LAX_banner
Lewis & Clark Home Page
The Louisiana Expansion Home Page
BuiltWithNOAS

The "Indian Presents" of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition

These items were specifically designed for Indian gifts and do NOT include other things, such as liquor, firearms, a cannon, ammunition, "stove" axes, furs,and articles of Corpsmen clothing, that were also given or traded to the Indians during the Expedition.

METAL WARES

     87  Peace Medals of various sizes, featuring Jefferson
           or Washington
     24  Pipe Tomahawks (a specialty of the North
           American fur trades)
     24  Squaw Axes
     36  Razors
   264  Butcher Knives 
   156  Other Knives
   150  Scissors
     22  Files
   144  Fire Steels
 1152  Moccasin Awls
      5  Large Canoe Awls
     55  Fish Spears
 2800  Fish hooks
 4600  Needles
   432  Curtain Rings
   288  Thimbles (including 111 Tailors' Steel Needles)
 1500  Silver Brooches
   963  Hawk's Bells, large and small
     96  Earrings ("ear bobs")
     26  Silver Earrings
     33  Lockets
     72  Silver Rings
     40  Silver Wrist/Arm Bands or Bracelets
       8  Silver "Moons" (officers' gorgets)
   144  Iron Combs      
       8  Brass Kettles
       2  Corn Mills
     14  lbs Knitting Pins
    6.5  lbs Sheet Iron (for use in making ax blades)
     12  lbs Brass Strips
     12  lbs Brass Wire     
     10  lbs Brads    

GLASS GOODS

    360  Pocket Mirrors
      96  Magnifying Glasses ("Burning Glass"/
             Fire-Starters)
      33  lbs Assorted Trade Beads, esp. Sky Blue Padres
        8  Mock Garnets (Colored Glass faux "Stones")

CLOTH PRODUCTS

   15  "Chief Coats" ("9 are Artillery Coats")
   11  Hats, 6 with "Circle feathers & 5 Soldier's plumes"
   15  Blankets (mostly blue)
   44  Ruffled Calico Shirts
   18  White Shirts
   48  Breachcloths
   36  Tinsel Hatbands
   40  prs Leggings, mostly Scarlet   
   13  lbs  Handkerchiefs
   17  lbs  Ribbons and Bindings ("None-So-Pretty")    
   21  lbs  Thread
   22 yds  Red Flannel
   47 yds  Scarlet Cloth
   40  Skeins of Silk

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

  500  lbs  Tobacco in 176 "Carrots"
    63  lbs  Tobacco in 130 "Pigtail" rolls or "Twists"
    19  lbs  Vermilion (mercury sulfide)--bright red
                  pigment for face painting
    10  lbs  Verdigris  (copper sulfate)--green "copper
                  rust" for face painting
      8  lbs   Red Lead (for face-painting)
      8          Ivory Combs

This itemization is based upon William Clark's longer and most complete List of Presents, found in Original Journals of The Lewis and Clark Expedition, ed.

Reuben Gold Thwaites (New York: Dodd, Mead, & Co., 1904-05), VI:  270-79.

@ Copyright 2002, Dr. J. Frederick Fausz, St. Louis, MO.  FredFausz@aol.com
* Not to be quoted, copied, or distributed without written permission.

 

[Home] [Am Indians] [L & C] [What Do You Know] [Rendezvous]