors, must have happened more than two thousand years ago, at a time when the Span- iards were much troubled by the Carthaginians; from whom having obtained a knowledge of navigation and the construc- tion of ships, they might have retired to the Antilles, by way of the western iles, which were exactly half way on their voyage. He thinks also, that Great iiritain, Ireland, and the Orcades were extremely proper to admit of a similar conjecture. As a proof, he inserts the following pas- sage from the history of Wales, written by Dr. Da,vid Pow~ el, in the year 1 170: This historian says, that Madoc, one of the sons of Prince Owen. Gwynnith, being disgusted at the civil wars which broke out between his brothers after the death of their father, fitted out several vessels, and having provided them with every thing necessary for a long voyage, went in quest of new lands to the westward of Ireland; there he discovered very fertile countries, but destitute of inhabi- tants; when landing 'a part of his people, he returned to LEWIS AND CIAIIKE, 161 Rritian, where he raised new levies, and afterwards trans- ported this to his colony. The Flemish author then returns to the Scythians, be- tween whom and the Americans he draws a parallel. He observes that several nations of them to the north of the Caspian soa, led a wandering 1 life; which, as well as many other of their customs, and way of living, agrees in many circumstances with the Indians of America. And though the resemblances are not absolutely perfect, yet the emi- grants, even before they left their own country, dilTered from each other, and went not by the same name. Their change of abode effected .what remained. He further says, that a similar likeness exists between several American nations and Samoa ides, who are settled, according to the Russian ac- counts, on the great river Oby. And it is more natural, con- tinues he, to suppose that colonies of these nations passed over to America by crossing the Icy Sea on thoir sledges, than for the Norwegians to travel all the way Grotias has marked out for them. This writer makes many other re- marks that are equally sensible, and which appaa'r to be just; but he intermixes with these some that are not so well foun- ded. Emanuel de Moraez, a Portuguese, in his history of Brazil, asserts that America has been wholly peopled by the Carthaginians and Israelites. He brings as a proof of this assertion the discoveries the former are known to have made at a great distance beyound the coast of Africa. The pro- gress of which being put a stop to by the senate of Carthags those who happened to be then in the newly discovered coun tries, being cut off from all communication with their coun- trymen, and destitute of many necessaries of life, fell into a state of barbarism. As to the Israelites, this author thinks that nothing but circumcision is wanted in order to consti- tute a perfect resemblance between them and the Brazilians. George de Hornn, a learned Dutchman, has likewise written on the, subject. He sets out with declaring, that he does not believe it possible America could hare been peopled before the flood, considering the short space of time which elapsed between the creation of the world and the memorable event. In the next place he lays it down as a principle, that aftet 11 162 JOURNAL OF the deluge, men and other terrestrial animals penetrated in- to that country both by sea and land; some through accident, and somo from a formed design. That birds got thither by flight; which they were enabled to do by resting on the rocks and islands that are scattered about the ocean. He further observes that wild beasts may have found a free passage by land; and that if we do not meet with horses or cattle (to which he might have added elephants, camels, rhinoceroses, and beasts of many other kinds) it is because those nations that passed thither, were either not acquainted with their use, or had no convenience to support them. Having total- ly excluded many nations that others have admitted as the first settlers of America, for which he gives substantial rea- sons, he supposes that it began to be peopled by the north; and maintains the priir.ative colonies spread themselves by the means of the isthmus of Panama, through the whole ex- tent of the continent. He believes that the first founders of the Indian colonies were Scythians. That the Phoanicians and Carthaginians afterwards got footing to America across the Atlantic ocean, and the Chinese by way of the Pacific, and that other nations might from time have landed there by one or other of these ways, or might possibly have been thrown on the coast by tempests: since, through the whole extent of that continent, both in its northern and southern parts, we meet with undoubted marks of a mixture of the northern nations, with those who have come from other pla- ces. And lastly, that some Jews and Christians might have been carried there by such like events, but that this must have happened at a time when the whole of the new world was already peopled. After all, he acknowledges that great difficulties attend the determination of the question. These,, lie says, are occasioned in the first place by the imperfect knowledge we have of the extremities of the globe, toward the north and sooth pole; and the next place to the havoc which the Spaniards, the first discoverers of the new world, made among its most ancient monuments; as witness the great double road betwixt Quito and Cuzco, an undertaking so stupendous, that even the most magnificient of those exe- cuted by the Romans cannot be compared to it. He suppo- L^WIS AND CLARKE. 163 ses also another migration of the Phoenicians, than those al- ready mentioned to have taken place; and this was during a three years voyage made by the Tyrian fleet in the service of King Solomon. He asserts on the authority of Josephus, that the port at which this embarkation was made, lay in the Mediterranean. The fleet, he adds, went in quest of ele- phant's teeth and peacocks to the western coast of Africa, which is Tarehiah: then to Ophir for gold, which is Haiti, or the island of Hispaniola; in the latter opinion he is suppor- ted by Columbus, who, when he discovered that island, thought he could trace the furnaces in which the gold was refined. To these migrations which preceded the Christian era, he adds many others of a later date from different na- tions, but these I have not time to enumerate. For the same reason I am obliged to pass over numberless writers on this subject; and shall content myself with only giving the sentiments of two or three more. The first of these is Pierre De Charlevoix, a Frenchman, who, in his journal of a voyage to North America, made so lately as the year 1720, has recapitulated the opinions of a variety of authors on this head, to which he has subjoined his own conjectures; but the latter cannot without some difficulty be extracted, as they are so interwoven with the passages he has quoted; that it requires much attention to discriminate them. He seems to allow that America might have received its first inhabitants, from Tartary and Hyrcania. This he confirms, by observing, that the lions and tigers which are found in the former, muet have come from those countries, and whoso passage serves for a proof that the the two hemispheres join to the north- ward of Asia, He then draws a corroboration of this argu- ment, from a story he says he has often heard related by Father Grollon, a French Jesuit, as an undoubted matter of fact. This Father, after having laboured some time in the missions of New France, passed over to those of China. One day he was travelling in Tartary, he met a Huron wo- man whom he had formerly known in Canada. He asked her by what adventures she had been carried into a country so distant from her own. She made answer, that having been taken in war she had been conducted from nation to na. 164 JOURNAL OF tion, till she had reached the place at which she then was. Monsieur Charlevoix, says further, that he had been assured by another Jesuit, passing through Nantz, in his return from China, had related much such another affair of a Spanish woman from Florida. She also had been taken by certain Indians, and given to those of a more distant country; and by these again to another nation, till having thus been suc- cessively passed from country to country, and travelled through regions extremely cold, she at last found herself in Tartary. Here she had married a Tartar, who had attend- ed tliQ conquerors in China, where she was then settled. He acknowledges as an allay to the probability of these sto- ries, that those who had sailed farthest to the eastward of Asia^ by pursuing the coast of Jesso, or Kamschatka, have pretended that they had perceived the extremity of this con- tinent; and from thence have concluded that there could not possibly be any communication by land. But he adds that Francis Guella, a Spaniard, is said to have asserted, that this separation is no more than a straight, about one hundred miles over, and that some ]ate voyages of the Japanese give grounds to think, that this straight is only a bay, above, which there is a passage over land. He gees on to observe, that though there are few wild beasts to be met with in North America, except a kind of tigers without spots, "which are found in the country of the Iroquois, yet towards the tropics there are lions and real tigers, which riot withstand ing, might have come froji Hyrcania and Tartary; for 1 as by advancing gradually southward they met with climates more agreeable to their natures, they have in time abandoned the northern countries. He quotes both Solinus and Pliny, to prove that ' the Scythian Anthropophagi once depopulated a great extent of country, as far as the promontory Tabin; and an auther of later date, jUark Pol, a Venetian, who, he says, tells us, that to the northeast of China and Tartary there are vast unin- habited countries, which might be sufficient to confirm any conjectures concerning the retreat of a great number of Scy- thians into America. To this he adds, that we find in the ancients the names of some of these nations. Pliny speaks of the Tabians, So- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 165 linus mentions the Apuleans, who had for their neighbors the Massagetes, whom Pliny since assures us to have entire- ly disappeared. Amianus Marcellinus expressly tells us, that the fear of the Anthropophagi obliged several of the in- habitants of those countries to ta-ke refuge elsewhere. From all these authorities Monsieur Charlevoix concludes, that there is at least room to conjecture that more than one nation in America had a Scythian or Tartarian original. He finishes bis remarks on the authors he has quoted, by the following observations: It appears to me that this controversy maybe reduced to the following articles; first how the new world might have been peopled; and, secondly, by whom, and by what means it has been peopled. Nothing he asserts, may be more easily answered than the first. America might have been peopled as the three other parts of the world have been.. Many difficulties have been formed on this subject, which, have been deemed insolvable, but which are far from being. so. The inhabitants of both hemispheres are certainly the descendants of the same father; the common parent of man- kind received an express command from Heaven to people the whole world, and accordingly it has been peopled. To bring this about, it was necessary to overcome all difficul- ties that lay in the way, and they have been got over. Were these difficulties greater with respect to peopling the extrem- ities of Asia, Africa and Europe, or the transporting men into the islands which lie at a considerable distance from those continents, than to pass over into America? Certainly not. Navigation, which has arrived at so great perfection within these three or four centuries, might possibly have been more perfect in those early ages than at this day. Who can believe that Noah and his immediate descendants knew less of this art than we do] that the builder and pilot of the largest ship that ever was, a ship that was formed to tra- verse an unbounded ocean, and had so many shoals and quick- sands to guard against, should be ignorant of, or should not have communicated to those of his descendants who survived him, and by whose means he was to execute the order of the Great Creator? I say, who can believe he should not have communicated to them the art of sailing upon an ocean, 166 JOURNAL OF which was not only more calm and pacific, but at the same time confined within its ancient limits'? Admitting this, how easy it is to pass, exclusive of the passage already des- cribed, by land from the coast of Africa to Brazil, from the Canaries to the Western Islands, and from them to the An- tillsl From the British Isles, or the coast of France, to New-Foundland the passage is neither long nor difficult; I might say as much of that from China to Japan; from Japan, or the Philipines, to the Isles Mariannes; and from thence to Mexico. There are islands at a considerable distance from the con- tinent of Asia, where we have dot been surprised to find in- habitants; why then should we wonder to meet with people in America? Nor can it be imagined that the grandsons of Noah, when they were obliged to separate, and spread them- selves in conformity to the designs of God, over the whole earth, should find it absolutely impossible to people almost one half of it. I have been more copious in my extracts from this author than I intended, as his reasons appear to be solid, and many of his observations just. From this enco- mium, however, I must exclude the stones he has introduced of the Huron and Florid an women, which I think I might venture to pronounce fabulous. I shall only add, to give my readers a more comprehensive view of Monsieur Charle- voix's dissertation, the methed he proposes to come at the trath of what we are in search of. The only means by which this can be done, he says, is by comparing the language of the Americans with the different nations from whence we might suppose they have peregrina- ted. If we compare the former with those words that are considered as primitives, it might possibly set us upon some happy discovery. And this way of ascending to the origin- al of nations, which is by far the least equivocal, is not so difficult as might be imagined. We have had, and still have, travellers and missionaries who have attained the languages that are spoken in all the provincess of the new world; it would only be necessary to make a collection of their gram- mars and vocabularies, and to callate them with the dead and living languagas of the old world, that pass for original^ LEWIS AND CLARKE. 