Fort Mandan, preparing for departure — Patrick Gass: March 31, 1805
The party worked on completing an experimental boat while hunters went out for buffalo and antelope, hoping to use the hides to cover the craft. Weather was mostly fine, though a northwest windstorm with rain disrupted the canoes on the river. The boat was finished and coated with tallow and coal-dust, christened the Experiment, and launched—it floated lightly but leaked. Lacking tar or pitch, the tallow-and-coal coating cracked and peeled, letting water through the skins. After all their labor, the crew had to haul the Experiment ashore and abandon it.
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
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
except five of us who were working on the boat, went out to hunt. At night they came in, having killed several buffalo and some cabres, or antelopes.
Saturday 6th. As many of the hands as could find room to work were engaged on the boat; and four went down the river to hunt buffalo, in order to get their skins to cover our craft. This was a beautiful and pleasant day.
The morning was fine. The hunters that remained out all night. In the evening a few drops of rain fell; and the hunters came in, but had not had good luck, the buffalo being mostly out on the plains. At night we got our boat finished, all but greasing; and she was laid out to dry.
Monday 8th. Again we had a fine morning, and a number of the party went out to hunt. In the evening they all came in, and had killed but three buffalo, a deer, and a cabre; and caught a small animal almost like a cat, of a light color. Yesterday one of the men caught a small squirrel, like a ground squirrel, but of a more dun color, and more spotted. We finished the boat this evening, having covered her with tallow and coal-dust. We called her the Experiment, and expect she will answer our purpose.
Tuesday 9th. A fine morning, and a heavy dew. In the forenoon we loaded our canoes, and put the Experiment into the water. She rides very light but leaks some. In the afternoon a storm of wind, and some rain came on from the northwest, and we had trouble to save some of our canoes, the waves ran so high. After the storm we had a fine evening.
The tallow and coal were found not to answer the purpose, for as soon as it dried, it cracked and scaled off, and the water came through the skins. Therefore, for want of tar or pitch we had, after all our labor, to haul our new boat on shore and leave it at this place.
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