Day-by-Day / December 29, 1804

December 29, 1804

The blacksmiths' trade

At Fort Mandan below the Knife River Villages, Clark notices that they are becoming acclimated to the cold. Several villagers bring broken kettles and axes to be repaired by the expedition blacksmiths. They pay with corn, beans, squash, and other foods.

Blacksmith Alexander Willard

by Yellowstone Public Radio[1]Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © … Continue reading

The Blacksmith’s Trade

a Great nomber of the natives men women & children visited us the whole day as we Got the Blacksmiths Shop fixed they Brought their Squaw axes & kittle to fix and mend for which they Gave us corn & beans Squasshes &C—
John Ordway

Acclimation

the Murcurey Stood this morning at 9 d below 0 which is not considered Cold, as the Changes take place gradually without long intermitions
William Clark

Moonlighting

one man who went out hunting to day killd a woolf & kept it for the tradors who Give as much for a woolf Skin as a Beever Skin.
—John Ordway

 

Weather Diary

Ther. at sun symbol rise Weather Wind at sun symbol rise Thert. at 4 P.M. Weather Wind at 4 P.M. River
9 below fair N. 3 fair N rise 1 in.

Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.

Notes

Notes
1 Originally aired weekdays by Yellowstone Public Radio during the Bicentennial observance of 2003-2006. Narrated by Hal Hansen. Scripts by Whit Hansen and Ed Jacobson. Produced by Leni Holliman. © 2003 by Yellowstone Public Radio.
2 To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.

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Discover More

  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.