Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: March 31, 1805

cept five of us who were engaged at the boat, went
to hunt ; at night they came in and had killed Sever
ral buffaloe and some cabres or antelopes. oa =
e Saturday 6th, As many of the hands as contd find ag
room to work were engaged at the boat; and four
went down the river to hunt buffaloe, in oMder to get”
their skins to” over our craft. This was a beautiful _
: and please day.» ? a
oe ‘The morning was fine. The hunters m.
ak hat ‘remained out all night. In the evening some
! few drops of rain fell ; and the hunters came in ;
_ “© -but’had not had) good ick; the buffaloe being most-
} oly out in the plains. At night we got our boat fin-
ert ished, all but greasing ; and she was laid outtodry. .
peice Monday Sih. Again we had a fine morning, and 4
a a number of the party went out to hunt. In the ©
evening they all came j in, and had killed but, three. 9
_buffaloe, a deer and a cabre; and caught a ‘small 4
animal almost like 4 cat, of a light colour. Yester-
“day: “onélof the men caught a small squirrel, like a
ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more —
– spotted. We finished the boat this evening, having
covered her ‘with tallow and coal-dust. Ww ecalled ©
her the’ Eo petncns and gepest she will answer our –
“purpose, na
© Puesday 9th, nN fine morning, nid heavy dew. I
‘the forenoon we loaded our canoes, and put the Ex-_ es
~,.. periment into the water., She rides very light i A
-. leaks some. In the afternoon a storm. of wind, ae 4
somerain came on from the north west, and we had”
sagae to aoa» some pot our canoes, they waves. ran so
After the storm we uci fine evening. oy he
and coal were found not to answer the pur- |
for as ‘soon as. ‘dry, it cracked and scaled off, >
water came through the skins. Therefore
t of tar or pitch we had, after all our labour,
to haul our new A Saale on anor Ss and leave it at this
bes sg! rote a