Fort Mandan (winter) — John Ordway: January 1, 1805
On New Year's Day 1805, fifteen members of the expedition fired a swivel gun, drank a toast, and around 9 a.m. traveled to the first Mandan village at the villagers' invitation. Bringing a fiddle, tambourine, and sounding horn, they fired salutes upon arrival and performed music and dances throughout the village, including a Frenchman dancing on his head. The Mandans welcomed them warmly, sharing food from various lodges and gifting corn and buffalo robes. Some men returned to the fort that afternoon while others stayed overnight. Light rain fell in the evening.
Swivel & drank a Glass, about 9 o.C. 15 of the party went up to
the 1st village of Mandans to dance as it had been their request,
carried with us a fiddle & a Tambereen & a Sounden horn, as
we arived at the entrence of the vi1 we fired one round then the
music played, loaded again, then marched to the center of the
village [and] fired again, then commenced dancing, a frenchman
danced on his head1 and all danced round him for a Short time
then went in to a lodge & danced a while, which pleased them verry
much they then brought victules from different lodges & of
different kinds of diet, they brought us also a quantity of corn
& Some buffalow Robes which they made us a present off. So
we danced in different lodges untill late in the afternoon, then
a part of the men returned to the fort the remainder Stayed all
night in the village — rained a little in the evening
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Swivel and drank a glass. About 9 o'clock, 15 of the party went up to the first village of Mandans to dance, as it had been their request. We carried with us a fiddle, a tambourine, and a sounding horn. As we arrived at the entrance of the village, we fired one round, then the music played. We loaded again, then marched to the center of the village and fired again, then commenced dancing. A Frenchman danced on his head, and all danced round him for a short time, then went into a lodge and danced a while, which pleased them very much.
They then brought victuals from different lodges and of different kinds of diet. They also brought us a quantity of corn and some buffalo robes, which they made us a present of. So we danced in different lodges until late in the afternoon, then a part of the men returned to the fort. The remainder stayed all night in the village. Rained a little in the evening.
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