“When did you come out to Grand Lake?” he said.

“Yesterday,” I replied.

“And how did you get across the lake?

“I did not come across at all, but I followed the south shore all the way.”

Then he told me where the Nascaupee River was, and where it came out from to the Grand Lake within 4 miles northeast from here.  I told him about which river we followed, the one at the head of the lake.  He then tells me that we have taken the wrong river, and that the river we have followed was the Susan River.

Then I asked him, “What river was this one I crossed with the raft?”

He says, “That river was Beaver Brook or Beaver River.”

Then I learnt that this Beaver River was the Big River where we left our canoe, and my thoughts were, “Oh! that if we had followed the Big River, we would have all got out safe,” and I could not forget about it, and felt so sorry about it.

Donald got ready to start in the morning.  He told me of two men 7 miles from here.  I told him it would be better if we could get the other two men, as they would make better time and have lighter loads.  So they started off the same night in their boat, and got the two men, Allan Goudy and Duncan M’Lean.

Wednesday morning, October 28th.—­Donald and three more started off in their boat part of the way.  They had their snowshoes also.  Taking lots of grub and some spare sealskin boots and some other clothes, as I told them how the boys were rigged when I left them.  I wanted to go with them too; but they said they were going to travel at night too, and thought I would not be able to stand it out.  I made a map for them and told them just where the tent was, and told them which side of the river to follow, and that the tent was just at the forks.  I told them what I told Wallace before I left him, not to leave the river and to follow the north shore of the river all the time.  So they said they would find the camp without any trouble.

When Donald and the men had gone, Mrs. Blake was baking some biscuits just after breakfast.  The hot biscuits looked so good.  At last, I could not help myself, and had to ask her for some.  She put some in a dish and gave me butter, molasses, and tea.  So I ate and ate, and could not stop myself whatever, that at last I had to just force myself to go away where I could not see those little biscuits.

But oh! how I did suffer afterwards.  I could not eat any thing more that day.  It pained me ever so much in my breast.  I would try and have a rest in bed, but could not, the pain was too much.  Then I would go out and walk about outside; but it was no use whatever, and come in and sit down.  This I kept on all day but I wouldn’t tell Mrs. Blake about it.  I had no rest and suffered very much and was getting worse all the time.  I thought of myself:  Well I had nearly died of starvation, and after I did come out to where I could get some grub to live on, and after all kill myself with it.  What a mean trick.