The Journals of Lewis & Clark: September 30, 1804

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff
by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
September 29, 1804
October 1, 1804

September 30, 1804

30th of September Sunday 1804 had not proceeded far before we discovered an Indian running after us, he requstd to go with us to the Ricaras, we refused to take him, I discovered at a great Distanc a great number of men women & Children decending a hill towards the river above which the Chief with us told us was the other Band, Some rain & hard wind at about 10 oClock we anchored opposit the Camps of this band and told them we took them by the hand, and Sent to each Chief a Carrot of Tobacco & Some to the principal men and farther Said that after Staying with the band below 2 days to See them we had been badly treated and Should not land again, as we had not time to Delay- refured then to Mr. Durion for a full account of us, and an explination of what had been Said, they appeard ansioes for us to eat with them and observed they were friendly we apoligised & proceeded on under a Double reafed Sale- the Chief on board threw out to those that ran up Small pieces of Tobacco & told them to go back and open thier ears, We Saw great number of white guls- refresh the party with whiskey, in the evening we Saw 2 Indians at a Distance, The boat turned by accident & was nearly filling and rocked verry much, allarmed the Indian Chief on board who ran and hid himself, we landed & the Indian express a wish to return, we gave him a Blanket Knife & Some tobacco and advised him to keep his men away, we camped on a Sand bar. verry Cold & windy-

30th of Septr. Sunday

Set out this morning early had not proceeded on far before we discovered an Indn. running after us, he came up with us at 7 oClock & requested to come on bord and go up to the recorees we refused to take any of that band on board if he chose to proceed on Shore it was verry well Soon after I discovered on the hills at a great distance great numbers of Indians which appeared to be makeing to the river above us, we proceeded on under a Double reafed Sail, & Some rain at 9 oClock observed a large band of Indians the Same which I had before Seen on the hills incamping on the bank the L. S. we Came too on a Sand bar Brackfast & proceeded on & cast the ancher opposit their Lodgs. at about 100 yards distand, and informed the Indians which we found to be a part of the Band we had before Seen, that took them by the hand and Sent to each Chief a Carrot of tobacco, as we had been treated badly by Some of the band below, after Staying 2 days for them, we Could not delay any time, & refured them to Mr. Duron for a full account of us and to here our talk Sent by him to the Tetons, those were verry Selecitious for us to land and eate with them, that they were friendly &c. &. we appoligised & proceeded on, Sent the peroge to Shore above with the Tobacco & Delivd. it to a Soldr. of the Chief with us Several of them ran up the river, the Chf. on board threw then out a Small twist of Tobacco & told them to go back & open ther ears. they recved the Tobacco & returned to their lodges- we Saw great numbers of white guls this day is cloudy & rainey- refresh the men with a glass of whisky after Brackfast.

we Saw about 6 miles above 2 Indians who came to the bank and looked at us a about 1/2 an hour & went over the hills to the S W. we proceeded on under a verry Stiff Breeze from the S. , the Stern of the boat got fast on a log and the boat turned & was verry near filling before we got her righted, the waves being verry high, The Chief on board was So fritined at the motion of the boat which in its rocking caused Several loose articles to fall on the Deck from the lockers, he ran off and hid himself, we landed he got his gun and informed us he wished to return, that all things were Cleare for us to go on we would not See any more Tetons &c. we repeated to him what had been Said before and advised him to keep his men away, gave him a blanket a Knife & Some Tobacco, Smokd a pipe & he Set out. we also Set Sale and Came to at a Sand bar, & Camped, a verrey Cold evening, all on our guard

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