167 and the similarity might easily be traced. Even the differ- ent dialects, in spite of the alterations they have undergone, still retain enough of the mother tongue to furnish considera- ble lights. Any enquiry into the manners, customs, religion, or tra- ditions of the Americans, in order to discover by that means their origin, he thinks would prove fallacious. A disquisi- tion of that kind he observes, is only capable of producing a false light, more likely to dazzle, and to make us wander from a right path, than to lead us with certainty to the point proposed. Ancie.it traditions are effaced from the minds of such as either have not, or for several ages have been without those helps, that are necessary to preserve them. And in this sit- uation is full one half of the world. New events, and new arrangement of things, give rise to new traditions which ef- face the former, and are themselves effaced in turn. After one or two centuries have passed, there no longer remain any traces of the first traditions; and thus we are involved in a state of uncertainty, He concludes with the following remarks, among many others; unforeseen accidents, tempests, and shipwrecks, have certainly contributed to people every habitable part of the world: and ought we to wonder after this, at perceiving cer- tain resemblances, both of persons and manners between na- tions that arc most remote from each other, when we find such a difference between those that border on one another? As we are destitute of historical monuments, there is noth- ing, I repeat it, but a knowledge of the primative languages that is capable of throwing any light upon those clouds of impenetrable darkness. By this inquiry we should at least be satisfied, among that prodigious number of various nations inhabiting America, and differing so much in languages from each other, which are those who make use of words totally and entirely different from those of the old world, and who, consequently, must be reckoned to have passed over to Amer- ica in the earliest ages, and those, who, from the analogy of their language with such as are at present used in the three other parts of the globe, leave room to judge that their mi- 168 JOURNAL OF gration has been more recent, and which ought to be attribu- ted to shipwrecks, or to some accident similar to those which have been spoken of in the course of this treatise. I shall only add the opinion of one auiher more, before 1 give my own sentiments on the subject, and that is of James Adair, Esq. who resided forty years among the Indians, and published the history of them in the year 1112. In this learned and systematical history of those nations, inhabiting the western parts of the most southern of the American colonies; this gentleman, without hesitation, pronounces that the American Aborigines are descended from the Israelites, either whilst they were a maritime power, or soon after their general captivity. This descent he endeavors to prove from their religious rites, their civil and martial customs, their marriages, their funeral ceremonies, their manners, language, traditions, and from a variety of other particulars. And so complete is his conviction on this head, that he fancies hfr finds a perfect similitude in each. Through all these I have not time. to follow him, and shall therefore only give a few extracts to show on what foundation he builds his conjec- tures, and what degree of credit he is entitled to on this point. He begins with observing, that" though some have supposed the Americans to be descended from the Chinese, yet neither their religion, laws nor customs, agree in the least with those of the Chinese; which sufficiently prove that they are now almost half a year sailing for China (our auther does not here recollect that this is from a high northern latitude, across the line, and then back again greatly to the northward of it, and not directly athwart the Pacific ocean, for only one hundred and eleven degrees) or from thence to Europe, it is very unlikely they should attempt such dangerous discover- ies, with their supposed small vessels, against rapid currents, and in dark and sickly monsoons. He further remarks, that this is more particularly improbablej as there is reason to be- lieve, that this nation was unacquainted with the use of the loadstone to direct their course. China, he says, is about eight thousand miles distant from the Atlantic ocean. And we are not informed by any ancient writer of their maritime skill, or so much ,a,s. anj inclination tjiat way, besides small LEWIS AND CLARKE 169' coasting voyages. The winds blow likewise, with little va- riation, from east to west with in the latitudes thirty and odd, north and south; and therefore these could not drive them on the American coast,, it lying directly contrary to such a course. Neither could persons, according to this writers account, sail to America from the north by the way of Tarta- ry or ancient Scythia; that from its situation, never having been or can be a maratime power; and it is utterly impracti- cable, he says, for any to come to America by sea from that quarter. Besides, the remaining traces of their religious ceremonies and civil and martial customs are quiie opposite to the like vestiges of the Old Scythians. Even in the mod- erate northern climates there is not to be seen the least trace of any ancient stately buildings, or of any thick settlements, as are said to remain in the less healthy regions of Peru and Mexico. And several of the Indian nations assure us, that they crossed the Mississippi before they made their present northern settlements; which, connected with the former ar- guments, he concludes will sufficiently explode that weak opinion of the American Aborigines being lineally descend- ed from the Tartars or ancient Scythians. Mr. Adairs reason for supposing that the Americans derivo their origin from the Jews, are, First, because they are divi- ded into tribes, and have chiefs over them as the Israelita had. SecoddJy, because, as by a strict permanent divine- precept, the Hebrew nation were ordered to worship at Jeru- salem, Jehovah, the true and living God, so do tho Indians, styling him Yohewah. The ancient Heathens, he adds, it is well known worshipped a plurality of Gods, but the Indi- ans pay their religious devoirs to the great beneficient su- preme holy Spirit of Fire, who resides, as they think, above the clouds, and on earth also with unpolluted people. They pay no adoration to images or to dead persons, neither to the celestial luminaries, to evil spirits, nor to any created being whatever. Thirdly, because, agreeably to the theocracy of divine government of Israel, the Indians think the Deity to be the immediate head of their state. Fourthly, because, as the Jews believe in the ministration of Angels, the Indians also believe,, that the higher regions are inhabited by good, 170 JOURNAL OF spirits. Fifthly, because the Indian language and dialects, appear to have the very idiorn and genius of the Hebrew. Their words and sentences being expressive, concise, em- phatical. sonorous, and bold, and often, both in letters and signification, are synonymous with the Hebrew language. Sixthly, because they count their time after the manner of the Hebrews. Seventhly, because, in conformity to, or af- ter the Jews, they have their prophets, high priests, and oth- er religious orders. Eightly, because their festivals, fasts, and religious rites have a great resemblance to those of the Hebrews. Ninthly, because the Indians, before they goto war, have many preparatory ceremonies of purification and fasting, like what is recorded of the Israelites. Tenthly, because the Fame taste for ornaments, and the same kind are made use of by the Indians, as by the Hebrews. These and many other arguments of c, similar nature; Mr. Adair brings in support of his system; but f should imagine, that if the Indians are really derived from the Hebrews, among their religious ceremonies, on which he chiefly seems to build his hypothesis, the principal, that of circumcision, would never have been laid aside, and its very remembrance obliterated. Thus numerous and diverse are the opinions of those who have hitherto written r,n this subject! I shall not however, either endeavor to reconcile them or point out the errors of each, but to proceed to give my own sentiments on the orig- in of the Americans; which are founded on conclusions drawn from the most rational arguments of the writers I have men- tioned, and from rny own observations; the consistency of these I shall leave to the judgement of my readers. The better to introduce my conjectures on this head, it is neces- sary first to ascertain the distance between America and those parts of the habitable globe that approach nearest to it. The continent of America as far as we can judge from all the researches that have been made near the poles, ap- pears to be entirely separated from the other quarters of the world. That part of Eurrope which approaches nearest to it, is the coast of Greenland, lying in about seventy degrees of the north latitude; and which reaches within twelve de- grees of the coast of Labrador, situate on the north-east bor- LEWIS AND CIARKE. 171 tiers of this continent. The coast of Guinea is the nearest par! of Africa; which lies about eighteen hundred and sixty miles north-east from the Brazils. The most eastern coast of Asia which extends to the Korean Sea on the north of China, projects north-east through eastern Tartary and Kain- schatka to Siberia, in about sixty degrees of north latitude. Towards which the western coast of America, from Calfor- nia to the Straights of Annian, extend nearly north-west, and lie in about -six degress of the same latitude. Whether the continent of America stretches any father north than these straights, and joins to the eastern parts of Asia agree- ably to what iias been asserted by some of the writers I have quoted, or whether the lands that have been discovered in the intermediate parts are only an archipelago of islands, verg- ing towards the opposite continent, is not yet ascertained. It being, however, certain that they are many considerable islands which lie between the extremities of Asia and Amer- ica, viz. Sapan, Yesso, or Jedso, Gama's Land, Behring's Isle, with many others discovered by Aschirikow, and be- sides these, from 51) degrees north there appearing to be a cluster of Islands that reach is far as Siberia, it is brobable from their proximity to America, that it received its first in- habitants from them. This conclusion is the most rational I am able to draw, supposing that since the Aborigines got footing on this con- tinent, no extraordinary or sudden change in the position or surface of it has taken place, from inundations, earthquakes, or any revolutions of the earth that we are at present unac- quainted with. To me it appears highly improbable, that it should have been peopled from different quarters, across the ocean, as ethers have asserted. From the size of the ships made use of in those early ages, and the want of the compass, it cannot be supposed that any maritime nation would by choice venture over the unfathomable ocean, in search of dis- tant continents. Had this, however, been attempted, or had America been first accidentally peopled from ships freighted with passengers of both sexes, which are driven by strong easterly winds across the Atlantic, these settlers must have retained some traces of the language of the country from 172 , JOURNAL OF whence they migrated; and this, since the discovery of it by. the Europeans, must have been made out. It also appears extraordinary, that several of these acci- dental migrations, as allowed by some, and these from differ- ent parts, should have taken place. Upon the whole, af- ter the most critical inquiries, and the maturest deliberation, I am of opinion, that America received its inhabitants from the N. E. by way of the Great Archipelago just mentioned, and from there alone. But this might have been effected at different times, and from various parts: from Tartary, China, Japan, or Kamchatka, the inhabitants of these places re- sembling each other in color, features and shape; and who, before some of them acquired a knowledge of the arts and sciences, might have likewise resembled each other in their manners, customs, religion, and language. The only differ- ence between the Chinese nation and the Tartars lies in the cultivated state of the one, and the unpolished situation of others. The former have become a commercial people, and dwell in houses farmed into regular towns and cities; the lat- ter live chiefly in tents, and rove about in different hordes, without any fixed^ abode. Nor can the long and bloody wars these two nations have been engaged in, exterminate their hereditary similitude. The present family of the Chinese emperors is of Tartarian extraction; and if they were not sensible of some claim beside that of conquest so numerous a people would scarcely sit quiet under the dominion of stran- gers. It is very evident that some of the manners end cus- toms of the American Indians resemble those of the Tar- tars; and I make no doubt but that in some future era; and this not a very distant one, it will be reduced to a certainty, that during some of the wars between the Tartars and the Chinese, a part of the inhabitants of the northern provinces were driven from their native country, and took refuge in some of the isles before mentioned, and from thenca found their way into America. At different periods each nation might prove victorious, and the conquered by turns fly be- fore their conquerors, and from hence might arise the simili- tude of the Indians to all these people, and that animosity which exists between so many of their tribes. It appears. LEWIS AND CLARKE. 173 plainly to me, that a great similarly between the Indians and Chinese is conspicuous, in that particlar custom of shaving or plucking off' the hair, and leaving only a smalktufi on the crown of the head. This mode is said to have been enjoin- ed by the Tartarian emperors on their accession to the throne of China, and consequently is a farther proof that this cus- tom was in use among the Tartars; to whom, ns well as the Chinese, the Americans might be indebted for it. Many words are alpo used by the Chinese and Indiana, which have a resemblance to each other, not only in the sound, but their signification. The Chinese call a slave shungo; and the Naudowesdie Indians, whose language, from their little in- tercourse with the Europeans, is the least corrupted, term a dog shungush. The former denominate one species of their tea, shousong; the latter call their tobacco shossau. Many other of the words used by the Indians contain the syllables, che, chaw, and chu, after the uialect of the Chinese. There probably might be found a similar connexion be- tween the language of the Tartars and the. American Abor- igines, were we as well acquainted with it as v;e are, from a commercial intercourse, with that of the Chinese. I am confirmed in these conjectures, by the accounts^of Kamschat- ka, published a few years ago by order of the Empress of Russia. The author of which says, that the sea which di- vides that peninsula from America is full of islands, -and that the distance between Tschukostskoi NOES, a promontory which lies' at the eastern extremity of that country, and the coast of America, is not more than two degrees and a half of a great circle. He further says, that there is the greatest reason to suppose, that Asia and America once joined' at this place, as the coasts of both continents appear to have been broken into capes and bays, which answer each other: more especially as the inhabitants of' this part of Loth resemble each other in their persons, habit?, customs and food. Their language indeed he observes, does not appear to be the same, but then the inhabitants of each district, in Kamschatka speak a language as different from each other, as from that spoken on the opposite coast. These observations, to which he adds, the similarity of the boats of the inhabitants of each coast 3 174 JOURNAL OF and a remark that the natives of this part of America are wholly strangers to wine and tobacco, which he looks upon as a proof that they have as yet Ind no communication with the natives of Europe, he says, amount to little less than a demonstration, that America ivas peopled from this part of Asia. The limits of my present undertaking- will not permit me to dwell any longer on this subject, or to enumerate any oth- er proof in favor of my hypothesis. I am, however, so thor- oughly convinced of the certainty of it, and so desirous have I been to obtain every testimonv which can be procured in its support, that I once made an offer to a private society of gen- tlemen, who were curious in such researches, and to whom I had communicated my sentiments on this point that I would undertake a journey, on receiving such supplies as were need- ful, through the north-east parts of Europe and Asia to the interior parts of America, and from England, making, as I proceeded, such observations both on the languages and man- ners of the people with whom I should be conversant, as might tend to illustrate the doctrine I have here laid down, and to satisfy the curiosity of the learned or inquisitive: but as this proposal was judged rather to require a national than a private support, it was not carried into execution. I am happy to find, since I formed the foregoing conclusions, that they correspond with the sentiments of that great and learn- ed historian, Doctor Robertson; and though with him, I ac- knowledge that the investigation, from its nature, is BO ob- scure and intricate, that the conjectures I have made can on- ly be considered as conjectures, and not indisputable conclu- sions, yet they carry with them a greater degree of probabil- ity, than the suppositions of those who assert that this con- tinent was peopled from anotner quarter. One of the Doc- tor's quotations from the Journals of Dehring and Tschiri- kow, who sailed from Kamschatka, about the year 1741, in quest of the new world, appears to carry great weight with it, and to afford our conclusions firm support: These comman- ders, having shaped their course towards the east, discovered land, which to them appeared to be part of the American continent; and according to their observations, it seems to be LEWIS AND CLARKE. 