312 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



trary to the custom we had kept up, of sup- 

 porting our spirits by conversation, we went si- 

 lently forward. 



At length we reached Fort Enterprise, and to 

 our infinite disappointment and grief found it a 

 perfectly desolate habitation. There was no de- 

 posit of provision, no trace of the Indians, no 

 letter from Mr. Wentzel to point out where the 

 Indians might be found. It would be impossible 

 for me to describe our sensations after entering 

 this miserable abode, and discovering how we 

 had been neglected : the whole party shed tears, 

 not so much for our own fate, as for that of our 

 friends in the rear, whose lives depended entirely 

 on our sending immediate rehef from this place. 



I found a note, however, from Mr. Back, stat- 

 ing that he had reached the house two days ago, 

 and was going in search of the Indians, at a part, 

 where St. Germain deemed it probable they 

 might be found. If he was unsuccessful, he pur- 

 posed walking to Fort Providence, and sending 

 succour from thence. But he doubted whether 

 either he or his party could perform the journey 

 to that place in their present debilitated state. 

 It was evident that any supply that could be sent 

 from Fort Providence would be long in reaching 

 us, and could not be sufficient to enable us to 

 afford any assistance to our companions behind, 



