lounging about during the remainder of
the day. One of the men killed three antelopes. Our blacksmith has his
time completely occupied, so great is the demand for utensils of
different kinds. The Indians are particularly fond of sheet iron, out of
which they form points for arrows and instruments for scraping hides,
and when the blacksmith cut up an old cambouse of that metal, we
obtained for every piece of four inches square seven or eight gallons of
corn from the Indians, who were delighted at the exchange.

Thursday 7. The morning was fair and much warmer than for some days, the
thermometer being at 18 degrees above 0, and the wind from the S.E. A
number of Indians continue to visit us; but learning that the
interpreter's squaws had been accustomed to unbar the gate during the
night, we ordered a lock put on it, and that no Indian should remain in
the fort all night, nor any person admitted during the hours when the
gate is closed, that is from sunset to sunrise.

Friday 8. A fair pleasant morning, with S.E. winds. Pocopsahe came down
to the fort with a bow, and apologized for his not having finished a
shield which he had promised captain Lewis, and which the weather had
prevented him from completing. This chief possesses more firmness,
intelligence, and integrity, than any Indian of this country, and he
might be rendered highly serviceable in our attempts to civilize the
nation. He mentioned that the Mandans are very much in want of meat, and
that he himself had not tasted any for several days. To this distress
they are often reduced by their own improvidence, or by their unhappy
situation. Their principal article of food is buffaloe-meat, their corn,
beans, and other grain being reserved for summer, or as a last resource
against what they constantly dread, an attack from the Sioux, who drive
off the game and confine them to their villages. The same fear too
prevents their going out to hunt in small parties to relieve their
occasional wants, so that the buffaloe is generally obtained in large
quantities and wasted by carelessness.

Saturday 9. The morning was fair and pleasant, the wind from the S.E.
Mr. M'Kenzie from the N.W. company establishment visited us.

Sunday 10. A slight snow fell in the course of the night, the morning
was cloudy, and the northwest wind blew so high that although the
thermometer was 18 degrees above 0, the day was cooler than yesterday,
when it was only 10 degrees above the same point.