University of Virginia Library

Saterday 3d..

a party of hunters was Sent down the river with a peirogue
to Bring the meat whome [home] the[y] Remained 15 days,
and on the 18th.. Inst. the[y] had good Success the[y] killd. 34
deers, 10 Elks and 5 Buffelows, in all the[y] had Upwards of
20 hundred Wt. Nothing Else happnd.. Extraordinary Untill
the 30th.. Inst. a messenger from the mandans came to the fort to
Inform Our Officers that a hunting party of theirs was Robed
by the Sues & Rees Indians, on the 27th.. last, of Eight horses
and their meat that the[y] had killd., & Killd. One of their men
and wounded two Others.

the[y] Applyd. for Some Assistance from the fort which Captn.
Lewis & Clark Readly granted them. Twenty Men turnd
Out Volentary Under the Command of Captn.. Clark out of the
fort to goe to fight the Sues the Guard Seat us Across the
Missourie at Eleven Oclock at the fort the Captn. formd. his
men On the S. W. Side of the river Missourie and told them
off in Sections, from the right, and Sent out a Noncommissioned.
Officer and a file of men on Each flank to Reconitere
the woods at the distance of neerly One hundred Yds.. from the
head of Company. After a march of 6 miles we Arivd. at the
first Village of mandans, with our two Interprators One of
the mandans & one of the Grosvauinties, thinking to be Reignd.
forsd. [reinforced] by a party of Each Nation With a Detachment
from the Watesoons Nation like-ways, as they and [the]
Groce Vaunties are Nigh Neighbours to the Mandans Nation
but after we Arivd. At the Village the Cheifs of Both Nations
Concluded not to goe to fight as the weather was Cold and the
Snow Upwards of 18 Inches Deep on the Ground, before
Spring Nixt.

The Captn.. & the party halted two hours at the Village
he told the Cheifs and Warieres of the Mandans that he and
his men was on the Ground Ready to Assist them And the[y]
Should See that Him and his Men Could fight. After Some
little Conversation with the Savages, we took our leave of them
and Started for the fort we Crossd. the river between the first
& Second Village On the Ise And came whome to the fort
Arivd. at dark the Evening was cold. Each Drank Some Good
Spirits After which Revivd. Us Very Much And Retird. to Our
Rooms Each.