Jany. 16th.

The weather still continues to be very cold. The wind is now very changeable, so we live in daily hopes of a thaw. This morning began with the usual thing at the Hospital, only I have breakfast now before going to the Hospital. After lunch, Welch and I went up the river with our guns in order to get some venison + for the pleasure of having a good walk – we had the walk, but got no venison – we saw nothing but a couple of hares, + they after being pretty well astonished escaped unharmed. There was a report current that a mail had arrived in Fort Whoop Up. Our hopes were high, but doomed to disappointment. Only one letter came for Col. McLeod. After dinner I had one or two games of cribbage and then the men came in to practice the Sunday Service. We sang the ‘Venite’, ‘O Be Joyful’, ‘Te Deum’ + two or three hymns – ‘Nearer my God to thee’, ‘Thy will be done’ + ‘Our blest Redeemer ‘ere he died’. The singing was not so good as it will be when the men become more accustomed to the singing and to each others voices.