1 January: In the morning, clear, cold, [with a] moderately strong but cold wind from [Page 3:135] the northwest. At seven thirty, −8°F [−22.2°C]. Some of the Mandans from the upper village had their wives come onto the prairie. In the vicinity of a lake surrounded by forest, they shot 40 bison cows and hunted for two or three more days. At twelve o’clock noon, −11 1/2°F [−24.2°C]. The wind was the same, but far stronger and more unpleasant than in the morning. Three of our woodcutters had frozen their faces: two, their noses; and one, his nose and cheeks. About evening it turned very cold. The river steamed. The horizon was cloudy and hazy. We saw neither humans nor animals. Belhumeur locked me out of the fort by accident, and I had to call and knock for a long time before they heard me. I was half frozen. In our miserable room, everything that was not immediately in front of the fireplace froze. We were burned in front (our clothing, literally) and frozen behind.