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Entries For November 27:

1804:

Captain Clark (current)

Captain Clark:
November 27, 1804

A cloudy morning after a very cold night. The river crowded with floating ice. Captain Lewis returned from the villages with two chiefs, Marnohtoh and Mannessurree, and a considerable man with the party who accompanied him. The Minnetarees, or Big Bellies, were alarmed at the tales told them by the Mandans, viz., that we intended to join the Sioux to cut them off in the course of the winter. Many circumstances combined to give force to those reports, i.e., the movements of the interpreters and their families to the Fort, the strength of our work, &c. All those reports were contradicted by Captain Lewis with a conviction on the minds of the Indians of the falsity of those reports.

The Indians in all the towns and camps treated Captain Lewis and the party with great respect, except one of the principal chiefs, Marparpaparrapasatoo, or Horned Weasel, who did not choose to be seen by the Captain, and left word that he was not at home, &c. Seven traders arrived from the fort on the Assiniboine from the N.W. Company, one of which, LaFrance, took upon himself to speak unfavorably of our intentions, &c. The principal, Mr. Larocque, and Mr. McKenzie were informed of the conduct of their interpreter and the consequences, if they did not put a step to unfavorable and ill-founded assertions, &c.

Reprinted by permission of the American Studies Programs at the University of Virginia.
The complete text can also be downloaded for printing from their website.

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