d to the first
trading establishment which was distant about one hundred and thirty
miles, and from thence to send succour to my companions. This indeed I
should have done immediately as the most certain manner of executing my
purpose, had there been any probability of the river and lakes being
frozen to the southward, or had we possessed sufficient strength to have
clambered over the rocks and mountains which impeded the direct way, but
as we were aware of our inability to do so I listened to St. Germain's
proposal, which was to follow the deer into the woods (so long as they
did not lead us out of our route to the Indians) and if possible to
collect sufficient food to carry us to Fort Providence. We now set about
making mittens and snowshoes whilst Belanger searched under the snow and
collected a mass of old bones which, when burned and used with a little
salt, we found palatable enough and made a tolerable meal. At night St.
Germain returned, having seen plenty of tracks but no animals; the day
was cloudy with fresh breezes and the river was frozen at the borders.

On the 11th we prepared for our journey, having first collected a few old
skins of deer to serve us as food, and written a note to be left for our
commander to apprise him of our intentions. We pursued the course of the
river to the lower lake when St. Germain fell in, which obliged us to
encamp directly to prevent his being frozen; indeed we were all glad to
rest for, in our meagre and reduced state, it was impossible to resist
the weather which at any other time would have been thought fine; my toes
were frozen and, although wrapped up in a blanket, I could not keep my
hands warm.

The 12th was exceedingly cold with fresh breezes. Our meal at night
consisted of scraps of old deer-skins and swamp tea and the men
complained greatly of their increasing debility. The following morning I
sent St. Germain to hunt, intending to go some distance down the lake,
but the weather becoming exceedingly thick with snow-storms we were
prevented from moving. He returned without success, not having seen any
animals. We had nothing to eat.

In the morning of the 14th the part of the lake before us was quite
frozen. There was so much uncertainty in St. Germain's answers as to the
chance of any Indians being in the direction we were then going (although
he had previously said that the leader had told him he should be there)
and he gave so much dissatisfaction in his huntin