Sho sa har ro ra or Coal also Stayd all night, the inturpeter oldst
wife Sick, Some of our men go to See a war medison made at the village
on the opposit Side of the river, this is a
[Clark, January 12, 1805]
Fort Manden
12th of January Satturday 1805
a verry Cold Day three of our hunters J. & R Fields withe 2 Elk on a
Slay Sent one more hunter out.
[Clark, January 13, 1805]
13th of January Sunday (1805)
a Cold Clear Day (great number of Indians move Down the River to hunt)
those people Kill a number of Buffalow near their Villages and Save a
great perpotion of the meat, their Custom of makeing this article of
life General leaves them more than half of their time without meat
Their Corn & Beans &c they Keep for the Summer, and as a reserve in
Case of an attack from the Soues, which they are always in dread, and
Sildom go far to hunt except in large parties, about 1/2 the Mandan
nation passed this to day to hunt on the river below, they will Stay
out Some Days, Mr. Chabonee (our inturpeter) and one man that
accompanied him to Some loges of the Minatarees near the Turtle Hill
returned, both frosed in their faces.
Chaboneu informs that the Clerk of the Hudsons Bay Co. with the Me ne
tar res has been Speaking Some fiew expressns. unfavourable towards us,
and that it is Said the N W Co. intends building a fort at the Mene tar
re's--he Saw the Grand Chief of the Big bellies who Spoke Slightly of
the Americans, Saying if we would give our great flag to him he would
Come to See us.
[Clark, January 14, 1805]
14th of January 1805 Monday
This morning early a number of indians men womin children Dogs &c &
passed down on the ice to joine those that passed yesterday, we Sent
Sergt Pryor and five men with those indians to hunt one of our hunters
Sent out Several days arived & informs that one Man (Whitehouse) is
frost bit and Can't walk home-
[Clark, January 15, 1805]
Fort Mandan
15th January Tuesday 1805
between 12 & 3 oClock this morning we had a total eclips of the moon, a
part of the observations necessary for our purpose in this eclips we
got which is at 12h 57m 54s Total Darkness of the moon @ 1 44 00 End of
total Darkness of This moon @ 2 39 10 End of the eclips-
This morning not So Cold as yesterday wind from the S. E. wind choped
around to the N W. Still temperate four Considerate men of the
Minetarre Came to See us we Smoked in the pipe, maney mands. present
also, we Showed to those men who had been impressed with an
unfavourable oppinion of us.
[Clark, January 16, 1805]
16th January Wednesday 1805
about thirty Mandans Came to the fort to day, 6 Chiefs. Those Me ne to
rees told them they were liars, had told them if they came to the fort
the whites men would kill them, they had been with them all night,
Smoked in the pipe and have been treated well and the whites had danced
for them, observing the Mandans were bad and ought to hide themselves-
one of the 1st War Chiefs of the big belles nation Came to See us to
day with one man and his Squar to wate on him we Shot the Air gun, and
gave two Shots with the Cannon which pleased them verry much, the
little Crow 2d Chf of the lower village came & brought us Corn &. 4 men
of ours who had been hunting returned one frost'd
This war Chief gave us a Chart in his way of the Missourie, he informed
us of his intentions of going to war in the Spring against the Snake
Indians we advised him to look back at the number of nations who had
been distroyed by war, and reflect upon what he was about to do,
observing if he wished the hapiness of his nation, he would be at peace
with all, by that by being at peace and haveing plenty of goods amongst
them & a free intercourse with those defenceless nations, they would
get on easy terms a great Number of horses, and that nation would
increas, if he went to war against those Defenceless people, he would
displease his great father, and he would not receive that pertection &
Care from him as other nations who listened to his word--This Chief who
is a young man 26 yr. old replied that if his going to war against the
Snake indians would be displeasing to us he would not go, he had horses
enough.
we observed that what we had Said was the words of his Great father,
and what we had Spoken to all the nations which we Saw on our passage
up, they all promis to open their ears and we do not know as yet if any
of them has Shut them (we are doubtfull of the Souxs) if they do not
attend to what we have told them their great father will open their
ears--This Cheif Said that he would advise all his nation to Stay at
home untill we Saw the Snake Indians & Knew if they would be friendly,
he himself would attend to what we had told him
[Clark, January 17, 1805]
17th January Thursday 1805 a verry windey morning hard from the North
Thermometer at 0, Several Indians here to day
[Clark, January 18, 1805]
18th January Friday 1805 a fine worm morning, Mr. La Rock & McKinzey
Came down to See us with them Several of the Grosse Venrees.
