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The Expedition's Journey
Continues:
Captain Clark and the other men make good use of
Northwest Native Trees (click on links below to see online catalog entries
for these trees):
I rose very early and commenced raising the two ranges of huts.
The timber large and heavy, all to carry on hand sticks (stout sticks
used to carry a log) cottonwood, and
elm, some ash,
small. Our situation sandy. Great numbers of Indians pass to and from
hunting. A camp of Mandans a few miles below us. Caught, within two
days, 100 goats, by driving them in a strong pen, directed by a bush
fence widening from the pen, etc. The greater part of this day cloudy,
wind moderate from the N.W. I have the rheumatism very bad. Captain
Lewis writing all day. We are told by our interpreter that four
Assiniboine Indians have arrived at the camp of the Gros Ventres, and
fifty lodges are coming.
Captain Clark, 5 November 1804
The Corp are treated to the heavenly phenomenon of Northern Lights. In
the past few days we have been delighted with the same gift of nature.
Many things (most things?) change but others do not. I feel a sense of
wonder and awe to share this view with these early explorers.
Last night late we were awakened by the sergeant of the guard to
see a northern light, which was light, but not red,and appeared to
darken and sometimes nearly obscured, and open. Divided about 20 degrees
above horizon-various shapes-considerable space. Many times appeared in
light streaks, and at other times a great space light, and containing
floating columns, which appeared to approach each other and retreat,
leaving the lighter space at no time of the same appearance.
This morning I rose at daylight. The clouds to the north appeared
black. At eight o'clock the wind began to blow hard from the N.W., and
cold; and continued all day. Mr. Joe Gravelines, our Arikara
interpreter, Paul Primaut, La Jeunesse, and two French boys who came
with us, set out in a small pirogue, on their return to the Arikara
nation and the Illinois. Mr. Gravelines has instructions to take on the
Arikaras in the spring, etc. Continue to build the huts out of cotton
[wood] timber, this being the only timber we have.
Captain Clark, 6 November 1804, Fort Mandan
Go to our Corps of Discovery Expedition
Bicentennial Index page
to see all links in this series. Or click
here
to go directly to the next installment of our
journey.
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Bringing
history alive: |
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Dakota Chief Ta-oya-te-duta, known
in English as Little Crow, sketched at Traverse des Sioux,
Minnesota Territory The artist describes Little Crow as
follows: The chief [Little Crow] is a man of some forty five
years of age & of a very determined and ambitious nature,
but withal exceedingly gentle and dignified in his
deportment. His face is full of intelligence when he is in
conversation & his whole bearing is that of a gentleman. [B]eing
attired in state[, Little Crow] fulfilled his promise to me
by sitting for his portrait. His headdress was peculiarly
rich, a . . . diadem of rich work rested on his forehead & a
profusion of weasel tails fell from this to his back &
shoulders. Two small buffalo horns emerged on either side
from this mass of whiteness, & ribbons & a singular ornament
of strings of buckskin tied in knots & colored gaily
depended in numbers from his head to his shoulders & chest.
Date 1851 (drawing); 1932 (book)
Source With Pen and Paper on the
Frontier in 1851: The Diary and Sketches of Frank Blackwell
Mayer. Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, 1932, via
author, Frank Blackwell Mayer |
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