His Feet Being Frozen, We Put Them Into Cold Water,
And Gave Him Every Attention In Our Power.
About the same time
an Indian who had also been missing returned to the fort.
Although his dress was
Very thin, and he had slept on the snow
without a fire, he had not suffered the slightest inconvenience.
We have indeed observed that these Indians support the rigors
of the season in a way which we had hitherto thought impossible.
A more pleasing reflection occurred at seeing the warm interest
which the situation of these two persons had excited in the village.
The boy had been a prisoner, and adopted from charity; yet the distress
of the father proved that he felt for him the tenderest affection.
The man was a person of no distinction, yet the whole village
was full of anxiety for his safety; and, when they came to us,
borrowed a sleigh to bring them home with ease if they
had survived, or to carry their bodies if they had perished.
. . . . . . . . .
January 13. Nearly one half of the Mandan nation passed down the river
to hunt for several days. In these excursions, men, women, and children,
with their dogs, all leave the village together, and, after discovering a spot
convenient for the game, fix their tents; all the family bear their part in
the labor, and the game is equally divided among the families of the tribe.
When a single hunter returns from the chase with more than is necessary
for his own immediate consumption, the neighbors are entitled by custom
to a share of it: they do not, however, ask for it, but send a squaw, who,
without saying anything, sits down by the door of the lodge till the master
understands the hint, and gives her gratuitously a part for her family."
By the end of January, 1805, the weather had so far moderated that the
explorers thought they might cut their boats from the ice in the river
and prepare to resume their voyage; but the ice being three feet thick,
they made no progress and were obliged to give up the attempt.
Their stock of meat was low, although they had had good success when the cold
was not too severe to prevent them from hunting deer, elk, and buffalo.
The Mandans, who were careless in providing food for future supplies,
also suffered for want of meat, sometimes going for days without flesh food.
Captain Clark and eighteen men went down the river in search of game.
The hunters, after being out nine days, returned and reported
that they had killed forty deer, three buffalo, and sixteen elk.
But much of the game was lean and poor, and the wolves, who devour
everything left out at night, had stolen a quantity of the flesh.
Four men, with sleds, were sent out to bring into camp the meat,
which had been secured against wolves by being stored in pens.
These men were attacked by Sioux, about one hundred in number,
who robbed them of their game and two of their three horses.
Captain Lewis, with twenty-four men, accompanied by some of the Mandans,
set out in pursuit of the marauders.
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