Clark: February 20, 1805
On a beautiful day at Fort Mandan, Clark received an early visit from the Little Raven and was informed of the death of an elderly man he had previously met in the Mandan village. The man had claimed to be 120 years old and had asked his grandchildren to dress his body after death and place him on a stone atop a hill, facing his old village down the river, so he could rejoin his brother in their ancestral underground village. Clark noted that several Mandan men, especially chiefs, were very old.
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
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Fort Mandan, 20th February, Wednesday 1805. A beautiful day. Visited by the Little Raven very early this morning. I am informed of the death of an old man whom I saw in the Mandan village. This man informed me that he "was 120 winters old. He requested his grandchildren to dress him after death and set him on a stone on a hill with his face toward his old village or down the river, so that he might go straight to his brother at their old village underground." I observed several Mandan very old, chiefly men.
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