318 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



had in warping the feelings and understanding of 

 the most dihgent and obedient of our party ; for 

 such Belanger had been always esteemed up to 

 this time. 



In making arrangements for our departure, 

 Adam disclosed to me, for the first time, that he 

 was affected with oedematous swellings in some 

 parts of the body, to such a degree as to preclude 

 the slightest attempt at marching ; and upon my 

 expressing my surprise at his having hitherto ' 

 concealed from me the extent of his malady, 

 among other explanations the details of the pre- 

 ceding story came out. It now became neces- 

 sary to abandon the original intention of proceed- 

 ing with the whole party towards Fort Providence, 

 and Peltier and Samandr^ having volunteered to 

 remain with Adam, I determined on setting out 

 withBenoit and Augustus, intending to send them 

 rehef by the first party of Indians we should 

 meet. My clothes were so much torn, as to be 

 quite inadequate to screen me from the wind, and 

 Peltier and Samandre fearing that I might suffer 

 on the journey in consequence, kindly exchanged 

 with me parts of their dress, desiring me to send 

 them skins in return by the Indians. Having 

 patched up three pair of snow shoes, and singed 

 a considerable quantity of skin for the journey, 

 we started on the morning of the 20th. Previous 