[Clark, January 19, 1805]
19th January Satturday 1805.
a find Day Messrs. Larock & McKinzey returned home, Sent three horses
down to our hunting Camp for the meet they had killed, Jussoms Squar,
left him and went to the Village
[Clark, January 20, 1805]
20th a Cold fair day Several Indians at the fort to day a miss
understanding took place between the two inturpeters on account of
their Squars, one of the Squars of Shabownes Squars being Sick, I
ordered my Servent to, give her Some froot Stewed and tee at dift Tims
which was the Cause of the misundstd
[Clark, January 21, 1805]
Fort Mandan
21st Monday January 1805
a number of Indians hereto day a fine day nothing remarkable one ban
verry bad with the pox
[Clark, January 22, 1805]
22nd January 1805 Tuesday
a find warm Day attempted to Cut the Boat & the perogues out of the
Ice, found water at about 8 inches under the 1st Ice, the next
thickness about 3 feet
[Clark, January 23, 1805]
23rd January 1805 Wednesday a Cold Day Snow fell 4 Inches deep, the
occurrences of this day is as is common
[Clark, January 24, 1805]
24th January Thursday 1805
a fine day, our inturpeters appear to understand each others better
than a fiew days past Sent out Several hunters, they returned without
killing any thing, Cut Coal wood
[Clark, January 25, 1805]
25th of January 1805 Friday
we are informed of the arrival of a Band of Asniboins at the Villages
with the Grand Cheif of those Tribes call the (Fee de petite veau) to
trade, one of our interpeter & one man Set out to the Big Belley Camp
opposit the Island men employ'd in Cutting the Boat out of the ice, and
Collecting Coal wood.
[Clark, January 26, 1805]
26th of January Satturday 1805
a verry fine warm Day Several Indians Dine with us and are much
Pleased--one man taken violently Bad with the Plurisee, Bleed & apply
those remedeis Common to that disorder.
[Lewis, January 26, 1805]
Saturday January 26th 1805 Observed Meridian Altitude of sun's U. L.
with sextant and artificl. Horzn. of water 48° 50 Latitude deduced from
this observatn. N. 47 21 47
[Clark, January 27, 1805]
27th of January Sunday 1804
a fine day, attempt to Cut our Boat and Canoos out of the Ice, a
deficuelt Task I fear as we find waters between the Ice, I Bleed the
man with the Plurisy to day & Swet him, Capt Lewis took of the Toes of
one foot of the Boy who got frost bit Some time ago, Shabonoe our
interpeter returned, & informed that the Assiniboins had returned to
their Camps, & brough 3 horses of Mr. Laroches to Stay here for fear of
their being Stolen by the Assiniboins who are great rogues--Cut off the
boy toes
[Clark, January 28, 1805]
28th January Monday 1805
attempt to cut through the ice &c get our Boat and Canoo out without
Suckcess, Several Indians here wishing to get war hatchets made this
shape the man Sick yesterday is getting well Mr. Jessome our interpeter
was taken verry unwell this evening warm day
[Clark, January 29, 1805]
29th January Tuesday 1805
Gave Jassome a Dost of Salts we Send & Collect Stones and put them on a
large log heap to heet them with a View of warming water in the Boat
and by that means, Sepperate her from the Ices, our attempt appears to
be defeated by the Stones all breaking & flying to peaces in the fire,
a fine warm Day, we are now burning a large Coal pit, to mend the
indians hatchets, & make them war axes, the only means by which we
precure Corn from them
[Clark, January 30, 1805]
30th January Wednesday 1805
a fine morning, Clouded up at 9 oClock, Mr. La Rocke paid us a Visit, &
we gave him an answer respecting the request he made when last here of
accompanying us on our journey &c.
