Clark: April 3, 1805
On a frosty but fine April 3rd at Fort Mandan, the Corps of Discovery spent the day packing items to be shipped back to President Jefferson. Clark catalogued the contents in detail, including buffalo robes, animal skins and skeletons (antelope, badger, fox, hare, wolf), plant specimens, Mandan corn and pottery, Arikara tobacco seed, and live cages holding a burrowing squirrel, four magpies, and a prairie hen. Mr. La Rocque and Mr. McKenzie of the North West Company visited, and Clark agreed to pay McKenzie for a horse lost in their service.
3rd of April we Shall pack up to day and Set out tomorrow.
[Clark, April 3, 1805]
April the 3rd Thursday 1805
a white frost this morning, Some ice on the edge of the water, a fine
day Pack up and prepare to load
Mrs. La Roche & McKinsey Clerk to the N W. Compy. visit us. Mr.
McKinzey wishes to get pay for his horse lost in our Service this winter
and one of which was robed this winter by the Tetons, we Shall pay this
man for his horse. we are all day ingaged packing up Sundery articles to
be Sent to the President of the U. S.
bow an quiver of arrows-with some Ricara’s tobacco seed
No. 11 a Martin Skin, Containing the tail of a Mule Deer, a weasel and
three Squirels from the Rockey mountains.
No. 12. The bones & Skeleton of a Small burrowing wolf of the Praries
the Skin being lost by accident.
No. 99 The Skeliton of the white and Grey hare.
Box No. 2, contains 4 Buffalow Robes, and a ear of Mandan Corn.
The large Trunk Contains a male & female Brarow and female’s Skeliton.
a Carrote of Ricaras Tobacco
a red fox Skin Containing a Magpie.
No. 14 Minitarras Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian dress.
No. 15 a Mandan robe containing two burrowing Squirels, a white weasel and
the Skin of a Loucirvea.
also
13 red fox Skins.
1 white Hare Skin &.
4 horns of the mountain ram
1 Robe representing a battle between the Sioux & Ricaras,
Minetarras and Mandans.
In Box No. 3.
nos. 1 & 2 The Skins of the Male & female Antelope with their
Skelitons. & the Skin of a yellow Bear which I obtained from the
Scions
No. 4. Box Specimens of plants numbered from 1 to 67.
Specimens of Plants numbered frome 1 to 60.
1 Earthen pot Such as the Mandans Manufacture and use for
culinary purposes.
Box No 4 Continued
1 Tin box, containing insects mice &c. a Specimine of the fur of the
antelope.
a Specimon of a plant, and a parcel of its roots highly prized by the
natives as
an efficatious remidy in Cases of the bite of the rattle Snake or Mad Dog.
In a large Trunk
Skins of a Male and female Braro, or burrowing Dog of the Prarie, with the
Skeliton of the female.
1 Skin of the red fox Containing a Magpie.
2 Cased Skins of the white hare.
1 Minitarra Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian Dress
1 Mandan Buffalow robe Containing a dressed Lousirva Skin, and 2 Cased
Skins of the Burrowing Squirel of the Praries.
13 red fox Skins
4 Horns of the Mountain Ram or big horn.
1 Buffalow robe painted by a mandan man representing a battle fought 8
years Since by the Sioux & Ricaras against the mandans, menitarras
& Ah wah bar ways (Mandans &c. on horseback)
Cage No. 6.
Contains a liveing burrowing Squirel of the praries
Cage No. 7.
Contains 4 liveing magpies
Cage No. 9.
Containing a liveing hen of the Prarie
a large par of Elks horns containing by the frontal bone-
[Clark, April 4, 1805]
April the 4th 1805 Wednesday
a blustering windey Day the Clerks of the N W. Co. leave us we are
arrangeing all things to Set out &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
3rd of April. We shall pack up today and set out tomorrow.
[Clark, April 3, 1805]
April the 3rd, Thursday 1805. A white frost this morning, some ice on the edge of the water, a fine day. Packed up and prepared to load.
Mr. La Roche and McKinsey, clerk to the N.W. Company, visited us. Mr. McKinzey (McKenzie) wishes to be paid for his horse lost in our service this winter, and one of which was robbed this winter by the Tetons. We shall pay this man for his horse. We were all day engaged in packing up sundry articles to be sent to the President of the U.S.
A bow and quiver of arrows—with some Ricara's tobacco seed.
No. 11: a marten skin, containing the tail of a mule deer, a weasel, and three squirrels from the Rocky Mountains.
No. 12: the bones and skeleton of a small burrowing wolf of the prairies, the skin being lost by accident.
No. 99: the skeleton of the white and gray hare.
Box No. 2 contains 4 buffalo robes and an ear of Mandan corn.
The large trunk contains a male and female brarow (badger) and the female's skeleton.
A carrot of Ricaras tobacco.
A red fox skin containing a magpie.
No. 14: Minitarras buffalo robe containing some articles of Indian dress.
No. 15: a Mandan robe containing two burrowing squirrels, a white weasel, and the skin of a loucirvea (lynx).
Also: 13 red fox skins; 1 white hare skin; 4 horns of the mountain ram; 1 robe representing a battle between the Sioux and Ricaras, Minetarras, and Mandans.
In Box No. 3:
Nos. 1 and 2: the skins of the male and female antelope with their skeletons, and the skin of a yellow bear which I obtained from the Sioux.
No. 4 Box: specimens of plants numbered from 1 to 67.
Specimens of plants numbered from 1 to 60.
1 earthen pot such as the Mandans manufacture and use for culinary purposes.
Box No. 4 continued:
1 tin box, containing insects, mice, etc., a specimen of the fur of the antelope.
A specimen of a plant, and a parcel of its roots highly prized by the natives as an efficacious remedy in cases of the bite of the rattlesnake or mad dog.
In a large trunk:
Skins of a male and female brarow, or burrowing dog of the prairie, with the skeleton of the female.
1 skin of the red fox containing a magpie.
2 cased skins of the white hare.
1 Minitarra buffalo robe containing some articles of Indian dress.
1 Mandan buffalo robe containing a dressed lousirva (lynx) skin, and 2 cased skins of the burrowing squirrel of the prairies.
13 red fox skins.
4 horns of the mountain ram or bighorn.
1 buffalo robe painted by a Mandan man representing a battle fought 8 years since by the Sioux and Ricaras against the Mandans, Menitarras, and Ah-wah-bar-ways (Mandans, etc., on horseback).
Cage No. 6: contains a living burrowing squirrel of the prairies.
Cage No. 7: contains 4 living magpies.
Cage No. 9: containing a living hen of the prairie.
A large pair of elk's horns connected by the frontal bone.
[Clark, April 4, 1805]
April the 4th, 1805, Wednesday. A blustering, windy day. The clerks of the N.W. Co. left us. We are arranging all things to set out, etc.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
