e, he might have encamped at a little distance from us.

_October 17_.--The night was cold and clear, but we could not sleep at
all, from the pains of having eaten. We suffered the most excruciating
torments, though I in particular did not eat a quarter of what would
have satisfied me; it might have been from using a quantity of raw or
frozen sinews of the legs of deer, which neither of us could avoid
doing, so great was our hunger. In the morning, being much agitated for
the safety of Beauparlant, I desired St. Germain to go in search of him,
and to return with him as quick as possible, when I would have something
prepared for them to eat.

It was, however, late when he arrived, with a small bundle which
Beauparlant was accustomed to carry, and with tears in his eyes, told me
that he had found our poor companion dead. Dead! I could not believe
him. "It is so, Sir," said St. Germain; "after hallooing and calling his
name to no purpose, I went towards our last encampment, about three
quarters of a mile, and found him stretched upon his back on a sand bank
frozen to death, his limbs all extended and swelled enormously, and as
hard as the ice that was near him; his bundle was behind him, as if it
had rolled away when he fell, and the blanket which he wore around his
neck and shoulders thrown on one side. Seeing that there was no longer
life in him, I threw your covering over him, and placed his snow-shoes
on the top of it."

I had not even thought of so serious an occurrence in our little party,
and for a short time was obliged to give vent to my grief. Left with one
person and both of us weak, no appearance of Belanger, a likelihood that
great calamity had taken place amongst our other companions, still
upwards of seventeen days' march from the nearest Establishment, and
myself unable to carry a burden; all these things pressed heavy on me;
and how to get to the Indians or to the fort I did not know; but that I
might not depress St. Germain's spirits, I suppressed the feelings to
which these thoughts gave rise, and made some arrangements for the
journey to Fort Providence.

_October 18_.--While we were this day occupied in scraping together the
remains of some deer's meat, we observed Belanger coming round a point
apparently scarcely moving. I went to meet him, and made immediate
inquiries about my friends. Five, with the Captain, he said, were at the
house, the rest were left near the river, unable to proceed; but he