Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
a cold day Some Snow, Several Indians visit us with thier axes to get them mended, I imploy my Self drawing a Connection of the Countrey from what information I have recved— [1] a Buffalow Dance (or Medison) [NB: medecine] for 3 nights passed in the 1st Village, a curious Custom the old men arrange themselves in a circle & after Smoke a pipe, which is handed them by a young man, Dress up for the purpose, the young men who have their wives back of the circle 〈Com〉 go to one of the old men with a whining tone and [NB?: request] the old man to take his wife (who presents necked except a robe) and—(or Sleep with him) the Girl then takes the Old man (who verry often can Scercely walk) and leades him to a Convenient place for the business, after which they return to the lodge, if the Old man (or a white man) returns to the lodge without gratifying the man & his wife, he offers her again and again; it is often the Case that after the 2d time 〈he〉 without Kissing the Husband throws a nice robe over the old man & and begs him not to dispise him, & his wife
(we Sent a man to this Medisan 〈Dance〉 last night, they gave him 4 Girls)
all this is to cause the buffalow to Come near So that They may kill thim [2]
Saturday 5th Jany. 1805. high blustry winds all last night & verry cold three of our hunters Stayed out all night. a cold morning. one of the hunters Set a trap last night & caught a large Grey woolf.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.