478 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



support. As we advanced, we found to our mortification, that the 

 tripe de roche, hitherto our sole dependence, began to be scarce, so 

 that we could only collect sufficient to make half a kettleful, which, 

 with the addition of a partridge each, that St. Germain had killed, 

 made us a tolerable meal ; during this day I felt very weak and 

 sore in the joints, particularly between the shoulders. At night 

 we encamped among a small clump of willows. 



On the 6th we set out at an early hour, pursuing our route over a 

 range of hills, at the foot of one of which we saw several large pines, 

 and a great quantity of willows ; a sight that encouraged us to quicken 

 our pace, as we were now certain we could not be far from the 

 woods. Indeed we were making considerable progress, when Be- 

 langer unfortunately broke through the ice, and sunk up to the 

 hips. The weather being cold, he was in danger of freezing, but 

 some brushwood on the borders of the lake enabled us to make a 

 fire to dry him. At the same time we took the opportunity of 

 refreshing ourselves with a kettle of swamp tea. 



My increasing debility had for some time obliged me to use a 

 stick for the purpose of extending my arms ; the pain in my shoul- 

 ders being so acute, that I could not bear them to remain in the 

 usual position for two minutes together. We halted at five among 

 some small brushwood, and made a sorry meal of an old pair of 

 leather trowsers, and some swamp tea. 



The night was cold with a hard frost, and though two persons 

 slept together, yet we could not by any means keep ourselves warm, 

 but remained trembling the whole time. The following morning 

 we crossed several lakes, occasionally seeing the recent tracks of 

 deer, and at noon we fell upon Marten Lake ; and it happened to 

 be the exact spot where we had been the last year with the canoes, 

 and though I immediately recognised the place, the men would not 

 believe it to be the same ; at length, by pointing out several marks, 

 and relating circumstances connected with them, they recovered 



