In the Arctic Regions. 277 
almost obliterated them. The men became furious at 
the apprehension of being deserted by the hunters, and 
some of the strongest throwing down their bundles, 
prepared to set out after them, intending to leave the 
more weak to follow as they could. The entreaties 
and threats of the officers, however, prevented their 
executing this mad scheme ; but not before Solomon 
Belanger was despatched with orders for Mr. Back to 
halt until we should join him. Soon afterwards a thick 
fog came on, but we continued our march and overtook 
Mr. Back, who had been detained in consequence of 
his companions having followed some recent tracks of 
deer. After halting an hour, during which we refresh- 
ed ourselves with eating our old shoes and a few scraps 
of leather, we set forward in the hope of ascertaining 
whether an adjoining piece of water was the Copper- 
Mine River or not, but were soon compelled to return 
and encamp, for fear of a separation of the party, as 
we could not see each other at ten yards’ distance. 
The fog diminishing towards the evening, Augustus 
was sent to examine the water, but having lost his 
way he did not reach the tents before midnight, when 
he brought the information of its being a lake. We 
supped upon tripe de roche, and enjoyed a comforta- 
ble fire, having found some pines, seven or eight feet 
high, in a’ valley near the encampment. 
The bounty of Providence was most seasonably 
manifested to us next mornine. in onr killino fiva 
