December 31, 1833
Sky clear, weather rather calm, cold. Old man Garrot, who had left Mr. Sublette’s company, was in the fort. We found out today that Brazeau, however, had entered the service of this company. Jonquá has been here in the fort for three days but did not come to see me, even though he had made the promise long ago. His horses were stolen by the Sioux, together with those of the Hidatsas; therefore, he can no longer hunt far away. At ten o’clock the sun was shining very brightly and blindingly. The wind had turned west hora 7 north.
I agreed with Papin on the price of animals to be delivered here: for an old male bighorn, six eight dollars; for a cabri, if it is intact, six dollars, for the skin, five dollars; for a black-tailed deer intact, six dollars, for the skin, five dollars; for a complete bearskin, six dollars. He promised to deliver these animals here, if possible, during the months of January and February. Dreidoppel went hunting. An Indian brought the news that buffalo were across the river, not far away. This is important news for the hungry Indians, who will soon pursue these animals in droves.
At twelve o’clock, 0°F [−17.8°C], wind very cold out of southwest hora 5 south. The frozen snow crunched and whistled loudly when we walked. We saw no animals; even the wolves and crows ravens were not to be seen today. The river steamed and ice floated in the channel. Today, hardly any Indians at all came into the fort. Dreidoppel came back at twelve thirty. He had seen a wolf and a schähä́ckä. We could not track [any animal], because the wind[-blown snow] had covered everything. He went after snow buntings, but they have become too shy because of the Indians. For lunch we had nothing but corn bread, corn cooked in water, and bean soup. The soup was yesterday’s, warmed up. Charbonneau came again for lunch. He had been in the upper Mandan village the whole time.
The remainder of [the village] inhabitants all went buffalo hunting today. Their comrades, who had left recently, before the snowstorm, had to endure that severe weather on the prairie. Three of their people had almost frozen to death. [Rescuers] had wrapped them in robes and brought them back to life, [but] only with great effort near the fire. The buffalo were about fifteen miles away; they had shot many. Today the rest of the Indians went, saying they would bring back much meat. The water froze in our room despite an intense fire in our fireplace. In the evening Charbonneau gave me a lot of [information] about Indians and stayed with us a long time. The night was calm, cold, and, before the moon rose, dark.