Sunday 20.  The day fair and cold.  A number of Indians visit us with corn to exchange for articles, and to pay for repairs to their household utensils.

Monday 21.  The weather was fine and moderate.  The hunters all returned, having killed during their absence three elk, four deer, two porcupines, a fox and a hare.

Tuesday 22.  The cold having moderated and the day pleasant, we attempted to cut the boats out of the ice, but at the distance of eight inches came to water, under which the ice became three feet thick, so that we were obliged to desist.

Wednesday 23.  The cold weather returned, the mercury having sunk 2 degrees below 0, and the snow fell four inches deep.

Thursday 24.  The day was colder than any we have had lately, the thermometer being at 12 degrees below 0.  The hunters whom we sent out returned unsuccessful, and the rest were occupied in cutting wood to make charcoal.

Friday 25.  The thermometer was at 25 degrees below 0, the Wind from N.W. and the day fair, so that the men were employed in preparing coal, and cutting the boats out of the ice.  A band of Assiniboins headed by their chief, called by the French, Son of the Little Calf, have arrived at the villages.

Saturday 26.  A fine warm day:  a number of Indians dine with us:  and one of our men is attacked with a violent pleurisy.

Sunday 27.  Another warm and pleasant day:  we again attempted to get the boat out of the ice.  The man who has the pleurisy was blooded and sweated, and we were forced to take off the toes of the young Indian who was frostbitten some time since.  Our interpreter returned from the villages, bringing with him three of Mr. Laroche’s horses which he had sent in order to keep them out of the way of the Assiniboins, who are very much disposed to steal, and who have just returned to their camp.

Monday 28.  The weather to-day is clear and cold:  we are obliged to abandon the plan of cutting the boat through the ice, and therefore made another attempt the next day,

Tuesday 29, by heating a quantity of stones so as to warm the water in the boat, and thaw the surrounding ice:  but in this too we were disappointed, as all the stones on being put into the fire cracked into pieces:  the weather warm and pleasant:  the man with the pleurisy is recovering.

Wednesday 30.  The morning was fair, but afterwards became cloudy.  Mr. Laroche the trader from the northwest company paid us a visit, in hopes of being able to accompany us on our journey westward, but this proposal we thought it best to decline.

Thursday 31.  It snowed last night, and the morning is cold and disagreeable, with a high wind from the northwest:  we sent five hunters down the river.  Another man is taken with the pleurisy.

Friday, February 1.  A cold windy day:  our hunters returned having killed only one deer.  One of the Minnetaree war chiefs, a young man named Maubuksheahokeah or Seeing Snake, came to see us and procure a war hatchet:  he also requested that we would suffer him to go to war against the Sioux and Ricaras who had killed a Mandan some time ago:  this we refused for reasons which we explained to him.  He acknowledged that we were right, and promised to open his ears to our counsels.