Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: February 15, 1805
On a cold morning, the party traveled twelve miles before spotting fresh smoke rising from old campsites where meat had been previously cached during Captain Clark's earlier trip. Approaching cautiously, they found the Native people had already departed, having destroyed the cached meat and burned the huts before fleeing onto the plains. The accompanying Indians and one man with slightly frozen feet turned back home. The group hunted on the 17th and 18th, gathering substantial meat. On the 19th they heavily loaded their sleds, with fifteen men hauling one and a horse the other, reaching the fort exhausted the following day.
cold morning. Having proceeded twelve miles we discovered
fresh smoke arising at some old camps, where we had hid some
meat before when Captain Clarke was down; and therefore
advanced with caution. Having arrived at the place we found
the savages were gone; had destroyed our meat, burnt the huts
and fled into the plains. This morning the Indians, who had
come down with us and one of our men whose feet had been
a little frozen, returned home. We hunted the 17th and 18th
and got a good deal of meat which we brought to a place
where some more had been secured. The 19th we loaded
our sleds very heavy, and fifteen men drew one and the horse
the other, which was a small one. On the next day we arrived
at the fort much fatigued.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Cold morning. After traveling twelve miles, we noticed fresh smoke rising from some old campsites where we had hidden some meat earlier, when Captain Clarke (Captain Clark) had been down here; so we advanced cautiously. When we reached the place, we found that the natives were gone; they had destroyed our meat, burned the huts, and fled into the plains. This morning the Indians who had come down with us, along with one of our men whose feet had been slightly frozen, returned home. We hunted on the 17th and 18th and got a good deal of meat, which we brought to a place where more had already been stored. On the 19th we loaded our sleds very heavily, with fifteen men pulling one sled and the horse pulling the other, which was a small one. The next day we arrived back at the fort, much fatigued.
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