[Clark, January 31, 1805]
31st January Thursday, 1805
Snowed last night, wind high from the N W. Sawed off the boys toes Sent
5 men down the river to hunt with 2 horses, our interpeter Something
better, George Drewyer taken with the Ploursey last evening Bled & gave
him Some Sage tea, this morning he is much better--Cold disagreeable
[Clark, February 1, 1805]
1st of February Friday 1805
a cold windey Day our hunters returnd. haveing killed only one Deer, a
war Chief of the Me ne tar ras Came with Some Corn requested to have a
War hatchet made, & requested to be allowed to go to war against the
Souis & Ricarres who had Killed a mandan Some time past--we refused,
and gave reassons, which he verry readily assented to, and promised to
open his ears to all we Said this man is young and named (Seeing Snake
Mar-book, She-ah-O-ke-ah) this mans woman Set out & he prosued her, in
the evening
[Clark, February 2, 1805]
2nd of February Satturday 1805
a find Day one Deer Killed our interpeter Still unwell, one of the
wives of the Big belley interptr taken Sick--Mr. Larocke leave us to
day (this man is a Clerk to the N W Company, & verry anxious to
accompany us)
[Lewis, February 3, 1805]
3rd of February Sunday 1805.
a fine day; the blacksmith again commences his opperations. we were
visited by but few of the natives today. the situation of our boat and
perogues is now allarming, they are firmly inclosed in the Ice and
almost covered with snow. The ice which incloses them lyes in several
stratas of unequal thicknesses which are seperated by streams of water.
this peculiarly unfortunate because so soon as we cut through the first
strata of ice the water rushes up and rises as high as the upper
surface of the ice and thus creates such a debth of water as renders it
impracticable to cut away the lower strata which appears firmly
attatched to, and confining the bottom of the vessels. the instruments
we have hitherto used has been the ax only, with which, we have made
several attempts that proved unsuccessful) from the cause above
mentioned. we then determined to attempt freeing them from the ice by
means of boiling water which we purposed heating in the vessels by
means of hot stones, but this expedient proved also fruitless, as every
species of stone which we could procure in the neighbourhood partook so
much of the calcarious genus that they burst into small particles on
being exposed to the heat of the fire. we now determined as the dernier
resort to prepare a parse) of Iron spikes and attatch them to the end
of small poles of convenient length and endeavour by means of them to
free the vessels from the ice. we have already prepared a large rope of
Elk-skin and a windless by means of which we have no doubt of being
able to draw the boat on the bank provided we can free from the ice.
[Clark, February 3, 1805]
3rd of February 1805 our provisions of meat being nearly exorsted I
concluded to Decend the River on the Ice & hunt, I Set out with about
16 men 3 horses & 2 Slays Descended nearly 60 miles Killed & loaded the
horses back, & made 2 pens which we filed with meat, & returned on the
13th we Killed 40 Deer, 3 Bulls 19 Elk, maney So meager that they were
unfit for use
[Lewis, February 4, 1805]
4th February, Monday 1805.
This morning fair tho could the thermometer stood at 18° below Naught,
wind from N. W. Capt Clark set out with a hunting party consisting of
sixteen of our command and two frenchmen who together with two others,
have established a small hut and resided this winter within the
vicinity of Fort Mandane under our protection. visited by many of the
natives today. our stock of meat which we had procured in the Months of
November & December is now nearly exhausted; a supply of this articles
is at this moment peculiarly interesting as well for our immediate
consumption, as that we may have time before the approach of the warm
season to prepare the meat for our voyage in the spring of the year.
Capt. Clark therefore deturmined to continue his rout down the river
even as far as the River bullet unless he should find a plenty of game
nearer--The men transported their baggage on a couple of small wooden
Slays drawn by themselves, and took with them 3 pack horses which we
had agreed should be returned with a load of meat to fort mandane as
soon as they could procure it. no buffaloe have made their appearance
in our neighbourhood for some weeks; and I am informed that our Indian
neighbours-suffer extreemly at this moment for the article of flesh.
Shields killed two deer this evening, both very lean--one a large buck,
he had shed his horns.
