Fort Mandan, North Dakota — John Ordway: November 29, 1804
On a cold, clear, frosty morning with about 12 inches of snow on the ground, the Missouri River dropped about two feet overnight, leaving the expedition's boat sitting dry on the shore. The men unloaded the mast and all contents from the boat and left it in place, judging it safe. Two or three hunters went out, and one killed an old elk with very large antlers, but the animal was too lean to be worth retrieving the meat.
about 12 Inches on a level, a cold frosty clear morning. 2 or 3
men out hunting, the River fell ab* 2 feet last night So that
our Boat lay dry on Shore, we took out the mast & every thing
1 It was made of “9 strans of Elk skin.” Clark, November 24.
2 “to see the Indians in the different Towns & camps in this neighbourhood.”
Clark.
3 Rivet was one of the Frenchmen who had been picked up by the expedi-
tion at the mouth of Cannon Ball River, October 18. He spent the winter
at Fort Mandan, returning as far as the Arikara villages with the party sent
back to St. Louis when winter quarters were broken up, in April, 1805.
168 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS [Nov. 30
which was in hir & let hir lay as She appeared to be Safe, one
of the hunters killed an old Elk bro4 in the horns which were
verry large, but it being poor we did not go for the meat.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
About 12 inches on a level; a cold, frosty, clear morning. Two or three men out hunting. The river fell about 2 feet last night, so that our boat lay dry on shore. We took out the mast and everything which was in her and let her lay, as she appeared to be safe. One of the hunters killed an old elk, brought in the horns, which were very large, but it being poor, we did not go for the meat.
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