Lewis: February 12, 1805
On a fair but frigid morning at 14° below zero with a southeast wind, Lewis ordered the blacksmith to shoe horses and others to prepare three sleighs to haul meat from the hunting party. Men sent to retrieve meat left by Charbonneau returned at 4 PM, as did Drouillard with the fatigued horses, which refused meal bran and preferred cottonwood bark. Lewis observed local Indian horse-keeping practices and the animals' hardiness. After dark, Captain Clark arrived with the hunting party, having killed 40 deer, 3 buffalo bulls, and 16 elk, though much was too lean to use and wolves had taken a significant share.
12th February Tuesday 1805. The morning was fair tho could, thermometer at
14° below naught wind S. E. ordered the Blacksmith to shoe the horses and
some others to prepare some gears in order to send them down with three
slays to join the hunting party and transport the meat which they may have
pocured to this placethe the men whom I had sent for the meat left
by Charbono did not return untill 4 OClock this evening. Drewyer arrived
with the horses about the same time, the horses appeared much fatieged I
directed some meal brands given them moisened with a little water but to
my astonishment found that they would not eat it but prefered the bark of
the cotton wood which forms the principall article of food usually given
them by their Indian masters in the winter season; for this purpose they
cause the trees to be felled by their women and the horses feed on the
boughs and bark of their tender branches. the Indians in our neighbourhood
are freequently pilfered of their horses by the Recares, Souixs and
Assinniboins and therefore make it an invariable rule to put their horses
in their lodges at night. in this situation the only food of the horse
consists of a few sticks of the cottonwood from the size of a man’s finger
to that of his arm. The Indians are invariably severe riders, and
frequently have occasion for many days together through the whole course
of the day to employ their horses in pursuing the Buffaloe or transporting
meat to their vilages during which time they are seldom suffered to tast
food; at night the Horse returned to his stall where his food is what
seems to me a scanty allowance of wood. under these circumstances it would
seem that their horses could not long exist or at least could not retain
their flesh and strength, but the contrary is the fact, this valuable
anamall under all those disadvantages is seldom seen meager or unfit for
service.A little after dark this evening Capt. Clark arrived with
the hunting partysince they set out they have killed forty Deer,
three buffaloe bulls, & sixteen Elk, most of them were so meager that
they were unfit for uce, particularly the Buffaloes and male Elkthe
wolves also which are here extreemly numerous heped themselves to a
considerable proportion of the huntif an anamal is killed and lyes
only one night exposed to the wolves it is almost invariably devoured by
them.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
12th February, Tuesday, 1805. The morning was fair though cold, thermometer at 14° below zero, wind S.E. I ordered the blacksmith to shoe the horses and some others to prepare some gear in order to send them down with three sleighs to join the hunting party and transport the meat which they may have procured to this place. The men whom I had sent for the meat left by Charbono (Charbonneau) did not return until 4 o'clock this evening. Drewyer (Drouillard) arrived with the horses about the same time. The horses appeared much fatigued. I directed some meal bran be given to them moistened with a little water, but to my astonishment found that they would not eat it, but preferred the bark of the cottonwood, which forms the principal article of food usually given them by their Indian masters in the winter season. For this purpose they have the trees felled by their women, and the horses feed on the boughs and bark of their tender branches. The Indians in our neighborhood are frequently pilfered of their horses by the Recares (Arikaras), Sioux, and Assiniboines, and therefore make it an invariable rule to put their horses in their lodges at night. In this situation the only food of the horse consists of a few sticks of the cottonwood, from the size of a man's finger to that of his arm.
The Indians are invariably severe riders, and frequently have occasion for many days together, through the whole course of the day, to employ their horses in pursuing the buffalo or transporting meat to their villages, during which time they are seldom allowed to taste food. At night the horse returns to his stall, where his food is what seems to me a scanty allowance of wood. Under these circumstances it would seem that their horses could not long exist, or at least could not retain their flesh and strength, but the contrary is the fact. This valuable animal, under all those disadvantages, is seldom seen meager or unfit for service.
A little after dark this evening Capt. Clark arrived with the hunting party. Since they set out they have killed forty deer, three buffalo bulls, and sixteen elk. Most of them were so meager that they were unfit for use, particularly the buffaloes and male elk. The wolves also, which are here extremely numerous, helped themselves to a considerable proportion of the hunt. If an animal is killed and lies only one night exposed to the wolves, it is almost invariably devoured by them.
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