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away from the river or we Should kill every one of
them ... 7 of them halted on the top of the hill and blackguarded us, told us to come across and
they would kill us all &c of which we took no notice. we all this time were extreamly anxious
for the arival fo the 2 fields & Shannon whome we had left behind, and were some what consd.
as to their Safty. to our great joy those men hove in Sight at 6 P.M. Jo. Fields had killed 3
black tail or mule deer. ... one man walked down the hill to meet us and invited us to land to
which invitation I paid no kind of attention. this man I knew to be the one who had in the fall
1804 accompanied us 2 days and is said to be the friend to the white people. after we passd him
he returned on the top of the hill and gave 3 strokes with the gun (on the earth --this is swearing
by the earth) he had in his hand this I am informed is a great oath among the indians.
September 1, 1806
William Clark
... the fog became so thick that we were oblige[d] to come too ... 9 Indians ran down the bank
and beckened to us to land, they appeared to be a war party, and I took them to be Tetons and
paid no kind of attention to them furthr than an enquirey to what tribe they belonged, ... as one
canoe was yet behind we landed in an open commanding Situation ... about 15 minits after we
had landed Several guns were fired by the indians, which we expected was at the three men
behind. I calld out 15 men and ran up with a full deturmination to cover them if possible let the
number of the indians be what they might. Capt. Lewis hobled up on the bank and formed the
remainder of the party in a Situation well calculated to defend themselves and the Canoes &c.
... they informed me that they were Shooting off their guns at an old Keg which we had thrown
out of one of the Canoes and was floating down. those indians informed me they were
Yanktons, ... I told them that we took them to be a party of Tetons and the fireing I expected
was at the three men in the rear Canoe and I had went up with a full intention to kill them all if
they had been tetons & fired on the canoe as we first expected, but finding them Yanktons and
good men we were glad to see them and take them by the hand as faithfull Children who had
opened their ears to our Councils. ... the[y] answered that their great Chief and many of their
brave men had gone down, that the white people had built a house near the Mahar village where
they traded.
at this Island we brought 2 years together or on the 1st. of Septr. 1804 we Encamped at the
lower point of this Island. after we all came together we again proceeded on down to a large
Sand bar imediately opposit to the place where we met the Yanktons in council at the Calumet
Bluffs and which place we left on the 1t. of Septr. 1804. I observed our old flag Staff or pole
Standing as we left it.
September 3, 1806
William Clark
I landed & was met by a Mr. James Airs from Mackanaw ... who has a Licence to trade for one
year with the Sieoux ... our first enquirey was after the President of our country and then our
friends and the State of the politicks of our country &c. and the State [of] Indian affairs to all of
which enquireys Mr. Aires gave us as Satisfactory information as he had it in his power to have
collected in the Illinois which was not a great deel. ... this Gentleman informed us of maney
changes & misfortunes which had taken place in the Illinois amongst others the loss of Mr Cady
Choteaus house and furniture by fire. ... he also informed us that Genl. Wilkinson was the
governor of the Louisiana and at St. Louis. 300 of the american Troops had been cantuned on
the Missouri a fiew miles above it's mouth, Some disturbance with the Spaniards in the
Nackatosh [Natchitoches] Country is the cause of their being called down to that country, the
Spaniards had taken one of the U. States frigates in the Mediteranean, Two British Ships of the
line had fired on an American Ship in the port of New York, and killed the Capts. brother. 2
Indians had been hung in St. Louis for murder and several others in jale. and that Mr. Burr &
Genl. Hambleton fought a Duel, the latter was killed
September 4, 1806
William Clark
as we were in want of some tobacco I purposed to Mr. Airs to furnish us with 4 carrots for
which we would Pay the amount to any Merchant of St. Louis he very readily agreed to furnish
us with tobacco and gave to each man as much as it is necessary for them to use between this
and St. Louis, an instance of Generossity for which every man of the party appears to
acknowledge. Mr. Airs also insisted on our accepting a barrel of flour. ... The flower was very
acceptable to us we have yet a little flour part of what we carried up from the Illinois as high as
Maria's river and buried it there untill our return &c. ...we came too at Floyds Bluff below the
Enterance of Floyds river and assended the hill, with Capt. Lewis and Several men, found the
grave had been opened by the nativs and left half covered. we had this grave completely filled
up, and returned to the canoes and proceeded on ...
September 6, 1806
William Clark
... we met a tradeing boat of Mr. Og. Choteaux [Auguste Chouteau] of St. Louis bound to the
River Jacque to trade with the Yanktons, ... we purchased a gallon of whiskey of this man
(promised to pay Choteau who would not receive any pay) and gave to each man of the party a
dram which is the first spiritious licquor which had been tasted by any of them since the 4 of
July 1805. several of the party exchanged leather for linen Shirts and beaver for corse hats. ...
We advised this trader to treat the Tetons with as much contempt as possible and stated to him
where he would be benefited by such treatment &c &c. ... The Chief & the Squaws & children
are awarey [a-weary] of their journey. Children cry &c.
September 9, 1806
William Clark
passed the enterance of the great river Platt ... My worthy friend Cap Lewis has entirely
recovered his wounds are heeled up and he can walk and even run nearly as well as ever he
could, the parts are yet tender &c &c. The Musquetors are yet troublesom, tho' not so much so
as they were above the River platt. the climate is every day preceptably wormer and air more
Sultery than I have experienced for a long time.
