1646.] SEARCH FOR DE NOUE. 259 



back on his own footsteps. At night he dug a hole 

 in the snow under the shore of an island, and lay 

 down, without fire, food, or blanket. 



Meanwhile the two soldiers and the Indian, un- 

 able to trace his footprints, which the snow liad 

 hidden, pursued their way for the fort ; but the 

 Indian was ignorant of the country, and the 

 Frenchmen were unskilled. They wandered from 

 theu' course, and at evening encamped on the 

 shore of the island of St. Ignace, at no great dis- 

 tance from De None. Here the Indian, trusting 

 to his instinct, left them and set forth alone in 

 search of their destination, which he soon suc- 

 ceeded in finding. The palisades of the feeble 

 little fort, and the rude buildings within, were 

 whitened with snow, and half buried in it. Here, 

 amid the desolation, a handful of men kept watch 

 and ward against the Iroquois. Seated by the 

 blazing logs, the Indian asked for De None, and, 

 to his astonishment, the soldiers of the garrison 

 told him that he had not been seen. The captain 

 of the post was called ; all was anxiety ; but nothing 

 could be done that night. 



At daybreak parties went out to search. The 

 two soldiers were readily found ; but they looked 

 in vain for the missionary. All day they were 

 ranging the ice, firmg thek guns and shouting; but 

 to no avail, and they returned disconsolate. There 

 was a converted Indian, whom the French called 

 Charles, at the fort, one of four who were spending 

 the winter there. On the next morning, the second 

 of February, he and one of his companions, together 



