Fort Mandan (winter) — Joseph Whitehouse: January 9, 1805
On a bitterly cold and stormy day, two inexperienced hunters left the fort. One returned around 8 p.m. with a frostbitten foot, while the other stayed out overnight but came back unharmed before a search party set out. Meanwhile, a group of Natives hunting on the prairie left behind one of their party who had given out, fearing him dead. He survived by moving to the woods and breaking branches to lie on, though his feet were badly frozen. He was brought to the fort, where Captain Lewis treated him. Additional hunters went out that evening and stayed out overnight.
2 unexperienced hunters went out to day, the day proved to
be very cold & Stormey, one of them returned to the fort
about 8 oClock in the evening with one of his feet frost bit. the
other Stayed out all night, in they morning Some men were
going for them expecting they were froze, but they came in
before they started well & hearty. Some of the Natives went
in the prarie a hunting, in the evening as they were returning
one of them gave out. they left him behind. Some of his
friends or his father went after him expecting to find him a
Corps, but after they left him he came too So that he changed
his position to the woods, & broke branches to lye on, so his
life was Spared, but his feet was froze verry bad. they got
him to our fort. Cap^ Lewis doctered him. Some hunters
went out the Same evening & Stayed out all night.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Two inexperienced hunters went out today. The day proved to be very cold and stormy. One of them returned to the fort about 8 o'clock in the evening with one of his feet frostbitten. The other stayed out all night. In the morning some men were going to look for them, expecting they were frozen, but they came in before the others started, well and hearty.
Some of the Natives went into the prairie hunting. In the evening, as they were returning, one of them gave out. They left him behind. Some of his friends, or his father, went after him expecting to find him a corpse, but after they left him he came to, so that he changed his position to the woods and broke branches to lie on, so his life was spared, but his feet were frozen very bad. They got him to our fort. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) doctored him. Some hunters went out the same evening and stayed out all night.
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