whole. He was conducted to the encampment and paid every attention to,
and by degrees we heard the remainder of his tragic tale, at which the
interpreter could not avoid crying. He then gave me a letter from my
friend the Commander which indeed was truly afflicting. The simple story
of Belanger I could hear, but when I read it in another language, mingled
with the pious resignation of a good man, I could not sustain it any
longer. The poor man was much affected at the death of our lamented
companion but his appetite prevailed over every other feeling and, had I
permitted it, he would have done himself an injury; for after two hours'
eating, principally skin and sinews, he complained of hunger. The day was
cloudy with snow and fresh breezes from the north-east by east.

The last evening as well as this morning the 19th I mentioned my wishes
to the men that we should proceed towards Reindeer Lake, but this
proposal met with a direct refusal. Belanger stated his inability to move
and St. Germain used similar language, adding for the first time that he
did not know the route, and that it was of no use to go in the direction
I mentioned, which was the one agreed upon between the Commander and
myself. I then insisted that we should go by the known route and join the
Commander, but they would not hear of it; they would remain where they
were until they had regained their strength; they said I wanted to expose
them again to death (faire perir). In vain did I use every argument to
the contrary for they were equally heedless to all. Thus situated I was
compelled to remain, and from this time to the 25th we employed ourselves
in looking about for the remnants of the deer and pieces of skin which
even the wolves had left and, by pounding the bones, we were enabled to
make a sort of soup which strengthened us greatly, though each still
complained of weakness. It was not without the greatest difficulty that I
could restrain the men from eating every scrap they found, though they
were well aware of the necessity there was of being economical in our
present situation and to save whatever they could for our journey; yet
they could not resist the temptation and whenever my back was turned they
seldom failed to snatch at the nearest piece to them, whether cooked or
raw.

We had set fishing-lines but without any success, and we often saw large
herds of deer crossing the lake at full speed and wolves pursuing them.

The night of the 25th