[Lewis, February 5, 1805]
5th February Tuesday 1805.
Pleasent morning wind from N. W. fair; visited by many of the natives
who brought a considerable quanty of corn in payment for the work which
the blacksmith had done for them--they are pecuarly attatched to a
battle ax formed in a very inconvenient manner in my opinion. it is
fabricated of iron only, the blade is extreemly thin, from 7 to nine
inches in length and from 43/4, to 6 Inches on it's edge, from whence
the sides proceed nearly in a straight line to the eye where it's width
is generally not more than an inch. The eye is round & about one inch
in diameter. the handle seldom more than fourteen inches in length, the
whole weighing about one pound--the great length of the blade of this
ax, added to the small size of the handle renders a stroke uncertain
and easily avoided, while the shortness of the handel must render a
blow much less forceable if even well directed, and still more
inconvenient as they uniformly use this instrument in action on
horseback. The oalder fassion is still more inconvenient, it is
somewhat in the form of the blade of an Espantoon but is attatchd to a
helve of the dementions before discribed the blade is sometimes by way
of ornament purforated with two three or more small circular holes--the
following is the general figure it is from 12 to 15 inces in length
[Lewis, February 6, 1805]
6th February Wednesday 1805.
Fair morning Wind from N. W. had a sley prepared against the return of
the horses which Capt Clark had promised to send back as soon as he
should be able to procure a load of meat. visited by many of the
natives among others the Big white, the Coal, big-man, hairy horn and
the black man, I smoked with them, after which they retired, a
deportment not common, for they usually pester us with their good
company the ballance of the day after once being introduced to our
apartment. Shields killed three antelopes this evening. the blacksmiths
take a considerable quantity of corn today in payment for their labour.
the blacksmith's have proved a happy resoce to us in our present
situation as I believe it would have been difficult to have devised any
other method to have procured corn from the natives. the Indians are
extravegantly fond of sheet iron of which they form arrow-points and
manufacter into instruments for scraping and dressing their buffaloe
robes--I permited the blacksmith to dispose of a part of a sheet-iron
callaboos which had been nearly birnt out on our passage up the river,
and for each piece about four inches square he obtained from seven to
eight gallons of corn from the natives who appeared extreemly pleased
with the exchange-
[Lewis, February 7, 1805]
7th February Thursday 1805.
This morning was fair Thermometer at 18° above naught much warmer than it
has been for some days; wind S. E. continue to be visited by the
natives. The Sergt. of the guard reported that the Indian women (wives
to our interpreters) were in the habit of unbaring the fort gate at any
time of night and admitting their Indian visitors, I therefore directed
a lock to be put to the gate and ordered that no Indian but those
attatched to the garrison should be permitted to remain all night
within the fort or admitted during the period which the gate had been
previously ordered to be kept shut which was from sunset untill sunrise.
[Lewis, February 8, 1805]
8th February Friday 1805.
This morning was fair wind S. E. the weather still warm and pleasent-
visited by the black-Cat the principal chief of the Roop-tar-he, or
upper mandane vilage. this man possesses more integrety, firmness,
inteligence and perspicuety of mind than any indian I have met with in
this quarter, and I think with a little management he may be made a
usefull agent in furthering the views of our government. The black Cat
presented me with a bow and apologized for not having completed the
shield he had promised alledging that the weather had been too could to
permit his making it, I gave him som small shot 6 fishing-hooks and 2
yards of ribbon his squaw also presented me with 2 pair of mockersons
for which in return I gave a small lookingglass and a couples of
nedles. the chief dined with me and left me in the evening. he informed
me that his people suffered very much for the article of meat, and that
he had not himself tasted any for several days.
[Lewis, February 9, 1805]
9th February Saturday 1805.
The morning fair and pleasent, wind from S. E.--visted by Mr. McKinzey
one the N. W. Company's clerks. this evening a man by the name of
Howard whom I had given permission to go the Mandane vilage returned
after the gate was shut and rether than call to the guard to have it
opened scaled the works an indian who was looking on shortly after
followed his example. I convinced the Indian of the impropryety of his
conduct, and explained to him the riske he had run of being severely
treated, the fellow appeared much allarmed, I gave him a small piece of
tobacco and sent him away Howard I had comitted to the care of the
guard with a determineation to have him tryed by a Courtmartial for
this offence. this man is an old soldier which still hightens this
offnce-
[Lewis, February 10, 1805]
10th February Sunday 1805.