175 situated within a few degrees of the north-west coast of Cal- ifornia. They had there some intercourse with the inhabi- tants, who seemed to them to resemble the North Americans; as they presented to the Russians the calumet or pipe of peace;, which is a symbol of friendship universal among the people of North America and an usage of arbitrary institution pecu- liar to them." One of this incomparable writer's own argu- ments in support of his hypothesis, is also urged with great judgment, and appears to be nearly conclusive. He says, "We may lay it down as a certain principle in this inquiry ,. that America was not peopled by a^y nation of the ancient continent, which had made considerable progress in civiliza- tion. The inhabitants of the new world were in a state of society so extremely rude, as to be unacquainted with those arts which are tiie first essays of human ingenuity in its ad- vance towards improvement. Even the most cultivated na- tions of America were strangers to many of those simple in- ventions, which were almost coeval with society in other parts of the world, and were known in the earliest periods of civil life. From this it is manifest that the tribes which origin- ally migrated to America came off from nations which must have been no less barbarous than their posterity, at the time when they were first discovered by the Europeans. If ever the use of iron had been known to the savages of America, or to the progenitors, if ever they had employed a plough, a loom, or a forge, the utility of these inventions would have preserved them, and it is impossible that they should have been abandoned or forgotten." CHAPTER XXI. Observations made in a voyage, commencing at St. Catharine's landing^ on the east bank of the Mississippi, proceeding downwards to the mouth of the Red River, and from thence ascending that river,, as high as the Hot Spring's, in the proximity of the last mentioned River, extracted from the Journals of William Dunbar, Esq. and Doctor Hunter. Mr. Dunbar, Doctor Hunter, and the party employed by the United States to make a survey of, and explore the coun- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 177 try traversed by the Washita river, left St. Catharine's land- ing, on the Mississippi, in latitude 31, 26, 30> N. and longi- tude 6h, 5, 56, W. from the meridian of Greenwich, on Tues- day, the 16th of October, 1840. A little distance below St. Catharine's creek, and five leagues from Natchez, they passed the White Cliffs, composed chiefly of sand, surmoun* ted by pine, and from one hundred to two hundred feet high. When the waters of the Mississippi are low, the base of the cliff is uncovered, which consists of different colored clays, and some beds of ochre, over which their lies, in some pla- ces, a thin lamina of iron ore. Small springs possessing a petrifying quality flow over the clay and ochre, and numer- ous logs and pieces of timber, converted into stone are strew- ed about the beach. Fine pure argil of various colors, chief- ly white and red, is fjund here. On the 17th they arrived at the mouth of the Red river, the confluence of which with the Mississippi, agreeably to the observations of Mr. de Ferrer, lies in latitude 31, 1, 15, N. and longitude 6h. 7, 11, west of Greenwich. Red river is here about five hundred yards wide, and without any sen- sible current. The banks of the river are clothed with wil- low; the land low and subject to inundation, to the height of thirty feet or more above the level of the water at this time. The mouth of the Red river is accounted to be seventy-five leagues from New Orleans, and three miles higher up than the Chafalaya, or Opelpusa river, which was probably a con- tinuation of the Red river when its waters did not unite with those of the Mississippi, but during the inundation. On the 18th, the survey of the Red river was commenced, and on the evening of the 19th, the party arrived at the mouth of the Black river, in latitude 31, 15, 48, N. and about 26 miles from the Mississippi* Red river derives its name from the rich fat earth or marl, or that color borne'down by the floods; the last of which appeared to have deposited on the high bank a stratum of upwards of half an inch in thickness. The vegetation on its banks is surprisingly lux- uriant; no doubt, owing to the deposition of marl during iti annual floods. The willows grow to a good size; but other forest trees are much smaller than those seen on the bankf 12 178 JOURNAL OP of the Mississippi. As you advance up the river, it grade- ally narrows; in latitude 31, 08, N. it is about two hundred yards wide, which width is continued to the mouth of Black river, where each of them appears one hundred and fifty yards across. The banks of the rivex are covered with pea vine, and several sons of grass bearing seed, which geese and ducks eat very greedily;, and there are generally seen willows growing on one side, and on the other a small growth of black oak, paccawn, hickory, elm, &c. The current in the Red river is so moderate, as scarcely to afford an imped- iment to its ascent. On sounding the Black river, a little above its mouth, there was found twenty feet of water, with a bottom of black sand. The water of Black river is rather clearer than the Ohio, and of a warm temperature, which it may receive from the water flowing into it from the valley of the Mississippi, particularly by the Catahoola. At noon on the 23d, by a good meridian observation, they ascertained their latitude to be 30, 36, 29, N. and were then a little below the mouths of the Catahoola, Washita, and Bayou Tenza, the united waters of which form the Black river. The current is very gentle the whole length of the Black river, which in many places does not exceed eighty yards in width. The banks on the lower part of the river present a great luxuriance ef vegitation and rank grass, with red and black oak, ash, pac- cawn, hickory, and some elms. The soil is black marl, mix- ed with a moderate portion of sand, resembling much the soil on the Mississippi banks; yet the forest trees are not lof- ty, like those on the margin of the Great river, but resemb- ling the growth on the Red rivr. In latitude 31, 22, 46, N. they observed that canes grew on several parts of the right bank, a proof that the land is not deeply overflowed; perhaps from one to three feeU the banks have the appear- ance of stability; very little willow or other productions of a newly formed soil on either side. On advancing up the river, the timber becomes larger, in some places rising to the height of forty feet; jet the land is liable to be inundated,, not from the waters of this small river, but from the intm- fkm of its more powerful neighbor the Mississippi. The? LEWIS AND CLARKE. 179 lands decline rapidly, as in all alluvial countries, from the margin to the cypress swamps, where more or less water stagnates all the year round. On the 21st they passed a small, but elevated island, said to be the only one in the riv- er tor. more than one hundred leagues, ascending. On the left bank, near this island, a small settlement of a couple of acres has been begun by a man and his wife. The banks are not less than forty feet above the present level of the wa- ter in the river, and are but rarely overflowed; on both sides they are clothed with rich cane brake, pierced by creeks fit to carry boats during the inundation. They saw many cormorants, and the hooping crane; geeee and ducks are not yet abundant^ but are said to arrive in myriads, with the rains and winter's cold. They shot a fowl of the duck kind, whose foot was partially divided, and the body covered with a,bluisb.or lead Colored plumage. On the morning : of the 22d,, they observed, green matter floating on the river, supposed : to come from the Catahoola and other lakes and bayous of stagnant water, which,, when raised a little by rain, flow into the. Black river; and also many patch- es of an aquatic plant resembling small islands, some float- ing on the surface of the river, and others adhering to, or resting on the shore and logs. On examining this plant, it was found to have a hollow jointed stem, with roots of the same form, extremely light, with very narrow willow shap- ed leaves projecting from the joint, embracing however, the whole of the tube, and extending to the next inferior joint or knot. The extremity of each branch, is terminated by a spike of very slender, narrow seminal.leaves from one to two inches in length, and one tenth, or less in breadth, producing its seed on the under side of the leaf, in a double row almost in contact: the grains alternately placed in perfect regulari- ty; not being able to find the flower, its clais and order could not be. determined, although it is .not probably new. To- wards the upper part of the Black river, the shores abound- ed with muscles and perriwinkles. The muscles were of the kind called peal muscles. The men dressed a quantity of them, considering them as agreeable food: but Mr. D found them tough and unpalatable. 180 JOURNAL OF On arriving at the mouth of the Catahoola, they landed to procure information from a Frenchman settled there. Having' a grant from the Spanish government, he has made a small settlement, and keeps a ferry boat for carrying over men and horses travelling to and from Natchez, and the set- tlements on Red river and on the Washita river. The coun- try here is all alluvial. In process of time, the river shutting up ancient passages and elevating the banks over which their waters pass, no longer communicate with the same facility as formerly; the consequence is, that many larger tracts formerly subject to inundation are now entirely exeropt from that in- convenience. Such is the situation of a most valuable tract upon which this Frenchman is settled. His house stands on an Indian mount, with several others in view. There is al- so a species of rampart surrounding this place, and one very elevated mount, a view and description of which is postpon^ ed till the return; their present situation not allowing of the requisite delay. The soil is equal to the best Mississippi bottoms. From this place they proceeded to the mouth of Washita, in latitude 35, 37, 7, N. and encamped on the evening of f the 23d. This river derives its appellation from the name of an In- dian tribe formerly resident on its banks; the remnant of -f which, it is said, went into the great plains to the westward, and either compose a small tribe themselves, or are incorpo*^ rated into another nation. The Black river looses its name * at the junction of Washita, Catahoola, and Tenza although our maps represent it as taking place of the Washita. The Tenza and Catahoola are also named from Indian tribe* now extinct: The latter is a creek twelve leagues long, which is the issue of a lake of the same name, eight leagues in length and about two leagues in breadth. It lies west from the mouth of the Catahoola, and communicates with the Red river during the great annual inundation. At the west or northwest angle of the lake, a creek called Little River, enters, which preserves a channel ,with running wa- ter at all seasons, meandering along the bed of the lake; but in other parts its superfices, during the dry season from July LEWIS AND CLARKE. 181 to November, and often later, is completely drained, and be- comes covered with the most luxnricnt herbage; the bed of the lake then becomes the residence of immense herds of deer, of turkeys, geese, cranes, &c. which feed on the grass and grain. Bayou Tenza serves only to drain off a part of the waters of the inundation from the low lands of the Mis- sissippi, which here communicate with the Black river dur- ing the season of high water. Between the mouth of the Washita and Vellemont's prairie on the right, the current of the river is gentle, and the banks favorable for towing. The lands on both sides have the appearance of being above the inundation; the tim- ber generally such as high lands produce, being chiefly red, white and black oaks, interspersed with a variety of other trees. The magnolia grandiflora, that infallible sign of the land not being subject to inundation, is not, however, among them. Along the banks a stratum of solid clay, or marl, is observable, apparently of ancient deposition. It lies in ob- lique positions, making an angle of nearly 30 degrees with the horizon, and generally inclined with the descent of the river, although in a few cases the position was contrary. Timber is seen projecting from under the solid bank, which seems indurated, and unquestionably very ancient, present- ing a very different appearance from recently formed soil. The river is about 80 yards wide. A league above the mouth of the Washita, the Bayou Haha comes in unexpect- edly from the right, and is one of the many passages through which the waters of the great inundation penetrate and per- vade all the low countries, annihilating, for a time, the cur- rents of the lesser rivers in the neighborhood of the Missis- sippi. The vegetation is remarkably vigorous along the al- luvial banks, which are covered with a thick shrubbery, and innumerable plants in full blossom at this late season. Villemont's prairie is so named in consequence of its be* ing included within a grant under the French government to a gentleman of that name. Many other parts of the Wash- ita are named after their early proprietors. The French people projected and began extensive settlements on this river; but the genera} jna/ssapre planned, and in part execu- 182 JOURNAL OF ted by the Indians against them, and the consequent destruc- titfn of the Natchez tribe by the French, broke up all these .undertakings, and they were not recommenced under that government. Those prairies are plains, or savannas, with- out timber; generally very fertile, and producing an exuber- ance of strong, thick and coarse herbage. When a piece of ground has once got into this state, in an Indian country, it can have no opportunity of re-producing timber, it being an invariable practice to set fire to dry grass in the fall or win- ter, to attain the advantage of attacking game when the young tender grass begins to spring: this destroys the young timber; and the prairie annually gains upon the woodland. It is probable that the immense plains known to exist in A- merica, may owe their origin to this custom. The plains of the Washitalies chiefly on the east side, and being general- ly formed like the Mississippi land, sloping from the bank of the river to the great river, they are more or less subject to inundation in the rear; and in certain great floods the water has advanced so far as to be ready to pour over the margin into the Washita. This has now become a very rare thing, and it may be estimated that from a quarter of a mile to a mile in depth, will remain free from inundation during high floods. This is pretty much the* case with those lands near- ly as high as the post of the Washita, with the exception of certain ridges of primitive high-land; the rest' being evident- ly alluvial, although not now subject to be inundated by the Washita river, in consequence of the great depth which the bed of the river has acquired by abrasion. On approaching towards the bayou Louis, which empties its waters into the Washita on the right, a little below the rapids, there is a great deal of high land on both sides, which produces pine and other timber, not the growth of inundation lands. At the foot of the rapids, the navigation of the river is impeded by the beds of gravels formed in it. The first rapids lie in lattitude 31, 48, 75, 5, N. a little above which there is a high ridge of primitive earth, studded with abundance of fragments of rocks, or stone, which appear to have been thrown lip to the surface in a very irregular manner. The stone is of friable nature^ some of it having the appearance LEWIS AND CLARKE. 