4th. February, Monday
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 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 determined to continue his rout down
the river even as far
as the River bullet
[18]
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 (
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.
