JOURNAL, 
m 
eiiAP, VII. 
Saf/urchy 6th. The day was clear and pleasaiat. 
This morning we heard that some of the Rickarees 
had come up to the Mandan villages. Our interpre- 
ter and some of the men were sent over to ascerlain 
the truth of the report; and we were detained all 
day waiting their return. 
Sunday 7-tk: The men .returned and four of the 
Hickarees with them. The commanding oHicers 
held a conversation wdth these Indians ; md they 
concluded that some of them would eo down in the 
boat from their village to St. Louis. About 5 o'clock 
in the afternoon we left fort Mandans in good spirits. 
Thirty one men and a woman went up the river and 
thirteeen returned down it in the boat. We had two 
periogues and six canoes, and proceeded about four 
miles, and encaniped opposite the first Mandan vil- 
lage, on the North side. 
Monday Stk. We set out early and had a clear 
day. The wind blew hard fi'om the Nr. W. At 12' 
the word v/as passed from a canoe in the rear that it 
was sinking, v/hen we halted in front and Captain 
Clarke went back to see what was the matter. This 
forenoon we passed two villages of the Grossventersy 
or Big-beliys nation of Indians on tlm South sid^ 
ind a srriall river on the same side called Cutteau or 
Knife river. The canoe which had been in distress^, 
€amt> up, and had received little damage except 
T/etUng some powder on board. The woman that i£> 
with us is a squaw of the Snake nation of Indians^ 
^hd wife to our interpreter. We expect she will be 
of service to us, when passing through that nation. 
In the afternoon we passed very high bluffs on the 
i:?g-Uth side ; Qjve of wkick had lately been a buruin^^ 
