I determined to remain a day here to repose; then to go in search of the Indians and, in the event of missing them, to proceed 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 hunting excursions that I was induced to send a note to the Commander, whom I supposed to be by this time at Fort Enterprise, to inform him of our situation; not that I imagined for a moment he could amend it, but that by all returning to the fort we might perhaps have better success in hunting; with this view I despatched Belanger, much against his inclination, and told him