1849. DAVID BRODIE LOST. 139 



Mastegon, who knew that part of the country, 

 informed me, that ten or twelve miles back from the 

 river, there was an extensive swamp, from which 

 there flowed one stream that fell into the Mac- 

 kenzie, and another, named the Black River, which 

 joined Bear Lake River about four miles below 

 the cache. The latter stream was so rapid, he said, 

 that Brodie would be unable to cross it on a raft, 

 and it was not fordable ; he would therefore, by 

 following it, be certainly led to Bear Lake River. 



Next day our two men came back from the lake, 

 having themselves gone astray for some hours in 

 the attempt to make a short cut across a neck of 

 land. After placing written directions for Brodie 

 in the cache, we all embarked again, and in a 

 short time came to the influx of the Black River, 

 which was evidently flooded. Here I left another 

 paper of instructions for Brodie, directing him 

 to the cache for provisions, and to remain with 

 Narcisse until the barge came for them. The 

 incident of Brodie's straying gave me much un- 

 easiness, as I feared he would experience some 

 suffering, though I did not apprehend that he 

 would lose his life. He was a man of much 

 personal activity and considerable intelligence, 

 and though his judgment would be probably at 

 fault when he first became conscious that he was 

 lost, I knew that as soon as he was in a condition 



