strength, I contrived to collect a few heads, and with incredible
difficulty carried them singly about thirty paces to the fire.
Darkness stole on us apace, and I became extremely anxious
about Beauparlant; several guns were fired, to each of which he
answered. We then called out, and again heard his responses
though faintly, when I told St. Germain to go and look for him, as
I had not strength myself, being quite exhausted. He said, that he
had already placed a pine branch on the ice, and he could then
scarcely find his way back, but if he went now he should certainly
be lost. In this situation I could only hope that as Beauparlant
had my blanket, and every thing requisite to light a fire, he might
have encamped at a little distance from us.
October 17.—The night was cold and clear, but we could not
sleep at all, from the pains of haVing eaten. We suffered the most
excruciating torments, though I in particular did not eat a quarter
of what would have satisfied me; it might have been from using a
quantity of raw or frozen sinews of the legs of deer, which neither
of us could avoid doing, so\ great was our hunger. In the morning,
being much agitated for the safety of Beauparlant, I desifed St.
Germain to go in search of him, and to return with him as quick as
possible, when I would have jsomething prepared for them to eat.
It was, however, late when he arrived, with a small bundle which
Beauparlant was accustomed to carry, and with tears in his eyes,
told me that he found our.poor companion dead. Dead! I could
not believe him. “It is so, Sir,” said St Germain; after hallowing
and calling his name to no purpose, I went towards our last encampment,
about three quarters of a mile, and found him stretched upon
his back on a sand bank frozen to death, his limbs all extended and
swelled enormously, and as hard as the ice that was near him; his
bundle was behind him, as if it had rolled away when he fell, and
the blanket which he wore round his neck and shoulders thrown on
one side. Seeing there was no longer life in him, I threw your
covering over him, and placed his snow-shoes on the top of it.”
I had not even thought of so serious an occurrence in our little
party, and for a short time was obliged to give vent to my grief.
Left with one person, and both of us weak, no appearance of
Belanger, a likelihood that great calamity had taken place amongst
our other companions, still upwards of seventeen days’ march from
the nearest Establishment, and myself unable to carry a burden; all
these things pressed heavy on me; and how to get to the Indians or
to the Fort I did not know ; but that I might not depress St. Germain’s
spirits, I suppressed the feelings to which these thoughts
gave rise, and made some arrangements for the journey to Fort
Providence.
October 18._While we were this day occupied in scraping together
the remains of some deer’s meat, we observed Belanger coming
round a point, apparently scarcely moving. I went to meet him, and
made immediate inquiries about my friends. Five, with the Captain
he said, were at the house, the rest were left near the river,
unable to proceed; but he was too weak to relate the whole. He
was conducted to the encampment, and paid every attention to, and
by degrees we heard the remainder of his tragic tale, at which the
interpreter could not avoid crying. He then gave me a letter from
my friend the Commander, which indeed was truly afflicting. The
simple story of Belanger I could hear, but when I read it in another
language, mingled with the pious resignation of a good man, I could
not sustain it any longer. The poor man was much affected at the
death of our lamented companion, but his appetite prevailed over
every other feeling; and, had I permitted it, he would have done
himself an injury; for after two hours eating, principally skin and
sinews, he complained of hunger. The day was cloudy, with snow
and fresh breezes from the north-east by east.
The last evening, as well as this morning, the 19th, I mentioned