5th December Wednesday 1804 a Cold raw morning wind from the S. E. Some Snow, two of the N W.
Companey Came to See us, to let us Know they intended to Set out for the establishment on the osinniboin River in two Days-& their party would Consist of 5 men, Several Indians also visited us one brought Pumpkins or Simmins as a preasent a little Snow fell in the evening at which time the wind Shifted round to N. E.
[Clark, December 6, 1804]
Fort Mandan 6th of December Thursday 1804 The wind blew violently hard from the N, N W. with Some Snow the air Keen and Cold. The Thermometer at 8 oClock A, M, Stood at 10 dgs. above o--at 9 oClock a man & his Squar Came down with Some meat for the inturpeter his dress was a par mockersons of Buffalow Skin Pr. Legins of Goat Skin & a Buffalow robe, 14 ring of Bra.s.s on his fingers, this metel the Mandans ar verry fond off--Cold after noon river rise 11/2 Inch to day
[Clark, December 7, 1804]
at Fort mandan 7th of December 1804, we were informed by a Chief that great numbers of Buffalow were on the hills near us Cap Lewis with a party went out & Killed 11three in view of our fort, The weather so excesive Cold & wolves plenty, we only saved 5 of them, I with a party turned on the 8th out and found the Buffalow at 7 ms. distant Killed 8 & a Deer, I returned with 2 Cows leaving men with remaining meat--Several men badly frost bit--The Themormeter Stood this morning at 44 d. below Breizing.
Capt Lewis went out 9th & Stayed all night out Killed 9 buffalowmaney of the Buffalow Killed were So meager that they not fit for use Collected by the ade of Some horses the best of the meat in fact all we could Save from wolves & I went on a hunting party the 14 & 15 of Decr.--much Snow verry cold 52 below freesinge. N W. & H Bay Clerks Visit us the 16th also Mr Hainey, Cold Tem. 74 below freesing
I visit the Mandans on the 1s of January Capt Lewis the 2nd
[Clark, December 7, 1804]
7th of December Friday 1804 a verry Cold day wind from the N W. the Big White Grand Chief of the 1s Village, Came and informed us that a large Drove of Buffalow was near and his people was wating for us to join them in a Chase Capt. Lewis took 15 men & went out joined the Indians, who were at the time he got up, Killing the Buffalows on Horseback with arrows which they done with great dexterity, his party killed 14 Buffalow, five of which we got to the fort by the a.s.sistance of a horse in addition to what the men Packed on their backs--one Cow was killed on the ice after drawing her out of a vacancey in the ice in which She had fallen, and Butchered her at the fort--those we did not get in was taken by the indians under a Custon which is established amongst them i e. any person Seeing a buffalow lying without an arrow Sticking in him, or Some purticular mark takes possesion, many times (as I am told) a hunter who Kills maney Buffalow in a chase only Gets a part of one, all meat which is left out all night falls to the Wolves which are in great numbers, always in the Buffalows--the river Closed opposit the fort last night 11/2 inches thick The Thermometer Stood this morning at 1 d. below o- three men frost bit badly to day
[Clark, December 8, 1804]
8th December Satt.u.r.day 1804 a verry Cold morning, the Thermometer Stood at 12 d. below 0 which is 42 d. below the freesing point, wind from the N W I with 15 men turned out Indians joined us on horseback, shot with arrows rode along side of buffaloel and killed 8 buffalow & one Deer, one Cow and Calf was brought in, two Cows which I killed at 7 miles Dst. I left 2 men to Skin & Keep off the wolves, and brought in one Cow & a calf, in the evening on my return to the fort Saw great numbers of Buffalow Comeing into the Bottoms on both Sides of the river This day being Cold Several men returned a little frost bit; one of men with his feet badly frost bit my Servents feet also frosted & his P-s a little, I feel a little fatigued haveing run after the Buffalow all day in Snow many Places 10 inches Deep, Generally 6 or 8, two men hurt their hips verry much in Slipping down--The Indians kill great numbers of Buffalow to day--2 reflectings Suns to day
[Clark, December 9, 1804]
9th December Sunday 1804 The Thermometer Stood this morning at 7 above 0, wind from the E. Capt Lewis took 18 men & 4 horses and went out Send in the meet killed yesterday and kill more, the Sun Shown to day Clear, both interpeters went to the Villages to day at 12 oClock two Chiefs Came loaded with meat one with a dog & Slay also loaded with meat, Capt. Lewis Sent in 4 Hors"s loaded with meat, he continued at the hunting Camp near which they killed 9 buffalow.
