Sharp frost in the forepart of the night rain afterwards,—foggy in the morning cloudy in the afternoon.—
Embarked at a little past 6 oclock and arrived at the Fort[202] at 11. The houses are all standing but without doors or windows & all the floors torn up by the Indians scouting for anything that might be under them. Some of the pieces were burned & marks of where a fire had been made in the dwelling house that had the wood been dry would have destroyed all the buildings.—Some of the doors could not be found & several empty kegs which had been left here were brok to pieces. The men were employed the afterpart of the day fixing doors to the store and laying the floors. The store was got temporarily closed and the goods stowed in it.
Two Indians who were here went off to the Pendant Oreille camp with whom a piece of Tobacco was sent to the three principal men.—And notice sent them that we would be ready to trade tomorrow or next day when they chose to come.—
Friday 25
Snow in the night & morning the most of which had thawed & disappeared on the low grounds towards evening.
The men employed arranging their axes and afterwards squaring planks for doors &—.
An Indian one of the Pendant Oreille chiefs arrived to enquire when we would be ready to trade, though word had been sent to them yesterday that we were ready when they chose to come. Gave him a little tobacco when he set off & a few balls and Powder to send some of his young men to get some fresh meat.
A young man also came with a present of 4 fresh buffalo tongues.
Saturday 26