We set out before day, though in fact we were all much fitter to remain
from the excessive pain
Which we suffered in our joints, and proceeded
till one P.M. without halting, when Belanger who was before stopped and
cried out "Footsteps of Indians." It is needless to mention the joy that
brightened the countenances of each at this unlooked-for sight; we knew
relief must be at hand and considered our sufferings at an end. St.
Germain inspected the tracks and said that three persons had passed the
day before, and that he knew the remainder must be advancing to the
southward as was customary with these Indians when they sent to the
trading establishment on the first ice. On this information we encamped
and, being too weak to walk myself, I sent St. Germain to follow the
tracks, with instructions to the chief of the Indians to provide
immediate assistance for such of our friends as might be at Fort
Enterprise, as well as for ourselves, and to lose no time in returning to
me. I was now so exhausted that, had we not seen the tracks this day, I
must have remained at the next encampment until the men could have sent
aid from Fort Providence. We had finished our small portion of sinews and
were preparing for rest when an Indian boy made his appearance with meat.
St. Germain had arrived before sunset at the tents of Akaitcho whom he
found at the spot where he had wintered last year, but imagine my
surprise when he gave me a note from the Commander and said that Benoit
and Augustus, two of the men, had just joined them. The note was so
confused by the pencil marks being partly rubbed out that I could not
decipher it clearly, but it informed me that he had attempted to come
with the two men but, finding his strength inadequate to the task, he
relinquished his design and returned to Fort Enterprise to await relief
with the others. There was another note for the gentleman in charge of
Fort Providence desiring him to send meat, blankets, shoes, and tobacco.
Akaitcho wished me to join him on the ensuing day at a place which the
boy knew where they were going to fish, and I was the more anxious to do
so on account of my companions, but particularly that I might hear a full
relation of what had happened and of the Commander's true situation,
which I suspected to be much worse than he had described.
In the afternoon I joined the Indians and repeated to Akaitcho what St.
Germain had told him; he seemed much affected and said he would have sent
relief directly though I had not been there; indeed his conduct was
generous and humane. The next morning at an early hour three Indians with
loaded sledges of meat, skins, shoes, and a blanket, set out for Fort
Enterprise; one of them was to return directly with an answer from
Captain Franklin to whom I wrote but, in the event of his death, he was
to bring away all the papers he could find, and he promised to travel
with such haste as to be able to return to us on the fourth day.
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