his way through a part of the country he had never been in before,
must be considered a remarkable proof of sagacity. The unusual
earliness of this winter became manifest to us from the state of
things at this spot. Last year at the same season, and still later,
there had been very little snow on the ground, and we were surrounded
by vast herds of rein-deer ; now there were but few recent
tracks of these animals, and the snow was upwards of two feet deep.
Winter Eiver was then open, now it was frozen two feet thick.
When I arose the following morning, my body and limbs were so
swollen that I was unable to walk more than a few yards. Adam
was in a still worse condition, being absolutely incapable of rising
without assistance. My other companions happily experienced this
inconvenience in a less degree, and went to collect bones, and some
tripe de roche, which supplied us with two meals. The bones were
quite acrid, and the soup extracted from them excoriated the mouth
if taken alone, but it was somewhat milder when boiled with tripe de
roche, and we .even thought the mixture palatable, with the addition
of salt, of which a cask had been fortunately left here in the spring.
Augustus to-day set two fishing lines below the rapid. On his way
thither he saw two deer, but had not strength to follow them.
On the 13th the wind blew violently from south-east, and the
snow drifted so much that the party were confined to the house.
In the afternoon of the following day Belanger arrived with a note
from Mr. Back, stating that he had seen no trace of the Indians,
and desiring further instructions as to the course he should pursue.
Belanger’s situation, however, required our first care, as he came in
almost speechless, and covered with ice, having fallen into a rapid,
and, for the third time since we left the coast, narrowly escaped
drowning. He did not recover sufficiently to answer our questions,
until we had rubbed him for some time, changed his dress, and given
him some warm soup. My companions nursed him with the
greatest kindness, and the desire of restoring him to health, seemed
to absorb all regard for their own situation. I witnessed with
peculiar pleasure this conduct so different from that which they had
recently pursued, when every tender feeling was suspended by the
desire of self-preservation. They now no longer betrayed impatience
or despondency, but were composed and cheerful, and had entirely
given up the practice of swearing, to which the Canadian voyagers
are so addicted. Our conversation naturally turned upon the prospect
of getting relief, and upon the means which were best adapted
for obtaining it. The absence of all traces of Indians on Winter
River convinced me that they were at this time on the way to Fort
Providence, and that by proceeding towards that post we should overtake
them, as they move slowly when they have their families with
them. This route also offered us the prospect of killing deer, in the
vicinity of Rein-deer Lake, in which neighbourhood, our men in their
journey to and fro last winter, had always found them abundant.
Upon these grounds I determined on taking the route to F ort Providence
as soon as possible, and wrote to Mr. Back, desiring him to join
me at Rein-Deer Lake, and detailing the occurences since we parted,
that our friends might receive relief, in case of any accident happening
to me.
Belanger did not recover sufficient strength to leave us before the
18th. His answers as to the exact part of Round-Rock Lake in
which he had left Mr. Back, were very unsatisfactory ; and we could
only collect that it was at a considerable distance, and that he was
stiR going on with the intention of halting at the place where
Akaitcho was encamped last summer, about thirty miles off. This
distance appeared so great, that I told Belanger it was vëry unsafe
for him to attempt it alone, and that he would be several days in
accomplishing it. He stated, however, that as the track was beaten,
he should experience little fatigue, and seemed so confident, that I
suffered him to depart with a supply of singed hide. N ext day