“Journal of a Voyage up the River Missouri...”

Creator

Henry Marie Brackenridge

Date

3-27-1816

Newspaper

The Georgia Journal

Page and Column

Page 1, Column 2. 3. 4

Newspaper Location

Milledgeville, Georgia

Serial Number

620

Abstract

Account of Brackenridge’s journey up the Missouri river in 1811. Brackenridge was a New Madrid eyewitness.

Transcript

Journal of a Voyage up the River Missouri, performed in the year 1811. H. M. Brackenridge, Esq. On the second of April, 1811, Mr. Brackenridge left the village of St. Charles, for the purpose of ascending the Missouri river, in a barge manned with twenty stout oaramen, under the command of Masuel Lisa. The objects of Mr. Lisa and his party were to trade with the Indians far up the river, and to carry relief to Mr. Henry, one of the members of the Missouri fur company, who had established himself on one of the branches of Columbia river. The motives which induced Mr. Brackenridge to accompany this party, are thus set forth by him with much candour and simplicity. "With respect to myself, I must own to the reader, that I had no other motive for undertaking a tour of several thousand miles, through regions but seldom marked even by the wandering footsteps of the savage than what he will form an idle curiosity; and I must confess that I might have employed my time more beneficially to myself, and more usefully to the community. Would that I were able to make some amends, by describing the many interesting objects which I witnessed, in such a manner, as to enable the reader to participate in the agreeable parts of my periginations." Mr. Brackenridge accompanied the party as far as the country of the Arikaras, when being, as he confessed, extremely anxious to return again to the abodes of civilized men, he descended the river with two boats loaded with furs, which were placed under his direction by Mr. Lisa. This was in the latter end of July, and they reached St. Louis early in August, having performed a voyage of fourteen hundred and forty miles in little better than 14 days. The amusing and interesting account of these voyages, is given by Mr. Brackenridge in the form of a journal, exhibiting the occurrences of each day, interspersed with descriptions of the country on each side of this immense river, and such remarks and reflections as occurred to him in the course of his progress. The whole forms a work which does credit to the author; and we think it cannot fail of receiving the encouragement which the adventurous spirit and literary talents of this young gentleman deserve. It is seldom that the hardihood and spirit necessary to such an undertaking are combined with the powers of observation and description possessed by this writer, and wherever they are so found united we feel a particular gratification in lending our aid to honor and reward the possessor. The following passages are taken pretty much at random from this work, and will serve to give the reader a specimen of the author's descriptive powers. "Saturday 18th. A fine breeze S. W. At seven arrived at the Black-bird hill. As this is one of the curiosities of the Missouri, a description may be amusing. It rises on the common range to the height of four or five hundred feet. The Missouri at its base, begins a strange winding course, several times returning upon its steps, and at length coming within nine hundred yards of where the hills first approached; an that in a course of thirty miles the Black-bird hill is still near us. It takes its name from a celebrated chief of the Mohas, who caused himself to be interred on the top of a mound has been erected on the pinnacle, with a branch stuck in it; a flag was formerly attached to it. He was buried, sitting erect on horse-back; the reason which he gave for choosing this spot, was that he might see the traders as they ascended. This chief was as famous in his lifetime amongst all the nations in this part of the world, as Tamerlane or Bejazet were in the plains of Asia; a superstitious awe is still paid to his grave. Yet, the secret of his greatness was northing more than a quantity of arsenic, which he had procured from some trader. He denounced death against any one who displeased him, or opposed his wishes; it is therefore not surprising, that he, who held at his disposal the lives of others, should possess unlimited power, & excite universal terror. The proud savage, whenever this terrible being appeared, rendered the homage of a slave. The gods and heroes of antiquity were, perhaps, little better. We may learn this lesson, that ignorant and savage man, is most effectually ruled by fear, or superstitious awe; and in comparison with these, other motives have but little force. "With respect to their religion, it is extremely difficult, particularly from the slight acquaintance I had with them, to form any just idea. They have some notion of a Supreme Being whom they call 'Master of life,' but they offer him no rational worship, and have but indistinct ideas of a future state. Their devotion manifests itself in a thousand curious tricks of slight of hand, which they call magic, and which the vulgar amongst them believe to be something supernatural. They are very superstitious. Beside their magic, or sacred things, every one has his private magic in his lodge, or about his person. Any thing curious is immediately made an amulet, or a talisman; and is considered as devoted or consecrated, so as to deprive the owner of the power of giving it away. The principal war-chief lately took advantage of this. Having obtained a very fine horse, which he was desirous of keeping, but fearing that some one might ask him as a gift, and as to refuse would be unbecoming a great man, who ought not to set his heart upon a matter of so little importance, he announced that he had given, or consecrated his horse to his magic or medicine! Some parts of their superstitious devotions or modes of worship, are the most barbarous that can be imagined. I observed a great number whose bodies were seared and cut in the most shocking manner; I was informed that this was done in their devotion; that to show their zeal, they sometimes suspend themselves by the arms or legs, or the sides, by hooks. I was shown a boy, who had drawn two buffaloe heads several hundred yards by cords fixed in the fleshy part of his sides. I might enumerate a variety of other particulars, in which this strange self-punishment is carried to the greatest lengths. They have frequent public holidays; when the greater part of the village appears to desist from labor, and dress our unusually fine. On these occasions, each one suspends his private magic on a high pole before his door; the painted shields, quivers of a variety of colours, scarlet cloth, & highly ornamented buffaloe robes, which compose these trophies, produce a very lively effect. I several times observed articles of some value suspended on the trees. I was told, they often leave their property in this manner without being under any apprehension that nay of the same tribe will touch it, provided that there be the least sign to show that it is not lost. A kind of superstition similar to that of the Druids, which protected their offerings hung up in the woods. On the fourth of July, we had something like a celebration of this glorious anniversary. The two principle chiefs happened to