Fort Mandan (winter) — Patrick Gass: January 14, 1805

fine morning. As we were settinge.out a black dog
-eame to us, and went along, supposed to have belong-
ed toa band of the Assinibcins, who had been en-
| ~ eamped near this place a few days ago. We passed .
_. a hill resembling a large haystack, all but about 10
_ feet of the top which was as white as chalk. The
hills in general are much higher here than lower –
-down the river ; but the bottoms much the same. In
– the afternoon we passed a creek, called after our inter-
* preter, Sharbons creek. He had been, before, this far
he Missouri, and no white man any further, that.
“we could discover. We made 16 miles and encamp- * fi
ed ina handsome bottom on the North side. cs
| 2 Monday 15th. We hada pleasant day and a fair .
. wind ; set forward early as usual, and went on very
well. Passed a large creek on the North side, called 2
Goat-pen creek. We saw a number of buflaloe and. =~
two bears on the bank of the river. After gong ae
Pe
re
miles we encamped on the South side.