the party would entirely fail, long before we could reach
the only part where we were certain of finding wood, distant in a direct
line twenty-five miles. While we halted to consider of this subject, and
to collect the party, the carcase of a deer was discovered in the cleft
of a rock into which it had fallen in the spring. It was putrid, but
little less acceptable to us on that account, in our present
circumstances; and a fire being kindled, a large portion was devoured on
the spot, affording us an unexpected breakfast, for in order to husband
our small remaining portion of meat, we had agreed to make only one
scanty meal a day. The men, cheered by this unlooked-for supply, became
sanguine in the hope of being able to cross the stream on a raft of
willows, although they had before declared such a project
impracticable, and they unanimously entreated us to return back to the
rapid, a request which accorded with our own opinion, and was therefore
acceded to. Credit and Junius, however, were missing, and it was also
necessary to send notice of our intention to Mr. Back and his party.
Augustus being promised a reward, undertook the task, and we agreed to
wait for him at the rapid. It was supposed he could not fail meeting
with the two stragglers on his way to or from Mr. Back, as it was likely
they would keep on the borders of the lake. He accordingly set out after
Mr. Back, whilst we returned about a mile towards the rapid, and
encamped in a deep valley amongst some large willows. We supped on the
remains of the putrid deer, and the men having gone to the spot where it
was found, scraped together the contents of its intestines which were
scattered on the rock, and added them to their meal. We also enjoyed the
luxury to-day of eating a large quantity of excellent blue-berries and
cran-berries (_vaccinium uliginosum_ and _v. vitis idaea_) which were
laid bare by the melting of the snow, but nothing could allay our
inordinate appetites.

In the night we heard the report of Credit's gun in answer to our signal
muskets, and he rejoined us in the morning, but we got no intelligence
of Junius. We set out about an hour after day-break{39}, and encamped at
two P.M. between the rapids, where the river was about one hundred and
thirty yards wide, being its narrowest part.

Eight deer were seen by Michel and Credit, who loitered behind the rest
of the party, but they could not approach them. A great many shots were
fired by those in