This Morning was Cloudy after a slight snow which fell in the course of
the night the wind blue very hard from N. W. altho the thermometer
stood at 18° Above naught the violence of the wind caused a degree of
could that was much more unpleasent than that of yesterday when
thermometer stood at 10° only above the same point. Mr. McKinzey left me
this morning. Charbono returned with one of the Frenchmen and informed
that he had left the three Horses and two men with the meat which Capt.
Clark had sent at some distance below on the river--he told me that the
horses were heavy loaded and that not being shod it was impossible for
horses to travel on the ice. I determined to send down some men with
two small slays for the meat and accordingly I gave orders that they
should set out early the next morning. two men were also sent to
conduct the horses by way of the plain.
[Lewis, February 11, 1805]
11th February Monday 1805.
The party that were ordered last evening set out early this morning.
the weather was fair and could wind N. W. about five oclock this
evening one of the wives of Charbono was delivered of a fine boy. it is
worthy of remark that this was the first child which this woman had
boarn and as is common in such cases her labour was tedious and the
pain violent; Mr. Jessome informed me that he had freequently
adminstered a small portion of the rattle of the rattle-snake, which he
assured me had never failed to produce the desired effect, that of
hastening the birth of the child; having the rattle of a snake by me I
gave it to him and he administered two rings of it to the woman broken
in small pieces with the fingers and added to a small quantity of
water. Whether this medicine was truly the cause or not I shall not
undertake to determine, but I was informed that she had not taken it
more than ten minutes before she brought forth perhaps this remedy may
be worthy of future experiments, but I must confess that I want faith
as to it's efficacy.-
[Lewis, February 12, 1805]
12th February Tuesday 1805.
The morning was fair tho could, thermometer at 14° below naught wind S.
E. ordered the Blacksmith to shoe the horses and some others to prepare
some gears in order to send them down with three slays to join the
hunting party and transport the meat which they may have pocured to
this place--the the men whom I had sent for the meat left by Charbono
did not return untill 4 OClock this evening. Drewyer arrived with the
horses about the same time, the horses appeared much fatieged I
directed some meal brands given them moisened with a little water but
to my astonishment found that they would not eat it but prefered the
bark of the cotton wood which forms the principall article of food
usually given them by their Indian masters in the winter season; for
this purpose they cause the trees to be felled by their women and the
horses feed on the boughs and bark of their tender branches. the
Indians in our neighbourhood are freequently pilfered of their horses
by the Recares, Souixs and Assinniboins and therefore make it an
invariable rule to put their horses in their lodges at night. in this
situation the only food of the horse consists of a few sticks of the
cottonwood from the size of a man's finger to that of his arm. The
Indians are invariably severe riders, and frequently have occasion for
many days together through the whole course of the day to employ their
horses in pursuing the Buffaloe or transporting meat to their vilages
during which time they are seldom suffered to tast food; at night the
Horse returned to his stall where his food is what seems to me a scanty
allowance of wood. under these circumstances it would seem that their
horses could not long exist or at least could not retain their flesh
and strength, but the contrary is the fact, this valuable anamall under
all those disadvantages is seldom seen meager or unfit for service.--A
little after dark this evening Capt. Clark arrived with the hunting
party--since they set out they have killed forty Deer, three buffaloe
bulls, & sixteen Elk, most of them were so meager that they were unfit
for uce, particularly the Buffaloes and male Elk--the wolves also which
are here extreemly numerous heped themselves to a considerable
proportion of the hunt--if an anamal is killed and lyes only one night
exposed to the wolves it is almost invariably devoured by them.
[Lewis, February 13, 1805]
13th February Wednesday 1805.
The morning cloudy thermometer 2° below naught wind from S. E. visited by
the Black-Cat gave him a battle ax with which he appeared much
gratifyed.
