MAIL SERVICE 343 



so as far as we could see. Levesque was for mak- 

 ing the short cut and two or three times proposed 

 to do so. I told him that it was too risky, as the 

 ice might move off shore with the strong ebb tide 

 or the wind; and, moreover, that it might be weak 

 far out, as to follow a straight line would take us 

 about five miles off land for a time. All this I 

 had explained to him, and as he had said nothing 

 I concluded that he had given up this idea. What 

 was my surprise a few minutes later to see that 

 he had left me and was heading straight out. I 

 shouted to him, but to no purpose, seeing which 

 I continued following our old tracks along shore. 

 I called at Chief Estlo's wigwam near the Ou- 

 tarde River, and had lunch with him, and gave 

 him the Bersimis news, and then left, arriving at 

 Pointe aux Outardes at dusk. Inquiring, I was 

 told that Levesque had not been seen there. What 

 had happened no one could say and it was too late 

 to go out and search. Only one thing could be 

 done, viz., to put out some lights in case he might 

 be out on the ice somewhere, which many thought 

 doubtful, as they believed he was drowned. It 

 was not so, however, and about nine o'clock, Le- 

 vesque turned up, very tired, but otherwise all 

 right. 



His story was that after leaving me when 

 about four miles from shore, he saw a lane of 

 open water ahead of him. As it appeared nar- 

 row in the distance, he ran in the hope of be- 



