three feet thick, so that we
were obliged to desist.

Wednesday 23. The cold weather returned, the mercury having sunk 2
degrees below 0, and the snow fell four inches deep.

Thursday 24. The day was colder than any we have had lately, the
thermometer being at 12 degrees below 0. The hunters whom we sent out
returned unsuccessful, and the rest were occupied in cutting wood to
make charcoal.

Friday 25. The thermometer was at 25 degrees below 0, the Wind from N.W.
and the day fair, so that the men were employed in preparing coal, and
cutting the boats out of the ice. A band of Assiniboins headed by their
chief, called by the French, Son of the Little Calf, have arrived at the
villages.

Saturday 26. A fine warm day: a number of Indians dine with us: and one
of our men is attacked with a violent pleurisy.

Sunday 27. Another warm and pleasant day: we again attempted to get the
boat out of the ice. The man who has the pleurisy was blooded and
sweated, and we were forced to take off the toes of the young Indian who
was frostbitten some time since. Our interpreter returned from the
villages, bringing with him three of Mr. Laroche's horses which he had
sent in order to keep them out of the way of the Assiniboins, who are
very much disposed to steal, and who have just returned to their camp.

Monday 28. The weather to-day is clear and cold: we are obliged to
abandon the plan of cutting the boat through the ice, and therefore made
another attempt the next day,

Tuesday 29, by heating a quantity of stones so as to warm the water in
the boat, and thaw the surrounding ice: but in this too we were
disappointed, as all the stones on being put into the fire cracked into
pieces: the weather warm and pleasant: the man with the pleurisy is
recovering.

Wednesday 30. The morning was fair, but afterwards became cloudy. Mr.
Laroche the trader from the northwest company paid us a visit, in hopes
of being able to accompany us on our journey westward, but this proposal
we thought it best to decline.

Thursday 31. It snowed last night, and the morning is cold and
disagreeable, with a high wind from the northwest: we sent five hunters
down the river. Another man is taken with the pleurisy.

Friday, February 1. A cold windy day: our hunters returned having killed
only one deer. One of the Minnetaree war chiefs, a young man named
Maubuksheahokeah or Seeing Snake, came to see us and procure a war
hatchet: he also requested that we wou