Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: November 13, 1804
With the boat stuck in river ice, the men unloaded its cargo into the unfinished storehouse to keep it from being swept away, then continued construction work. Captain Lewis took six men by pirogue upriver through the ice to the first Mandan village to gather stones for chimney backs. Some Sioux arrived with a Mandan chief and asked for whiskey but were refused. Lewis's party returned by evening exhausted, having been stranded on a sandbar for about two hours in icy water; clothes froze on them and one man's foot was frostbitten.
fast in the river, we unloaded the boat for fear the Ice would
take it off. we put the loading in the Store house, all though
it was not finished, but we continued the work Cap* Lewis & 6
men went in the pearogue up the River through the Ice to the first
village of the Mandens after Stone for the backs of our Chim-
neys. Some of the Souix Indians came here with a chief of the
Mandens. they asked for whiskey &.C. but we Gave them none.
Cap* Lewis retorned with his party towards evening much
fatigued, they got fast on a Sand bar & had to be out in the water
ab* 2 hours, the Ice running against their legs, their close frooze
on them, one of them got 1 of his feet frost bit. it hapned that
they had Some whiskey with them to revive their Spirits.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Stuck fast in the river, we unloaded the boat for fear the ice would take it off. We put the loading in the storehouse, although it was not finished, but we continued the work. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and 6 men went in the pirogue up the river through the ice to the first village of the Mandans after stone for the backs of our chimneys. Some of the Sioux Indians came here with a chief of the Mandans. They asked for whiskey, etc., but we gave them none.
Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) returned with his party towards evening much fatigued. They got stuck on a sandbar and had to be out in the water about 2 hours, the ice running against their legs, their clothes froze on them, and one of them got one of his feet frostbitten. It happened that they had some whiskey with them to revive their spirits.
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