183 t)f indurated clay; the outside is blackish from exposure to the air; within it is a grayish white; it is said that in the hill the strata are regular and that good grindstones may be here obtained. The last of the rapids, which is formed by a ledge of rocks crossing the entire bed of the river, was passed in the evening of the 27th; above it the water became again like a mill pond and about one hundred yards wide. The whole of these first shoals, or rapids, embraced an ex- tent of about a mile and a half; the obstruction was not con- tinued, but felt at short intervals in this distance. On the right, about four leagues from the rapids, they passed the "Bayou Aux Boeufs," a little above a rocky hill: high lands and savannas are seen on the right. On sounding the river they found three fathoms water on a bottom of mud and sand. The banks of the river above the bayou, seem to retain very little alluvial soil; the highland earth, which is a sandy loam of a light gray color, with streaks of red sand and clay, is seen on the left bank; .the soil not rich, bearing pines, inter- spersed with red oak, hickory, and dog-wood. The river is from sixty to one hundred yards wide here, but decreases as you advailce. The next rapid is made by a ledge of rocks traversing the river, and narrowing the water channel to about thirty yards. The width between the high banks can- not be less than one hundred yards, and the banks from thhv ty to forty feet high. In latitude 32, 10, 13, rapids and shoals again occurred, and the channel was very narrow; the sand-bars, at every point, extended so far into the bend as to leave little more than the breadth of the boat of water sufficiently deep for her passage, although it spreads over the width of seventy or eighty yards upon the shoal. In the afternoon of the 31st, they passed a -little planta- tion or settlement on the right, and at night arrived at three others adjoining each other. T&ese settlements are on a plain or prairie, the soil of which we may be assured is al- luvial from the regular slope which the Jand has from the river. The bed of the river is now sufficiently deep to free them from the inconvenience of its inundation; yet in the rear,, the waters of the Mississippi approach, and sometimes leave dry but a narrpvy strip along the bank of the river. 184 JOURNAL OF It is however, now more common, that the extent of the fields cultivated (from one fourth to one half mile) remains dry during the season of inundation: the soil here is very good, but not equal to the Mississippi bottoms; it may be es- teemed second rate. At a small distance to the east are ex- tensive cypress swamps, over which the waters of the inun- dation always stand to the depth of from fifteen to twenty- five feet. On the west side after passing over the valley of the river, whose breadth varies from a quarter of a mile to two miles, or more, the land assumes a considerable eleva- tion, from one hundred to three hundred feet, and extends all along to the settlements of the Red river. These high lands are reported to be poor, and badly- watered, being chiefly what is termed a pine barren. There is here a ferry and road of communication between the post of the Washita, and the Natchez, and a fork of this road passes to the settle- ment called the rapids, on Red river, distance from this place by computation one hundred and fifty miles. On this part of the river, lies a considerable tract of land granted by the Spanish government to the Marquis of Mai- son Rouge, a French emigrant, who bequeathed it with all his property to M. Bouligny. son of the late Colonel of the Louisiana regiment, and by him sold to Daniel Clarke. It is said to extend from the post of \Yashita with a breadth of the two leagues, including the river, down to the Bayou Cal- umet; the computed distance of which along the river is called thirty leagues, but supposed not more than twelve in a direct line. On the 6th of November, in the afternoon, the party arri- ved at the post of the Washita, in latitude 32, 37, 25, N. where they were politely received by Lieut. Bovvmar, who immediately offered the hospitality of his dwelling with all the services in his power* From the ferry to this place, the navigation of the river is, at this season, interrupted by many shoals and rapids. The general width is from eighty to a hundred yards. The water is extremly agreeable to drink, and much clearer than that of the Ohio. In this respect it is very unlike its two neighbors, the Arkansas and fted rivers, whose wa-> LEWIS AND CLARKE, 185 ters are loaded with earthy matters of a reddish brown col- or, giving to them a chocolate like appearance; and, when, those waters are low, are not portable, being brackish from the great number of salt springs which flow into them, and probably from the beds of rock salt over which they may pass. The banks of the river presented very little appear- ance of alluvial land, but furnished an infinitude of beauti- ful landscapes, heightened by the vivid coloring they derive from the autumnal changes of the leaf, Mr. Dunbar observes, that the change of color in the leaves of Vegetables, which is probably occasioned by the oxygen of the atmosphere act- ing on the vegetable matter, deprived of the protecting pow- er of vital principle, may serve as an excellent guide to the naturalist who directs his attention to a discovery of new objects for the use of the dyer. For he has always remark- ed that the leaves of those trees whose bark or wood are known to produce a dye, are changed in autumn to the same color which is extracted in the dyer's vat from the wood; more especially by the use of mordants., as ailum, &/c. which yields oxygen: thus the foliage of the hickory and oak, which produce the quercitron bark, is changed before its tali into a beautiful yellow: other oaks assume a fawn color, a liver col- or, or blood color, and are known to y it-Id dyes of the same complexion. In latitude 32. 18. N Doctor Hunter discovered along the riverside a substance nearly resembling mineral coal; its ap- pearance was that of the carbonated wooc described by Kir- wan. It does not easily burn; but on beiug applied to the flame of a candle, it sensibly increased it, and yielded a faint smell, resembling in a slight degree, that of the gun lac of common sealing-wax. Soft friable stone is common, and great quantities of grav- el and sand, upon the beaches in this part of the river. A reddish clay appears in the stfatta, uiuch indurated and blackened by exposure to the light and air. The position called Fort Miro; being the property of a private person, who was formerly civil commandant here, the lieutenant ha$ taken post about four hundred yards low-, er; has built him/self some log houses, and inclosed them with; 186 JOURNAL OF a slight stockade. Upon viewing the country east of the river, it is evidently alluvial; the surface has a gentle slope from the river to the rear of the plantations. The land is of excellent quality, being a rich black mould to the depth of a foot, under which there is a friable loam of a brownish liver color. At the post on the Washita, they procured a boat of less draught of water than the one in which they ascended the river thus far; at noon, on the 1 1th of November, they pro- ceeded on the voyage, and in the evening encamped at the plantation of Baron Bastrop. This small settlement, on the Washita and some of the creeks falling into it, contains not more than five hundred persons, of all ages and sexes. It is reported, however, that there is a great quantity of excellent land upon these creeks, and that the settlement is capable of great extension, and may be expected, with an accession of population, to become very flourishing. There are three merchants settled at the post, who supply, at very exorbitant prices, the inhabitants with their necessaries; these, with the garrison, two small planters, and a tradesman or two, constitute the present vil- lage. A great proportion of the inhabitants continue the old practice of hunting, during the winter season; and they exchange their peltry for necessaries, with the merchnats at a low rate. During the summer these people content them- selves with raising corn barely sufficient for bread during tho year. In this manner they always remain extremely poor. Some few who have conquered that habit of indolence, which is always the consequence of the Indian mode of life; and attend to agriculture, live more comfortably, and taste a lit- tle of the sweets of civilized life. The lands along the river, above the post, are not very inviting, being a thin poor soil, and covered with pine wood. To the right, the settlements on the bayou Barthelemi and Siard, are said to be rich land. On the morning of the thirteenth, they passed an island and a strong rapid, and arrived at a little settlement below a chain of rocks, which crosses the channel between an island and the main land, called Roque Raw. The Spaniard and LEWIS AND CLARKE. 187 his family, settled here, appear, from their indolence to live miserably. The river acquires here a more spacious appear- ance, being about one hundred and fifty yards wide. In the afternoon they passed the bayou Barthelemi on the right, a- bove the last settlements, and about twelve computed leagues from the post. Here commences Baron Bastrops great grant of land from the Spanish government, being a square of twelve leagues on each side, a little exceeding a million of French acres. The banks of the river continue about thirty feet high, of which eighteen feet from the water are a clayey loam of a pale ash color, upon which the water has deposi- ted twelve feet of light sandy soil, apparently fertile and of a dark brown color. This description of land is of small breadth, not exceeding half a mile on each side of the river; and may be called the valley of the Washita, beyond which there. is a high land covered with pine. The soil of the "Bayou des Buttes," continues thin, with a growth of small timber. This creek is named from a num- ber of Indian mounts discovered by the hunters along its course. The margin of the river begins to be covered with such timber as usualy grows on inundated land, particularly a species of white oak, vulgarly called the over-cup oak; its timber is remarkably hard, solid, ponderous, and durable; and it produces a large acorn in great abundance, upon which the bear feeds, and which is very fattening to hogs. In latitude 32. 50. 8. N. they passed a long and narrow island. The face of the country begins to change; the banks are low and steep; the river deep and more contracted, from thirty to fifty yards in width. The soil in the neighborhood of the river is a very sandy loam, and covered with such veg- etables as are found on the inundated lands of the Mississip- pi. The tract presents the appearance of a new soil, very different from what they passed below. This alluvial tract may be supposed the site of a great lake, drained by a na- tural channel, from the abrasion of the waters: since which period, the annual inundations have deposited the superior soil; eighteen or twenty feet are wanting to render it habi- table for man. It appears, nevertheless, well stocked with the beasts of -the focest, several of which were seen. 188 JOURNAL OF Quantities of water fowl are beginning to make their ap- pearance, which are not very numerous here until the cold rains and frosts compel them to leave a more northern cli- mate. Fish is not so abundant as might be expected, owing, it is said, to the inundation of the Mississippi, in the year 1799, which dammed up the Washita, some distance above the post; and produced a stagnation and consequent corrup- tion of the waters that destroyed all the fish within its influence. At noon, on the 15th November, they passed the island of Mallet; and at ninety yards north-east from tne upper point of the island, by a good observation ascertained their latitude to be 32. 59. 27. 5. N. or two secon-ds and an half of lati- tude south of the dividing line between tho territories of Or- leans and Louisiana. The bed of the river, along this allu- vial country, is generally covered with water, and the navi- gation uninterrupted; but in the afternoon of this day, they passed three contiguous sand-bars, or beaches, called i Les trois battures/' and before evening the '-bayou de grand Ma- ra is," or Great Marsh creek on the right, and "La Cypreri Chattelrau," a point of high land on the other side, which reaches within half a mile of the river. As they advanced towards the Mara is de Saline, on the right, a stratum of dir- ty white clay, under the alluvial tract, showed them to be leaving the sunken, and approaching the high land country. The Salt Lick marsh, does not derive its name from any brackishness in the water of the lake or marsh, but from its contiguity to some of the licks, sometimes called "saline," and sometimes 'glaise" generally found in a clay, campact enough for potters ware. The Bayou de la Tulipe forms a communication between the the lake and the river. Oppo- site to this place, there is a point of high land forming a promontory, advancing within a mile of the river, and to which bouts resort when the low grounds are under water. A short league above is the mouth of the grand bayou de la Saline (Salt Lick creek.) This creek is of a considerable length and navigable for small boats. The hunters ascend it, to one hundred of their leagues, in pursuit of game, and all agree that none of the springs which feed this creek are gait. It has obtained its namefrom the many buffalo sal$ LEWIS AND CLARKE. 189 licks which have been discovered in its vicinity. Although most of these licks, by diging, furnish water which hold* marine salt in solution, there exists no reason for believing^ that many of them would produce nitre. Notwithstanding, this low and alluvial tract appears in all respects well adap- ted to the growth of the long moss (tilandsia) none was ob- served since entering it in latitude 32. 52; and as the pilot imforrned them, none would be seen in their progress up the river, it is probable that the latitude of the thirty-three de- grees is about the northern limit of vegetation. The long- leaf pine, frequently the growth of rich and even inundated land, was here observed in great abundance: the short-leafed or pitch pine, on the dontrary, is always found upon arid lands and generally in sandy and lofty situations. This is the season when the poor settlers on the Washita turn out to make their annual hunt. The deer is now fat and the sldns in perfection; the bear is now also in his best state, with regard to the quality of his fur. and the quantity of fat or oil he yields, as he has been feasting luxuriously on the au- tumnal fruits of the forest. It is here well known, that he does not confine himself, as some writers have supposed, to vegetable food; he is particularly fond of hogs flesh: sheep and calves are frequently' his prey ; and no animal es^ capes him which comes within his power, and which he is able to conquer. He often destroys the fawn, when chance throws it in his way. He cannot, however, discover it by smelling, notwithstanding the excellence of his scent; for na- ture has, as if for its protection, denied the fawn the proper- ty of leaving any effluvium upon its track, a property so powerful in the old deer.* The bear, unlike, most other * It may not be generally known to naturalists, that be- tween the hoof of the deer, &c. there is found a sack, with its mouth inclining upwards, containing more or less musk, and which by escaping over the opening, in proportion to the secretion, causes the foot to leave a scent on the ground wherever it passes. During the rutting season, this musk is so abuntant (particularly in old males) as to be smelled by the hunters at a considerable distance. 