It was in the South Dakota prairies that the expedition had its first councils with the Sioux and Arikara tribes.

Photo: Fort Pierre National Grasslands, courtesy Glenn Moravek.

October 5, 1804. Clark: This high Land not so high as below, river about the Same width, the Sand bars as noumerous, the earth Black and many of the Bluffs have the Appearance of being on fire. We came too and camped on a mud bar makeing from the S. S.     the evening calm and pleasant,     refreshed the men with a glass of whiskey. October 1, 1804. Clark: [Jean Vallé] informs that this river [the Cheyenne] is very rapid and dificuelt even for Perogues to assend and when riseing the Swels is verry high,     one hundred Leagues up it forks     one fork Comes from the S. the other at 40 Leagues above the forks enters the black Mountain [the Black Hills]. The Countrey from the Missourie to the black mountains is much like the Countrey on the Missourie, less timber & a great perpotion of Ceder. The black mountains he Says is verry high, and Some parts of it has Snow on it in the Summer

More about the animals October 1, 1804. Clark: No beever on Dog [Cheyenne] river,     on the Mountains great numbers of goat, and a kind of anamale with large circular horns [the Bighorn, or Rocky Mountain sheep], this animale is nearly the Size of an Elk. White bears is also plenty

Find out more: Northern American Prairies Intertribal Bison Cooperative Endangered Species of SD Sierra Magazine: Lewis and Clark