be with us; the One ey'd, and the Black-shoe. The former is a giant in stature, and if his one eye had been placed in the middle of his forehead, he might has passed for a Cyclop. His huge limbs & gigantic frame, his bushy hair shading his coarse visage and savage features, with his one eye flashing fire, constituted him a fearful demon. He sways, with unlimited controul, all these villages, and is feared by all the neighbouring nations. I remarked that on one or two occasions he treated She-he-ke, with great contempt. Lisa having referred to something said by that chief, 'What said this monster, 'What!' does that bag of lies pretend to have any authority here?" He is sometimes a cruel and abominable tyrant. A story was related to me of his cruelty, which has in it something of a more refined tragic nature, than we usually meet with amongst these people. Having fallen in love (for even Polyphemus felt the influence of the god who spares neither giants nor common men) with the wife of a young warrior, he went to his lodge during his absence, and carried her off by force. The warrior on his return, repaired to the One ey'd demon, and demanded his wife; but instead of receiving redress, was put to death, while the wretched object of the dispute was retained in the embraces of her ravisher. The mother of the young warrior, whose only child he was, became frantic, lost her senses from excess of grief, and now does nothing but go about reviling him, and loading him with her curses; yet such is the superstitious veneration (by the bye it deserves a better name on this occasion) for unhappy objects of this kind, that this chief, great as he is, dare not lay his hand on her, even should she haunt him like one of the Euminides, wherever he may appear. "A few days after our arrival, a great commotion was heard in the village, before daylight; ignorant of what might occasion it, and from this alone, somewhat alarmed, when he recollected our situation, among beings in whom we had but little reliance, we hastily rose and ascended the plain in order to ascertain the cause. The interpreter, shortly after came to us with the information, that it was a party of three hundred men, on their return, after a battle with a party at Sioux the day before in which they had been victorious, with the loss of two or three killed, and ten or twelve wounded, and that they were then within a few miles of the village, none but the chief of the party having come in. By this our minds were quieted. We waited with anxiety for their approach to the village, which we were informed would be made with considerable ceremony; that they had halted within a few miles of the place, to prepare themselves for a formal and splendid entry, and that a great deal of Indian finery had been sent, to enable the warriors to decorate themselves to the best advantage. "It was nearly eleven o'clock in the day, before their approach was announced; in the meanwhile a still suspense reigned throughout the village, all sports and business suspended, and resembling a holiday in one of our towns. We discovered them at length, advancing by the sound of their voices over a hill, about a mile below our encampment. In a short time they made their appearance; at the same time, the inhabitants of the town moved out on foot to meet them-I accompanied them for some distance; and then took a favorable position where I might have a full view of this singular scene. They advanced in regular procession, with a slow step and solemn music, extending nearly a quarter of a mile in length, and separated in platoons, ten or twelve a breast, the horsemen placed between them, which contributed to extend their line. The different bands, of which I have spoken, the buffaloe, [unreadable] richly ornaments [unreadable] warriors were [unreadable]?ways, some with [unreadable] of feathers, bearing the [unreadable] bows and arrows, and primitive shields each platoon having its musicians while the whole joined in the song an step together, with great precision. In each band there was scalps fastened to long poles; this was nothing more than the [unreadable] scalps they had taken, divided into [unreadable] different locks of hair, so as to give [unreadable] of a greater number. The appearance of the whole, their music, and the voices of so many persons, with a martial effect. The scene which took place when their friends and relations from the village mingled with their currently affecting; the pen of a Fenelon would not be disgraced in attempting the description of it. These approached with song and solemn dance, as the warriors proceeded slowly through their ranks. It was a meeting of persons connected by the most tender relations. The scene would baffle description. Fathers, mothers, wives, brothers, sisters, caressing each other, without interrupting, for a moment the regularity and order of the procession or the solemity of the song or step was particularly touched with the tenderness of a woman was who had met her son, a youth reported badly wounded, but who exerted himself to keep on his horse, and from his countenance one would have supposed nothing had been the matter with him. She threw he arms around him and wept aloud. Notwithstanding this, the young man expired shortly after being brought to the medicine department; for it is the custom to carry such as have been wounded in battle, to be taken care of in this place, at the public expense! As they drew near the village, the old people, who could barely walk, withered by extreme age, came out like feeble grasshoppers singing their shrill songs, and rubbing the warriors with their hands. The day was spent, in festivity by the village in general, and in grief by those who had loss their relatives. We saw a number of solitary females on the points of the hills round the village, lamenting in mournful wailings the misfortune which had befallen them. For the two succeeding days the village exhibited a scene of festivity, all their painted shields and trophies were raised on high poles near their lodges, and all the inhabitants dressed out in their finery-all their labors and sports were suspended, and the whole joined in the public demonstrations of joy, while music, songs & dances were hardly intermitted for a moment. The temple, or medicine lodge was the principal scene of their dancing. I entered with the crowd, and found a spacious building, sufficient to contain six or seven hundred persons. I found to my surprise that the dancers were all females, with arms of the warriors in their hands, and wearing some part of the dress of men. They performed in a circular inclosure, some continually leaving it, and others supplying their places. The orchestra was composed of ten or fifteen men, with drums, bladders filled with shot, deer's hoofs affixed to rods and shaken, some striking upon their clubs with sticks; the whole accompanied with the voice. The old men of the temple were continually going around the inclosure, and raising their shrill voices, probably saying something to excite and encourage. Rude as this was he supposed to have been, there was yet something pleasing; their music was by no means discordant, and exceedingly [unreadable]-It would be tedious to enumerate the various ways in which their festivity displaced itself."

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