Timeline & Map PDF  720 KB        "Close Encounters on the Great Plains"   PDF  637 KB

"The bank as usial lined with Sioux, gave the 2 principal Chiefs a blanket & a peck of Corn each, Capt Lewis accompanied the Chiefs to their lodges, they informed us that a great part of their nation had not arrived & would arrive tonight and requested us to Delay one Day longer, that they might See us -  I wrote a letter to Mr. P. Dorian & prepared a meadel & some Comsns & Sent to Cap Lewis. at 2 oClock Capt. Lewis returned  with 4 Chiefs & a Brave Man named War cha pa*.  after staying about half an hour, I went with them on shore, those men left the boat with reluctience, I went first to the 2d Chiefs Lodge... then I went to the principal mans lodge from there to the grand Chiefs lodge, after a fiew minits he invited me to a Lodge within the Circle in which I stayed with all their principal men untill the Dance began, which was Similer to the one of last night performed by their womn.  Capt. Lewis came on Shore and we Continued untill we were sleepy & returned to our boat, the 2nd Chief & one principal man accompanied us, those two Indians accompanied me on board in the Small perogue, Capt Lewis with a guard Still on horse, the man who Steered not being much acustomed to Steer, passed the bow of the boat & perogue Came broad Side against the Cable & broke it which obliged me to order in a loud voice all hands up at their ores, my preempty** order to the men and the bustle of their getting to their ores allarmed the Cheifs, together with the appearance of the men on Shore, as the boat turned.  The Cheif hollowered & allarmed the Camp or Town informing them that the Mahars was about attacting us.  In about 10 minits the bank was lined with men armed the 1st Cheif at their head, about 200 men appeared and after about 1/2 hour returned all but about 60 men who continued on the bank all night - This allarm I as well as Captn. Lewis Considered as the Signal of this intentions (which was to Stop our proceeding on our journey and if Possible rob us).  we were on guard all night   ...   the misfortune of the loss of our anchor obliged us to Lay under a falling bank. All prepared on board for any thing which might happen. We kept a Strong guard all night in the boat, no sleep." Clark

War cha pa* - (stabber) Commission is now in the Huntington Library in San Marino, California; it seems to be the only extant specimen of a commission actually filled out and signed by Lewis & Clark.  It bears the date August 31, 1804, suggesting that they first intended to issue it during their council with the Sioux at Calumet Bluff but had at least one left over from that occasion.

preempty**- Spelling unclear, but presumably Clark means "peremptory"
 

"after finding that the anchor Could not be found we deturmned to proceed on, with great difficuelty got the Chiefs out of our boat and when we was about Setting out the Class called the Soldiers took possesion of the Cable the 1^st Chief which was Still on board & intended to go a short distance up with us. He went out & told Lewis who was at the bow the men Who set on the roap was Soldiers and wanted tobacco . after much dificuelty – which had nearly reduced us to necessity to hostilities I threw a Carrot of Tobacco to the first Chief The chief gave the Tobacco to his Soldiers & he jurked the rope from them and handed it to the bowsman we then set out under a breeze."

"proceeded on observed the 2^nd Chief & 2 principal Men, they wished to go up as far as the other part of their band, we refused stateing verry Sufficint reasons. "

"had not proceeded on far before we discovered an Indian running after us, he requested to come on board and go up to the Recorees we refused. Soon after I descovered on the hills at a great distance great numbers of Indians which appeared to be making to the river above us, we proceeded on under a Double reafed Sail & some rain. The Stern of the boat got fast on a log and the boat turned & was verry high, The Chief on board was so fritened 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. 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, smoked a pipe & he set out. We also Set sale."