Without the assistance of the
Indians, bereft of every resource, we felt ourselves reduced to the most
miserable state, which was rendered still worse from the recollection
that our friends in the rear were as miserable as ourselves. For the
moment however hunger prevailed and each began to gnaw the scraps of
putrid and frozen meat that were lying about without waiting to prepare
them. A fire however was made and the neck and bones of a deer found in
the house were boiled and devoured.
I determined to remain a day here to repose; then to go in search of the
Indians and, in the event of missing them, to proceed to the first
trading establishment which was distant about one hundred and thirty
miles, and from thence to send succour to my companions. This indeed I
should have done immediately as the most certain manner of executing my
purpose, had there been any probability of the river and lakes being
frozen to the southward, or had we possessed sufficient strength to have
clambered over the rocks and mountains which impeded the direct way, but
as we were aware of our inability to do so I listened to St. Germain's
proposal, which was to follow the deer into the woods (so long as they
did not lead us out of our route to the Indians) and if possible to
collect sufficient food to carry us to Fort Providence. We now set about
making mittens and snowshoes whilst Belanger searched under the snow and
collected a mass of old bones which, when burned and used with a little
salt, we found palatable enough and made a tolerable meal. At night St.
Germain returned, having seen plenty of tracks but no animals; the day
was cloudy with fresh breezes and the river was frozen at the borders.
On the 11th we prepared for our journey, having first collected a few old
skins of deer to serve us as food, and written a note to be left for our
commander to apprise him of our intentions. We pursued the course of the
river to the lower lake when St. Germain fell in, which obliged us to
encamp directly to prevent his being frozen; indeed we were all glad to
rest for, in our meagre and reduced state, it was impossible to resist
the weather which at any other time would have been thought fine; my toes
were frozen and, although wrapped up in a blanket, I could not keep my
hands warm.
The 12th was exceedingly cold with fresh breezes. Our meal at night
consisted of scraps of old deer-skins and swamp tea and the men
complained greatly of their increasing debility. The following morning I
sent St. Germain to hunt, intending to go some distance down the lake,
but the weather becoming exceedingly thick with snow-storms we were
prevented from moving.
