Volume 1

cow CAUGHT—ECLIPSE—ORGIES CONTINUED. 273
toms I observed I concluded death was drawing near, and
so hinted to him his
;
behavior was truly penitent. At ten
o'clock his senses left him
; he lay in a torpor until 2 p.
m., when he expired without a groan. 2d. We buried the
corpse. 6th. Chased buffalo on horseback with William
Henry ; killed two cows. 8tJi. Assiniboines arrived to
trade, with great ceremonies, flags flying and guns firing.
i^th. A terrible snowstorm ; buffalo passing northward in
as great numbers as ever I saw them, and within 100 yards
of the fort. i8th. The Crees stole four horses.
At daybreak I was awakened by the firing of guns in the
fort. I ran to the window, and pulling the curtains aside,
perceived my people dispatching a cow at the foot of my
gallery.
Some of the women, on going out very early, had
neglected to shut the gate when they returned ; and
this
cow, in coming from the plains, had fallen upon our meat
road, and followed it until she entered the gate, when the
dogs instantly flew at her and prevented her escape.
Dec. 1st. My men go daily for buffalo meat to the hunter's
tent, three miles distant, with 15 to 20 horse travailles,
and return with 30 cows
; in this manner our winter stock
is being rapidly completed. i8th. My library caught fire,
but it was soon extinguished, with the loss only of a few
pamphlets and newspapers.
Jan. ph, 1806. We observed an eclipse of the moon at
half-past four p. m., which continued until nine o'clock.
My cooper began to
make quarter-casks for salt beef, and
my wheelwright to make wheels, ^th. Old Wabasha
died of cancer in the neck. We take from 40 to 50 fish
daily.
Feb. gth. Men and women have been drinking a match
for three days and nights, during which it
fight—drink, fight—drink, and fight
knives their weapons—very disagreeable.
has been drink,
again — guns, axes, and
Feb. ijth. Cautoquoince arrived from above, and informed
us that the Americans had landed a party of
soldiers at Leech lake, but he does not know the