han we already knew.

I set off the next day, ostensibly on a visit to Mr. S., but really
with the intention of starting from his post on my intended
"derouine,"[1] arrived at Fort Coulonge among the drift ice, and on
the 1st December started, accompanied by the interpreter Primeau and
another man, all of us with heavy burdens on our backs. This proved
the most toilsome trip I had yet undertaken; the smaller lakes only
were passable on the ice, and the rivers were nearly all open. The
difficulties we thus encountered necessarily retarded our progress,
and occupied so much more time than we had calculated upon, that our
provisions were nearly consumed by the time we reached the first
Indian camp, where we expected to procure a guide to conduct us to the
party we were in search of. We succeeded in hiring a young man, but we
only obtained a small supply of flour, the Indians having no other
kind of provision to spare.

[1] "Derouine,"--a trading visit to the Indians.

Three days travelling brought us to the borders of the Indian's lands,
where we soon discovered one of his early winter encampments; had we
been a few days sooner we could have easily traced him from this spot,
but the snow, which had recently fallen to a great depth, had nearly
obliterated the marks he had left behind him.[1] My interpreter,
accustomed to "tracking," followed the _scent_ for two days; our
guide, discontented with the short allowance, gave no assistance, till
coming to an extensive "brule,"[2] he was completely _at fault_, as no
marks of any kind could be discovered.

[1] When Indians remove in winter, in passing on rivers and
lakes, they stick, at intervals, in the snow, branches of
balsam, inclining in the direction they may have gone. In the
woods, small saplings are cut or broken down; if there is no
underwood, an occasional "blaze" serves as a sign-post to the
experienced woodsman.

[2] "Brule," a part of the forest consumed by fire.

Our situation was now extremely critical; we were reduced to one
solitary meal of flour and water per diem, and but a few handfuls of
this poor fare remained; to return by the way we came was out of the
question, to proceed to the post was in truth our only alternative,
and none of us was sufficiently acquainted with that part of the
country to be sure of finding it; while the Indian, positively
refusing to keep us company any longer, turned back, and left us to
get o