I Saw Some of the Chien or Dog Indians, also a man of a nation under the Court new-This nation is at war with the Crow Indians & have 3 Children prisoners.
a curious Cuistom with the Souix as well as the reckeres is to give handsom Squars to those whome they wish to Show Some acknowledgements to--The Seauix we got Clare of without taking their Squars, they followed us with Squars 13th two days. The Rickores we put off dureing the time we were at the Towns but 2 Handsom young Squars were Sent by a man to follow us, they Came up this evening and peresisted in their Civilities.
Dress of the men of this nation is Simply a pr. mockerson, Leagins, flap in front & a Buffalow roabe, with ther arms & ears Deckorated The women, wore Mockersons leagins fringed and a Shirt of Goat Skins, Some with Sleaves. this garment is longe & Genlry. White & fringed, tied at the waste with a roabe, in Summer without hair.
[Clark, October 12, 1804]
2nd Chief Ricaras
My Father, I am glad to See this is a fine Day to here the good Councils & talk good talk I am glad to See you & that your intentions are to open the road for all we See that our Grand father has Sent you to open the road we See it Our Grand father by Sending you means to take pity on us Our Grand father has Sent you with tobacco to make peace with all nations, we think
The first nation who has recomended the road to be clear and open. You Come here & have Directed all nations which you have met to open & clear the road. you come to See the water & roads to Clear them as Clear as possible
you just now Come to See us, & we wish you to tell our Grand ftar that we wish the road to be kept Clear & open. I expect the Chief in the next Town will tell you the Same to move on & open the road
I think when you Saw the nations below they wish you to open the road- (or something to that amount) when you pa.s.sd. the Souex they told you the Same I expect. we See you here to day we are pore our women have no Strouds & Knives to Cut their meat take pitty on us when you return.
you Come here & Derect us to Stay at home & not go to war, we Shall do So, we hope you will when you get to the Mandins you will tell them the Same & Cleer the road, no one Dar to Stop you, you go when you please,
The you tell us to go Down, we will go and See our grand father & here & receve his Gifts, and think fully that our nation will be covered after our return, our people will look for us with the same impatience that our Grand father looks for your return, to Give him
If I am going to See my grand father, many bad nations on the road, I am not afraid to Die for the good of my people (all Cried around him.)
The Chief By me will go to the Mandans & hear what they will Say. (we agree"d.)
The verry moment we Set out to go down we will Send out my Brother to bring all the Nation in the open prarie to See me part on this Great mission to See my Great father.
our people hunting Shall be glad to here of your being here & they will all Come to See, as you Cannot Stay they must wate for your return to See you, we are pore take pity on our wants
The road is for you all to go on, who do you think will injure a white man when they come to exchange for our Roabes & Beaver
after you Set out many nations in the open plains may Come to make war against us, we wish you to Stop their guns & provent it if possible.
Finished
3d Chief of Ricares
My fathers I will see the Indians below & See if they have the hart as they tell you
The nation below is the Mahas & Ottes & but one nation, (the Souix) has not a good heart.
I always look at the 1 t Chief & the 2d whin they go & will also follow ther example & go on also
You See those 2 men they are chiefs, when I go they will take Care, they beleve your words.
Mabie we will not tell the trooth, as to the Child perhaps they will not wish to go.
My Children the old women & men whin I return I can then give them, Some a Knife Some powder & others Ball &c. What is the matter if we was to go for nothing my great Chief wish to go, I wish to go also.
when I go to See my Grand father I wish to return quicke for fear of my people being uneasy.
my Children are Small & perhaps will be uneasy whin I may be Safe
I must go, I also wish to go, perhaps I may when I return make my people glad
I will Stay at home & not go to War even if my people are Struck
we will believ your word but I fear the Indians above will not believe your word.
I will think that 1/2 of the men who will return will Stay in this Village 1/2 below in the other villages
what did the Seaus tell you--(we informd them)
[Clark, October 13, 1804]
13th of October Satt.u.r.day 1804 Newmon Confined for Mutinous expressions, proceeded on pa.s.sed a Camp of Sioux on the S. S. those people did not Speak to us. pa.s.sed a Creek on the S. S. 18 miles above the Ricaras I call Stone Idol Creek, this Creek heads in a Small lake at no great distance, near which there is a Stone to which the Indians a.s.scribe great virtue &. &c. at 21 Miles pa.s.sed a Creek 15 yds wide on the L. S I call Poca.s.se, we observed great quant.i.tes of grapes, a fine Breez from S E Camped on the L. S. Some rain thus evening, we formed a Court Martial of 7 of our party to Try Newmon, they Senteenced him 75 Lashes and banishment from the party--The river narrow current jentle & wood plenty on the Bottoms the up land is as usial Open divircified plains, generally rich & leavel.
