Fort Mandan, North Dakota — Patrick Gass: December 27, 1804
During a stretch of generally very cold weather, the expedition's hunters were active and brought in a small buffalo, three elk, four deer, two or three wolves, and a beautiful white hare, said to be plentiful. Three hunters who ventured far down the river killed only a wolf in two days and ate it, finding it tough but palatable. A local native man, overcome by cold while hunting, spent the night in the prairie under a buffalo robe before reaching the fort with badly frozen feet, which the officers treated.
generally very cold; but our hunters were frequently out.
One of them killed a beautiful white hare. These animals are
said to be plenty. We killed a small buffaloe, 3 elk, 4 deer
and two or three wolves. Three of the hunters going to a
distance down the river, killed nothing for two days, but a
wolf, which they were obliged to eat; and said they relished
it pretty well, but found it rather tough. A number of the
natives being out hunting in a very cold day, one of them
gave out on his return in the evening; and was left in the
plain or prairie covered with a buffaloe robe. After some
time he began to recover and removed to the woods, where
he broke a number of branches to lie on, and to keep his
body off the snow. In the morning he came to the fort, with
his feet badly frozen, and the officers undertook his cure.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The weather was generally very cold, but our hunters were frequently out. One of them killed a beautiful white hare. These animals are said to be plentiful. We killed a small buffalo, 3 elk, 4 deer, and two or three wolves. Three of the hunters, going some distance down the river, killed nothing for two days but a wolf, which they were obliged to eat. They said they relished it pretty well, but found it rather tough.
A number of the natives being out hunting on a very cold day, one of them gave out on his return in the evening and was left in the plain or prairie covered with a buffalo robe. After some time he began to recover and moved to the woods, where he broke a number of branches to lie on, to keep his body off the snow. In the morning he came to the fort with his feet badly frozen, and the officers undertook his treatment.
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