5 February: In the morning, bright, a few light clouds. Wind very slight from the south hora 4 west. At seven thirty, 40°F [4.4°C]. It froze a little during the night. Everywhere the snow has diminished greatly; horses graze on the prairie again. The wagons went out to get hay. At twelve o’ clock, 49°F [9.4°C]. Wind north hora 11 west but not strong. The weather was still fairly pleasant; at the same time, sunshine [was] meager. The creek behind the fort flowed rapidly, [although] ice was still visible in some places. Today we saw small spiders already on the prairie. After lunch, [for which] Mató-Tópe joined us, I went with Dreidoppel on the prairie toward the upper section of the creek; even [there] it was flowing rapidly. It was almost hot, and we could sweat. Many Indians occasionally walked to the fort and their villages. Dreidoppel went to the prairie hills later but did not see anything.

At dusk Belhumeur returned with his people and horses without [even] half an ounce of meat. He had not come across any buffalo at all. Now we have neither meat nor fat, also no more candles. One of the two deaf-mutes, who had pursued the Assiniboines with the Hidatsas, has been walking around the fort since yesterday with his face blackened, showing pride in the heroic feats of others. The evening was calm, rather warm, and dark. At nine o’ clock in the evening, the thermometer indicated 25°F [−3.9°C]. The night calm, dark, a little frost.