ut of our difficulties as we best could.

The interpreter proposed that another attempt should be made to find
the Indian's encampment, and volunteered to go alone; this proved the
poor fellow's zeal, but he returned to our encampment next morning
unsuccessful; we therefore resolved to go back, and, finding our way
without much difficulty for a couple of days, we reached the upper end
of a long portage leading to the Ottawa River, where we encamped late
in the evening, and supped on the _hope_ of getting to the post next
forenoon.

We started early in the morning, the Canadian leading, and about noon
fell on fresh snow-shoe tracks--the tracks, we supposed, of some of
our people who had come to seek us; and feeling assured that our
sufferings would terminate with the day, we pursued our route with
renovated vigour and speed; when lo! our encampment of the preceding
night came in view, the excitement of our minds having prevented us
from discerning our mistake, as we might have done, sooner. The sun
was still high, but the circumstance of the encampment being already
prepared, induced us to put up there again for the night. It was a sad
disappointment, and I felt it as such, though I affected a gaiety that
was far from my heart; while with downcast looks and heavy hearts my
poor fellows betook themselves to rest at a very early hour.

Next morning we set off determined to be more cautious; the mistake of
the previous day was ascribed to the sound of a high cascade at the
head of the rapid, which we had mistaken for another considerably
farther down; our Canadian still acted as guide--the blind leading
the blind--and after two hours' walk we fell upon our own tracks
again;--the poor fellow had yielded so completely to despair, that he
walked about mechanically, scarcely knowing or caring whither he went;
he was therefore ordered to the rear, and Primeau succeeded as leader.
We saw nothing more of our tracks, but encamped in the evening with
much the same prospects as before. I felt extremely weak, having
carried Primeau's pack along with my own, as the old man could
scarcely move when beating the track in the deep snow. Having a few
fresh beaver skins, we cut off the thicker parts about the head and
legs, and made a _bouillon_ of them, which we drank, and then turned
in.

In the morning it became a subject of serious debate what direction we
should proceed in; the sky, however, having been clear the preceding
evening,