October 17, 1833
In the morning, very strong hoarfrost, cold; however, nice, bright sky [and] early bright sunshine. At seven thirty, 27°F [−2.8°C]. The Cree chief and medicine man came with Deschamps, and Bodmer wanted to draw him [the Cree]. He had very sick-looking eyes and did not sit still for a moment, so that the work was very difficult. He is a famous medicine man and shaman in his nation. If men want to know something in advance, [the medicine men] use trickery. They appear without any ornaments and dress only [in] the breechcloth. A small lodge is built with poles and covered by a tent blanket. [The medicine man] has himself bound; his hands are tied and he is bound tightly to a pole. Then the lodge begins to shake; one hears the cries of buffalo, bears, and other noise. They maintain, and sincerely believe, that the devil has come down. Then [the medicine man] is found, still tied in the same position, and he makes prophecies. Once he was with the Mandans and predicted that a rider on a white horse would arrive the next day and be killed. This happened. A Cheyenne Indian came on a white horse, was taken prisoner, and was killed. Mr. Kipp is supposed to have witnessed that event; he can verify it. The medicine symbol [that le Sonnant] wore on his head was the scalp of a bear. He did not sit still at all; the light blinded his sick eyes. The drawing was not completed. His wishes and demands to the Fur Company [were not granted].
At twelve o’clock, 41 1/2°F [5.3°C]. Nice sunshine, but cold, raw wind at the same time. Mr. Hamilton had gone on an excursion with his gun; however, he did not shoot anything but Falco sparverius. Because we had little good buffalo meat, for lunch we ate mostly wild geese and ducks, [which were] fat and tasty. In the afternoon they claimed to have seen Indians on the hills near the fort. One came down on horseback, and it turned out that he was a half-breed from the fort known by the name Petit Français. Dreidoppel had gone hunting; [he] saw wolves, foxes, and prairie hens but did not shoot anything. In the evening, raw wind.