rments. The canoe, in every attempt to reach
him, was hurried down the rapid, and was lost to view amongst the rocky
islets, with a rapidity that seemed to threaten certain destruction;
once, indeed, I fancied that I saw it overwhelmed in the waves. Such an
event would have been fatal to the whole party. Separated as I was from
my companions, without gun, ammunition, hatchet, or the means of making
a fire, and in wet clothes, my doom would have been speedily sealed. My
companions too, driven to the necessity of coasting the lake, must have
sunk under the fatigue of rounding its innumerable arms and bays, which,
as we have learned from the Indians, are very extensive. By the goodness
of Providence, however, we were spared at that time, and some of us have
been permitted to offer up our thanksgivings, in a civilized land, for
the signal deliverances we then and afterwards experienced.

By this accident I had the misfortune to lose my portfolio{38},
containing my journal from Fort Enterprise, together with all the
astronomical and meteorological observations made during the descent of
the Copper-Mine River, and along the sea-coast, (except those for the
dip and variation.) I was in the habit of carrying it strapped across my
shoulders, but had taken it off on entering the canoe, to reduce the
upper weight. The results of most of the observations for latitude and
longitude, had been registered in the sketch books, so that we preserved
the requisites for the construction of the chart. The meteorological
observations, not having been copied, were lost. My companions, Dr.
Richardson, Mr. Back, and Mr. Hood, had been so careful in noting every
occurrence in their journals, that the loss of mine could fortunately be
well supplied. These friends immediately offered me their documents, and
every assistance in drawing up another narrative, of which kindness I
availed myself at the earliest opportunity afterwards.

_September 15_.--The rest of the party were brought across this morning,
and we were delighted to find Belanger so much recovered as to be able
to proceed, but we could not set out until noon, as the men had to
prepare substitutes for the slings which were lost yesterday. Soon after
leaving the encampment we discerned a herd of deer, and after a long
chase a fine male was killed by Perrault, several others were wounded
but they escaped. After this we passed round the north end of a branch
of the lake, and ascended the Wil