Tomahawk Dispute

On November 4th, 1805, William Clark wrote:

Indians continue to be with us, Several Canoes Continue with us, The Indians at the last village have more Cloth and uriopian trinkets than above I Saw Some Guns, a Sword, maney Powder flasks, Salers Jackets, overalls, hats & Shirts, Copper and Brass trinkets with few Beeds only. dureing the time I was at Dinner the Indians Stold my tomahawk which I made use of to Smoke I Serched but Could not find it. (Clark, from Moulton V. 6, 15-6)

On April 9th, 1806, Meriwether Lewis wrote:

John Colter one of our party observed the tomahawk in one of the lodges which had been stolen from us on the 4th of November last as we decended this river; the natives attempted to wrest the tomahawk from him but he retained it. They indeavoured afterwards to exculpate themselves from the odium of having stolen it, they alleged that they had bought it from the natives below; but their neighbours had several days previously, informed us that these people had stolen the Tomehawk and then had it at their village. (Lewis, from Moulton V.7, 96)

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