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Excerpt from the Journal of William Clark
As Lewis and Clark traveled through the Missouri River Valley they received a crash course in diplomatic ceremony and protocol, where each object and every action is invested with meaning and symbolism. The following entry from William Clark's journal makes it clear that the language barrier made it difficult for these representatives of the United States of America to fully understand and translate each step. It's also important to note that the Yankton Sioux had conducted similar exchanges with representatives of European governments. Note the presence of Spanish flags in the Council tent. Also note that all word spellings from the original have been retained.
26th. of September Wednesday 1804-
. . . The[y] made frequent Selicitiations for us to remain one night only and let them Show their good disposition towards us, we deturmined to remain . . . I went on Shore on landing I was receved on a elegent painted B.[uffalo] Robe & taken to the village. . . [of the] Baureily (Bois brulé-Yankton) Tribe. I was met by about 10 Well Dressd. young Men who took me up in a roabe Highly adecrated and Set me Down by the Side of their Chief on a Dressed Robe in a large Council House, this house formed a 3/4 Circle of Skins Well Dressed and Sown together under this Shelter about 70 Men Set forming a Circle in front of the Cheifs a plac of 6 feet Diameter was Clear and the pipe of peace raised on Sticks under which there was swans down scattered, on each Side of this Circle two Pipes, the (two) flags of Spain 2 & the Flag we gave them in front of the Grand Chief a large fire was near in which provisions were Cooking, in the Center about 400 lbs. of excellent Buffalo Beef as a present for us.
Soon after they Set me Down, the Men went for Capt. Lewis brought him in the same way and placed him also by the Chief in a fiew minits an old man rose & Spoke aproveing what we had done & informing us of their situation . . . The great Chief then rose with great State [speaking] to the Same purpote as far as we Could learn & then with Great Solemnity took up the pipe of Peace & after pointing it to the heavins the 4 quarters of the Globe & the earth, he made Some disertation, lit it and presented the Stem to us to Smoke, when the Principal Chief Spoke with the Pipe of Peace he took in one hand some of the most Delicate parts of the Dog which was prepared for the fiest & made a Sacrefise to the flag. after A Smoke had taken place, & a Short Harange to his people, we were requested to take the Meal
Source: The Journals of Lewis and Clark, edited and with an introduction by Frank Bergon, (New York: Penguin Books, 1989), pp. 54-55.
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