As the expedition sails twenty miles up the Missouri River, one boat runs fast on a submerged log. They camp near a ‘Bald Pated’ prairie at the Nishnabotna River. In Washington City, President Jefferson addresses a visiting Osage delegation.
“Bald Pated” Prairies
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
Mouth of the Nishnabotna River Today
Provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Stuck on a Log
the wind from the South Sailed ouer Boat Run on a Sawyer Sailed all day made 20 miles passed Sevrall Isd
—Charles Floyd
Bald Pated Prairie
This Prarie I call Ball pated Prarie, from a range of Ball Hills parrelel to the river & at from 3 to 6 miles distant from it, and extends as far up & Down as I Can See
—William Clark
Nishnabotna River
The River neesh-nah-ba-to-na Runs along back of the Bottom prarie under the Ball hill along this River is plenty of Timbers every fiew miles which Stands in Handsome Groves.
—John Ordway
Meridian Observation of the Sun
with the Octant by the Back Sight Method
© Robert N. Bergantino.
Resetting the Chronometer
On the Lard. Shore opposite to the center of good Island where I observed the meridian altitude of
‘s L. L. with Octant by the back observation, wich gave me the Latitude— 40° 20’ 12″ N.
I now set the Chronometer as near noon as this observation would enable me, and proceeded untill evening, when we came too on the Stard. shore opposite the lower point of the Island of the Bald prarie where we encamped.
—Meriwether Lewis
Jefferson’s Osage Speech
My children. White-hairs, Chiefs & Warriors of the Osage nation.
I repeat to you assurances of the satisfaction it has given me to recieve you here. besides the labour of such a journey, the confidence you have shewn in the honor & friendship of my countrymen is peculiarly gratifying and I hope you have seen that your confidence was justly placed, that you have found yourselves, since you crossed the Missisipi, among brothers & friends, with whom you were as safe as at home.
. . . . .
My children. By late arrangements with France & Spain, we now take their place as your neighbors, friends and fathers: and we hope you will have no cause to regret the change. it is so long since our forefathers came from beyond the great water, that we have lost the memory of it, and seem to have grown out of this land, as you have done. never more will you have occasion to change your fathers. we are all now of one family, born in the same land, & bound to live as brothers; & the strangers from beyond the great water are gone from among us. . . . you have furs and peltries which we want, and we have clothes and other useful things which you want. let us employ ourselves then in mutually accomodating each other. . . . for this purpose I sent a beloved man, Capt Lewis, one of my own houshold to learn something of the people with whom we are now united, to let you know we were your friends, to invite you to come and see us, and to tell us how we can be useful to you. I thank you for the readiness with which you have listened to his voice, and for the favor you shewed him in his passage up the Missouri. I hope your countrymen will favor and protect him as far as they extend. on his return we shall hear what he has seen & learnt, & proceed to establish trading houses where our red brethren shall think best, & to exchange commodities with them on terms with which they will be satisfied.
. . . . .
My children. These are my words. carry them to your nation. keep them in your memories, and our friendship in your hearts. and may the Great Spirit look down upon us, & cover us with the mantle of his love.
Th: Jefferson[4]Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0083 [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure … Continue reading
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 | William Bright, Native American Placenames of the United States (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2004), 537. |
| ↑3 | Bright, 329. |
| ↑4 | Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-44-02-0083 [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 44, 1 July to 10 November 1804, ed. James P. McClure (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019), 98–101]. |