190 JOURNAL OF beasts of prey, does not kill the animal he has seized upon before he eats it; but, regardless of its struggles, cries and lamentations, fastens upon, and if the expression is allowa- ble, devours it alive. The hunters count much on their profits from the oil drawn from the bear's fat, which, at New Orleans, is always of ready sale, and much esteemed for its wholesomeness in cooking, being preferred to butter or hogs lard. It is found to keep longer than any other animal oil, without becoming rancid; and boiling it from time to time, upon sweet bay leaves, restores its sweetness, or facilitates its conservation. In the afternoon on the 17th they passed some sand beach- esj and over a few rapids. They had cane brakes on both sides of the river; the>canes were small, but demonstrate that the water does not surmount the bank more than a few feet. The river begins to widen as they advance; the banks of the river show the high land soil, with a stratum of three or four feet of alluvian deposited by the river upon it. This superstratum is greyish, and very sandy, with a small ad- mixture of loam, indicative of the poverty of the moun- tains and uplands where the river rises. Near this they passed through a new and very narrow channel, in which all the water of the river passes, except in a time of freshes, when the interval forms an island. A littie above this pass is. a small clearing, called ''Cache la Turlipe" (Tulips hiding place;) this is the name of a French hunter who here con- cealed his property. It continues the practice of both the white and red hunters to leave their skins, &c. often suspen- ded to poles, or laid over a pole placed upon two forked posts, in sight of the river until their return from hunting. These deposits are considered as sacred, and few examples exist of there being plundered. After passing .the entrance of a bay, which within must form a great lajte during inun- dation, great numbers of the long-leaf pine were observed^ and increased size of the. canes along the rivers bank, deno- ted a better and more elevated soil; on the left was a high, hill (three hundred feet ) covered with lofty pine trees. The banks of the river present more the appearance of up* hud fioil a the under, statum being a pale yellowish clay, apd LEWIS AND CLARKE. 191 the alluv.inl soil of a dirty white, surmounted by a thin cov- ering of a brown vegetable earth. The tress improve in ap- pearance, growing to a considerable size and height, though yet inferior to those on the alluvial banks of the Missitsippi. After passing the "Bayou de Hachis,' on the left, points of high land not subject to be overflowed, freqently touch the river; and the valley is said to be more than a league in breadth on both sides. On the left are pine hills, called r carry with him for the supply of his immediate- wants. This man confirms the accounts of silver being abundant up that river: he has not been so high as to see it himself,, but says, he received a silver pin from a hunter, who assured him that he himself collected the virgin silver from the rock, out of which he made the epinglete by hammering it out. The tribe of the Usage live higher up than this po- sition; but the hunters rarely go so high, being afraid of these savages, who are at war with all the world, and destroy all strangers they meet with. It is reported that the Arkansas nation, with a part of the Choctaws, Chicasaws, Shawnese, &c, have formed a league, and are actually gone, or going, 800 strong, against these depredators, with a view to des- troy or drive them entirely off, and possess themselves of their fine prairies, which are most abundant hunting grounds, being plentifully stocked with buffalo, elk, deer, bear, and every other beast of the chase; common to those latitudes in America. This hunter having given information of a small spring in their vicinity, from which he frequently supplied himself by evaporating the water; doctor- Hunter, .with a par- ty, accompanied him, on the morning of the 29th November, to the place. They found a saline, about a mile and a .half 190 JOURNAL OF north of the camp from whence they set out, and near a creek which enters the Washita a little above. It is situated in the bottom of the bed of a dry gully. The surrounding land is rich and well timbered, but subject to inundation, except an Indian mount on the creek side, having a base of eighty or an hundred feet diameter, and twenty feet high. After digging about three feet, through blue clay, they came to a quicksand, from which the water flowed in abundance: its taste was salt and bitter, resembling that of water in the oceaa. In a second hole it required them to dig six feet be- fore they reached the quick-sand, in doing which they threw up several broken pieces of Indian pottery. The specific gravity, compared with the river, was, from the first pit, or that three feet deep, 1,02720; from the second pit, or that six feet deep, 1,02104, yielding a saline mass, from the eva- poration of ten quairts, which when dry, weighed eight oun- ces: this brine is, therefore, about the same strength as that of the ocean on our coast, and twice the strength of the fa- mous licks in Kentucky called Bullet's lick, and Man's lick, from which so much salt is made. The "Fourche de Cadoux' 5 (Cadadoquis fork) which they passed on the morning of the 30th, is about one hundred yards wide at its entrance into the Washita, from the left; immediately beyond which on the same side, the land is high, probably elevated three hundred feet above the water. The shoals and rapids here impede their progress. At noon they deduced their latitute, by observation, to be 30. 11. 37. N. Receiving information of another salt lick, or saline, doctor Hunter landed, with a party, to view it. The pit was found in a low flat place, subject to be overflowed from the river; it was wet and muddy, the earth on the surface yellow, but on digging through about four feet of blue clay, the salt water oozed from a quicksand. Ten quarts of this water produced, by evaporation, six ounces of saline mass, which, from taste, was principally marine salt; to the taste, howev- er it showed an admixture of soda, and muriated magnessia, but the marine salt greatly preponderated. The specific gravity was about 1.076 probably weakened from the rain which had fallen the day before. The ascent of the river LEWIS AND CLARKE. 197 becomes troublesome, from the rapids and currents, particu- hrly at tho "Isle du bayou des Roches" (Rocky creek island) where it required great exertions, and was attended with some hazard to pass them. This island is three fourths of a mile in length. The river presents a series of shoals, ra- pids, and small cataracts; and they passed several points of highland, full of rocks and stones, much harder and more solid than any they had yet met with. The rocks were all silicious, with their fissures penetrated by sparry matter. Indications of iron were frequent, and fragments of poor oar were common, but rich ore of that or any other rnetal was found. Some of the hills appear well adapted to the cultivation of the vine; the soil being a san- dy loam, with a considerable portion of .gravel, and a super- ficial covering of good vegetable black earth. The natural productions are. several varieties of oak, pine, dog- wood, holly, &c. with, a scattering undergrowth of whortleberry, hawthorn, china brier, and a variety of small vines. Above the isle de Mallon, the country wears another pros- pect. High lands and rocks frequently approach the river. The rocks in grain, resemble freestone, and are hard enough to be used as hand mill -stone, to which purpose they are fre- quently applied . The quality of the lands improve, the stra* turn of vegetable earth being from six to twelve inches, of a dark brown color, with an admixture of loam and sand. Below Deer Island they passed a stratum of free stone, fifty feet thick, under which is a quarry of 'imperfect slate in per- pendicular layers. About a league from the river, and a lit- tle above the slate quarry, is a considerable plain, called "Prairie de Champignole," often frequented by buffaloes., Some salt licks are found near it; and in many situations on both sides of this river, there are said to be salines which may hereafter be rendered v'ery productive, and from which the future settlements may be abundantly supplied. About four miles below the "Chuttes," (falls) they, from a good observation, found the latitude 34, 21, ^5, 5. The land on either hand continues to improve in quality, with a sufficient stratum of dark earth of a brownish color. Hills frequently rise out of the level country, full of rocks and 198 JOURNAL OF stones, hard and flinty, and often resembling Turkey oil stones. Of this kind was a promontory which came in from the right hand a little below the Chuttes; at a distance it presented the appearance of ruined buildings and fortifications, and several insulated masses of rock, conveyed the idea of re- doubts and out-works. This effect was heightened by the rising of a flock of swans which had taken their station in .the water, at the foot of these walls. As the voyagers ap- proached, the birds floated about majestically on the glassy surface of the water, and in tremulous accents seemed to consult upon means of safety. The whole was a sublime picture. In the afternoon of the '3d of December, they reached the Chuttes, and found the falls to be occasioned by n chain of rocks of the same hard substance seen below, ex- tending in the direction of north-east and south-west, quite across the river. The water passes through a number of branches worn by the impetuosity of the torrent where it forms so many cascades. The chain of rock or hill on the left, appears to have been cut down to its present level by the abrasion of the waters. By great exertion and lighten- ing the boat, they passed the Chuttes that evening, and en- camped just above the cataracts, and within the hearing of their incessant roar. Immediately above the Chuttes, the current of the water is slow to another ledge of hard free stone; the reach be- tween is spacious and not less than two yards wide, and ter- minated by a hill three hundred feet high, covered with beau- tiful pines: this is a fine situation for building. In latitude 34, 25, 48, they possed a very dangerous rapid, from the number of rocks which obstruct the passage of the water, and break it into foam. On the right of the rapid is a high rocky hill covered with very handsome pincy woods. The strata of the rock has an inclination of 30 to the horizon in the direction of the river desc-ending. This hill may be three hundred or three hundred and fifty feet high; a border or list of green cane skirts the margin of the river, beyond which generally rises a high, and sometimes a barren hill. Near another rapid they passed a hill on the left, containing a large body of bluej&ate* -A sjnalLdkta=nce -shave. -the bay- LEWIS AND CLARKE, 199 ou de Saline they had to pass a rapid of one hundred and fifty yards in length, and four and a half feet fall, which from its velocity, the French have denominated "La Cascade." Below the cascade there are rocky hills on both sides com- posed of very hard free-stone. The stone in the bed of the river, and which has been rolled from the upper country, was of the hardest flint; or of a quality resembling the Turkey oil stone. "Fourche a.u Tigre," (Tiger's creek,) which comes in from the right, a little above the cascade, is said to have many extensive tracts of rich level land upon it. The rocky hills here frequently approach the Washita on both sides; rich bottoms are nevertheless, frequent, and the upland is sometimes of modern elevation and tolerably leveL The .stones and rocks here met with, have their fissures fill- ed by sparry and crystal ine matter. Wild turkey become more abundant and less difficult of approach than below; and the howl of the wolves is heard during the night. To the "Fourche au Calfat,-' 5 (Caulker's creek) where the voyage terminates, they found level and good land on the right and high hills on the left hand. After passing over a very precipitous rapid, seemingly divided into four steps or falls, one of which was at least fifteen inches in perpendic- ular height, and which together could not be less than five and a half feet, they arrived at Elles' camp, a small distance below the Fourche au Calfat, where they stopped on the 6th of December, as the pilot considered it the most convenient landing from whence to carry their necessary baggage to the hot springs, the distance being about three leagues. There is a creek about two leagues higher up, called "Bayou des sources chauds," (hot spring creek) upon the banks of which the hot springs are situated at about two leagues from its mouth. The banks of it are hilly, and the road less eligi- ble than from Elles' camp. On ascending the hill, to encamp, they found the land ve- ry level and good, some plants in flower,, and a great many evergreen vines; the forest oak with an admixture of other woods. The latitude of this place is 34.27, 3 1,5. The ground on which .they fcncarxjped -$*as about fifty feet e&ove the wa- 200 JOURNAL 1 OF ter in the river, and supposed to be thirty feet higher than the inundations. Hills of considerable height, and clothed with pine, were in vietv; but the land around, and extending beyond their view, lies handsomely for cultivation. The superstratum is of a blackish brown color, upon a yellow ba- sis, the whole intermixed with gravel and blue schistus, fre- quently so far decomposed as to have a strong aluminous taste. From their camp, on the V^ashita, to the hot springs, a distance of about nine miles, the first six miles of the road is in a westerly direction without many curiosities, and the remainder northwardly, which courses are necessary to avoid some very steep hills. In this distance, they found three principal salt licks, and some inferior ones, which are all fre- quented by buffalo, deer, &c. The soil around them is a white, tenacious clay, probably fit for potters* ware: hence the name of 'glaise,' which the French hunters have bestow- ed upon most of the licks, frequented by the beasts of the forest, many of which exhibit no saline impregnation. The first two miles from the river camp, is over level land of the second rate quality; the timber chiefly oak, intermixed with other trees common to the climate, and a few scattering pines. Further on, the lands, on either hand rise into gently swell- ing hills, covered with handsome pine woods. The road passes along a valley frequently wet by the numerous rills and springs of excellent water which issues from the foot of the hills. Near the hot springs the hills become more ele- vated, steeper of ascent and rocky. They are here called mountains, although none of them in view exceed four or five hundred feet in altitude. It is said that mountains of more than five times the elevation of these hills are to be seen in the northwest, towards the source of the Washita, one of them is called the glass, crystal, or shining mountain, from the vast number of hexagonal prisms of very transpa- rent and colorless crystal which are found on its surface; they are generally surmounted by pyramids at one end. rarely on both. These crystals do not produce a double refraction of the rays of light. Many searches have been made over these mountains for the precious metals,- but it is believed without success* LEWIS AND CLAKE. 201 At the hot springs they found an open log cabin, and a few huts of split boards, all calculated for summer encamp- ment, and which had been erected by persons resorting; to the springs for the recovery of their health. They slightly repaired these huts, or cabins, for tneir ac- commodation during the time of their detention at the springs, for the purpose of examining them and the surrounding coun- try; and making such astronomical observations as were ne- cessary for ascertaining their geographical position. It is understood that the hot springs are included within a grant of some hundred acres; granted by the late Spanish commandant of the Washita, to some of his friends, but it is not believed that a regular patent was ever issued for the place: and it cannot be asserted that residence, with im- provement here, form a plea to claim the land upon. On their arrival they immediately tasted the waters of the hot springs, that is, after a few minutes' cooling, for it was impossible to approach it with the lips when first taken up, without scalding: the taste does not differ from that of good water rendered hot by culinary fire. On the 10th they visited all the hot springs. They issue on the east side of the valley, where the huts are, except one spring, which rises on the west bank of the creek, from the sides and foot of a hill. From the small quantity of cal- careous matter yet deposited, the western spring does not appear to be of long standing; a natural conduit probably passes under the bed of the creek, and supplies it. There are four principal springs rising immediately on the east bank of the creek, one of which may be rather said to spring- out of the gravel bed of the run; a fifth, a smaller one than that above mentioned, as rising on the west side of the creek;, and a sixth, of the same magnitude, the most northerly, and rising near the bank of the creek; these are all the sources that merit the name of springs, near the huts; but there is a considerable one below, and all along, at intervals, the warm water oozes out, or drops from the bank into the creek, as appears from the condensed vapor floating along the mar- gin of the creek where the drippings occur. 