ENCAMP FOR THE NIGHT. Q5 



nothing but imminent starvation would excuse 

 the Indian who should transgress it. Neverthe- 

 less, such conscientious dealing merited a re- 

 ward from me, which was easily bestowed by 

 allowing La Prise and his party to retain the 

 larger proportion of the animal. 



August 12th. — We continued our course 

 down the Little River ; but the cold north-west 

 wind, which bent the pines with its violence, too 

 plainly indicated what was passing on the lake, 

 which, accordingly, on our arriving at it, pre- 

 sented so stormy an appearance, as to forbid our 

 venturing farther, and compelled us reluctantly 

 to encamp. The night was very boisterous, and 

 the morning of the 13th wore a threatening 

 aspect; but suddenly it fell calm, the wind 

 changed to south, and by 6 a. m. we were en- 

 abled to put out into the wide expanse of the 

 lake. Keeping along the low swampy shore, 

 thickly matted with drift wood, we made for 

 a jutting elevation, called Rocky Point, and 

 then striking off in a northerly direction, pad- 

 dled with spirit for a cluster of distant islands, 

 which, owing to the refraction of the atmo- 

 sphere, appeared as if poised in the sky. This 

 is the traverse so much dreaded by the Indians, 

 who, having no stouter craft than their small 

 canoes, are in great danger of perishing, if un- 

 happily caught by a gale. A light breeze sprung 



