October 28, 1804 (Remained at the Camp opposite of Stanton)

"the wind So hard form the S.W.  We could not meet the Indians in Councils, those who visited us we Sent to the nearest village, Consulted the Black Cat M Chief* about the Chiefs of the Different Villages, who gave his Oppinion to us.   "

Black Cat M Chief* - His Indian name was Posecopsahe, variously spelled,  It is from the Mandan term, puskapsi, "black cat."   The captains were impressed with this chief's intelligence and friendliness, and thought he would be useful to American interests.  British traders found him equally hospitable and helpful, but he made a point of displaying the American flag Lewis and Clark had given him when visited by North West Company traders in 1806.  he and The Coal were supposed to be rivals, so perhaps Black Cat's authority was not as supreme as the captains imagined.  His residence was at Rooptahee village.

"We collected the Chiefs and Commenced a Councel under a orning, and our Sales Stretched around to keep out as much wind as possible. We delivered a long speech the Substance of which Similer to what we had delivered to the Nations below.  at the conclusion of the Speach we mentioned the Ricaras & requested them to make peace & Smoke out of the Sacred Stem with their Chief which I introduced and gave him the pipe of peace to hand around, they all smoked with eagerness out of the pipe held by the Ricara Chief  we mentioned our hands that were to be discharged here, also the roberrey commited on the 2 French men below, & requested them to answere us tomorrow, gave the Chief Small preasents and a fiew presents for each village.  Shot the air gun which both surprised and astonished the nativs, and soon dispersed -  our Ricara Chief came told me wished to return to his nation tomorrow  I put him off and said we would Send a talk by him after the Chiefs had spoken to us - we gave a Steel mill* to the mandans which was verry pleasing to them."

Steel mill* - A steel corn mill, which Alexander Henry the Younger later found broken up to be used for arrow barbs and other purposes.

" I took 8 men in a Small perogue and went up the river as fur as the 1^st island about 7 miles to see if a Situation could be got on it for our Winter quarters, found the wood on the Isd. As also on the pt. Above so distant from the water that I did not think that we could get a good wintering ground there. We Deturmined to drop down a fiew miles near wood and game."

"The main Chief of the Mandans sent 2 Chiefs of us to envite us to Come to his Lodge, and here what he has to Say  I with 2 interpetes walked down and with great cerimony was Seated on a Robe by the side of the Chief; he threw a  Robe highly decorated over my sholders and after Smokeing a pipe with the old men in the Circle, the Chief Spoke  " he belived all we had told him, and that peace would be genl..." he put before me 2 of the Steel traps which was robed from the french a Short time ago.  about 12 bushels of Corn which was brought and put before me by the womin of the Village   after the Chief finished & Smoked in great cerrimony, I answered the Speech which satisfied them verry much and returned to the boat.  met the princapal Chief of the 3rd Village and the Little Crow* both of which I invited into the cabin and Smoked & talked with for about one hour.  Soon after those Chiefs left us the Grand Chief of the Mandans came Dressed in the Clothes we had given with his 2 small suns, and requested to see the men dance which they verry readily gratified him in."

Little Crow* - Clark ranks him as second chief of the lower Mandan village, Matootonha; he was also called Little Raven.  He was still prominent among the Mandans nearly thirty years later.

"Chiefs of the Lower Village came and after a Short time informed us they wished us to call at their Village & take some corn, they said they would make peace with the Ricares."

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