Where the mysterious canoe had vanished, none could tell.
Days upon days, they travelled with incredible labour, now portaging over a stubborn country, now, placing their lives in hazard as they shot down untravelled rapids.
One day on the Black Wing River a canoe was torn open and its three occupants were thrown into the rapids.

Two of them were expert swimmers and were able to catch the stern of another canoe as it ran by, and reached safe water, bruised but alive.

The third was a boy, Maurice Joval, the youngest of the party, whom Iberville had been at first loth to bring with him.

But he had remembered his own ambitious youth, and had consented, persuading De Troyes that the lad was worth encouragement.

His canoe was not far behind when the other ran on the rocks.