afterwards embarked himself in a very dextrous manner. It was
impossible, however, to embark Belanger, as the canoe would have
been hurried down the rapid, the moment he should have raised
his foot from the rock on which he stood. We were, therefore,
compelled to leave him in his perilous situation. We had not gone
twenty yards before the canoe, striking on a sunken rock, went
down. The place being shallow, we were again enabled to empty
it, and the third attempt brought us to the shore. In the mean
time Belanger was suffering extremely, immersed to his middle in
the centre of a rapid, the temperature of which was very little above
the freezing point, and the upper part of his body covered with
wet clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above zero, to a
strong breeze. He called piteously for relief, and St. Germain on
his return endeavoured to embark him, but in vain. The canoe
was hurried down the rapid, and when he landed he was rendered
by the cold incapable of further exertion, and Adam attempted to
embark Belanger, but found it impossible. An attempt was next
made to carry out to him a line, made of the slings of the men’s
loads. This also failed, the current acting so strongly upon it, as
to prevent the canoe from steering, and it was finally broken and
carried down the stream. At length, when Belanger’s strength
seemed almost exhausted, the canoe reached him with a small cord
belonging to one of the nets, and he was dragged perfectly senseless
through the rapid. By the direction of Dr. Richardson, he was
instantly stripped, and being rolled up in blankets, two men undressed
themselves and went to bed with him: but it was some
hours before he recovered his warmth and sensations. As soon as
Belanger was placed in his bed, the officers sent over my blankets,
and a person to make a fire. Augustus brought the canoe over,
and in returning he was obliged to descend both the rapids, before
he could get across the stream; which hazardous service he performed
with the greatest coolness and judgment. It is impossible
to descrihe my sensations as I witnessed the various unsuccessful
attempts to relieve Belanger. The distance prevented my seeing
distinctly what was going on, and I continued pacing up and down
upon the rock on which I landed, regardless of the coldness of my
drenched and stiffening garments. The canoe, in every attempt to
reach him, was hurried down the rapid, and was lost to view amongst
the rocky islets, with a rapidity that seemed to threaten certain
destruction; once, indeed, I fancied that I saw it overwhelmed in
the waves. Such an event would have been fatal to the whole
party. Separated as I was from my companions, without gun,
ammunition, hatchet, or the means of making a fire, and in wet
clothes, my doom would have been speedily sealed. My companions
too, driven to the necessity of coasting the lake, must have sunk
under the fatigue of rounding its innumerable arms and bays, which,
as we have learned from the Indians, are very extensive. By the
goodness of Providence, however, we were spared at that time, and
some of us have been permitted to offer up our thanksgivings, m a
civilized land, for the signal deliverances we then and afterwards
experienced.
By this accident I had the misfortune to lose my port-folio, containing
my journal from Fort Enterprise, together with all the astronomical
and meteorological observations made during the descent of the
Copper-Mine River, and along the sea-coast, (except those for the dip
and variation.) I was in the habit of carrying it strapped across my
shoulders, but had taken it off on entering the canoe, to reduce the
upper weight. The results of most of the observations for latitude
and longitude, had been registered in the sketch books, so that we
preserved the requisites for the construction of the chart. The
meteorological observations, not having been copied were lost. My
companions, Dr. Richardson, Mr. Back, and Mr. Hood, had been so
careful in noting every occurrence in their journals, that the loss of
mine could fortunately be well supplied. These friends immediately 3 G 2