Clark: January 1, 1805
New Year's Day at Fort Mandan was marked by firing two cannons in celebration. Sixteen men with musical instruments visited the first Mandan village at the chiefs' request to dance. Clark followed with an interpreter to smooth over minor tensions, and had his Black servant York dance, astonishing the villagers. Meanwhile, the Second Chief and another leader returned from successfully turning back a party of 150 Gros Ventres seeking revenge against the Shoshones over a stolen girl. Weather was warm at 34°F, with rain at sunset turning to heavy overnight snow. Black Cat visited with meat.
Fort Mandan on the N E bank of the Missouries 1600 miles up January the
1st 1805 Tuesday The Day was ushered in by the Discharge of two Cannon, we
Suffered 16 men with their musick to visit the 1st Village for the purpose
of Danceing, by as they Said the perticular request of the Chiefs of that
village, about 11 oClock I with an inturpeter & two men walked up to
the Village (my views were to alay Some little miss understanding which
had taken place thro jelloucy and mortificatiion as to our treatment
towards them) I found them much pleased at the Danceing of our men, I
ordered my black Servent to Dance which amused the Croud verry much, and
Some what astonished them, that So large a man Should be active &c.
&.
I went into the lodges of all the men of note except two, whome I heard
had made Some expressions not favourable towards us, in Compareing us with
the trabers from the northThose Cheifs observed what they Sayed was
in just & lafture.just as I was about to return the 2d Chief
and the Black man, also a Chief returnd from a mission on which they had
been Sent to meet a large party 150 of Gross Ventres who were on their way
down from their Camps 10 Miles above to revenge on the Shoe tribe an
injurey which they had received by a Shoe man Steeling a Gross Venters
Girl, those Chiefs gave the pipe turned the party back, after Delivering
up the girl, which the Shoe Chief had taken and given to them for that
purpose. I returned in the evening, at night the party except 6 returned,
with 3 robes, an 13 Strings of Corn which the indians had given them, The
Day was worm, Themtr. 34° abov 0, Some fiew Drops of rain about Sunset, at
Dark it began to Snow, and Snowed the greater part of the night, (the
temptr for Snow is about o) The Black Cat with his family visited us to
day and brought a little meet
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Fort Mandan on the NE bank of the Missouri, 1600 miles up. January 1st, 1805, Tuesday. The day was ushered in by the discharge of two cannons. We allowed 16 men with their musicians to visit the 1st Village for the purpose of dancing, as they said, by the particular request of the chiefs of that village. About 11 o'clock, I, with an interpreter and two men, walked up to the village (my intention was to allay some little misunderstanding which had taken place through jealousy and mortification as to our treatment toward them). I found them much pleased at the dancing of our men. I ordered my black servant to dance, which amused the crowd very much, and somewhat astonished them that so large a man should be so active, etc., etc.
I went into the lodges of all the men of note except two, whom I heard had made some expressions not favorable toward us, in comparing us with the traders from the north. Those chiefs observed that what they said was unjust and laughable. Just as I was about to return, the 2nd Chief and the Black Man, also a chief, returned from a mission on which they had been sent to meet a large party of 150 Gros Ventres who were on their way down from their camps 10 miles above to revenge on the Shoe tribe an injury which they had received by a Shoe man stealing a Gros Ventres girl. Those chiefs gave the pipe and turned the party back, after delivering up the girl, which the Shoe Chief had taken and given to them for that purpose. I returned in the evening. At night the party, except 6, returned with 3 robes and 13 strings of corn which the Indians had given them. The day was warm, thermometer 34° above 0, with a few drops of rain about sunset. At dark it began to snow, and snowed the greater part of the night (the temperature for snow is about 0). The Black Cat with his family visited us today and brought a little meat.
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