Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: December 7, 1804
Early in the morning, the Mandan head chief Big White rode urgently to the garrison to report large herds of buffalo approaching the river and prairies full of game. Captain Lewis quickly set out with twelve men to hunt alongside the natives. Hunters killed roughly twelve buffalo, including one driven over a bank into the river and hauled across the ice. The natives killed over twenty. Three horses sent for meat were taken by natives. Two men suffered frostbitten feet and one a frostbitten ear in the bitter cold. Officers issued a half gill of taffia.
went out eairly a hunting about 9 o. C. the head chief of the
l3t vil1 of the Mandans called the Big White came to our Garri-
son in Great haste on horse back & Informed us that the Buffalow
were comming towards the River in large Gangs and that the
praries a little back was covered with Game. Cap* Lewis Imme-
diately Started with 12 men in order to hunt with the natives,
they had not been Gone long before we Saw Some buffalow in
cite ab° the Garrison near the bank of the River two of our men
& Several of the natives were Shooting at them, they Shot three
& run one off a Steep bank in to the River which we got out with
a chord, and hailed it down on the Ice to our landing as the
River Shut up last night the Ice had not Got Strong enofe to bear
the Buffalow out in the middle of the R. but we dragged sd buf°
down near Shore & dressed it. it was a cow with calf our In-
tepreters Squaws eat the calf, the 2 men who went out this morn-
1 The Assiniboine.
170 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Dec. 8
ing came in & Informed us that they had killed Six buffaloe out in
the prarie besides those 4 they had killed in pos* with the natives,
the horses were got up & Several men Sent with them out for the
meat, but they found that the Savvage had carried off 3 of them.
the 4 horses came in loaded with meat also the most of the men
they Said that the Savvages had killed upwards of 20 buffalow &
our men killed ab* 12 one of them very fat. Som of them cows
& Some calfs or yearlins. they Saw also large flocks of Goats in
the praries & could See the prarie black with buffaloe at a dis-
tance aiming to come into the bottoms on the River, the prarie
being covered with Snow and extreamly cold. 2 of our men Got
their feet frost Bitten & one Got his Ear frost bitten this day by
being exposed in the praries. a half Gill of Taffee gave to the
men by our officers this evening.1
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Went out early hunting. About 9 o'clock the head chief of the 1st village of the Mandans, called the Big White, came to our garrison in great haste on horseback and informed us that the buffalo were coming towards the river in large gangs, and that the prairies a little back were covered with game. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) immediately started with 12 men in order to hunt with the natives.
They had not been gone long before we saw some buffalo in sight above the garrison near the bank of the river. Two of our men and several of the natives were shooting at them. They shot three and ran one off a steep bank into the river, which we got out with a cord, and hauled it down on the ice to our landing. As the river closed up last night, the ice had not gotten strong enough to bear the buffalo out in the middle of the river, but we dragged said buffalo down near shore and dressed it. It was a cow with calf. Our interpreter's squaws ate the calf.
The 2 men who went out this morning came in and informed us that they had killed six buffalo out in the prairie, besides those 4 they had killed in company with the natives. The horses were brought up and several men sent with them out for the meat, but they found that the savages had carried off 3 of them. The 4 horses came in loaded with meat, along with most of the men. They said that the savages had killed upwards of 20 buffalo and our men killed about 12, one of them very fat. Some of them were cows and some were calves or yearlings. They also saw large flocks of goats in the prairies and could see the prairie black with buffalo at a distance, aiming to come into the bottoms on the river. The prairie was covered with snow and extremely cold.
2 of our men got their feet frostbitten and one got his ear frostbitten this day by being exposed in the prairies. A half gill of taffia was given to the men by our officers this evening.
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