[Clark, February 13, 1805]
I returned last night from a hunting party much fatigued, haveing
walked 30 miles on the ice and through of wood land Points in which the
Snow was nearly Knee Deep
The 1st day I left the fort proceeded on the ice to new Mandan Island,
22 miles & Camped Killed nothing, & nothing to eat,
The 2d day the morning verry Cold & Windey, I broke thro the ice and
got my feet and legs wet, Sent out 4 hunters thro a point to Kill a
Deer & Cook it by the time the party Should get up, those hunters
killed a Deer & 2 Buffalow Bulls the Buffalow too Meagur to eate, we
eate the Deer & proceeded on to an old Indian Lodge, Sent out the
hunters & they brought in three lean Deer, which we made use of for
food,--walking on uneaven ice has blistered the bottom of my feat, and
walking is painfull to me
3rd day Cold morning the after party of the Day worm, Camped on a Sand
point near the mouth of a Creek on the S W. Side we Call hunting Creek,
I turned out with the hunters, I Killed 2 Deer the hunters killed an
Elk, Buffalow Bull & 5 Deer. all Meager
4th Day hunted the two bottoms near the Camp Killed 9 Elk, 18 Deer,
brought to camp all the meat fit to eate & had the bones taken out.
every man ingaged either in hunting or Collecting & packing the meat to
Camp
5th Day Dispatched one of the party our Interpeter & 2 french men with
the 3 horses loaded with the best of the meat to the fort 44 miles
Distant, the remaining meat I had packed on the 2 Slays & drawn down to
the next point about 3 miles below, at this place I had all the meat
Collected which was killed yesterday & had escaped the wolves, Raven &
Magpie, (which are verry noumerous about this Place) and put into a
close pen made of logs to secure it from the wolves & birds & proceeded
on to a large bottom nearly opposit the Chisscheter (heart) River, in
this bottom we found but little game, Great No. of wolves, on the hills
Saw Several parsels of Buffalow.--Camped. I killed a Buck
6th Day The Buffalow Seen last night provd to be Bulls. lean & unfit
for to make uce of as food, the Distance from Camp being nearly 60
miles, and the packing of meat that distance attended with much
difficuity deturmined me to return and hunt the points above, we Set
out on our return and halted at an old Indian lodge 40 miles below Fort
Mandan Killed 3 Elk & 2 Deer-.
7th Day a cold Day wind blew hard from the N. W. J Fields got one of
his ears frosed deturmined to lay by and hunt today Killed an Elk & 6
deer,* this meat I had Boned & put onto a Close pen made of logs--*all
that was fit for use
8th day air keen halted at the old Camp we Stayed in on the 2d night
after we left the Fort, expecting to meat the horses at this Place,
killed 3 Deer, Several men being nearly out of Mockersons & the horses
not returning deturmind me to return to the Fort on tomorrow
9th day. Set out early, Saw great numbers of Grouse feeding on the
young willows, on the Sand bars one mans I sent in persute of a gangue
of Elk killed three near the old Ricara Village and joined at the fort,
Sent him back to Secure the meat one man with him--The ice on the parts
of the River which was verry rough, as I went down, was Smothe on my
return, this is owing to the rise and fall of the water, which takes
place every day or two, and Caused by partial thaws, and obstructions
in the passage of the water thro the Ice, which frequently attaches
itself to the bottom.--the water when riseing forses its way thro the
cracks & air holes above the old ice, & in one night becoms a Smothe
Surface of ice 4 to 6 Inchs thick,--the river falls & the ice Sink in
places with the water and attaches itself to the bottom, and when it
again rises to its former hite, frequently leavs a valley of Several
feet to Supply with water to bring it on a leavel Surfice.
The water of the Missouri at this time is Clear with little Tinges.
I saw Several old Villages near the Chisscheta River on enquirey found
they were Mandan Villages destroyed by the Sous & Small Pox, they
noumerous and lived in 6 Villages near that place.
