418 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



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 

 refreshed 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 haying 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 com-r 

 fortable 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 morning, in our killing five small deer out of a herd, which 

 came in sight as we were on the point of starting. This unexpected 

 supply reanimated the drooping spirits of our men, and filled every 

 heart with gratitude. 



The voyagers instantly petitioned for a days' rest, which we 

 were most reluctant to grant, being aware of the importance of 

 every moment at this critical period of our journey. But they so 

 earnestly and strongly pleaded their recent sufferings, and their con- 

 viction, that the quiet enjoyment of two substantial meals, after 

 eight days' famine, would enable them to proceed next day more 

 vigorously, that we could not resist their entreaties. The flesh, the 

 skins, and even the contents of the stomachs of the deer were 

 equally distributed among the party by Mr. Hood, who had volun- 



* The different kinds of gyrophora, termed indiscriminately by the voyagers tripe de 

 roche, are represented in Plate 30. 



