84 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



and understanding of the most diligent and 

 obedient of our party, for such Belanger 

 had been always esteemed up to this time. 



In making arrangements for our depar- 

 ture, Adam disclosed to me, for the first 

 time, that he was affected with cedematous 

 swellings in some parts of the body, to such 

 a degree as to preclude the slightest attempt 

 at marching ; and upon my expressing my 

 surprise at his having hitherto concealed 

 from me the extent of his malady, among 

 other explanations the details of the pre- 

 ceding story came out. It now became 

 necessary to abandon the original intention 

 of proceeding with the whole party towards 

 Fort Providence, and Peltier and Samandre 

 having volunteered to remain with Adam, 

 I determined on setting out with Benoit and 

 Augustus, intending to send them relief by 

 the first party of Indians we should meet. 

 My clothes were so much torn as to be 

 quite inadequate to screen me from the 

 wind, and Peltier and Samandre, fearing 

 that I might suffer on the journey in conse- 

 quence, kindly exchanged with me parts of 