[Clark, February 14, 1805]
14th Sent 4 men with the Horses Shod & 2 Slays down for the meat I had
left, 22 miles below those men were rushed on by 106 Sioux who robed
them of 2 of their horses--& they returned
[Clark, February 14, 1805]
14th of February Thursday 1805
The Snow fell 3 inches Deep last night, a fine morning, Dispatched
George Drewyer & 3 men with two Slays drawn by 3 horses for the meat
left below-
[Clark, February 15, 1805]
15th Capt. Lewis with a party of men & 4 Indians went in pursute of the
Sioux, the Indians returned the next Day & informed me that the Sioux
had Burnt all my meat & Born home (they Saw me but was afraid to attact
me) Capt Lewis returned the 21st with 2400 l. of meat, haveing Killed
36 Deer & 14 Elk, the Sioux burnt one of my meet houses; they did not
find the other
[Clark, February 15, 1805]
15th of February Friday 1805
at 10 oClock P M. last night the men that dispatched yesterday for the
meat, returned and informed us that as they were on their march down at
the distance of about 24 miles below the Fort about 105 Indians which
they took to be Souis rushed on them and Cut their horses from the
Slays, two of which they carried off in great hast, the 3rd horse was
given up to the party by the intersetion of an Indian who assumd Some
authority on the accasion, probably more thro fear of himself or Some
of the Indians being killed by our men who were not disposed to be
Robed of all they had tamely, they also forced 2 of the mens knives & a
tamahawk, the man obliged them to return the tamahawk the knives they
ran off with G Drewyer Frasure, S Gutterage, & Newmon with a broken Gun
we dispatched two men to inform the mandans, and if any of them chose
to pursue those robers, to come down in the morning, and join Capt
Lewis who intended to Set out with a party of men verry early, by 12
oClock the Chief of the 2ed Village Big white Came down, and Soon after
one other Chief and Several men--The Chief observed that all the young
men of the 2 Villages were out hunting, and but verry fiew guns were
left,Capt. Lewis Set out at Sunrise with 24 men, to meet those Soues
&c. Several Indians accompanied him Some with Bows & arrows Some withe
Spears & Battle axes, a 2 with fusees--the morning fine the
Thermometer Stood at 16° below 0, Nought, visited by 2 of the Big Bellies
this evening,--one Chief of the Mandans returned from Capt Lewises
Party nearly blind--this Complaint is as I am infomd. Common at this
Season of the year and caused by the reflection of the Sun on the ice &
Snow, it is cured by jentilley Swetting the part affected by throweng
Snow on a hot Stone
verry Cold part of the night--one man Killed a verry large Red Fox to
day
[Clark, February 16, 1805]
16th of February Satturday 1805
a fine morning, visited by but fiew Indians to day, at Dusk two of the
Indians who wint down with Capt. Lewis returned, Soon after two others
and one man (Howard) with his feet frosted, and informed that the Inds.
who Commited the roberry of the 2 horses was So far a head that they
could not be overtaken, they left a number of pars of Mockersons which,
the Mandans knew to be Souix mockersons,--This war party Camped verry
near the last camp I made when on my hunting party, where they left
Some Corn, as a deception, with a view to induc a belief that they were
Ricarras.
Capt Lewis & party proceeded on down the meat I left at my last Camp
was taken.