[Clark, December 10, 1804]
10th Monday Decr. 1804 Fort Mandan a verry Cold Day The Thermometer to day at 10 & 11 Degrees below 0., Capt. Lewis returned, to day at 12 oClock leaveing 6 men at the Camp to prepare the meat for to pack 4 Horse loads Came in, Capt Lewis had a Cold Disagreeable night last in the Snow on a Cold point with one Small Blankett the Buffaloe Crossed the river below in emence herds without brakeing in. only 2 buffalow killed to day one of which was too pore to Skin, The men which was frost bit is gitting better. the rise 11/2 inch wind North
[Clark, December 11, 1804]
11th December Tuesday 1804 a verry Cold morning Wind from the north The Thermomettr at (4 oClock A M at 21) Sunrise at 21 See list. below 0 which is 53 below the freesing point and getting colder, the Sun Shows and reflects two imigies, the ice floating in the atmespear being So thick that the appearance is like a fog Despurceing
Sent out three horses for meat & with Derections for all the hunters to return to the fort as Soon as possible at 1 oClock the horses returned loaded at night all the hunters returned, Several a little frosted, The Black Cat Chief of the Mandans paid us a Visit to day continue Cold all day river at a Stand
[Clark, December 12, 1804]
12th December Wednesday 1804 a Clear Cold morning wind from the north the Thormometer at Sun rise Stood at 38 below 0, moderated untill 6 oClock at which time it began to get Colder. I line my Gloves and have a cap made of the Skin of the Louservia (Lynx) (or wild Cat of the North) the fur near 3 inches long a Indian Of the Shoe nation Came with the half of a Cabra ko ka or Antilope which he killed near the Fort, Great numbers of those animnals are near our fort but the weather is So Cold that we do not think it prudent to turn out to hunt in Such Cold weather, or at least untill our Consts. are prepared to under go this Climate. I measure the river from bank to bank on the ice and make it 500 yards
[Clark, December 13, 1804]
13th December Thursday 1804 The last night was verry Clear & the frost which fell Covered the ice old Snow & thos parts which was naked 1/6 of an inch, The Thermotr.
Stands this morning at 20 below 0, a fine day. find it imposible to make an Observation with an artifical Horsison Joseph Fields kill a Cow and Calf to day one mile from the fort river falls
[Clark, December 14, 1804]
14th December Friday 1804 a fine morning. wind from the S. E. the murckerey Stood at "0" this morning I went with a party of men down the river 18 miles to hunt Buffalow, Saw two Bulls too pore to kill, the Cows and large gangues haveing left the River, we only killed two Deer & Camped all night with Some expectation of Seeing the Buffalow in the morning, a verry Cold night, Snowed.
[Clark, December 15, 1804]
15th of December 1804 Satt.u.r.day a Cold Clear morning, Saw no buffalow, I concluded to return to the Fort & hunt on each Side of the river on our return which we did without Success--the Snow fell 11/2 inches deep last night. wind North- on my return to the fort found Several Chiefs there
[Clark, December 16, 1804]
Fort Mandan 16th December, Sunday 1804 a clear Cold morning, the Thermtr. at Sun rise Stood at 22 below 0, a verry Singaler appearance of the Moon last night, as She appeared thro The frosty atmispear--Mr. Henny, from the Establishment on River Ossinnniboin, with a letter from, Mr Charles Chaboillez one of the Cos arrived in 6 Days, Mr. C in his letters expressed a great anxiety to Serve us in any thing in his power-
a root Discribed by Mr. Henry for the Cure of a Mad Dog
Mr. Le rock a Clerk, of the N W Company and Mr. George Bunch a Clerk of the Hudsons bay Compy accompanied Mr. Henny from the Village
[Clark, December 17, 1804]
17th December Monday 1804 a verry Cold morning the Thrmt. Stood a 43 below 0. We found Mr. Henny a verry intelligent man from whome we obtained Some Scetches of the Countrey between the Mississippi & Missouri, and Some Sketches from him, which he had obtained from the Indins. to the West of this place also the names and charecktors of the Sceoux &c about 8 oClock P M. the thermometer fell to 74 below the freesing pointe--the Indian Chiefs Sent word that Buffalow was in our neighbourhood, and if we would join them, in the morning they would go and kill them-
[Clark, December 18, 1804]
18th December Tuesday 1804 The Themometer the Same as last night Mr. Haney & La Rocke left us for the Grossventre Camp, Sent out 7 men to hunt for the Buffalow They found the weather too cold & returned, Several Indians Came, who had Set out with a veiw to Kill buffalow, The river rise a little I imploy my Self makeing a Small map of Connection &. Sent Jessomme to the Main Chief of the mandans to know the Cause of his detaining or takeing a horse of Chabonoe our big belly interpeter, which we found was thro the rascallity of one Lafrance a trader from the N W. Company, who told this Cheif that Chabonah owd. him a horse to go and take him he done So agreeable to an indian Custom--he gave up the horse