The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, January 16, 1805

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, January 16, 1805

16th January Wednesday 1805

about thirty Mandans Came to the fort to day, 6 Chiefs. Those Me ne to rees told them they were liars, had told them if they came to the fort the whites men would kill them, they had been with them all night, Smoked in the pipe and have been treated well and the whites had danced for them, observing the Mandans were bad and ought to hide themselves- one of the 1st War Chiefs of the big belles nation Came to See us to day with one man and his Squar to wate on him we Shot the Air gun, and gave two Shots with the Cannon which pleased them verry much, the little Crow 2d Chf of the lower village came & brought us Corn &. 4 men of ours who had been hunting returned one frost'd

This war Chief gave us a Chart in his way of the Missourie, he informed us of his intentions of going to war in the Spring against the Snake Indians we advised him to look back at the number of nations who had been distroyed by war, and reflect upon what he was about to do, observing if he wished the hapiness of his nation, he would be at peace with all, by that by being at peace and haveing plenty of goods amongst them & a free intercourse with those defenceless nations, they would get on easy terms a great Number of horses, and that nation would increas, if he went to war against those Defenceless people, he would displease his great father, and he would not receive that pertection & Care from him as other nations who listened to his word- This Chief who is a young man 26 yr. old replied that if his going to war against the Snake indians would be displeasing to us be would not go, he had horses enough.

we observed that what we had Said was the words of his Great father, and what we had Spoken to all the nations which we Saw on our passage up, they all promis to open their ears and we do not know as yet if any of them has Shut them (we are doubtfull of the Souxs) if they do not attend to what we have told them their great father will open their ears- This Cheif Said that he would advise all his nation to Stay at home untill we Saw the Snake Indians & Knew if they would be friendly, he himself would attend to what we had told him