[Clark, February 17, 1805]
17th of February Sunday 1805
this morning worm & a little Cloudy, the Coal & his Son visited me to
day with about 30 w. of Drid Buffalow meat, & Some Tallow Mr. McKinsey
one of the N W. Compys. Clerks visited me (one of the hoses the Sous
robed a fiew Days past belonged to this man) The after part of the day
fair,
[Clark, February 18, 1805]
18th of February Monday 1805
a cloudy morning Some Snow, Several Indians here today Mr. McKinsey
leave me, the after part of the day fine I am much engaged makeing a
discriptive List of the Rivers from Information our Store of Meat is
out to day
[Clark, February 19, 1805]
19th of February Tuesday 1805
a fine Day visited by Several of the Mandans to day, our Smiths are
much engaged mending and makeing Axes for the Indians for which we get
Corn
[Clark, February 20, 1805]
Fort Mandan
20th February Wednesday 1805
a Butifull Day, visited by the Little raven verry early this morning I
am informed of the Death of an old man whome I Saw in the Mandan
Village. this man, informed me that he "was 120 winters old, he
requested his grand Children to Dress him after Death & Set him on a
Stone on a hill with his face towards his old Village or Down the
river, that he might go Streight to his brother at their old village
under ground"I observed Several Mandan verry old Chiefly men
[Clark, February 21, 1805]
21st February Thursday 1805
a Delightfull Day put out our Clothes to Sun--Visited by the big white
& Big man they informed me that Several men of their nation was gorn to
Consult their Medison Stone about 3 day march to the South West to know
What was to be the result of the insuing year--They have great
confidence in this Stone and Say that it informs them of every thing
which is to happen, & visit it every Spring & Sometimes in the Summer
"They haveing arrived at the Stone give it Smoke and proceed to the
wood at Some distance to Sleep the next morning return to the Stone,
and find marks white & raised on the Stone representing the piece or
war which they are to meet with, and other changes, which they are to
meet" This Stone has a leavel Surface of about 20 feet in Surcumfrance,
thick and pores, and no doubt has Some mineral qualtites effected by
the Sun.
The Big Bellies have a Stone to which they ascribe nearly the Same
Virtues
Capt Lewis returned with 2 Slays loaded with meat, after finding that
he could not overtake the Souis war party, (who had in their way
distroyd all the meat at one Deposit which I had made & Burnt the
Lodges) deturmined to proceed on to the lower Deposit, which he found
had not been observed by Soux he hunted two day Killed 36 Deer & 14
Elk, Several of them So meager, that they were unfit for use, the meet
which he killed and that in the lower Deposit amounting to about 3000
wt was brought up on two Slays, one Drawn by 16 men had about 2400 wt
on it
[Clark, February 22, 1805]
Fort Mandan
22nd of February Friday 1805.
a Cloudy morning, at about 12 oClock it began to rain and Continud for
a fiew minits, and turned to Snow, and Continud Snowing for about one
hour, and Cleared away fair The two hunters left below arrived, They
killed two Elk, and hung them up out of the reach of the wolves--The
Coal a Ricara who is a considerable Chief of the Mandans visited us to
day, and maney others of the three nations in our neighbourhood.
[Clark, February 23, 1805]
23rd of February 1805 Satturday
All hands employed in Cutting the Perogus Loose from the ice, which was
nearly even with their top; we found great difficuelty in effecting
this work owing to the Different devisions of Ice & water after Cutting
as much as we Could with axes, we had all the Iron we Could get & Some
axes put on long poles and picked throught the ice, under the first
water, which was not more the 6 or 8 inches deep--we disengaged one
Perogue, and nearly disingaged the 2nd in Course of this day which has
been warm & pleasent vised by a no of Indians, jessomme & familey went
to the Shoes Indians Villag to day
The father of the Boy whose feet were frose near this place, and nearly
Cured by us took him home in a Slay-
[Clark, February 24, 1805]
24th February Sunday 1805
The Day fine, we Commenced very early to day the Cutting loose the boat
which was more difficuelt than the perogus with great exertions and
with the assistance of Great prises we lousened her and turned the
Second perogue upon the ice, ready to Draw out, in Lousening the boat
from the ice Some of the Corking drew out which Caused her to Leake for
a few minits untill we Discovered the Leake & Stoped it--Jessomme our
interpeter & familey returned from the Villages Several Indians visit
us today
[Clark, February 25, 1805]
25th of February Monday 1805 we fixed a Windlass and Drew up the two
Perogues on the upper bank and attempted the Boat, but the Roap which
we bade made of Elk Skins proved too weak & broke Several times night
Comeing on obliged us to leave her in a Situation but little advanced-
we were Visited by the Black mockerson Chief of the little Village of
Big Bellies, the Cheef of the Shoe Inds and a number of others those
Chiefs gave us Some meat which they packed on their wives, and one
requested a ax to be made for hies Sun, Mr. Bunch, one of the under
traders for the hudsons Bay Companey--one of the Big Bellies asked
leave for himself & his two wives to Stay all night, which was granted,
also two Boys Stayed all night, one the Sun of the Black Cat.