evening reached a contracted part of the lake which,
perceiving it to be shallow, we forded and encamped on the opposite side.
Heavy rain began soon afterwards and continued all night. On the
following morning the rain had so wasted the snow that the tracks of Mr.
Back and his companions, who had gone before with the hunters, were
traced with difficulty, and the frequent showers during the day almost
obliterated them. The men became furious at the apprehension of being
deserted by the hunters and some of the strongest, throwing down their
bundles, prepared to set out after them, intending to leave the more weak
to follow as they could. The entreaties and threats of the officers
however prevented their executing this mad scheme, but not before Solomon
Belanger was despatched with orders for Mr. Back to halt until we should
join him. Soon afterwards a thick fog came on, but we continued our march
and overtook Mr. Back, who had been detained in consequence of his
companions having followed some recent tracks of deer. After halting an
hour, during which we refreshed ourselves with eating our old shoes and a
few scraps of leather, we set forward in the hope of ascertaining whether
an adjoining piece of water was the Copper-Mine River or not, but were
soon compelled to return and encamp for fear of a separation of the
party, as we could not see each other at ten yards' distance. The fog
diminishing towards evening, Augustus was sent to examine the water but,
having lost his way, he did not reach the tents before midnight when he
brought the information of its being a lake. We supped upon tripe de
roche and enjoyed a comfortable fire, having found some pines seven or
eight feet high in a valley near the encampment.

The bounty of Providence was most seasonably manifested to us next
morning in our killing five small deer out of a herd which came in sight
as we were on the point of starting. This unexpected supply reanimated
the drooping spirits of our men and filled every heart with gratitude.

The voyagers instantly petitioned for a day's rest which we were most
reluctant to grant, being aware of the importance of every moment at this
critical period of our journey. But they so earnestly and strongly
pleaded their recent sufferings and their conviction that the quiet
enjoyment of two substantial meals after eight days' famine would enable
them to proceed next day more vigorously, that we could not resist their
entreaties. The