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 Glann 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 people September 26, 1804. Clark: these people [the Sioux] Shew great anxiety,     they appear Spritely, Genrally ill looking & not wellmade their legs [& arms] Small generally,     they Grese & Black themselves when they dress make use of a hawks feathers about their heads. the men [wear] a robe & each a polecats Skin, for to hold ther Bawee roley [Bois Roule: kinnikinnic - Indian tobacco mixed with any of various leaves and barks which were used to modify its taste or to eke out the supply] for Smoking,     fond of Dress & Show badly armed with fusees, &c. The Squaws are Chearfull fine look'g womin not handsom, High Cheeks Dressed in Skins a Peticoat and roab which foldes back over ther Sholder, with long wool,     do all their laborious work & I may Say perfect Slaves to the Men, as all Squars of Nations much at War, or where the Womin are more moumerous than the men. October 8, 1804. Clark: 2 of our men discovered the ricckerree [Arikara]village, about the Center of the Island on the L. Side on the main shore. … The Isld. is covered with fields, where those People raise their Corn Tobacco Beens &c. &c. October 10, 1804. Clark: Those Indians wer much astonished at my Servent, they never Saw a black man before,     all flocked around him & examind him from top to toe,     he Carried on the joke and made himself more turribal than we wished him to doe. Those Indians are not fond of Spirts Licquer of any kind

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