Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Thursday 5th Sept. 1805. a clear cold morning. the Standing water froze a little last night. we hoisted our large flag this morning. Several men went out a hunting. about 10 oClock our officers held a Council with the flat head nation and told them nearly the Same as they told other nations, only told them that we wanted a fiew horses from them, and we would give them Some marchandize in return. Gave 4 of their principal men meddles made them chiefs gave each of them a Shirt and a nomber of other articles also 2 flags &c. then told them that we could not Stop long with them and that we were ready to purchase their horses, and that we could not talk with them as much as we wish, for all that we Say has to go through 6 [5] languages before it gits to them and it is hard to make them understand all what we Say. these Savages has the Strangest language of any we have ever Seen. they appear to us to have an Empeddiment in their Speech or a brogue or bur on their tongue but they are the likelyest and honestst Savages we have ever yet Seen. our officers lay out Some marchandize in different piles to trade with the natives for horses. our officers bought twelve horses and gave a Small quantity of marchandize for each horse. we Swapped 7 horses which were lame &c. Gave Some Small articles to boot. we bought 10 or a Dozen pack Saddles from the natives. our hunters all came to Camp towards evening. one of them had killed 2 young deer and one brarow.

Thursday Septemr 5th This morning was Clear & cold, the water that we had in our small Vessells froze during last night. Our officers had our large flag hoisted at our camp this morning.— several of our Men were sent out a hunting.— About 10 oClock A. M our Officers held a Council with the flat head Indians. they told them that they had come in Order to make peace between all the red people, who were at Warr with each other; & to instruct them in the way of Trade, and that they would open the Path from their Nation to the white people &ca they also informed them that they wanted a few horses from them, for which they would give them some Merchandise in return. They gave 4 of their principal Indians Medals, & gave them Commissions as Chiefs. they also gave each of them a Shirt, a number of small articles & 2 Flags. they informed those Chiefs that we should not stay with them but a short time, & that we were ready to purchase some horses from them, and that they would give them some Merchandise for them, and that they were sorry that they could not have as much talk with them as they wished to have, and that all that they told them, had to be Interpreted through six different languages, before either party understood, what was said, and then hard to make them understand what our officers said to them.— These Indians language is the strangest that any of us ever heard. they all appear to have impediments in their speeches, and pronounce their words with a kind of brogue or burr on their tongues. These Indians were the handsomest & most likely Indians, that we have seen yet.— They behave very kind to our party, and are very honest, not attempting to pilfer the most trifling article from us.—

Our Officers had laid out Merchandise in different piles, in order to trade with the Natives for horses. They purchased twelve horses from the Indians, for Merchandise, & exchanged 7 more horses that were lame with them, & gave them the difference in Goods.— they also purchased some pack saddles from them. Our hunters all came into our Camp towards evening having killed 2 young Deer and a Brarerow which they brought with them.—