October 27, 1833
In the morning, very cold, raw wind. Slightly overcast. The Indian war party left us this morning. Mr. Chardon told the partisan that if he moved against the Hidatsas, and his people came across Mr. McKenzie, it was possible that [the war party] would steal [company] horses. It would therefore be better if he gave up his plan, which he was immediately willing to do. At noon the cold, penetrating, icy wind was very strong.
The forests on the banks of the Missouri were completely bare of leaves and stood entirely winterlike. The wind was driving the sand high up from the sandbars; the air was filled with it. No living being could be seen on the prairie except for the fort’s horses and individual dogs roaming around because of their hunger. Only a few Indian [tipis] were near the fort. At twelve thirty, 33 3/4°F [1°C].
In the afternoon Moncravie [and] a troop of men returned from a visit to Fort William. They were oddly dressed, some adorned with red, round hats and tufts of colorful feathers. Moncravie wore a yellow [escutcheon?] on his hat, a light blue overcoat, and a colorful apron. Deschamps’ sons (half-breeds—bad, coarse people) came riding with him. All of them were more or less drunk, including Moncravie and the Cree, le Tonnere Harangueur. They had hardly returned when heavy driving snow started, accompanied by strong raw wind: [the kind of] afternoon in winter when one should snuggle up to the fireplace.
At six o’clock, during dinner, we found out that Moncravie’s wife had abandoned her husband and left with Deschamps’ son. The deserted husband slept off the effects of drink, and when he was informed about the event, he armed himself. [At] about seven o’clock at night, [he] rode to Fort William.
This evening I [promised] Mr. Hamilton the twenty-word language samples [?] from all the Indian nations I had encountered on the Missouri. He received [only] sixteen of them, because I still lack several [languages?]. The night was still and clear; hard frost.