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Wednessday 31^st December 1800[.] A real cold day but clear & Calm[.]

Thursday 1^st January 1801[.] Still Colder than yesterday[.] Hoole & La Couture arrived from Swan River, & Le Mire with them, the later brought me a keg H.Wines, the two former brought but two pieces the 3^d they left at M^r Perigne's[.] I gave all the people in the Fort a dram which took, three qts. Rum, (reduced) to effect, after that I gave them fourteen Quarts among them, there were, people from Fort des Prairies, Red River, Swan River, Free Men, & Iroquois in all 38 Men including my own men[.] I likewise gave them ½ Foot Tobacco each man, they danced & sang all day & night, but had no quarrels, one of y^e G.P. kegs of H.W. contained only 20 Qts.

Friday 2^d[.] Cold, & blowy, nobody went off Today[.] Early this morning one of the old women, who are in a Small Lodge at the Fort gate was found frozen to Death[.] Somebody had given her a little Liquor & it's supposed She laid down to Sleep, but the very intense cold Siezed her & carried her to her long home, the people put her body on a Scaffold as the ground is so hard frozen as not to admit of digging a hole to put her in[.] Several of the Men wanted to buy rum, but I refused them all[.] 2 fills of the Cheffress (her sons) came to the Fort late they are come from the Beaver Mountain where there are Some of my debtors; – they only brought a Bear Skin & 4 wolves with 1 Beaver Skin, & 20 Pieces of dry'd meat.

Saturday 3^d[.] Not so cold as yesterday[.] Amelin & George (R-River men) went off for Swan River; I Sent off 2 Men to remain at the Hunters, & three for meat[.] [T]his morning Etiene Ducharm's youngest Boy was found dead, he had no previous Sickness apparently. It is much milder than in the morning, towards Sun Sett.

Sunday 4^th[.] A very fine mild day[.] I Sent off the Fort des Prairies men, & with them Cadotte & Vallé to bring back to the winter Express[.] I Sent to Fort des Prairies 1 Roll Spencers Twist Tobacco[,] a Bale Carrot Tob^co & a Keg of Salt for M^r Duncan M^cGillivary[.] [T]he two Red River Men Hoole & La Couture went off, likewise the Two Ducharms who I have Sent out to hunt for the Fort as the Buffaloe are not above a Days march off, I sent two men along with them to haul the meat to their lodge as fast as they Kill[.] I Sent Collin with 2 Men along with the Fills de la Chefferess to try & get our Debts from Petit Bled & Petit Sonana I only sent half a Keg Mixed Liquor by him, & three foot Tobacco. The 2 Iroquois went off this morning[.] I Sold them 1 Dress'd Skin, (2 Ignaces)[.] La Voye & La Freniere went off to Hunt the Buffaloe, in Short 28 Grown people went off different ways, exclusive of Indians[.] The three Men that went for meat returned with 2 Cows that the Hunters Kill'd, who Say that the Buffaloe are very numerous not a great distance off[.]

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