March 30, 1805
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

March 30, 1805

 

31h of March Monday 1805    Cloudy    Several gangus of Ducks and Gees pass up    not much ice floating. All the party in high Spirits, but fiew nights pass without a Dance    they are helth. except the—vn. [venereal]—which is common with the Indians and have been communicated to many of our party at this place—    those favores bieng easy acquired. all Tranquille

 

Cloudy Day    Seven Gangs of Gees and Ducks pass up the river—    but a Small portion of ice floating down to day—    but fiew Inds visit us to day    all the party in high Spirits    they pass but fiew nights without amuseing themselves danceing possessing perfect harmony and good understanding towards each other    Generally healthy except venerials complains which is verry Commion amongst the natives and the men Catch it from them [NB: Qu:] [2]

 

Observed Equal Altitudes of the ☉, with Sextant and artificial Horzn. of Water.

A. M. 8 42 46       P. M. 4 17 33
  " 44 27     " 19 15
  " 46 10     " 20 59

Altd. by Sextant at the time of observt.    49° 45' 00"

 

Saturday 30th March 1805.    clear and pleasant    The [river] raised 10 Inches last night.    the Ice runs thick in the R. to day. The Indian Goods all put out to air. The Big Barge corked & Got ready to descend the Missouri.

1. Biddle inserted this red-inked note to himself to consult Sergeant Ordway's journal, which he was using in preparing his History. Possibly this enabled him to detect the misdating of entries by Clark. Clark had no March 31 entry in either his Field Notes or Codex C, probably due to this same misdating, and Biddle's note may mean that he would have to consult Ordway for the events of that day, which the entry in his History shows that he did. Cutright (HLCJ), 136; Coues (HLC), 1:250. (back)
2. A red-inked note by Biddle to ask Clark for more information about venereal disease among the Mandans and Hidatsas. See Nicholas Biddle Notes [ca. April 1810], Jackson (LLC), 2:506, 521. (back)
3. Lewis's astronomical observation from Codex O. (back)