A fair fine morning. After breakfast we were
visited by the old chief of the Big Bellies. This man was old and had
transferred his power to his son, who was then out at war against the
Snake Indians, who inhabit the Rocky Mountains. At 10 o'clock the S.W.
wind rose very high. We collected the chiefs and commenced a council,
under an awning and our sails stretched around to keep out as much wind
as possible. We delivered a long speech, the substance of which was
similar to what we had delivered to the nations below.
The old chief of the Gros Ventres was very restless
before the speech was half ended, observed that he could not wait long,
that his camp was exposed to the hostile Indians, etc. He was rebuked by
one of the chiefs for his uneasiness at such a time as the present. At
the end of the speech, - we mentioned the Arikara who accompanied us to
make a firm peace. They all smoked with him. I gave this chief a dollar
of the American coin, as a medal, with which he was much pleased. In
council, we presented him with a certificate of his sincerity and good
conduct, etc. We also spoke about the fur which was taken from two
Frenchmen by a Mandan, and informed of our intentions of sending back
the French hands.
After the council, we gave the presents with much
ceremony, and put the medals on the chiefs we intended to make, viz.,
one for each town, to whom we gave coats, hats, and flags, one grand
chief to each nation, to whom we gave medals with the President's
likeness. In council, we requested them to give us an answer tomorrow,
or as soon as possible, on some points which required their
deliberation. After the council was over, we shot the air gun, which
appeared to astonish the natives much. The greater part then retired
soon after.
The Arikara chief, Arketarnashar, came to me this
evening and tells me that he wishes to return to his village and nation.
I put him off, saying tomorrow we would have an answer to our talk to
their satisfaction and send by him a string of wampum informing what had
passed here. An iron, or steel corn mill which we gave to the Mandans
was very thankfully received. The prairie was set on fire (or caught by
accident) by a young man of the Mandans. The fire went with such
velocity that it burned to death a man and woman, who could not get to
any place of safety. One man, a woman, and child much burned, and
several narrowly escaped the flame.
A boy half white was saved unhurt in the midst of
the flame. These ignorant people say this boy was saved by the Great
Medicine Spirit because he was white. The cause of his being saved was a
green buffalo skin thrown over him by his mother, who perhaps had more
foresight for the protection of her son, and less for herself, than
those who escaped the flame. The fire did not burn under the skin,
leaving the grass around the boy. This fire passed our camp last night
about eight o'clock, P.M. It went with great rapidity and looked
tremendous.
We sent the presents intended for the grand chief
of the Minnetaree, or Big Belly, and the presents, flag, and wampum by
the old chief, and those intended for the chief of the lower village by
a young chief.
Captain Clark, 29 October 1804
