812 Thirty Years 
neighborhood, our men in their journeys to and fro 
last winter, had always found them abundant. Upon 
these grounds I determined on taking the route to 
Fort Providence as soon as possible, and ‘wrote to Mr. 
Back desiring him to join me at Reindeer Lake, and 
detailing the occurrences since we had parted, that 
our friends might receive relief in case of any accident 
happening to me. 
Belanger did not recover sufficient strength to leave 
us before the 18th. His answers as to the exact part 
of Round-Rock Lake in which he had left Mr. Back, 
were very unsatisfactory ; and we could only collect that. 
it was a considerable distance, and he was still going 
on with the intention of halting. at the place where 
Akaitcho was encamped last summer, about thirty 
miles off. This distance appeared so great, that I 
told Belanger it was very unsafe for him to attempt it 
alone, and that he would be several days in. accom- 
plishing it. He stated, however, that as the track 
was beaten, he should experience little fatigue, and 
seemed so confident, that I suffered him to depart 
with a supply of singed hide. Next day I received 
information which explained why he was so unwilling 
to acquaint us with the situation of Mr. Back’s party. 
He dreaded that I should resolve upon joining it, 
when our numbers should be so great as to consume 
at once everything St. Germain might kill, if by acci- 
