I received information which explained why , he was so unwilling
to acquaint us with the situation of Mr. Back’s party. He dreaded
that I should resolve upon joining it, when our numbers would be
so great as to consume at once every thing St. Germain might kill,
if by accident he should be successful in hunting. He even endeavoured
to entice away our other hunter, Adam, and proposed to
him to carry off the only kettle we had, and without which we
could not have subsisted two days. Adam’s inability to move, however,
precluded him from agreeing to the proposal, but he could
assign no reason for not acquainting me with it previous to
Belanger’s departure. I was at first, inclined to consider the whole
matter as a fiction of Adam’s, but he persisted in his story without
wavering; and Belanger, when we met again, confessed that every
part of it was true. It is painful to have to record a fact so derogatory
to human nature, but I have deemed it proper to mention it,
to show the difficulties we had to contend with, and the effect which
distress had in warping the feelings and understanding of the most
diligent and obedient of our party; for such Belanger had been
always esteemed up to this time.
In making arrangements for our departure, Adam disclosed to me,
for the first time, that he was affected with cedematous swellings in
some parts of the body, to such a degree as to preclude the slightest
attempt at marching; and upon my expressing my surprise at his
having hitherto concealed from me the extent of his malady, among
other explanations the details of the preceding story came out. It
now became necessary to abandon the original intention of proceeding
with the whole party towards Fort Providence, and Peltier
and Samandrh having volunteered to remain with Adam, I determined
on setting out with Benoit and Augustus, intending to send
them relief by the first party of Indians we should meet. My
clothes were so much torn, as to be quite inadequate to screen me
from the wind, and Peltier and Samandre fearing that I might suffer
on the journey in consequence, kindly exchanged with me part of
their dress, desiring me to send skins in return by the Indians.
Having patched up three pair of snow shoes, and singed a quantity
of skin for the journey, we started on the morning of the 20th.
Previous to my departure, I packed up the journals of the officers,
the charts, and some other documents, together with a letter addressed
to the Under Secretary of State, detailing the occurrences
of the Expedition up to this period, which package was given in
charge to Peltier and Samandrb, with directions that it. should be
brought away by the Indians who might come to them. I also
instructed them to send succour immediately on its arrival to our
companions in the rear, which they solemnly promised to do, and I
left a letter for my friends, Richardson and Hood, to be sent at the
same time. I thought it necessary to admonish Peltier, Samandre,
and Adam, to eat two meals every day, in order to keep up their
strength, which they promised me they would do. No language
that I can use could adequately describe the parting scene. I shall
only say there was far more calmness and resignation to the Divine
will evinced by every one than could have been expected. We
were all cheered by the hope that the Indians would be found by
the one party, and relief sent to the other; Those who remained
entreated us to make all the haste we could, and expressed their
hope of seeing the Indians in ten or twelve days.
At first starting we were so feeble as scarcely to be able to move
forwards, and the descent of the bank of the river through the deep
snow was a severe labour. When we came upon the ice, where the
snow was less deep, we got on better, but after walking six hours we
had only gained four miles, and were then compelled by fatigue
to encamp on the borders of Round-Rock Lake. Augustus tried
for fish here, but without success, so that our fare was skin and tea.
3 L 2