Day-by-Day / March 28, 1805

March 28, 1805

Making oars and poles

At Fort Mandan amongst the Knife River Villages in present North Dakota, the soldiers make oars and poles for the boats. The local villagers pull dead bison out of the river’s flowing ice, and Lewis observes equal altitudes of the sun.

Ice Jams

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

New Oars and Poles

the party employed fixing their perogues oars and poles, So that we may be ready to Set out as Soon as the Ice is done running.—
John Ordway

Tainted Buffalo

but few Indians visit us to day they are watching to catch the floating Buffalow which brake through the ice in Crossing, those people are fond of those animals ta[i]nted and Catch great numbers every Spring
William Clark

Celestial Observations

Observed Equal altitudes of the sun symbol with Sextant & water articl. Horizon.
Meriwether Lewis

 

Weather Diary

State of Ther. at sun symbol rise Weather wind at sun symbol rise State of Thermt. at 4 OClock Weather at 4 Ock Wind at 4 OClock State of the River
40[above 0] fair S. E 64 [above 0] fair S W rise 1 in.

it [river] raised 13 inch and fell 12. wind hard, ice abates in quantity
—Meriwether Lewis[2]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the “Day of Month 1805” column 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 “Day of Month 1805” column 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.