February 4, 1805
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

February 4, 1805

 

This morning fair tho' could    the thermometer stood at 18° below Naught, wind from N. W.    Capt Clark set out with a hunting party consisting of sixteen of our command and two frenchmen [1] who together with two others, have established a small hut and resided this winter within the vicinity of Fort Mandane under our protection.    visited by many of the natives today.    our stock of meat which we had procured in the Months of November & December is now nearly exhausted; a supply of this articles is at this moment peculiarly interesting as well for our immediate consumption, as that we may have time before the approach of the warm season to prepare the meat for our voyage in the spring of the year. Capt. Clark therefore deturmined to continue his rout down the river even as far as the River bullet unless he should find a plenty of game nearer—    The men transported their baggage on a couple of small wooden Slays drawn by themselves, and took with them 3 pack horses which we had agreed should be returned with a load of meat to fort mandane as soon as they could procure it.    no buffaloe have made their appearance in our neighbourhood for some weeks [NB: time (shorter)]; and I am informed that our Indian neighbours—suffer extreemly at this moment for the article of flesh.    Shields killed two deer this evening, both very lean—    one a large buck, he had shed his horns.

 

Monday 4th Feby. 1805.    clear and pleasant. Capt. Clark and 14 men of the party & 2 frenchman Set off this morning with 2 horses and 2 Sleds in order to Go a considerable distance down the River a hunting    Shields went out a Short time in this bottom and killed two Deer.—

 

Monday 4th.    A fine day. Captain Clarke and 18 more went down the river to hunt. We proceeded on 20 miles and could see no game. [2]

 

Monday February 4th    This day we had Clear weather but cold, Captain Clarke took eighteen Men of our party, [3] and set out to go down the River to hunt, they proceeded 20 Miles down the River but found no game

1. Gass and Joseph Field were among the hunters. The Frenchmen may have been the two met at the mouth of the Cannonball River (here called "River bullet") on October 18, 1804. (back)
2. Gass summarizes in his next entry the events of this hunting trip of February 4–12. The camp of this night was in the vicinity of Mandan Island, four or five miles below Washburn and a little above Sanger; it may have been on the island, in McLean County on the east side of the river, or in Oliver County on the west, all in North Dakota. (back)
3. It is not clear whether Whitehouse was with this party, since the fair copy, our only version of his journal here, never refers to him in the first person. He summarizes the events of Clark's trip in an entry or two as does Gass, who was with Clark. (back)