JOURNAL. 
63 
Saturday \st December^ 1804. The day was plea- 
sent, and we began to cut and carry pickets to com- 
plete our fort. One of the traders from the North 
West Company came to the fort, and related that 
the Indians had been troublesome in his way through. 
An Indian came down from the first Mandan village, 
and told us that a great number of the Chien or Do^ 
nation had arrived near the village. 
Sunday 2nd. The day was pleasant, and the sno\r 
melted fast. A party of the Chien Indians with some 
of the Mandans came to the fort : they appeared ci- 
vil and good natured. 
The 3rd 4th and 5th were moderate and we carri- 
ed on the work ; but the 6th was so cold aind' stormy, 
we could do nothing. In the night the river froze 
over, and in the morning was covered with solid icq 
an inch and an half thick. 
J'nday 7ih. A clear cold morning. At 9 o'clock, 
the Big-white head chief, of the first village of th« 
Mandans, came tp our garrison and told us that the 
buffaloe were in the prairie coming into the bottom. 
Captain Lewis and eleven more of us went out im- 
mediately, and saw the prairie covered with buflTaloe 
and t^e Indians on horseback killing them. Thejr 
killed 30 or 40 and we killed eleven of them. They 
shoot them with bows and arrows, and have their 
horses so trained that they will advance very near 
and suddenly wheel and fly off in case the wounded 
buffaloe attempt an attack. 
Saturday ^th. In our .hunt of yesterday, twoineii 
had their feet frost-bitten, Captain Clarke and ano- 
ther party went out though the cold was extreme^^ 
fouri, may be sufficient to include 1610 miles of it, the dis- 
tance from the mouth to the villages. In the map of North 
America included in the Atlas accompanying- Pinkerton'g 
Geography, published in 1804, this part of the Missouri ap- 
pears pretty accurately laid down ; but in the map of Loui- 
siana in the same set it is equally erroneous with any other. 
