April 20, 1834
Storm out of the northwest; everything was covered with snow; cold. At nine o’clock, 35°F [1.7°C]. Three hunters went out [but] saw nothing. I stayed on the boat, and my breakfast consisted of coffee, two egg yolks, two small potatoes, and cornbread. Yesterday and other [previous] days I had eaten a pudding of corn flour. Unfortunately, I no longer had any greens to eat; my foot was stiff and felt unpleasant.
Because of the heavy storm and rain today, we stayed on the bank, [where] our people found little protection in the sparse forest. Dreidoppel went out until noon; he saw four game animals and shot a prairie hen. Four gray cranes (Grus canadensis) popped up in front of him in the tall grass of the forest. At one o’clock, 41°F [5°C]. Wind northwest hora 2. About four o’clock it stopped snowing. Dreidoppel went out again. We have been stopped completely for today. In the evening the wind abated. The night was clear, calm, and cold. During the night, [while] at the fire, we were alarmed by some game or a wolf; [we] believed Indians [were] close by. Chardon posted sentries.