SOO JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



ing full relief was before us. Accordingly we set 

 out against a keen north-east wind, in order to 

 gain the known route to Fort Providence. We 

 saw a number of wolves and some crows on the 

 middle of the lake, and supposing such an assem- 

 bly was not met idly, we made for them, and 

 came in for a share of a deer, which they had 

 killed a short time before, and thus added a 

 couple of meals to our stock. By four P.M. we 

 gained the head of tlie lake, or the direct road to 

 Fort Providence, and some dry wood being at 

 hand, we encamped; by accident it was the same 

 place where the Commander's party had slept on 

 the 19th, the day on which I supposed they had 

 left Fort Enterprise ; but the encampment was 

 so small, that we feared great mortahty had taken 

 place amongst them ; and I am sorry to say the 

 stubborn resolution of my men, not to go to the 

 house, prevented me from determining this most 

 anxious point, so that I now almost dreaded pass- 

 ing their encampments, lest I should see some of 

 our unfortunate friends dead at each spot. Our 

 fire was hardly kindled when a fine herd of deer 

 passed close to us. St. Germain pursued them 

 a short distance, but with his usual want of suc- 

 cess, so that we made a meal off the muscles and 

 sinews we had dried, though they were so tough 

 that we could scarcely cut them. My hands were 



