The Explorers Were Soon Out Of The Country Of The Teton Sioux
And Into That Of The Ricaras, Or, As These Indians Are More
Commonly Called, The Rickarees.
On the first day of October they passed the mouth of a river incorrectly
known as Dog River, as
If corrupted from the French word chien.
But the true name is Cheyenne, from the Indians who bear that title.
The stream rises in the region called the Black Mountains
by Lewis and Clark, on account of the great quantity of dark
cedar and pine trees that covered the hills. This locality is
now known as the Black Hills, in the midst of which is the famous
mining district of Deadwood. In these mountains, according to
Lewis and Clark, were to be found "great quantities of goats,
white bear, prairie cocks, and a species of animal which resembled
a small elk, with large circular horns." By the "white bear"
the reader must understand that the grizzly bear is meant.
Although this animal, which was first discovered and described
by Lewis and Clark, is commonly referred to in the earlier pages
of the journal as "white," the error naturally came from a desire
to distinguish it from the black and the cinnamon-colored bears.
Afterwards, the journal refers to this formidable creature as the grizzly,
and again as the grisly. Certainly, the bear was a grizzled gray;
but the name "grisly," that is to say, horrible, or frightful,
fitted him very well. The Latin name, ursus horribilis
is not unlike one of those of Lewis and Clark's selection.
The animals with circular curled horns, which the explorers thought
resembled a small elk, are now known as the Rocky Mountain sheep,
or bighorn. They very little resemble sheep, however, except in color,
head, horns, and feet. They are now so scarce as to be almost extinct.
They were among the discoveries of Lewis and Clark. The prairie
cock is known to western sportsmen as "prairie chicken;"
it is a species of grouse.
It was now early in October, and the weather became very cool.
So great is the elevation of those regions that, although the days
might be oppressively warm, the nights were cold and white frosts
were frequent. Crossing the Rocky Mountains at the South Pass,
far south of Lewis and Clark's route, emigrants who suffered from
intense heat during the middle of day found water in their pails
frozen solid in the morning.
The Rickarees were very curious and inquisitive regarding the white men.
But the journal adds: "The object which appeared to astonish the Indians
most was Captain Clark's servant York, a remarkably stout, strong negro.
They had never seen a being of that color, and therefore flocked round him
to examine the extraordinary monster. By way of amusement, he told them
that he had once been a wild animal, and been caught and tamed by his master;
and to convince them, showed them feats of strength which, added to his looks,
made him more terrible than we wished him to be."
"On October 10th," says the journal, "the weather was fine,
and as we were desirous of assembling the whole nation at once,
we despatched Mr. Gravelines (a trader) - who, with Mr. Tabeau,
another French trader, had breakfasted with us - to invite
the chiefs of the two upper villages to a conference.
They all assembled at one o'clock, and after the usual ceremonies
we addressed them in the same way in which we had already spoken
to the Ottoes and Sioux.
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