18 November: Early in the morning, calm, moderately cold weather. Sky above bright, on the horizon gray and hazy. At seven thirty, 15°F ⟨[−9.4°C]⟩. Wind east hora 10 north; at nine o’clock it blew stronger. The sun rose, without rays ⟨[but]⟩ magnificently red in the haze on the horizon. Charbonneau left us before breakfast. The hunters did not ride out today. Mr. Kipp went with his gun and a man carrying goods to Ruhptare to carry out trade there. The wind lessened toward noon. Several Indians came inside with beaver furs, but Mr. Kipp was not here.

I wrote letters to Germany. They whitewashed our room today. At twelve o’clock, 33°F ⟨[0.6°C]⟩, south wind. In the afternoon Mató-Tópe came but did not stay long; several other Indians also ⟨[came]⟩. The cold wind continued blowing. I stayed at home and wrote letters to Germany. Mr. Kipp came back late. He had gone a long way but shot nothing.

Old Bijou came today, a man in the service of the Fur Company who lives with the Hidatsas. Down the Missouri there are hills named after him: Bijou Hills (see the second part of the Tagebuch). He traveled far into the interior on the lower Missouri, ⟨[and he]⟩ liked to tell many stories—all miraculous tales about remark- able things he had seen, i.e., things that appeared strange to him, because he was a man without any education. He was formerly a trader on his own. In the evening Mr. Kipp continued ⟨[to give me]⟩ Mandan words.