One the many traders encountered at the Knife River villages, free trader René Jusseaume offered his services as an interpreter. He also accompanied Sheheke’s delegation to Washington City and thus traveled with the expedition on the final leg between the Knife River Indian Villages and St. Louis.
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October 27, 1804
Ruptáre Village
Ruptáre, second Mandan village, ND The expedition travels four miles among a complex of Mandan and Hidatsa villages. They find René Jusseaume living there and hire him as an interpreter.
November 3, 1804
Personnel changes
Fort Mandan, ND The fort’s foundation is completed, the engagés are discharged, and Jean-Baptiste Lepage and René Jusseaume are hired. A dram of whiskey revives the men during the cold night.
November 8, 1804
Riving cottonwood logs
Fort Mandan, ND Ordway is hopeful that cottonwood logs will split into boards, but reports that they will have to give up on that plan. Jusseaume says that traders from Canada have arrived at the Hidatsa villages.
November 25, 1804
Hidatsa diplomacy
Fort Mandan, ND Lewis, both interpreters, and five men embark on a diplomatic mission to a Hidatsa village. Two Hidatsa chiefs come to Fort Mandan with similar intentions.
November 28, 1804
Black Cat's medals
Fort Mandan, ND Chief Posecopsahe (Black Cat) visits Fort Mandan to see the American “Curiossities.” He is told to no longer accept Indian peace medals or flags from Spain or England.
December 4, 1804
Jusseaume's discontent
Fort Mandan, ND Pickets are installed and Clark reports that the fort’s main bastion is completed. Posecopsahe (Black Cat) and two chiefs visit, and Clark reports that interpreter René Jusseaume is assuming and discontented.
December 18, 1804
Clark's Fort Mandan maps
Fort Mandan, ND Three visiting fur traders leave the fort, and Clark updates his maps using the geographic information obtained from them. Due to the cold, guard duty is shortened, and a buffalo hunt is canceled.
January 1, 1805
A new year at Fort Mandan
Fort Mandan, ND New Year’s day is celebrated with cannon fire and several men are allowed to visit a nearby Mandan village to celebrate and dance. Clark orders York to dance. The day is warm with rain but the night is cold and snowy.
January 24, 1805
Cutting wood for coal
Fort Mandan, ND Interpreters Toussaint Charbonneau and René Jusseaume appear to have reconciled, hunters return empty-handed, and men cut wood to make charcoal.
January 28, 1805
Ellicott's artificial horizon
The weather is so cold at Fort Mandan among the Knife River Villages that Lewis must substitute spirituous liquor for water to make an artificial horizon for his sextant. The boats are trapped in ice.
February 2, 1805
Mr. Larocque leaves
Fort Mandan, ND Fur trader François-Antoine Larocque ends his stay at the fort. Lewis fixes his compass, but the North West Company trader’s attempt to join the expedition fails. Elsewhere, the Hunter and Dunbar Expedition returns to Natchez.
February 24, 1805
Freeing the boats
Fort Mandan, ND After struggling several days, the men free the barge and red pirogue from the grip of Missouri River ice. Interpreter René Jusseaume and his family return to the fort.
March 22, 1805
Little Wolf visits
Fort Mandan, ND The second chief of the Big Hidatsa Village pays his first visit and is given the standard diplomatic treatment: a peace medal, gifts, and a speech.
August 14, 1806
Among old friends
The expedition arrives at the Knife River Villages—one of which is the home of the Charbonneau family. The captains meet with various chiefs, and Clark invites them to travel to Washington City.
August 16, 1806
Parting gifts
At the Knife River Villages, a village gifts more corn than the boats can carry. A swivel gun is given to a Hidatsa chief and the blacksmith tools to Charbonneau. Sheheke agrees to go to Washington City.
August 17, 1806
An offer to raise Jean Baptiste
The expedition leaves the Knife River Villages without Pvt. Colter and the Charbonneau family. Clark encourages the Charbonneaus to come to St. Louis where he can arrange the education of Jean Baptiste.
August 19, 1806
Jusseaume's leather lodge
Due to high winds, they make only ten miles down the Missouri. At evening camp near present Huff, North Dakota, interpreter René Jusseaume offers Clark space in his leather lodge.
August 28, 1806
A day at Pleasant Camp
The expedition arrives at an old camp—known as Pleasant or Plum Camp—below present Oacoma, South Dakota. They collect zoological specimens, make leather for new clothes, and pick plums.
