Four men, with sleds, were sent out to bring into camp the meat, which had been secured against wolves by being stored in pens.

These men were attacked by Sioux, about one hundred in number, who robbed them of their game and two of their three horses.

Captain Lewis, with twenty-four men, accompanied by some of the Mandans, set out in pursuit of the marauders.
They were unsuccessful, however, but, having found a part of their game untouched, they brought it back, and this, with other game killed after their chase of the Sioux, gave them three thousand pounds of meat; they had killed thirty-six deer, fourteen elk, and one wolf.
By the latter part of February, the party were able to get their boats from the ice.

These were dragged ashore, and the work of making them ready for their next voyage was begun.

As the ice in the river began to break up, the Mandans had great sport chasing across the floating cakes of ice the buffalo who were tempted over by the appearance of green, growing grass on the other side.