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 civilised land for the signal deliverances we then and afterwards experienced.
By this accident I had the misfortune to lose my portfolio 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.