Journals of the
Lewis & Clark Expedition

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April 3, 1805
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April 3, 1805

[Clark]

 

3rd of April    we Shall pack up to day and Set out tomorrow. [1]

[Clark]

April the 3rd Thursday 1805
 

a white frost this morning, Some ice on the edge of the water, a fine day    Pack up and prepare to load

observed equal allitudes of the ☉ with Sextant and artificial horizen

  H m  s     h m s
A M 7 51 15       P M 5 1 22
  " 52 52.5     5 3   3
  " 54 30     " 5 41

altitude producd from this observation is    36° 31" 15"

Chronometer too fast 32 minets

observed Time and Distance of ☉s & ☽s nearest limbs withe Sextant and Chromometer—    Sun west

  Time   Distance
  H    M     S    
P M 5    15    50   43°   27'   15"
   "    18    24    "      30      0
   "    20      5    "      30    30
   "    31    29    "      34      0
   "    36    47    "      36    30
   "    39      7    "      37    15
   "    40    55    "      37    30

Mrs. La Roche & McKinsey Clerk to the N W. Compy. visit us. Mr. McKinzey wishes to get pay for his horse lost in our Service this winter and one of 〈Horse〉 which 〈was〉 [ML: our men were] robed 〈of our men〉 this winter by the Tetons, we Shall pay this man for his horse.    we are all day ingaged packing up Sundery articles to be Sent to the President of the U. S. [2]

   Box No. 1, contains the following articles i e'
  •    In package No. 3 & 4 Male & Female antelope, with their Skelitons.
  •           "      No. 7 & 9 the horns of two mule or Black tailed deer.    a Mandan bow an quiver of arrows—with some Ricara's tobacco seed [3]
  •           "      No. 11 a Martin Skin, [4] Containing the tail of a Mule Deer, a 〈white〉 weasel and three Squirels from the Rockey mountains.
  •           "      No. 12. The bones & Skeleton of a Small burrowing wolf of the Praries the Skin being lost by accident.
  •           "      No. 99 The Skeliton of the white and Grey hare.
  •    Box No. 2, contains 4 Buffalow Robes, and a ear of Mandan Corn.
  •    The large Trunk Contains a male & female Brarow [ML: or burrowing dog of the Prarie] and female's Skeliton.
  •    a Carrote of Ricaras Tobacco
  •    a red fox Skin Containing a Magpie.
  •    No. 14 Minitarras Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian dress.
  •    No. 15 a Mandan robe containing two burrowing Squirels, a white weasel and the Skin of a Loucirvea.    also
  •    13 red fox Skins.
  •    1 white Hare Skin &.
  •    4 horns of the mountain ram
  •    1 Robe representing a battle between the Sioux & Ricaras, [ML: against the] Minetarras and Mandans. [5]
   In Box No. 3.
  •    nos. 1 & 2 The Skins of the Male & female Antelope with their Skelitons.    & the Skin of a yellow Bear which I obtained from the Scious
   No. 4. Box Specimens of plants numbered from 1 to 67. [6]
  •    Specimens of Plants numbered frome 1 to 60.
  •    1 Earthen pot Such as the Mandans Manufacture and use for culinary purposes. [7]
   Box No 4 Continued
  •    1 Tin box, containing insects mice [8] &c.
  •    a Specimine of the fur of the antelope.
  •    a Specimon of a plant, and a parcel of its roots highly prized by the natives as an efficatious remidy in Cases of the bite of the rattle Snake or Mad Dog. [9]
   In a large Trunk
  •    Skins of a Male and female Braro, or burrowing Dog of the Prarie, with the Skeliton of the female.
  •    1 Skin of the red fox Containing a Magpie.
  •    2 Cased Skins of the white hare.
  •    1 Minitarra Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian Dress
  •    1 Mandan Buffalow robe Containing a dressed Lousirva Skin, and 2 Cased Skins of the Burrowing Squirel of the Praries.
  •    13 red fox Skins
  •    4 Horns of the Mountain Ram or big horn.
  •    1 Buffalow robe painted by a mandan man representing a battle fought 8 years Since by the Sioux & Ricaras against the mandans, menitarras & Ah wah har ways (Mandans &c. on horseback[)]
   Cage No. 6.
  •    Contains a liveing burrowing Squirel of the praries
   Cage No. 7.
  •    Contains 4 liveing magpies
   Cage No. 9.
  •    Containing a liveing hen of the Prarie [10]
  •    a large par of Elks horns containing by the frontal bone— [11]

[Ordway]

 

Wednesday 3rd April 1805.    clear and pleasant. The articles which was to be Sent back to the States in the Big Barge was packed and boxed up ready to go on board.

1. This is the last daily entry in the Field Notes (document 64). Since they intended to leave on April 4, Clark undoubtedly sealed up the Field Notes sheets to be sent back with the return party. Delays not mentioned in the journals kept them at Fort Mandan until April 7. During that time Clark did not add to the Field Notes but did add entries in Codex C through the seventh. (back)
2. A similar list of goods is found in an enclosure with Lewis to Jefferson, April 7, 1805, Jackson (LLC), 1:234–36. Someone, perhaps Biddle, has drawn red lines through the list. (back)
3. The tobacco seed is discussed in the botany section of Fort Mandan Miscellany. This line appears to be in Lewis's hand. (back)
4. Not a bird but the marten, a mammal of the weasel family. It is an inhabitant of evergreen forests, and some Mandan or Hidatsa had probably obtained the skin in trade. The journals do not indicate that the captains saw any live specimens on the expedition. Jones et al., 274–77; Burroughs, 73–74. (back)
5. On the possible fate of the buffalo hide, see Jackson (LLC), 1:241 n. 29, 2:734 n. 1. (back)
6. Lewis is probably confused here and means the mineralogical specimens that were sent back from Fort Mandan which are not noted as being packed anywhere else in this list. Cf. Jackson (LLC), 1:235. A further possible error is that the receiving list (the Donation Book at the American Philosophical Society, see Appendix C) numbers sixty-eight items. Hurried preparations for leaving in the final days at Fort Mandan could easily account for the errors. See Fort Mandan Miscellany for the list. Cutright (LCPN), 357 n. 21. (back)
7. Fragments of Mandan pottery said to be from the expedition are discussed in Wedel (PV). (back)
8. Perhaps the northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda. If so, the species is another expedition discovery. Cutright (LCPN), 439; Jones et al., 53–56. (back)
9. Purple coneflower. (back)
10. Of the live animals shipped, only the prairie dog and one of the magpies reached Jefferson alive. Cutright (LCPN), 375–78. (back)
11. This list is crossed out in Codex C. (back)
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