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 lamentably 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 Reindeer 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 Fort Providence as soon as
possible, and wrote to Mr. Back, desiring him to join me at Reindeer Lake
and detailing the occurrences 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 still 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 very 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.
Next day I received information which explained why he was so unwilling
to acquaint us with the situation of Mr. Back's party.
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