392 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



tracks, with instructions to the Chief of the In- 

 dians to provide immediate assistance for such of 

 our friends as might be at Fort Enterprise, as 

 well as for ourselves, and to lose no time in 

 returning to me. I was now so exhausted, that 

 had we not seen the tracks this day, I must 

 have remained at the next encampment, until 

 the men could have sent aid from Fort Pro- 

 vidence. We had finished our small portion of 

 sinews, and were preparing for rest, when an 

 Indian boy made his appearance with meat. St. 

 Germain had arrived before sunset at the tents 

 of Akaitcho, whom he found at the spot where 

 he had wintered last year ; but imagine my sur- 

 prise, when he gave me a note from the Com- 

 mander, and said, that Benoit and Augustus, two 

 of the men, had just joined them. The note was 

 so confused, by the pencil marks being partly 

 rubbed out, that I could not decipher it clearly ; 

 but it informed me, that he had attempted to come 

 with the two men, but finding his strength in- 

 adequate to the task, he relinquished his design, 

 and returned to Fort Enterprise, to await relief 

 With the others. There was another note for the 

 gentleman in charge of Fort Providence, desiring 

 him to send meat, blankets, shoes and tobacco. 

 Akaitcho wished me to join him on the ensuing 

 day, at a place which the boy knew, where they 