September 14, 1806
William Clark
this being the part of the Missouri the Kanzas nation resort to at this season of the year for the
purpose of robbing the perogues passing up to other nations above, we have every reason to
expect to meet with them, and agreeably to their common custom of examining every thing in
the perogues and takeing what they want out of them, it is probable they may wish to take those
liberties with us, which we are deturmined not to allow of and for the Smallest insult we shall
fire on them. ... we met three large boats bound to the Yanktons and Mahars ... those young
men received us with great friendship and pressed on us Some whisky for our men, Bisquet,
Pork and Onions, & part of their Stores, ... our party received a dram and Sung Songs untill 11
oClock at night in the greatest harmoney.
September 17, 1806
William Clark
at 11 A. M. we met a Captain McClellin late a Capt. of Artily. of the U States Army assending
in a large boat. this gentleman an acquaintance of my friend Capt. Lewis was Somewhat
astonished to see us return and appeared rejoiced to meet us. we found him a man of
information and from whome we received a partial account of the political State of our country,
... this Gentleman informed us that we had been long Since given out [up] by the people of the
U S Generaly and almost forgotton, the President of the U. States had yet hopes of us; ... he
gave us Some Buisquit, Chocolate Sugar & whiskey, for which our party were in want and for
which we made a return of a barrel of corn & much obliged to him. Capt. McClellin informed
us that he was on reather a speculative expedition to the confines of New Spain, with the view
to entroduce a trade with those people. his plan is to proceede up this river to the Enterance of
the river platt there to form an establishment from which to trade partially with the Panas &
Ottoes, to form an acquaintance with the Panias and provail [on] Some of their principal Chiefs
to accompany him to Santa Fee where he will appear in a stile calculated to attract the Spanish
government in that quarter and through the influence of a handsome present he expects to be
promited to exchange his merchindize for Silver & gold of which those people abound. ... if the
Spanish Governmt. favour his plans, he purposes takeing his merchendize on mules & horses
which can easily be procured of the panias, ... Capt. McClellins plan I think a very good one if
strictly prosued ...
September 19, 1806
William Clark
only came too once for the purpose of gathering pappows, our anxiety as also the wish of the
party to proceed on as expeditiously as possible to the Illinois enduce us to continue on without
halting to hunt.
a very singular disorder is takeing place amongst our party that of the Sore eyes. three of the
party have their eyes inflamed and Sweled in Such a manner as to render them extreamly
painfull, particularly when exposed to the light, the eye ball is much inflaimed and the lid
appears burnt with the Sun, the cause of this complaint of the eye I can't [account] for. from it's
sudden appearance I am willing to believe it may be owing to the reflection of the sun on the
water.
September 20, 1806
William Clark
as three of the party was unabled to row from the State of their eyes we found it necessary to
leave one of our crafts and divide the men into the other Canoes, we left the two Canoes lashed
together which I had made high up the River Rochejhone, ... we met a perogue with 5 french
men bound to the Osarge Gd. village. ...
we saw some cows on the bank which was a joyfull Sight to the party and caused a Shout to be
raised for joy at ... we came in Sight of the little french Village called Charriton (Charrette) the
men raised a Shout and Sprung upon their ores and we soon landed opposit to the Village. our
party requested to be permited to fire off their Guns which was alowed & they discharged 3
rounds with a harty cheer, which was returned from five tradeing boats which lay opposit the
village. we landed and were very politely received by two young Scotch men from Canada ...
all of those boats were bound to the Osage and Ottoes. those two young Scotch gentlemen
furnished us with Beef flower and some pork for our men ... we purchased of a citizen two
gallons of Whiskey for our party for which we were obliged to give Eight dollars in Cash, an
imposition on the part of the citizen. every person, both French and americans seem to express
great pleasure at our return, and acknowledged themselves much astonished in seeing us return.
they informed us that we were supposed to have been lost long since, and were entirely given
out by every person &c. ... the American inhabitants express great disgust for the govermt. of
this Teritory.
September 21, 1806
William Clark
colected our men several of them had axcepted of the invitation of the citizens and visited their
families. ... passed 12 canoes of Kickapoos assending on a hunting expedition. Saw Several
persons also stock of different kind on the bank which reviv'd the party very much. at 3 P M
we met two large boats assending. at 4 P M we arived in Iight of St. Charles, the party rejoiced
at the Sight of this hospita[b]l[e] village plyed thear ores with great dexterity and we Soon
arived opposit the Town ... we saluted the Village by three rounds from our blunderbuts and
the Small arms of the party, and landed near the lower part of the town. we were met by great
numbers of the inhabitants, ... the inhabitants of this village appear much delighted at our return
and seem to vie with each other in their politeness to us all. (some Settlements since we went
up)
September 23, 1806
William Clark
we rose early took the Chief to the publick store & furnished him with Some clothes &c. ...
decended to the Mississippi and down that river to St. Louis at which place we arived about 12
oClock. we Suffered the party to fire off their pieces as a Salute to the Town. we were met by
all the village and received a harty welcom from it's inhabitants &c.
September 25, 1806
William Clark
payed some visits of form, to the gentlemen of St. Louis. in the evening a dinner & Ball
September 26, 1806
William Clark
a fine morning we commenced wrighting &c
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