We again closely interrogated Peltier and Vaillant as to its state, with the intention of sending for it; but they persisted in the declaration that it was in a totally unserviceable condition.

St.
Germain, being again called upon to endeavour to construct a canoe frame with willows, stated that he was unable to make one sufficiently large.
It became necessary therefore to search for pines of sufficient size to form a raft and, being aware that such trees grow on the borders of Point Lake, we considered it best to trace its shores in search of them; we therefore resumed our march, carefully looking but in vain for a fordable part, and encamped at the east end of Point Lake.
As there was little danger of our losing the path of our hunters whilst we coasted the shores of this lake I determined on again sending Mr.Back forward with the interpreters to hunt.

I had in view in this arrangement the further object of enabling Mr.Back to get across the lake with two of these men to convey the earliest possible account of our situation to the Indians.

Accordingly I instructed him to halt at the first pines he should come to and then prepare a raft and, if his hunters had killed animals so that the party could be supported whilst we were making our raft, he was to cross immediately with St.Germain and Beauparlant and send the Indians to us as quickly as possible with supplies of meat.
We had this evening the pain of discovering that two of our men had stolen part of the officers' provision which had been allotted to us with strict impartiality.

This conduct was the more reprehensible as it was plain that we were suffering even in a greater degree than themselves from the effects of famine, owing to our being of a less robust habit and less accustomed to privations.