... the fog became so thick that we were oblige[d] to come too ... 9 Indians ran down
the bank and beckened to us to land, they appeared to be a war party, and I took them to
be Tetons and paid no kind of attention to them furthr than an enquirey to what tribe they
belonged, ... as one canoe was yet behind we landed in an open commanding Situation ...
about 15 minits after we had landed Several guns were fired by the indians, which we
expected was at the three men behind. I calld out 15 men and ran up with a full
deturmination to cover them if possible let the number of the indians be what they might.
Capt. Lewis hobled up on the bank and formed the remainder of the party in a Situation
well calculated to defend themselves and the Canoes &c. ... they informed me that they
were Shooting off their guns at an old Keg which we had thrown out of one of the Canoes
and was floating down. those indians informed me they were Yanktons, ... I told them that
we took them to be a party of Tetons and the fireing I expected was at the three men in
the rear Canoe and I had went up with a full intention to kill them all if they had been
tetons & fired on the canoe as we first expected, but finding them Yanktons and good
men we were glad to see them and take them by the hand as faithfull Children who had
opened their ears to our Councils. ... the[y] answered that their great Chief and many of
their brave men had gone down, that the white people had built a house near the Mahar
village where they traded.
at this Island we brought 2 years together or on the 1st. of Septr. 1804 we Encamped at
the lower point of this Island. after we all came together we again proceeded on down to a
large Sand bar imediately opposit to the place where we met the Yanktons in council at the
Calumet Bluffs and which place we left on the 1t. of Septr. 1804. I observed our old flag
Staff or pole Standing as we left it.