420 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



northward of Rum Lake, and holds a course to the sea parallel to the 

 Copper-Mine.) In short, their despondency had returned, and they all 

 despaired of seeing Fort Enterprise again. However, the steady assur- 

 ances of the officers, that we were actually on the banks of the Copper- 

 Mine Eiver, and that the distance to Fort Enterprise did not exceed 

 forty miles, made some impression upon them, which was increased 

 upon our finding some bear-berry plants, (arbutus uva ursi), which 

 is reported by the Indians not to grow to the eastward of that river. 

 Then they deplored their folly and impatience in breaking the canoe, 

 being all of opinion, that had it not been so completely demolished 

 on the 23d, it might have been repaired sufficiently to take the party 

 over. We again closely interrogated Peltier and Vaillant as to its state, 

 with the intention of sending for it ; but they persisted in the declara- 

 tion, that it was in a totally unserviceable condition. St. Germain being 

 again called upon, to endeavour to construct a canoe frame with willows, 

 stated that he was unable to make one sufficiently large. It became 

 necessary, therefore, to search for pines of sufficient size to form a 

 raft ; and being aware that such trees grow on the borders of Point 

 Lake, we considered it best to trace its shores in search of them ; 

 we, therefore, resumed our march, carefully looking, but in vain, 

 for a fordable part, and encamped at the east end of Point Lake. 



As there was little danger of our losing the path of our hunters 

 whilst we coasted the shores of this lake, I determined on again 

 sending Mr. Back forward, with the interpreters, to hunt. I had 

 in view, in this arrangement, the further object of enabling Mr. Back 

 to get across the lake with two of these men, to convey the earliest 

 possible account of our situation to the Indians. Accordingly 

 I instructed him to halt at the first pines he should come to, and 

 then prepare a raft ; and if his hunters had killed animals, so that 

 the party could be supported whilst we were making our raft, he 

 was to cross immediately with St. Germain and Beauparlant, and 

 send the Indians to us as quickly as possible with supplies of meat. 



