ion. They now no
longer betrayed impatience or despondency, but were composed and
cheerful, and had entirely given up the practice of swearing, to which
the Canadian voyagers are so lamentably addicted. Our conversation
naturally turned upon the prospect of getting relief, and upon the means
which were best adapted for obtaining it. The absence of all traces of
Indians on Winter River, convinced me that they were at this time on the
way to Fort Providence, and that by proceeding towards that post we
should overtake them, as they move slowly when they have their families
with them. This route also offered us the prospect of killing deer, in
the vicinity of Rein-Deer{41} Lake, in which neighbourhood, our men in
their journey to and fro last winter, had always found them abundant.
Upon these grounds I determined on taking the route to Fort Providence
as soon as possible, and wrote to Mr. Back, desiring him to join me at
Rein-Deer Lake, and detailing the occurrences since we parted, that our
friends might receive relief, in case of any accident happening to me.

Belanger did not recover sufficient strength to leave us before the
18th. His answers as to the exact part of Round-Rock Lake in which he
had left Mr. Back, were very unsatisfactory; and we could only collect
that it was at a considerable distance, and that he was still going on
with the intention of halting at the place where Akaitcho was encamped
last summer, about thirty miles off. This distance appeared so great,
that I told Belanger it was very unsafe for him to attempt it alone,
and that he would be several days in accomplishing it. He stated,
however, that as the track was beaten, he should experience little
fatigue, and seemed so confident, that I suffered him to depart with a
supply of singed hide. Next day I received information which explained
why he was so unwilling to acquaint us with the situation of Mr. Back's
party. He dreaded that I should resolve upon joining it, when our
numbers would be so great as to consume at once every thing St. Germain
might kill, if by accident he should be successful in hunting. He even
endeavoured to entice away our other hunter, Adam, and proposed to him
to carry off the only kettle we had, and without which we could not have
subsisted two days. Adam's inability to move, however, precluded him
from agreeing to the proposal, but he could assign no reason for not
acquainting me with it previous to Belanger's departure. I wa