We Set Out About An Hour After Daybreak, And Encamped At Two P.M.
Between The Rapids Where The River Was About One Hundred And Thirty Yards
Wide, Being Its Narrowest Part.
DIFFICULTY AND DELAY IN CROSSING COPPER-MINE RIVER.
Eight deer were seen by Michel and Credit who loitered behind the rest of
the party, but they could not approach them. A great many shots were
fired by those in the rear at partridges but they missed, or at least did
not choose to add what they killed to the common stock. We subsequently
learned that the hunters often secreted the partridges they shot and ate
them unknown to the officers. Some tripe de roche was collected which we
boiled for supper with the moiety of the remainder of our deer's meat.
The men commenced cutting the willows for the construction of the raft.
As an incitement to exertion I promised a reward of three hundred livres
to the first person who should convey a line across the river by which
the raft could be managed in transporting the party.
MELANCHOLY AND FATAL RESULTS THEREOF.
September 29.
Strong south-east winds with fog in the morning, more moderate in the
evening. Temperature of the rapid 38 degrees. The men began at an early
hour to bind the willows in fagots for the construction of the raft, and
it was finished by seven but, as the willows were green, it proved to be
very little buoyant, and was unable to support more than one man at a
time.
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