The expedition moves up to the second Mandan village—Ruptáre. There, they meet free trader René Jusseaume and hire him as an interpreter. Moving on, they establish camp opposite Mahawaha, the Awaxawi Hidatsa village at the mouth of the Knife River—present Stanton, North Dakota.
Meeting Mr. Jusseaume
by Yellowstone Public Radio[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading
Hidatsa Village, Earth-covered Lodges, on the Knife River, 1810 Miles above St. Louis
George Catlin, 1832
Oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.383.
Second Mandan Village
Came too at this Village on the L. S. this village is Situated on an eminance of about 50 feet above the Water in a handson Plain . . . . my indisposition provented my eating which displeased them, untill a full explination took place, I returned to the boat and Sent 2 Carrots of Tobacco for them to Smoke, and proceeded on,
—William Clark
René Jusseaume
we met with a french man by the name of Jassamme [René Jusseaume] which we imploy as an interpeter This man has a wife & Children in the Village—
—William Clark
Hidatsa Villages
above this village & also above the Knife river on the Same Side of the Missouri the Big bellies [Hidatsa] Towns are Situated a further Discription will be given here after
—William Clark
Weather Diary
Thermot. at rise
Weather Wind at thermotr. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 oC P.M. 39 fair S W 58 fair S W. camp for the purpose of speaking to the five villages, arrived at ½ past 12 at the place we intended to fix our [camp] sent runners to invite them to council tomorrow with tobacco— an article indispensible in those cases—
—Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “day of the month” column and spelled out some abbreviations.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. A unit of the National Park System, the site is located at 564 County Road 37, one-half mile north of Stanton, North Dakota. It has exhibits, trails, and a visitor center.
Notes
| ↑1 | Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “day of the month” column and spelled out some abbreviations. |
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Discover More
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
- The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.
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- Yellowstone Public Radio
Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).