56 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



the side on which we now were to make a 

 fire to dry them. 



That no time might be lost in procuring 

 relief, I immediately despached Mr. Back, 

 with St. Germain, Solomon Belanger, and 

 Beauparlant, to search for the Indians, 

 directing him to go to Fort Enterprise, 

 where we expected they would be, or 

 where, at least, a note from Mr. Wentzel 

 would be found to direct us in our search 

 for them. If St. Germain should kill any 

 animals on his way, a portion of the meat 

 was to be put up securely for us, and con- 

 spicuous marks placed over it. 



It is impossible to imagine a more grati- 

 fying change than was produced in our 

 voyagers after we were all safely landed on 

 the southern banks of the river. Their 

 spirits immediately revived, each of them 

 shook the officers cordially by the hand, 

 and declared they now considered the worst 

 of their difficulties over, as they did not 

 doubt of reaching Fort Enterprise in a few 

 days, even in their feeble condition. We 

 had, indeed, every reason to be grateful, 



