On the 13th the weather was stormy with constant snow.  The Indians became desponding at the non-arrival of the supply and would neither go to hunt nor fish.  They frequently expressed their fears of some misfortune having befallen Boudel-kell, and in the evening went off suddenly without apprising us of their intention, having first given to each of us a handful of pounded meat which they had reserved.  Their departure at first gave rise to a suspicion of their having deserted us, not meaning to return, especially as the explanations of Adam, who appeared to be in their secret, were very unsatisfactory.  At length by interrogations we got from him the information that they designed to march night and day until they should reach Akaitcho’s encampment whence they would send us aid.  As we had combated their fears about Boudell-kell they perhaps apprehended that we should oppose their determination and therefore concealed it.  We were now left a second time without food, and with appetites recovered and strongly excited by recent indulgence.

On the following day the Doctor and Hepburn resumed their former occupation of collecting wood and I was able to assist a little in bringing it into the house.  Adam, whose expectation of the arrival of the Indians had been raised by the fineness of the weather, became towards night very desponding and refused to eat the singed skin.  The night was stormy and there was a heavy fall of snow.  The next day he became still more dejected.  About eleven Hepburn, who had gone out for the wood, came in with the intelligence that a party appeared upon the river.  The room was instantly swept and, in compliance with the prejudices of the Indians, every scrap of skin was carefully removed out of sight, for these simple people imagine that burning deer-skin renders them unsuccessful in hunting.  The party proved to be Crooked-Foot, Thooeeyorre, and the Fop, with the wives of the two latter dragging provisions.  They were accompanied by Benoit, one of our own men.

We were rejoiced to learn by a note from Mr. Back dated November 11 that he and his companions had so recruited their strength that they were preparing to proceed to Fort Providence.  Adam recovered his spirits on the arrival of the Indians and even walked about the room with an appearance of strength and activity that surprised us all.  As it was of consequence to get amongst the reindeer before our present supply should fail we made preparations for quitting Fort Enterprise the next day and accordingly, at an early hour on the 16th, having united in thanksgiving and prayer, the whole party left the house after breakfast.  Our feelings on quitting the fort where we had formerly enjoyed much comfort, if not happiness, and latterly experienced a degree of misery scarcely to be paralleled, may be more easily conceived than described.  The Indians treated us with the utmost tenderness, gave us their snowshoes, and walked without themselves,