In the Arctic Regions. 281 
CHAPTER XI. 
As there was little danger of our losing the path 
of our hunters whilst we coasted the shores of this 
lake, I determined on again sending Mr. Back forward, 
with the interpreters, to hunt. T had in view, in this 
arrangement, the further object of enabling Mr. Back 
to get across the lake with two of ‘these men, to con- 
vey the earliest possible account of our situation to 
the Indians. Accordingly I instructed him to halt at 
the first pines he should come to, and then prepare a 
raft ; and if his hunters had killed animals, so that the 
party could be supported whilst we were making our 
raft, he was to cross immediately with St. Germain and 
Beauparlant, and send the Indians to us as quickly as 
possible with supplies of meat. 
We had this evening the pain of discovering that 
two of our men had stolen part of the officers’ provi- , 
sion, which had been allotted to us with strict impar- 
tiality. This conduct was the more reprehensible, as 
it was plain that we were suffering, even in a greater 
