11th December Tuesday 1804 a verry Cold morning Wind from the north The Thermomettr at (4 oClock A M at 21°) Sunrise at 21° See list. below 0 which is 53° below the freesing point and getting colder, the Sun Shows and reflects two imigies, the ice floating in the atmespear being So thick that the appearance is like a fog Despurceing
Sent out three horses for meat & with Derections for all the hunters to return to the fort as Soon as possible at 1 oClock the horses returned loaded at night all the hunters returned, Several a little frosted, The Black Cat Chief of the Mandans paid us a Visit to day continue Cold all day river at a Stand
[Clark, December 12, 1804]
12th December Wednesday 1804 a Clear Cold morning wind from the north the Thormometer at Sun rise Stood at 38° below 0, moderated untill 6 oClock at which time it began to get Colder. I line my Gloves and have a cap made of the Skin of the Louservia (Lynx) (or wild Cat of the North) the fur near 3 inches long a Indian Of the Shoe nation Came with the half of a Cabra ko ka or Antilope which he killed near the Fort, Great numbers of those animnals are near our fort but the weather is So Cold that we do not think it prudent to turn out to hunt in Such Cold weather, or at least untill our Consts. are prepared to under go this Climate. I measure the river from bank to bank on the ice and make it 500 yards
[Clark, December 13, 1804]
13th December Thursday 1804 The last night was verry Clear & the frost which fell Covered the ice old Snow & thos parts which was naked 1/6 of an inch, The Thermotr. Stands this morning at 20° below 0, a fine day. find it imposible to make an Observation with an artifical Horsison Joseph Fields kill a Cow and Calf to day one mile from the fort river falls