202 JOURJSAL OF The hill from which the hot springs issue is of a conicai form, terminating at the top with a few loose fragments of rock, covering a flat space twenty- five feet in diameter. Al- though the figure of the hill is conical it is not entirely in- sulated, but connected with the neighboring hills by a very narrow ridge. The primative rock of this hill, above the base, is principally silicious, some part of it being the hard- est flint, others a free-stone extremely compact and solid, and of various colors. The base of the hill, and for a consider- able extent is composed of a blackish blue schistus, which divides into perpendicular lamina like blue slate. The wa- ter of the hot springs is, therefore, delivered from the sili- cious rock, generally invisible at the surface, from the mass of calcareous matter with which it is incrusted, or rather bu- ried, and which is perpetually precipitating from the water of the springs; a small proportion of iron, in the form of red calx, is also deposited: the color of which is frequently dis- tinguishable in the lime. In ascending the hill, several patches of rich black earth are found, which appeared to be formed by the decomposition of the calcareous matter; in other situations the superficial earth is penetrated, or encrusted, by limestone, with fine la- mines, or minute fragments of iron ore. The water of the hot springs must formerly have issued at a greater elevation in the hill, and run over the surface, having formed a mass of calcareous rock one hundred feet perpendicular by its deposition. In this high situation they found a spring whose temperature was 140 of Fahrenheit's thermometer* After passing the calcareous region they found the primatrve hill covered by a forest of not very large trees, consisting chiefly of oak, pine, cedar, holly, hawthorn, and others common to the climate, with a great, variety of vines, some said to produce black and yellow grapes, both excellent in their kinds. The soil is rocky, interspersed with gravel, sand, and fine vegetable mould. On reaching the height of two hundred feet perpendicular, a considerable change in the soil was observable; it was stony and gravel- ly, with a superficial coat of black earth, but immediately under it lies a stratum of .fat, tenacious, soapy, red clay, in- LEWIS AND CLARKE. 203 dining to the color of bright Spanish snuff, homeogenous with scarcely any admixture of sand, no saline, but rather a soft agreeable taste: the timber diminishes, and the rocks in- crease in size to the summit. The whole height is estima- ted at three hundred feet above tiie level of the valley. On examining the four principal springs, or these which yield the greatest quantity of water, or of the highest tem- perature, No. 1 was found to raise the mercury to 150. No. 2 to 154. No. 3 to 136, and No. 4, to 132 degrees of Fah- renheit's thermometer; the last is on the west side of the creek. No. 3 is a small basin, in which there is a consider- able quantity of green matter, having much appearance of a vegetable body, but detached from the bottom, yet connected with it by something like a stem, which rests in calcareous matter. The body of one of these pseudo-plants was from four to five inches in diameter; the bottom a smooth film of some tenacity and the upper surface divided mto ascending fibres of half or three fourths of an inch long, resembling the gills of a fish, in transverse rows. A little further on was another small muddy basin, in which the water was warm to the. finger: in it was a vermes about half an inch long, moving with a serpentine or vermicular motion. It was invariably observed, that the green matter forming on the stones and leaves covered a stratum of calcareous earth, sometimes a liltle hard, or brittle, at others soft and imper- fect. From the bottom of one of the hot springs a frequent ebullition of gas was observed, which not having the means of collecting, they could not ascertain its nature: it was not inflammable, and there is little doubt of its being carbonic acid, from the quantity of lime, and the iron, held in solu- tion by the water. They made the following rough estimate of the quantity of water delivered by the. springs. There are four principal springs, two of inferior note; one rising out of the gravel, and a number of drippings and drainings, all issuing from the margin, or from under the rock which overhangs the creek. Of the four first mentioned, three deliver nearly equal quantities, but No. 1, the most considerable, delivers about live times CF much -as one of the other three; the two 204 JOURNAL OF of inferior note may, together, be equal to one; and all the droppings, and small springs, are probably underrated at double the quantity of one of the three; that is, altogether, they will deliver a quantity equal to eleven times the water issuing from the one most comrnodiously situated for meas- urement. This spring filled a vessel of eleven quarts in ele- ven seconds, hence the whole quantity of hot water deliver- ed from the springs at the base of the hill is 165 gallons in a minute, or 3771 hogsheads in 24 hours, which is equal to a handsome brook, and might wort an overshot mill. In cool weather condensed vapor is seen rising out of the gravel bed of the creek, from springs which cannot be taken into ac- count. During the summer and fall, the creek receives lit- tle or no water but what is supplied by the hot springs; at that season itself is a hot -bath, too hot, indeed, near the springs; -so that a- person may choose the temperature most agreeable to himself, by selecting a natural basin near to, or farther from the principal springs. At three or four miles below the springs the water is tepid and unpleasant to drink. From the western mountain, estimated to be of equal height with that from which the hot springs flow, there are several fine prospects. The valley of the Washita, compre- hended between the hills on either side, seemed a perfect flat, and about twelve miles wide. On all hands were seen the hills or mountains, as they are here called, rising behind each other. In the direction of north, the most distant were es- timated to be fifty milas off, and. are supposed to be those of the Arkansas river, or the rugged mountains which divide the waters of the A rkansas from those of the Washita, and prevent the Osage Indians from visiting the latter, of whom they are supposed ignorant; otherwise their excursions here would prevent this place from being visited by white per- sons, or other Indians. In a south-west direction, at about forty miles distance, is seen a perfectly level ridge, supposed to be the high prairies of the Red river. Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, a considera- ble number, and some variety of plants were in flower, and others retained their verdure; indeed the ridge was more LEWIS AND CLARKE. 2C5 temperate than the valley below; there it was cold damp and penetrating; here dry, and the atmosphere mild. 'Of the plants growing here was a species of cabbage: the plants grow with expanded /eaves, spreading on the ground, of a deep green, w T ith a shade of purple; the taste of the cabage was plainly predominant, with an agreeable warmth inclin- ing to that of the radish; several tap -roots penetrated into the soil of a white color, having the taste of horse-radish, but much milder. A quantity of them taken to the camp and dressed, proved palitable and mild. It is not probable that cabbage has been scattered on this ridge; the hunters ascend- ing this river have always had different objects. Until furth- er elucidation, this cabbage must be considered as idigenoua to this sequestered quarter, and may be denominated the cab- bage radish of the Washita. They found a plant, then green, called by the French "racine rouge," (red root,) which is said to be a specific in female obstructions; it has also been used, combined with the china root, to dye red, the last pro- bably acting as a mordant. The top of this ridge is covered with rocks of a flinty kind, and so very hard as to be impro- per for gun flints, for when applied to that use it soon digs cavities in the hammer of the lock. This hard stone is gen- erally white, but frequently clouded with red, brown, black, and other colors. Here and there fragments of iron stone were met with, and where a tree had been overturned, its roots brought to view fragments of schistus, which were suf- fering decomposition from exposure to the atmosphere. On digging where the slope of the hill was precipitous, they found the second stratum to be a reddish day, resembling that found on the conical hill, east side of the camp. At two-thirds down the hill, the rock was a hard free-stone, in- termixed with fragments of flint which had probably rolkd from abive. Still lower was found a blue schistus, in a state tending to decomposition where exposed to the atmosphere, tut hard and resembling coarse slate in the interrior. Many stones had the appearance of Turkey oil-stones: at the foot of the hill it expands into good farming lands. Dr. Hunter, upon examining the waters of the hot springy obtained the following results: 206 JOURNAL OF It differed nothing from the hot water in smell or taste, but caused a slight eruction shortly after drir.king it. Its specific gravity is equal to rain or distilled water. It gave to litmus paper, a slight degree of redness evin- cing the presence of the carbonic acid, or fixed air sulphuric and threw down a few detached particles. Oxylat of am- moniac caused a deposition and white cloud, showing the* presence of a small portion of lime. Prusiate of potash pro- duced a slight and scarcely perceptible tinge of bjue, desig- nating the presence of a small quantity of iron. Sixteen pounds of water evaporated to dry ness, left ten grains of a grey powder, which proved to be lime. The myrtle wax tree grows in the vicinity of the springs. At the season in which the voyagers were .there, the wax was no longer green, but had changed its color to a greyish white, from its long exposure to the weather. The berry when examined by a microscope, is less than the smallest garden pea, approaching to an oval in form. The nucleus, or real seed, is the size of a radish and is covered with a number of kidney-shaped glands, of a brown color and sweet taste; these glands secrete the wax which completely envel- ops them, and, at this season, gives to the whole the appear- ance of an imperfectly white berry. This is a valuable plant and merits attention: its favorite portion is a dry soil, rather poor, and looking down upon the water. It is well adapted to ornament the margins of canals, lakes, or rivulets. The cassina yapon; is equally beautiful; and proper for the same purpose: it grows here along the banks of this stony creek, intermingled with the myrtle and bears a beautiful lit- tle red berry ; very much resembling the red currant. The rock through which the hot springs either pass or trickle over, appears undermined by the waters of the creek. The hot water is continually depositing calcareous, and per- haps, some silicious matter, forming new rocks, always aug> menting and projecting their promontories over the running water of the creek, which prevents its formation below the surface.: Whenever this ealcareous crust is seen spreading over the bank and margin of the creek, there, most certainly, the hot water will be found either running over the susfaee, LEWIS AND CIARKE. 207 or through some channel, perhaps below the new rock, or dripping from the edges of the overhanging precipice. The progress of nature in. the formation of this new rock is cu- rious, and worthy the attention of the mineralogist. When the hot water issues from the fountain, it frequsntly spreads over a superficious of some extent;. so -far as it reaches on. either hand, there is a deposition of, or growth, of green matter. Several laminse of this green matter will be found lying over each other; and immediately under, and in contact with the interior laminae, which is not thicker than paper, is found a whitish substance resembling a coagulum; when viewed with a microscope, this last is also found to consist of several, sometimes a good number of lamina, of which that next the green is the finest and thinest, being the last formed; those below increasing in thickness and tenacity un- til the last terminates in a soft earthy matter, which reposes on tiie more solid rock. Each laminse of the coagulum is penetrated in all its parts by calcareous grains, extremely minute, and divided in the more recent web, but much larger and occupying the whole of the inferior laminse-. The under stratum is continually consolidating, and adding bulk and height to the rock. When this acquires such an elevation as to stop the passage of the water, it finds another course over the rock, hill, or margin of the creek, forming ia turn, accumulations of matter over the whole of the adjacent space. When the water has found itself a new channel, the green matter, which sometimes acquires a thickness of half an inch, is speedily converted into a rich vegetable earth, and becomes the food of plants. The surface of the calcare- ous rock also decomposes and forms the richest black mould intimately mixed with a considerable portion of soil; plants and trees vegetate luxuriantly upon it. On examining a piece of ground upon which the snow dis- solved as it fell, and which was covered with herbage,. they founxi in some places, a calcareous crust on the surface; but in general a depth of from five inches to a foot of the richest black mould. The surface was sensibly warm to the touch. In the air the mercury in the Thermometer stood at 44; when placed fouj inches under Ike surface, and covered with. SOS JOURNAL OP earth, it rose rapidly to 68; and upon the calcareous rock, - eight inches beneath the surface, it rose to 80. This result was uniform over the whole surface, which was about a quar- ter of an acre. On searching they found a spring, about fifteen inches un- der the surface, in the water of which the Thermometer showed a temperature of 130. Beneath the black, mould was found a brown mixture of lime and silex, very loose and divisible, apparently in ,1 state of decomposition, and pro- gressing towards the .formation of a black mould; under this brownish mass it became gradually whiter and harder, to the depth of from six to twelve inches, where it was a calcare- ous sparkling stone. It was evident that the water had pas- sed over this place, and formed a flat superfices of solicious limestone; and that its position, nearly level, had facilitated the accumulation of earth, in proportion as the decomposi- tion advanced. Similar spots of ground were found higher up the hill, resembling little savannas, near which hot springs were always discovered, which had once flowed over them. It appears probable that the hot water of the springs, at an early period, had all issued from, its grand reservoir in the hill, at a much greater elevation than at present. The calcareous crust may be traced up, in most situations on the west side of the hill looking down the creek and valley, to a certain height, and perhaps one hundred feet perpendicular; in this region the hill rises precipitously, and is studded with hard silicious stones; below, the descent is more gradual, and the soil a calcareous black earth. It is easy to discriminate the primitive hill from that which has accumulated, by pre- sipitation, from the water of the springs: this last is entire- ly confined to the west side of the hill, and washed at its base by the waters of the creek, no hot spring being visible in any other part of its circumference. By actual measure- ment along the base of the hill the influence of the springs is found to extend seventy perches, in a direction a little to- the east of north: along the whole of this space the springs have deposited stony matter, calcareous with an addition of silex or cryitallized lime. The accumulation of calcareous matter is more considerable at the north end of the hill than LEWIS AND CLARKE. 