106 
JOURNAL- 
biisily^ engaged at the boat, and others In dressing 
skins for clothing, until about 4 o'clock in the af- 
ternoon, when we drank the last of our sj>irits in ce- 
lebrating the day, and amused ourselves with dan* 
cing' till 9 o'clock at night, when a shower of rain fell 
and we retired to rest. 
Friday 5th, A fine morning. AH the men, e^;- 
cept five of us who were engaged at the boat, went 
to hunt ; at night they came in and had killed seve- 
ral buffaloe and some cabres or antelopes. 
Saturday 6th, As many of the hands as couid find 
room to work were engaged at the boat ; and four 
went down the river to hunt buffaloe, in order to get 
their skins to cover our craft. This was a beautiful 
and pleasant day. 
S^mda'j 7th, The morning was fine. The hunters 
had remained oat all night. In the evening some 
few drops of rain fell ; and th© hunters came in ; 
but had not had good luck, the buffaloe being most- 
ly out in the plains. At night we got our boat fin- 
ished, all but greasing ; and she was laid out to dry. 
Monday Sth. Again we had a fine morning, and 
a number of the party went out to hunt. In the 
evening they all came in, and had killed but three 
buffaloe, a deer and a cabre ; and caught a small 
animal almost like a cat, of a light colour. Yester- 
day one of the men caught a small squirrel, like a 
ground squirrel, but of a more dun colour, and more 
spotted. We finished the boat this evening, having 
covered her with tallow and coal-dust. W e called 
her ihe Experiment, ancl expect she will answer our 
pur Dose. 
Tuesday 9th, A fine m.orning, and heavy dew. In 
the forenoon we loaded our canoes, and put the Ex- 
periment into the water. She rides very light but 
leaks some. In the afternoon a ^torm of wind, with 
some rain came on from the north west, and we had 
& gain to unload some of our canoes, the waves ran su 
