OF THE POLAR SEA. 295 



Hood could not partake of this miserable fare, 

 and a partridge which had been reserved for 

 him was, I lament to say, this day stolen by one 

 of the men. 



October 4. — The canoe being finished, it was 

 brought to the encampment, and the whole party 

 being assembled in anxious expectation on the 

 beach, St. Germain embarked, and amidst our 

 prayers for his success, succeeded in reaching 

 the opposite shore. The canoe was then drawn 

 back again, and another person transported, and 

 in this manner by drawing it backwards and for- 

 wards, we were all conveyed over without any 

 serious accident. By these frequent traverses 

 the canoe was materially injured ; and latterly it 

 filled each time with water before reaching the 

 shore, so that all our garments and bedding were 

 wet, and there was not a sufficiency of willows 

 upon the side on which we now were, to make a 

 fire to dry them. 



That no time might be lost in procuring relief, 

 I immediately despatched Mr. Back with St. 

 Germain, Solomon Belanger, and Beauparlant, 

 to search for the Indians, directing him to go to 

 Fort Enterprise, where we expected they would 

 be, or where, at least, a note from Mr. Wentzel 

 would be found to direct us in our search for 

 them. If St. Germain should kill any animals on 



