Arriving at a long bend of the river about 2 P.M., I put on my snow-shoes to cut across the point and meet the road again, flattering myself that I should thus shorten the distance some two or three miles.  The weather being mild, and the sun overcast, I was as much at a loss to find my way in the woods as if I had been blindfolded; I nevertheless continued my onward course, and again came on the road.  I proceeded in high spirits for a considerable time, when I perceived a man before me going in the same direction with myself; quickening my pace I soon came up with him, and asked him if he was bound for the Fort?

“I guess I don’t know of any fort in this part of the world,” said he.

“What! not know of Fort Coulonge, and you so near to it? are you not going there?”

“I have heard of such a place,” said Jonathan; “but I’d take a tarnation long time to get to it, I calculate, if I followed my nose as it points now.”

I told him who I was, whither bound, and where I slept last night.

“I guess then you had better sleep there again, for it is not quite three miles off.”

This was the result of making a short cut, and I resolved to follow the long and sure road in future.

A shanty that had been recently occupied, afforded me comfortable lodgings for the night, and I arrived at Fort Coulonge about noon next day, where I passed the night, and started for the outpost.  Here I remained two days, and would have remained still longer, had it not been discovered one morning that our opponents were off in the direction of my outpost on the Bonne Chere.  As the Indians in that quarter were excellent hunters, and owed me much, I deemed it advisable to follow them; my friends, too, sent an interpreter and three men along with me, for the purpose of trading what they could on account of their own post—­chacun pour soi being the order of the day.

We soon overtook our opponents, and I resolved, if possible, to give them the slip by the way.  Accordingly, when within a day’s journey of the establishment, I pretended to have sprained my foot so badly, that I walked with the greatest seeming difficulty.  My men, who were aware of the ruse, requested me to place my bundle on their sledges, to enable me to keep up with them.  This farce commenced in the evening.  Next morning my leg was worse than ever, until we came on the river at about ten miles’ distance from the post.  I was delighted to find but little snow upon the ice, so that I had a fair opportunity of putting the metal of my legs to the test, and the opposition party having sledges heavily laden, I walked hard, my foot on a sudden becoming perfectly sound, in order to tire them as much as possible before I bolted.  Having apparently effected my purpose, I set off at the top of my speed, and never looked behind me until I had cleared the first long reach, when turning round, I saw a man in pursuit about half-way across; I started again, and saw no more of my pursuer.