April 24, 1834
In the morning, clear; very cold (all [our] wet objects were frozen solid). Departure at six o’clock. Soon we saw an elk in the forest, which was pursued in vain. [At] Seven thirty, 39°F [3.9°C]. Wind northwest. The sun was shining, but it was extremely cold at the same time. At nine o’clock we went ashore and lit a fire to warm up. One hour later we continued on. Wind [from the] northwest between hora 8 and 9. At eleven o’clock, on the right bank, we saw a herd of eighteen to twenty antelope, another [group] of four, and four game animals that seemed to look for shelter in the bushes. We could not go ashore and had to travel half an hour farther. Wild geese appeared in numbers. On a sandbank [there were] a few Recurvirostra americana that looked for food in the mud. Finally the hunters disembarked and attempted to approach the antelopes. Dreidoppel shot at 400 paces, [but] we got nothing. One animal was wounded on one of its front legs. [Dreidoppel] found a large village of prairie dogs and shot one of these animals. He saw many prairie hens. The weather was pleasant at noon. At twelve o’clock, 50°F [10°C], light wind. Bright sun in the afternoon but still cold at the same time. Dreidoppel saw some blackbirds. But the doves and small songbirds apparently had not arrived yet. We saw only solitary pigeons. The area was bare, naked, and monotonous; now and then the bushes [were] a little green. The evening [was] nice and clear but cold. We put in on the right side on a steep bank opposite the mouth of the Little Cheyenne River.