Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: December 13, 1804
Extremely cold weather gripped the camp, with temperatures 10-11 degrees below zero and proof spirits freezing solid within fifteen minutes. Two men went out and killed two buffalo, and a party of five returned with a sled to haul in the meat. Local Indigenous hunters were seen coming back from the prairie with horses loaded with meat, and one gave a goat to the officers. Two men visited the first Mandan village to trade paint and rings for corn and beans, while a North West Company man came down from the upper Hidatsa village to visit.
it was yesterday, we had 2 Sleds ready provided for the purpose of
hailing in the meat. 2 men went out a Short time and killed 2
buffaloe one of them came in and 5 men were Sent out with him
took a Sled with them and brought in the 2 buffaloe. they Saw
a nomber of the Savvages returning from the prarie with their
horses loaded with meat one of [whom] killed a Goat & brought
1 “The Thermometer today at 10 & 11 Degrees below 0.” Clark, “an
experiment was made with proof spirits, which in fifteen minutes froze into
hard ice.” Gass. No wonder, as Clark notes, “Capt Lewis had a Cold Dis-
agreeable night last [night] in the Snow on a cold point with one Small Blankett.”
172 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Dec. 14
it in to the fort & Gave it to our officers. 2 of my mess went up to
the 1st village of the Mandans to day and bought Some corn and
beans with a little paint and a fiew rings &.C. one of the men
belonging to the N. W. Compy came down from the Grovantars
upper village to see us.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
It was yesterday. We had 2 sleds ready prepared for the purpose of hauling in the meat. 2 men went out a short time and killed 2 buffalo. One of them came in, and 5 men were sent out with him, took a sled with them, and brought in the 2 buffalo. They saw a number of the savages returning from the prairie with their horses loaded with meat. One of them killed a goat and brought it in to the fort and gave it to our officers.
2 of my mess went up to the 1st village of the Mandans today and bought some corn and beans with a little paint and a few rings, etc. One of the men belonging to the N. W. Company came down from the Gros Ventres' upper village to see us.
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