209 'the south; the first may be above one hundred feet perpendic- ular, but sloping much more gradually than the primitive hill above, until it approaches the creek, where not unfre- quently it terminates in a precipice of from six to twenty feet. The difference between the primitive and secondary hill is so striking that a superficial observer must notice it; the first is regularly very steep, and studded with rock and stone of the hardest flint, and other silicious compounds, and a superficies of two or three inches of good mould cov- ers a red clay; below, on the secondary hill, which carries evident marks of recent formation, PO flint, or silicious stone, is found; the calcareous rock conceals all from view, and is, itself, frequently covered by much fine rich earth. It would seem that this compound, precipitated from the hot water, yields easily to the influence of the atmosphere; for where the waters cease to flow over any portion of the rock, it speedily decomposes; probably more rapidly from the heat communicated from the interrior part of the hill, as insu- lated masses of the rock are observed to remain without change. The cedar, the wax myrtle, and the cassina yapon, all ever- greens, attach themselves particularly to the calcareous re- gion, and seem to grow and thrive even in the clefts of the solid rock. A spring, enjoying a freedom of position, proceeds with great regularity in depositing the matter it holds in solution; the border or rim of its basin forms an elevated ridge, from whence proceeds a glacis all around, where the waters have flowed for some time over that part of the brim; this becomes more elevated, and the water has to seek a passage where there is less resistance: thus forming in minature, a crater resembling in shape the conical summit of a volcano. The hill being steep above the progress of petrifaction is stopped on that side, and the waters continue to flow and spread abroad, incrusting the whole face of the hill below. The last formed calcareous border of the circular basin is soft, and easily divided; at a small depth it is more compact; and at the depth of six inches it is generally hard white stone. If the bottom of the basin is stirred up, a quantity of red 14 210 JOURNAL OF calx of iron rises, and escapes over the summit of the cri- < ter. Visitants to the hot springs, having observed shrubs and trees with their roots in the hot vvaler, have been induced to try experiments, by sticking branches of trees in the run of/ hot water. Some branches of the wax myrtle were found thrust into the bottom of a spring run, the water of which was 130. by Fahrenheit's thermometer; the foliage and fruit of the branch were not only sound and healthy, but at the surface of the water, roots were actually sprouting from it:- on pulling it up, the part which had penetrated ihe hot inud was found decayed. The green substance discoverable at the bottom of the hot springs, and which at firs-t sight has the appearance of plush, on examination by the. microscope, was found to be a vegeta- ble production. A film of Green matter spreads itself on the calcareous. base, from which rises fibres more than half an inch in length, forming a beautiful vegetation.. Before the microscope it sparkled with innumerable nodules of lime, some part of which was beautifully crystallized.. The cir- cumstance might cause a doubt of its being a true vegetable,; but its great resemblance to some of the mosses, particular- ly the byssi, and the discovery which Mr. Dunbar made of its being the residence of animal life, confirmed his belief in its being a true moss. After a diligent search he discovered a very minute shell-fish, of the bivalve kind, inhabiting 1 this moss; its shape nearly that of tho fresh water muclii; the col- or of the shell a greyish brown, with spots of a purplish col- or. When the animal is undisturbed it opens the shell, and thrusts out four legs, very transparent, and articulated like those of a o t uadruped; the extremities of the fore legs, are ve- ry clender and sharp, but those of 'the hind legs somewhat broader, apparently armed with niihute toes; from the ex- tremity of 'each shell issues three or four forked hairs, which the animal seems to possess the power of moving; the fore legs are probably formed for making incisions into the mosa for the purpose of procuring access to the juices of the living plant, upon which, no doubt, it feeds: it may be provided with a proboscis, although it did not appear while the animal > LE\\ r rs AND CLARK H. 211 v/as under examination: the hind legs are well adapted for propelling it in its progress over the mo^s, 01* through th<2 water. 1't would be deferable to ascertain the cause of that per- petual lire which keeps up the high temperature of so many springs as flow from this hill, at a considerate distance from. *?nch other: upon looking around, ho vfrevfir, sufficient data fur the solution of the difficulty are not discoverable. Nothing of a vulcanic nature is to be seen in this country; neither could iliey iearn that a.ny evidence in favor of such a supposition was to be found in the mountains connected with- this river.. An immense bed 'of dark blue sciiittus appears to forriK the base of the lu.-t spiin^ lull, and of all those in its neighbor-. JfuouVthe bottom >f the creek is formed of it; and pieces are frequently met w-iLii rendered soft by decomposition, and possessing a strong aiumiuo'js tu&te, requiring nothing but lixiviation and cr/sUliizUion to complete the manufacture of iflluiii. As bodies undergoing chemic a' changes generally produce an alteration of temperature, the heat of these springs may be owing to the d^engagement of caloric, or the decomposition of the sehistus: another, and perhaps a more satisfactory cause may be assigned: it is well known,, that, within tiie circle of the waters of this river vast beds of mar- tial pyriat exist, they have not yet, however, been discover- ed in the vicinage of the hot springs, bat may, nevertheless, foiiu immense beds under the bases of these hills, and aa ia one place at least there is evidence of the presence of bitu- men, the union of tii'ese agents will, in the progress of de- composition, by the admission. of air and moisture, produce- degrees of heat capable of supporting the phenomena of the hot spaings. Ao sulphuric acid is present in this water; the springs muy be supplied by the vapour of heated water, a&- cendiug from civerns where the heal is generated, or Uie lieat may be immediately applied' to the bottom of an im- mense natural chaldron or rock, contained in the bowels of the hill, tiviii whicii as a reservoir the springs may bo sup- plied. A serie.8 of accurate observations determined/ the latitude (f the hot tarings to ba34. 31..4E,. 1C. N. and long. Co.. 212 JOURNAL OF 11.25. or 92. 50. 45. W. from the meridian of Green- wich. While M. Dunbar was making arrangements for transpor- ting the baggage back to the river camp, doctor Hunter ? with a small party, went on an excursion into the country. He left the hot springs on the morning of the k rin^s and brooks of fresh water are frequent; the Red river is understood not to be so highly, favoured. Eve- ry account seems to prove that immense natural magazines of salt must exist in the great chain of mountains to the westward; as all the rivers in the summer .season, which flow from them are strongly impregnated with, .that mineral, and are only rendered palatable after: receiving the numerous streams of fresh water which join them in their course. The great western prairies, besides the herds of wild cattle, 218 JOURNAL OF (bison, commonly called buffalo) arc clso stocked with vast numbers of wild goat (not resembling the dome-st'c groat) ex- tremely swift footed. As the description given of this goat is not perfect, it may from its swiftness prove to be the an- telope; or it may possibly be a goat which has escaped from the Spanish Settlements of New Mexico. A Canadian, who had been much with the Indians to the westward, speaks of a wool-bearing animal larger than a sheep, the wool much mixed with hair, which he -had seen in large flocks. He pretends also to huve seen a unicorn, the single horn of which, he says, rises out of the forehead and curls back, conveying the idea of the fossil cornu ammanis. This man says he has travelled beyond the great dividing ridge so far as to have seen a large river flowing 1 to the westward. The great dividing mountain is so lofty that it requires two days to ascend from the base to its top; other ranges of inferior mountains lie before and behind it; they are all rocky and. sandy. 'Large lakes and valleys lie between the rnountainr. Some oT'the lakes are so large as to contain considerable islands; the rivers flow from some of them. Great numbers of fossil bones, of very large dimensions ar-3 seen among the moutains, which the Canadian supposes to be the ele- phants He does not pretend to have seen any of the precious me- tals, but has seen a mineral which he supposes mi jht yield 'Copper. From the top of the high mountain the view is bounded by a curve as upon the ocean, and extends over the most beautiful prairies, which seem to be unbounded, partic- ularly towards the east. The finest of the lands he has seen are on the Missouri; no other can compare in richness and fertility with them. This Canadian, as well as Le Fevre, speaks of the Osages. of the tribe of Whitchairs, as law- less and unprincipled.; and the other Indian tribes hold them in abhorence as a barbarous and uncivilized race, and the different nations who hunt in their neighborhood, have been concerting plans for their destruction. On the morning of the llth, the party passed the petit ecor a Fabri. The osier, which grows on the beaches above, is not seen below upon the river; aad here they begin to meet with the small 'LEWIS AND CLVRKE. 219 tree called- 'charnier' which grows only on the water side, and is' met with all 1 the way down the VVashita. The latitude of 33. 40. seems'the northern boundary of the one, and the southern boundary o'F the other of these vegetables. Having noticed the limit set to the long moss, (Telandsia) on the as- cf.nt of the river, in latitude 33. Mr. Dunbar mndo inquiry of Mr. Le Fevre, as to its existence on the Arkansas settle- ment, which is known to lie in about the same parallel; he siid, that its growth is limited about ten miles south of the settlement, and that as remarkably, as if a line had been drawn east and west for the purpose; as it ceases all at once, and not by degrees. Hence it appears, that nature has mar- ked with a distinguishing feature, the line established by congress, between the Orleans and Lousiana territories. The cypress is not found on the Washita higher than thirty- four degrees .of north latitude. In ascending the river, they found their rnte of going to exceed that of the current about six miles and a half in twen- ty-four hours; and that on the 12th, they had passed the apex of the tide or wave, occasioned by the fresh, and were de- cending along an inclined plain; as they encamped at night, they found themselves in deeper water the next morning, and on a more elevated part of the inclined plain than they had been in the proceeding evening, from the progress of the apex of the tide during their repose. At noon, on the jtHh, they reached the post of the Washita. Mr. Dunbar being anxious to rsach the Natchez as early as possible, and being unable to procure horses at the post, took a canoe with one soldier and his own domestic, to push down to the Catahoola; from whence to Concord there is a road of thirty miles across the low grounds. He set off ear- ly on the mornmg of the 20th, and at night reached the set- 'tlementof an old hunter, with whom he had conversed on his way up the river. This man informed him, that at the place called the mine, on the Little Missouri, there is asmoke which ascends perpetually from a particular place, and that the vapour is sometimes insupportable. The river, or a branch of it,, passes .over a bed of mineral, which from the 220 JOURNAL OF descriptions given, is, no doubt, martial pyrites. In a creek, or a branch of the Fourche a Luke, there is to be found on the beaches and in the cliffs, a great number of globular bod- ies, some as large, or larger than a man's head, which, when broken, exhibit the appearance of gold, silver, and precious stones; most probably pyrites and crystallized spar. And at the Fourches des Glaises a Paul, (higher up the river than Fourche a Luke,) near the river there is a cliff full of hexa- gonal prisms, terminated by pyramids which appear to grow out of the rock: they are from six to eight inches in length, and some of them are an inch in diameter. There are beds of pyrites found in several small creeks communicating with the Washita, but it appears that the mineral indications are greatest on the Little Missouri: because, as before noted, sooie cf the hunters actually worked on them, and sent a parcel of the ore to New Orleans. It is the belief here, that the mineral contains precious metal, but that the Span- ish government did not choose a mine shuold be opened so near to the British settlements. An express prohibition was issued against working these mines. At this place, Mr. Dunbar obtained one or two slips of the "bois de are," (bow wood or yellow wood,} from the Missouri. The fruit of which had fallen before maturity, lay upon the ground. Some were the size of a small orange, with a rind full of tubercles; the color, though it appeared faded, still retained a resemblance to pale gold. The tree in its native soil, when laden with its golden fruit, (nearly as large as the eg-g of an ostrich^) presents the most splendid appearance; its tbliage is cf a deep green, re- sembling the varnished leaf of the orange tree; upon, the whole, no forest tree can compare with it in ornamental grandeur. The bark of the young trees resemble, in tex- ture, the dog-wood bark; the appearance of the wood recom- mends it for a trial as an article which may yield a yellow dye. It is deciduous; the branches are numerous, and full of short thorns or prickles, which seem to point it out as pro- per fur hedges or live fences. . This tree is kno,vn to exist near the Nakitosh (perhaps in latitude 32,) and upon the river Arkansas, high', up (perhaps in lat. 36;) it is therefore LEWIS AND CLARKE. 