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Thursday 18^th December 1800[.] Foggy & raining or rather Smurring all day[.] [T]he Vent du Nord traded 4 Catts, & 1 Beaver Skin he tells me he has 20 Beaver Skins at his Lodge, which he means to go to Fort des Prairies if I dont' treat him well[.] I gave him a Pair of Coulours, & a 2 Gall. Keg of mix'd Rum with Severall other articles, for nothing, in hopes of being able to entice the whole of the Band that are along with him to come here. I Sent Dannis & the Blacksmith (young one) for the Meat to the Hunter's[.] our people & M^r Harrison arrived from Swan River with the Goods &c The Iroquois went not off today (did not go off) he being unwell, we can understand very little of what he Says, – but he Makes us Signes he & his 7 friends have 400 Plues[.]

Friday 19^th[.] A very mild, but Cloudy day[.] M^r Harmon & the people arrived with the Goods &c. from below, M^r M^cGillis, La Comble, Cadotte Foosier, & 2 of M^r M^cGillis' men arriv'd from Red D. River, Dannis & the Blacksmith came back with 2 Red Deer & they tell us there are eight more Kill'd by the Hunters[.] Young Le Fevre came up from Swan River[.]

Saturday 20^th[.] As Mild & Cloudy a Day as ever, indeed the weather's Keeping so very constantly Cloudy, is a thing not remembered by the oldest residenters in this Country, every day it looks as if it was going to Snow, but it clears off for about half an hour & gets overcast again[.] I Sent off the Fort des Prairies men for the P^es to Swan River[.] I Sent off N. Ducharm with 2 Men to go & find & Kill a few (Buffaloe) Bulls, I Sent B^te Roy, Dannis, Jack old Chauvin, old La Voyé & young Le Fevre for the meat at the Hunter[.]

Sunday 21^st[.] A very fine day[,] the people came home with the meat[,] the woods are cover'd with rhime, & the weather keeps constantly cloudy[.] M^r M^cGillis tells me he is very Sure he will want both H.Wines & Goods, particularly Cloth & Blankets, & God knows I am by no means in a Situation to furnish him much[.] I spoke to B^te Roy about going along with M^r M^cGillis for a Month & half to try what Service he can render, or if he can at all be of any use[.] I Sent Collin & Seven men off en Derouine to where the Vent du Nord came from, with the value of 3 large Kegs in Rum, & for 60 Skins in Goods &c.

Monday 22^d[.] Still Cloudy & Mild, but Rhimy; four Men arrived from the Posts of Fort Dauphin, who are Sent for H.Wines & Goods[.] I had a letter from M^r Ferguson who visited all the four Posts but I'm sorry to observe, they have by no means Kept to my derections to them, they have been trading with upwards of 40 of the Red River Indians, but indeed I can hardly blame them[.]

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