o food but such as they could pick up by the
way. Their clothing was old, worn out, and very scant; for they had
been waiting for supplies to be brought them by La Salle. They had
neither companion nor guide. The route they were to follow was in a
northerly direction through the pathless forests, and over the pathless
prairies, many miles west of Lake Michigan, to the missionary station
at the foot of Green Bay.

Father Hennepin had left his cloak in the canoe. They cut up the
garment to repair their shoes and clothes. Often, in days of storm,
they wandered bewildered and lost. They found but little game, for they
were not professional hunters. Their food consisted mainly of acorns
and roots. After a journey of fifteen days, and when almost starved,
they were so fortunate as to kill a deer. Upon venison steaks they
feasted luxuriously.

At length they came to a little cluster of Pottawatomi wigwams. This
powerful tribe occupied an extensive territory southwest of Lake
Michigan. About ten years before, a delegation from the tribe had
visited the French, and friendly relations were established between
them. Very hospitably they received the worn, emaciate, and ragged
wanderers. They fed them with such morsels as could be fished from the
pots of the Indians. The wigwams were comfortable, affording ample
protection from wind and rain. The weary wanderers, who were scarcely
able to stand, threw themselves upon mats before the wigwam fires and
slept long, long hours of rich enjoyment.

Somewhat recruited by the repose of a few days, they again took up
their line of march. After the endurance of great fatigue and many
sufferings, they at length reached the missionary station at Green Bay.
Here they were received as brothers, and here they passed the winter.
Early in the spring, as soon as the ice had disappeared from the bay,
Lieutenant Tonti and Father Membre set out in a canoe, with a few
boatmen, for the station at Michilimackinac. After a prosperous voyage
of a few days, they reached that important point in safety. They had
been there but a short time, when a small fleet of canoes came paddling
into the harbor. It was about the middle of June. To their great joy
they found that it was an expedition of La Salle, and that he was on
board. He had a sad story to tell of disasters and sufferings, which we
must reserve for our next chapter.

CHAPTER X.

_La Salle's Second Exploring Tour._

Disasters. Energy of La S