221 probable that it may thrive from latitude ^8 to 40 and will be a great acquisition to the united States if it possesses no other merit than that of being ornamental. In ascending the river, both Mr. Dunbar and Dr. Hunter searched for the place said to yield gypsum, or plaister of paris, but failed. The former gentleman stat.es, that he has no doubt of its existence, having noted tvv.o places where it has been found; one of which is the first hill, or high land, which tcuches the river on the west, above the bayou Calu- met, and the other is the second highland on the same side. As these are two points of the same continual ridge, it is probable that an immense body of gypsum will be found in the bowels of tne hills where they meet, and perhaps extending far beyond them. On the evening of the 22nd Mr. Dunbar arrived at the Catahoola, where a Frenchman of the ncme of Hebrard, who keeps the ferry across Black river, is settled. Hero the road from the Washita forks, one branch of it leading to the settlement on Red river, and the other up to the post on the Waehita. The proprietor of this place has been a hunter, a great traveller up the Washita and into the western coun- try: he confirms generally the accounts received from others. It appears, from what they say, that in the neighborhood of the hot springs, but higher up, among the mountains, and upon the little Missouri, during the summer season, explo- sions are very frequently heard, proceeding from under the ground and not rarely a curious phenomenon is seen, which is termed the blowing of the mountains: it is confined elas- tic gas forcing a passage through the side or top of a hill, driving before it a great quantity of earth and mineral mat- ter. During the winter season the explosions and blowing of the mountains entirely cease, from whence we may con- clude, that the cause is comparatively superficial, brought into action by the increased heat of the rays of the summer sun. The confluence of the Washita, Catahoola and Tenza is ;an interesting place. The last cf these communicates with the Mississippi low lamls, by the intervention of other creeks and lakes, and by one in particular, called vBayou d 'Argent,* LEWIS AND CLARKE. e which empties into the Miss-isippi, about fourteen miles above Natchez. During high water there is a navigation for batteaux of any burthen along the bayou. A large lake, called St. Johns lake, occupies a considerable part of the passage between the Mississippi and the Tenza; it is in 'a horse shoe form, and has, at some former period, been the bed of the Mississippi: the nearest part of it is about ono mile removed from the river at the present time. This lake, possessing elevated .banks, similar to those of the river, has been lately occupied and imp-roved. The Catahoola bayou is the third navigable stream: during the time of inundation there is an excellent communication by the lake of that name, and from thence,. by large creeks to the Red river.-- The country around the point of union of these three rivers is altogether alluvia],, but the place of Mr. He braid's resi- dence is-uo longer subject to inundation. There is no doubt, that as. the country augments in population and riches, this place will become the site of 1 a. commercial inland town, which will keep pace with the progress and prosperity ok* the country. One of the Indian mounts here is of a con- siderable elevation, with a species of rampart, surrounding a- large space, which was, no doubt, the position of a furtiii- od Whjle here Mr. Dunbar, met with an American who pre- tended to havfc been up the Arkansas river three hundred leagues. The navigation of tiiis..rivej he says is good to that-distance; for boats drawing three or four feet water. Implicit faith, perhaps, ought not to b.o given to his relation, respecting the quantity of silver he pretends, to have collec- ted there.. He says he has found silver on the VV r ashita, thirty leagues above the hot springs, so rich, that three pounds of it yielded one pound of silver, and this was found in a cave. He asserts also, that'the ore of the mine upon the Little Missouri, was carried to Kentucky, by a person of the name of Bon, where it was found to yield largely in silver. This man says he has been up the Red river likewise, and that there is a great rapid just below the raft, or natural bridge, and several others above it; that;. the Caddo nation .U about fifty, leagues above, tiiu rait, and near to. their, village, '224 JOURNAL OF commences the country of the great prairies, which extend four or five hundred miles to the west of the sand mountains, as they are termed. These great plains reach far beyond the Red river to the south and northward over the Arkansas river, and among the numerous branches of the Missouri. He confirms the account of the beauty and fertility of the western country. On the morning of the 25th Mr. Dunbar set out on horse- back, from the Catahoola to Natchez. The rain which had fallen on the preceeding days rendered the roads wet and muddy, and it was two in the afternoon before he reached the Bayou Crocodile, which is considered half way between the Black river and the Mississippi. It is one of the nu- merous creeks in the low grounds which assist in venting the waters of the inundation. On the margins of the water courses, the lands are highest and produce canes; they fall off, in the rear, into cypress swamps and lakes. The waters of the Mississippi were rising, and it was with some diffi- culty that they reached a house near Concord that evening* This settlement was begun since the cession of Louis- iana to the United States, by citizens of the Mississip- pi territory, who have established their residence altogether upon newly aquired lands, taken up under the authority of the Spanish commandant, and have gone to the expense of improvement either in the names of themselves or others, before the 20th of December, 1803, hoping thereby to hold their new possession under the sanction of the law. Exclusive of the few actual residents on the banks of the Mississippi there are two very handsome lakes in the interi- or, on the banks of which similar settlements have been made. He crossed at the ferry and at mid-day of the 26th reached his own house. Dr. Hunter, and the remainder of the party, followed Mr. Dunbar, down the Washita, with the boat in which they as- cended the river, ascended the Mississippi, and reached St. Catharine's landing on the morning of the 31st f January, 1805. DIOTIONATY OF INDIAN WORDS AND PHKASES. Good spirit Evil spirit Man Woman Male Female - Infant Head - Fore head Hair Eyes Nose - Nostrils - Mouth - My teeth Tongue - Beard - Brain Ears Neck - Throat - Arms Fingers - Nails - Side My back My belly Thighs - My knees Legs Knistenaux. Ki jai Manitou Matchi manitou Ethini Esquois JXaphew Non-gense A' wash ish Us ti quoin Es caa tick Wes ty ky E kis ock Oskiwin Go tith ee gow mow O toune Wip pit tah Otaithana Michitoune With i tip O tow ee gio O qui ow O koot tag gy O nisk Che chee Was kos sia O's spin gy No pis quan Nattay O povam No che quoin nth Noik 15 226 JOURNAL OF Heart - My father My mother My boy, (son) - My girl, (daughter) My brother,. elder My sister, elder My grandfather My grandmother My uncle My nephew My niece My mother in law My brother in law My companion My husband Blood - Old man I am angry I fear - Joy Hearing Track - Chief, great ruler Thief - Excrement Buffalo - Ferret - Pole cat Elk Rein deer Fallow deer Beaver - Woolverine Squirrel Mink - Otter Wolf -. -. Knistenaux. O thea Noo ta wie Nigah wei Negousis Netanis Ni stess Ne miss Ne moo shum N' o kum N' o'ka miss Ne too sim Ne too sim esquois Nisigouse Nistah Ne wechi wagan Ni nap pern Mith coo Shi nap Ne kis si wash en, Ne goos tow Ne hea tha torn Pethom Mis conna Haukimah Kismouthesk Meyee Moustouche Sisous Shicak Moustouche Attick Attick Amisk Q,ui qua katch. Ennequachas, Sa quasue Nekick JVIayegaa, LEWIS AND CLARKE. 227 Hare - Marten - Moose Bear Fisher - Lynx Porcupine Fox Musk rat Mouse Cow Buffalo - Meat-flesh Dog Eagle - Duck Crow, Corbeau Swan Turkey Pheasants Bird Outard - White Goose - Grey Goose Partridge Water Hen Dove Eggs Pipe or Jack - Carp Sturgeon White Fish - Pikrel . Fish (in general) Spawn . Fins Trout . Craw Fish Frog Knislenaux. Wapouce Wappistan Mauswah Masqua Wijask Picheu Cau quah Ma kisew Wajask Abieushiss Noshi Moustouche Wias Atim Makusu Sy sip Ca Cawken Wapsicu Mes sei thew Okes kew Pethesew Niscag Wey Wois Pestasish Pithew Chiquibish Omi Mee Wa Wah Kenonge Na may bin> Na May Aticaming Oc-chaw Kenonge Waquon Chi chi kan-. Na gouse A shag gee A thick 228 JOURNAL OF Wasp - Turtle - Snake Awl Needle - Fire steel Fire wood Cradle - er - Arrow Fish Hook Axe Ear-bob - Comb Net Tree Wood - Paddle - Canoe Birch Rind Bark Touch Wood Leaf - Grass Raspberries Strawberries Ashes Fire Grapea - Fog Mud Currant - Road Winter - Island Lake - Sun Moon Knislenaux. Ah moo Mikinack Kinibic Oscajick Saboinigan Appet Mich-tah Teckinigan Ta comagau Augusk or Atouche Quosquipichican Seegaygan Chi-kisebisoun Sicahoun Athahe Mistick Mistick Aboi Chiman Wasquoi Wosquoi Pousagan Nepeshah Masquosi Misqui-meinac O'-tai-e-minac Pecouch Scou-tay Shomenac] Pakishihow ASUS ki Kiesijiwin Mescanah Pipoun Ministic Sagayian Pisim Tibisca pesim (the night SUM) LEWIS AND CLARKE. 229 Day Night - Snow Rain Drift . Hail Ice Frost - Mist Water - Mountain World - Sea Morning Mid-day Portage Spring - River Rapid Rivulet - Sand Earth - Star Thunder Wind - Calm Heat - Evening North - South East West - To-morrow Bone Broth - Feast CJrease or oil - Marrow fat Knistenaux. Kigigah Tibisca Cosnah Kimiwoin Pewan Shcs cagan Mesquaming Aquatin Picasyow Nepec Messe asky (all the earth) Wachee Kitchi kitchi ga ming Kequishepe Abetah quisheik Unygam Menouscaming Sipec Bawastick Sepeesis Thocaw Askee Attack Tithusau Thoutin Athavvostin Quishipoi Ta k ash ike Kywoitin Sawena woon Coshawcastak Pasquismoa Wabank Oskann Michiin waboi Ma qua see Pimis pimis 230 JOURNAL OF Sinew - Lodge Bed Within Door Dish Fort Sledge - Cincture Cap Stocks . 'Shirt Coat Blanket . Cloth Thread . Garters . Mitten* . Shoes Smoking bag Portage sling Straight on Medicine Red Blue White * Yellow . Green Ugly . Handsome Beautiful Deaf Good-natured Pregnant Fat Big Small or little Short Knistenaup. Asstis Wig waurn Ne pa win Pendog ke Squandam Othagan Wasgaigan Tabanask Poqnoatehoun Astotin A chic an Papachcweyan Papise-co-wagan Wape vveyang Maneto weguin Assabab Chi ki-bisoon Astissack Maskisin Kusquepetagan Apisan Goi ask Mas ki kee Mes coli Kpsqutch (sume as black) Wabisca Saw saw Chibatiquare Mache nagouseu Catawassiseu Kissi Sawenogan Nima petom Mithiwashin Paawis Outhineu Mushikitee Abisasheu Chemasish LEWIS AND CLARKE. 231 km Long Strong 'Coward . Weak . Lean Brave Youngman Cold Hot Spring . Summer . Fall One Two Three Four Five Six . . Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven . Twelve . Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen . Sixteen . Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-one Twenty-two, &c. Thirty . Forty Fifty Knistenaux. Wian Kinwain Mascawa Sagatahaw Nitha missew Matha waw Nima Gustaw Osquineguish Kissin Kicbatai 1 Minou scam ing 1 Nibin Tagowagonk Peyac Nisheu Nishteu New ay Ni-annan Negoutawoesie Nish wissic Jannanew Shack Mitatat Peyac osap Nisheu osap Nithou osap Neway osap Niaman osap Nigoutuwoesic osap Nish woesic osap Jannenew osap Shack osap Nishevv mitenah Nisliew luitenan peyac oeay Nisheu mitenah nisheu osap Nishtou mitenah Newey mitenah -Niannan -mitenah 232 JOURNAL OF Sixty Seventy . Eighty . Ninety . Hundred Two Hundred . One Thousand First Last More Better . Best I, or me . You, or thou They, or them . We My, or mine Yours Whom . His or hers All Some, or some few The same All the world . All the men Sometimes Arrive Beat To burn . . sing . cut hide . cover . believe sleep . dispute dance Knislenaux. Negoutawosic mitenak Niswoisic milenah Sannaeu mitenah Shock mitenah Mitaua mitinah Noshevv mitenah a mitenah Mitenah mitena mitenah Nican Squayatch Minah Athiwack mithawashin Athiwack mithawashin Nitha Kitha Withawaw I ithawaw Nitayan Kitayan Avvione Otayan Kakithau Pey peyac Tabescoutch Missiacki wanque Kakithaw Kthinyock I as cow-puco To couchin Otamaha Mistascasoo Nagamoun Kisquishan Catann Acquahoun Taboitam Nepan Ke ko mi towock ]\ ernay tow Hitfc LEWIS AND CLARKE. 233 To do eat . die forget speak cry (tears) . laugh sit down walk fall . works -kill . sell . live see come , Enough . It hails - There is some . There is . It rains . A r ter-to-morrow To-day . Thereaway Much Presently Make, heart, This morning . This night Above Below Truly Already . Yet, more Yesterday Far Near Ne?er Knislenaux. Ogitann Wissinee Nepew Winnekiskisew Athimetakouse Mantow Papew Nematappe Pimoutais Packisin Ah tus kew Nipahaw Attawom Pimatise Wabam Astamotch Egothigog Shisigan Aya wa Quimiwoin Awis wahank Anoutch Netoi Michett Fischisqua Quithipeh Shebas Tibiscag Espiming Tabassish Taboiy Sashay Minah Tacoushick Wathow Quishiwoac Nima wecatch 234 APPENDIX. Knistenaux. No - Nima Yes . Ah By and by . . Pa-nima Always . ... . Ka ki-kee Make haste Quethepeh It's long since . . Mewaisha APPENDIX. GENERAL WASHINGTON, while President of the United States sent an agent to the Chypewyan Tribe, whose friend- ship it was requisite we should cultivate, to preserve the lu- crative fur trade that we held with them. Washington, by his agent offered, that <: the United States would take two or three of the sons of their chiefs and educate them in our Universities." When the agent had executed the com- mand, the Indians, who never ave an immediate answer on things that they think of importance, told him, , , 16 CHAPTER III. The Fur trade By whom corried on Best market Coun- try at the head of the Missouri and Columbia Snake In- dians Their wretchedness Food Character Person- al appearance Price of a* horse Flat heads Origin of the name Kindness Honesty, &c. , , 24 CHAPTER IV. Letter from Captain Clarke to his, excellency Governor Har- rison. . , * 26 CHAPTER V. Letter from Capt. Clarke to his Brother. , 29 CHAPTER VI. Indian treatment their dread;ofthe Small Pox inattention to future wants-Kvil Spirit Murder Indians restrained from murder by being threatened with the Small Pox Friendship Indian Prayer Death of a comrade Dan- ger from wild beasts Encounter with a Snake Similar- ity in the physical organization of Indians of different tribes Cause of their color Hatred of beards Dress Boreing the nose and ears Moveable Houses Beds Utentials Food Mode of cooking meat Devotional Dance before and after eating Mode of producing fire Apparent waut of affection Fortitude -Manner of court-. CONTENTS. 239 ing Memory Respect for old age Money Physicians Mode of curing the fever &c. &c. . , 35 CHAPTER VII. Indian mode of counting time Names of the different months Indian Charts Mode of reckoning distance Knowledge of Arithmatic Civil divisions Names of the different tribes-Chiefs-Democracy of government Here- ditary succession of the Chief style of Language in de- bate or Speech young men not allowed to speak, &. 55 CHAPTER VIII. Dancing Eating dog's flesh; -Superstition Dangerous sit- uation Hunting Fasting- Dreaming Agility Meth- od of hunting buffalo Hunting beaver, &c. 60 CHAPTER IX. Age neccessary for warriors Implements of war Causes of war Boundaries of territory Propensity for war A war Chief's harangue to his soldiers-War council-Dreams Fasting Influence of Priests and woman Mode of soliciting allies Mode of Declaring war Never encum- bered with baggage in war Protecting Spirits Strata- gem Time of attack Disposing of a conquered enemy Eluding their pursuers Securring prisoners Death song Treatment of prisoners Slayes, &c. 70 CHAPTER X. End of War Pipe of peace Mode of presenting it Bu- rying the War Club or Hatchet Belt of Wompum Of what made, &c. , , , , 89 CHAPTER XL Poligamy Treatment to Wives Marriage Ceremonies- Mode of Divorcing another Ceremony Children called by the Mother's name, &c.. . 92 CHAPTER XII. Great Spirit Good Spirits of a lesser degree Ideas of a future State Priests Superstition Religion-Anecdote Fearless of death Dying speech Character of the Indians Love. of Country Sons of honor &c. 99, 240 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. The two subjoined delineations, of the two tribes of Indi- ans who Inhabit the country on this side of the Rocky mountains, in a summary, from the pen of Makcnzie. 107 CHAPTER XIV, Some account of the Chipewyan Indians. 118 CHAPTER XV. Statistical View. . 125 CHAPTER XVI. Tetons Bois Brule Tetons Okandandas Tetons Minna- kineazzo Tetons Sahone. , . 134 CHAPTER XVII. M. Manetopa Osegah Mahtopaneto. , 137 CHAPTER XVIII. Historical sketches of the several Indian tribes in Louisiana, south of the Arkansas river, and between the Mississippi and river Grand. , , * 141 CHAPTER XIX. Statistical View continued. , . 150 CHAPTER XX. Origin of the American Indians. . 158 CPAPTER XXI. Obierrations made in a voyage, commencing at St Catha- rine's landing, on the east bank of the Mississipi, proceed- ing downwards to the mouth of the Red River, and from thence ascending that river, as high as the Hot Springs, in the proximity of the last mentioned River, extracted from the Journals of William Dunbar, Esq. and Dottor Hunter Dictionary of Indian words and phrases Ap- pendiz, &c. . 175