[Clark, October 13, 1804]
13th of October Satt.u.r.day 1804 one man J. Newmon Confined for mutinous expression Set out early proceeded on, pa.s.sd. a Camp of Seauex on the S. S. those people only viewed us & did not Speak one word--The visiters of last evening all except one returned which is the Brother of the Chief we have on board pa.s.sed (1) a Creek on the S. S. 13 yds. at 18 me. above the Town heading in Some Ponds a Short Diste. to the N. E we call Stone Idol C.
(well to observe here that the Yankton or R Jacque heads at about 2 Days March of this place Easterly, the R de Seauex one Day further, the Chien a branch of R. Rouche Still beyend, and the River St. Peters 4 Days March from this place on the Same direction Informtn. of the Rickores). pa.s.sed 2 large willow (2) & Sand Islands above the mouth of the last Creek--at 21 miles above the Village pa.s.sed a (3) Creek about 15 yards wide on the L. S. we Call after 2d Chief Poca.s.se (or Hay) nearly opposit this creek a fiew miles from the river on the S. S. 2 Stones resembling humane persons & one resembling a Dog is Situated in the open Prarie, to those Stone the Rickores pay Great reverance make offerings whenever they pa.s.s (Infomtn. of the Chief & Intepeter) those people have a Curious Tredition of those Stones, one was a man in Love, one a Girl whose parents would not let marry, the Dog went to mourn with them all turned to Stone gradually, Commenceing at the feet. Those people fed on grapes untill they turned, & the woman has a bunch of grapes yet in her hand on the river near the place those are Said to be Situated, we obsd. a greater quant.i.ty of fine grapes than I ever Saw at one place.
The river about the Island on which the lower Rickores Village is Situated is narrow and Conts. a great propotion of Timber than below, the bottoms on both Sides is Covered with timber the up lands naked the Current jentle and Sand bars Confined to the points Generally
We proceeded on under a fine Breeze from the S.E. and Camped late at the upper part of Some wood on the Starboard Side, Cold & Some rain this evening. we Sent out hunters Killed one Deer.
We Tried the Prisoner Newmon last night by 9 of his Peers they did "Centence him 75 Lashes & Disbanded the party."
[Lewis and Clark, October 13, 1804]
Orders 13th of October 1804 A court Martial to Consist of nine members will set to day at 12 oClock for the trial of John Newman now under Confinement Capt. Clark will attend to the forms & rules of a president without giveing his opinion
Detail for the Court Martial Sert. John Ordaway Sergeant Pat. Ga.s.s Jo. Shields H. Hall Jo. Collins Wm. Werner Wm. Bratten Jo. Shannon Silas Goodrich Meriwether Lewis Capt. 1st U S. Regt. Infty.
Win Clark Capt or E. N W D
In conformity to the above order the Court martial convened this day for the trial of John Newman, charged with "having uttered repeated expressions of a highly criminal and mutinous nature; the same having a tendency not only to distroy every principle of military discipline, but also to alienate the affections of the individuals composing this Detachment to their officers, and disaffect them to the service for which they have been so sacredly and solemnly engaged."--The Prisonar plead not guilty to the charge exhibited against him. The court after having duly considered the evidence aduced, as well as the defense of the said prisonor, are unanimously of opinion that the prisonar John Newman is guilty of every part of the charge exhibited against him, and do sentence him agreeably to the rules and articles of war, to receive seventy five lashes on his bear back, and to be henceforth discarded from the perminent party engaged for North Western discovery; two thirds of the Court concurring in the sum and nature of the punishment awarded. the commanding officers approve and confirm the sentence of the court, and direct the punishment take place tomorrow between the hours of one and two P.M.--The commanding officers further direct that John Newman in future be attatched to the mess and crew of the red Perogue as a labouring hand on board the same, and that he be deprived of his arms and accoutrements, and not be permited the honor of mounting guard untill further orders; the commanding officers further direct that in lue of the guard duty from which Newman has been exempted by virtue of this order, that he shall be exposed to such drudgeries as they may think proper to direct from time to time with a view to the general relief of the detachment.-
[Clark, October 14, 1804]
14th of October Sunday 1804 Some rain last night we Set out in the rain which continued all day pa.s.sed a Creek on the L. S. Piaheto 15 yds Wide, halted on a Sand bar and had the punishmt inflicted on Newmon, which caused the indian Chieif to cry untill the thing was explained to him Camped opposit an antient fortification which is on the L. S, when I explained to the Chief the Cause of whipping N--he observed that examples were necessary & that he himself had made them by Death, but his nation never whiped even from their bearth.