ld suffer him to go to war against
the Sioux and Ricaras who had killed a Mandan some time ago: this we
refused for reasons which we explained to him. He acknowledged that we
were right, and promised to open his ears to our counsels.

Saturday 2. The day is fine: another deer was killed. Mr. Laroche who
has been very anxious to go with us left the fort to-day, and one of the
squaws of the Minnetaree interpreter is taken ill.

Sunday 3. The weather is again pleasant: disappointed in all our efforts
to get the boats free, we occupied ourselves in making iron spikes so as
to prize them up by means of long poles.

Monday 4. The morning fair and cold, the mercury at sunrise being 18
degrees below 0, and the wind from the northwest. The stock of meat
which we had procured in November and December being now nearly
exhausted, it became necessary to renew our supply; captain Clarke
therefore took eighteen men, and with two sleighs and three horses
descended the river for the purpose of hunting, as the buffaloe has
disappeared from our neighbourhood, and the Indians are themselves
suffering for want of meat. Two deer were killed to-day but they were
very lean.

Tuesday 5. A pleasant fair morning with the wind from northwest: a
number of the Indians come with corn for the blacksmith, who being now
provided with coal has become one of our greatest resources for
procuring grain. They seem particularly attached to a battle axe, of a
very inconvenient figure: it is made wholly of iron, the blade extremely
thin, and from seven to nine inches long; it is sharp at the point and
five or six inches on each side, whence they converge towards the eye,
which is circular and about an inch in diameter, the blade itself being
not more than an inch wide, the handle is straight, and twelve or
fifteen inches long; the whole weighing about a pound. By way of
ornament, the blade is perforated with several circular holes. The
length of the blade compared with the shortness of the handle render it
a weapon of very little strength, particularly as it is always used on
horseback: there is still however another form which is even worse, the
same sort of handle being fixed to a blade resembling an espontoon.

Wednesday, February 6. The morning was fair and pleasant, the wind N.W.
A number of Indian chiefs visited us and withdrew after we had smoked
with them contrary to their custom, for after being once introduced into
our apartment they are fond of