373 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



mained trembling the whole time. The following 

 morning we crossed several lakes, occasionally 

 seeing the recent tracks of deer, and at noon we 

 fell upon Marten Lake ; and it happened to be 

 the exact spot where we had been the last year 

 with the canoes, and though I immediately recog- 

 nised the place, the men would not believe it to 

 be the same ; at length, by pointing out several 

 marks, and relating circumstances connected with 

 them, they recovered their memory, and a simul- 

 taneous expression of " Mon Dieu, nous sommes 

 sauv^s," broke out from the whole. Contrary to 

 our expectations the lake was frozen sufficiently 

 to bear us, so that we were excused from making 

 the tours of the different bays. This circum- 

 stance seemed to add fresh vigour to us, and we 

 walked as fast as the extreme smoothness of the 

 ice would permit, intending to reach the Slave 

 Rock that night ; but an unforeseen and almost 

 fatal accident prevented the prosecution of our 

 plan : Belanger (who seemed the victim of mis- 

 fortune) again broke through the ice, in a deep 

 part near the head of the rapid, but was timely 

 saved, by fastening our worsted belts together, 

 and pulling him out. By urging him forwards 

 as quick as his icy garments would admit of, to 

 prevent his freezing, we reached a few pines, and 

 kindled a fire ; but it was late before he even felt 



