ind was from
the north and the thermometer at sunrise stood at twenty-one below 0,
the ice in the atmosphere being so thick as to render the weather hazy
and give the appearance of two suns reflecting each other. The river
continues at a stand. Pocapsahe made us a visit to-day.

Wednesday, December 12. The wind is still from the north, the
thermometer being at sunrise thirty-eight degrees below 0. One of the
Ahnahaways brought us down the half of an antelope killed near the fort;
we had been informed that all these animals return to the Black
mountains, but there are great numbers of them about us at this season
which we might easily kill, but are unwilling to venture out before our
constitutions are hardened gradually to the climate. We measured the
river on the ice, and find it five hundred yards wide immediately
opposite the fort.

Thursday 13. Last night was clear and a very heavy frost covered the old
snow, the thermometer at sun rise being twenty degrees below 0, and
followed by a fine day. The river falls.

Friday 14. The morning was fine, and the weather having moderated so
far, that the mercury stood at 0, captain Lewis went down with a party
to hunt; they proceeded about eighteen miles, but the buffaloe having
left the banks of the river they saw only two, which were so poor as not
to be worth killing, and shot two deer. Notwithstanding the snow we were
visited by a large number of the Mandans.

Saturday 15. Captain Lewis finding no game returned to the fort hunting
on both sides of the river, but with no success. The wind being from the
north, the mercury at sunrise eight degrees below 0, and the snow of
last night an inch and a half in depth. The Indian chiefs continue to
visit us to-day with presents of meat.

Sunday 16. The morning is clear and cold, the mercury at sunrise 22
degrees below 0. A Mr. Haney with two other persons from the British
establishment on the Assiniboin, arrived in six days with a letter from
Mr. Charles Chabouilles, one of the company, who with much politeness
offered to render us any service in his power.

Monday 17. The weather to-day was colder than any we had yet
experienced, the thermometer at sunrise being 45 degrees below 0, and
about eight o'clock it fell to 74 degrees below the freezing point.
From Mr. Haney, who is a very sensible intelligent man, we obtained much
geographical information with regard to the country between the Missouri
and Mississippi, and the variou