or wages. That did not help discipline.
His partners were not only withholding supplies, but charging up a high
rate of interest on the first equipment. To turn back meant ruin. To
go forward he was powerless. Leaving Jemmeraie in command, and
permitting his eager son to go ahead with a few picked men to Fort
Maurepas on Lake Winnipeg, De la Verendrye took a small canoe and
descended with all swiftness to Quebec. The winter of 1634-1635 was
spent with the governor; and the partners were convinced that they must
either go on with the venture or lose all. They consented to continue
supplying goods, but also charging all outlay against the explorer.

Father Aulneau went back with De la Verendrye as chaplain. The trip
was made at terrible speed, in the hottest season, through stifling
forest fires. Behind, at slower pace, came the provisions. De la
Verendrye reached the Lake of the Woods in September. Fearing the
delay of the goods for trade, and dreading the danger of famine with so
many men in one place, De la Verendrye despatched Jemmeraie to winter
with part of the forces at Lake Winnipeg, where Jean and Pierre, the
second son, had built Fort Maurepas. The worst fears were realized.
Ice had blocked the Northern rivers by the time the supplies had come
to Lake Superior. Fishing failed. The hunt was poor. During the
winter of 1736 food became scantier at the little forts of St. Pierre,
St. Charles, and Maurepas. Rations were reduced from three times to
once and twice a day. By spring De la Verendrye was put to all the
extremities of famine-stricken traders, his men subsisting on
parchment, moccasin leather, roots, and their hunting dogs.

He was compelled to wait at St. Charles for the delayed supplies.
While he waited came blow upon blow: Jean and Pierre arrived from Fort
Maurepas with news that Jemmeraie had died three weeks before on his
way down to aid De la Verendrye. Wrapped in a hunter's robe, his body
was buried in the sand-bank of a little Northern stream, La Fourche des
Roseaux. Over the lonely grave the two brothers had erected a cross.
Father and sons took stock of supplies. They had not enough powder to
last another month, and already the Indians were coming in with furs
and food to be traded for ammunition. If the Crees had known the
weakness of the white men, short work might have been made of Fort St.
Charles. It never entered the minds of De la Verendrye and his sons to
give up. The