May 6, 1834
Early before daybreak, not very far away from us, a wild turkey cock began to gobble very loudly, to court [possible mates]; we also saw four pelicans. At seven thirty, 50°F [10°C]. Wind northwest hora 7. Later a whole flock of pelicans appeared. The morning was cold. On the bank [were] flocks of blackbirds.
We passed the rivière à Manuel. About eleven o’clock we saw the steamboat Assiniboine ahead of us. It was moored on the left side and apparently did not have enough water. Its funnel showed no smoke. My people asserted [that] we could not get [to the steamboat] now because of sandbars and strong wind. We therefore put ashore on the right riverbank, opposite the Assiniboine, at an extensive willow thicket [with a] large forest above the steep bank. The steamboat’s woodcutters were about one mile above the place where we put ashore, cutting wood in our forest, led by a clerk. At noon we saw a boat bringing some of these people back across the river. The rest of them, who had seen our smoke, came looking for us and waited with us for the return of their boat, since their number was too large for one trip. When the boat [came] from the Assiniboine, it brought along a note from Captain Bennett asking whether or not I was on the mackinaw boat. They wished to welcome us on board the steamboat. The men all offered to bring my barge across undamaged, and the task was carried out immediately. About ten to twelve men lent a helping hand; we conquered the wild, turbulent river and easily avoided the sandbars. We had hardly arrived on the riverbank when we saw our old travel companions Mr. Sanford, Major Bean, Captain Bennett, and a few others coming to meet and welcome us. All were happy to see us and to receive news from the upper Missouri. Our conversation was very lively. They kept us for lunch and dinner. After that, we took leave to sleep on our [own] boat.
On board the steamboat we also found our friend Schudegácheh, the interesting Ponca chief, who was very friendly and happy to see us again. There was a second chief, whose name was l’Enfant Cheffre, as well as some Ponca men and women.Schudegácheh was exceptionally well dressed, completely in otter skin. [He had] an otter[-skin] cap on his head [and] a tobacco pouch of [the same material]. All of [these garments] excellently suited the handsome, interesting Indian.
He had a long conversation with Major Bean, the agent for this tribe, and before the conversation began with the aid of the interpreter De[——], the Indians took off all their clothes and gave them to the agent as a present, whereupon they stayed completely naked, except for their breechcloths. But Bean returned everything to them; they had to put on their clothes again, except for Schudegácheh, who did not want to take back his otter clothing. The village of these Indians, about 100 lodges, was now located about four days’ travel upriver at l’Eau qui Court [the Niobrara River]. When we returned to the boat, we found our people in a more or less excited condition; some [were] drunk. Dauphin seemed to be the only one sober.