to search the neighbourhood for tracks, in order to
see whether or not the wreck had been lately visited by human beings.
This search resulted in discoveries which perplexed him greatly, for not
only did he find numerous footprints which crossed each other in various
directions, but he knew from their appearance that these had been
recently made, and that they were those of white men as well as red;
some of them showing the prints of shoes, while others displayed the
marks of moccasins.

Had Bellew discovered one or two tracks made by men of the forest like
himself, his knowledge of wood-craft would have enabled him at once to
decide which way they had come and whither they had gone; but, with at
least a dozen meandering tracks radiating from the ship in all
directions, as well towards the sea as the land, he felt himself
puzzled. He knew well enough that they were too fresh to be those of
the wrecked crew, unless indeed the crew had remained by the ship; but
in that case there would have been evidences of an encampment of some
sort, such as fittings-up on board, or huts on shore. He followed the
tracks that led to the sea and found that they terminated abruptly, as
if those who had made them had plunged into the water and drowned
themselves. Before following up those that went landward he returned to
the ship and clambered on board, but found nothing to reward him for his
pains. The sea had swept the hold fore and aft so completely that
nothing whatever was left.

These investigations did not take up much time. The trapper, after one
or two circuits, found the spot where the footsteps became disentangled
from the maze of individual tracks, and led, not along the shore as he
had supposed they would, but up into a narrow gorge; and now he learned
that the tracks of what appeared a multitude of people had been made by
the running to and fro of not more than a dozen men, six of whom were
natives. Thinking it probable that the party could not be far distant,
for the gorge up which they had proceeded seemed of very limited extent,
the trapper pushed forward with increasing expectation, not unmingled
with anxiety.

Turning the point of a projecting cliff he came suddenly on a sight that
filled him with sadness. It was the mouldering remains of a human
being--one who had been a seaman, to judge from the garments which
covered him. One glance sufficed to show the trapper that his services
there were not required. H