APPENDIX, NO. 1. 11 



serve the motions of the two objects, and could perceive 

 that one gained ground considerably on the other ; we con- 

 tinued to doubt as to their being men until just before losing 

 sight of them in the twilight we could discern that the one 

 behind dragged a sledge. Nothing more could be done 

 until the morning, as it would have been impossible to have 

 found their track in the dark ; observing, on our return, a 

 shovel in a bank of snow, we suspected that venison had 

 been dug out, and in searching about found a fine heart and 

 liver, which afforded a good supper for the party, whom we 

 did not rejoin until dark ; one-third of the men were in suc- 

 cession under arms, during the night, which proved cold and 

 restless to all. 



24th. Wind N.E. and intensely cold. Having refreshed 

 ourselves with breakfast and a dram to each, at 4 A. M. 

 commenced our march along the east shore of the lake with 

 the utmost silence : beyond the point from whence I had the 

 last view of the two natives, we fell in with a quantity of 

 venison in carcasses and quarters, close to which was a path 

 into the wood. Conjecturing that the habitations of the 

 Indians were not far off, we advanced in and found the re- 

 mains of one ; the party complained much of the cold, and 

 occasionally sheltered themselves under the lee of projecting 

 points. It now became necessary to cross the pond in 

 order to gain the track of the sledge we had seen ; this ex- 

 posed us entirely to the bitterness of the morning, and all 

 complained of excessive cold. With the first glimpse of morn 

 we reached the wished-for track, which led us along the 

 western shore to the north east, up to a point, on which 

 stood an old wigwam ; from thence it struck across for the 

 shore we had left. As the day opened it was requisite to 

 push forward with celerity to prevent being seen and to sur- 

 prise the natives, if possible, while asleep. Canoes were soon 

 descried, and shortly after wigwams, two close to each other, 

 and a third about a hundred yards from the former. Having 

 axamined the arms, and charged my men to be prompt in 



