There was no deposit of provision, no trace of the Indians, no letter from Mr.Wentzel to point out where the Indians might be found.

It would be impossible to describe our sensations after entering this miserable abode and discovering how we had been neglected; the whole party shed tears, not so much for our own fate as for that of our friends in the rear, whose lives depended entirely on our sending immediate relief from this place.
I found a note however from Mr.Back, stating that he had reached the house two days before and was going in search of the Indians at a part where St.Germain deemed it probable they might be found.

If he was unsuccessful he purposed walking to Fort Providence and sending succour from thence, but he doubted whether either he or his party could perform the journey to that place in their present debilitated state.

It was evident that any supply that could be sent from Fort Providence would be long in reaching us, neither could it be sufficient to enable us to afford any assistance to our companions behind, and that the only relief for them must be procured from the Indians.

I resolved therefore on going also in search of them, but my companions were absolutely incapable of proceeding and I thought by halting two or three days they might gather a little strength whilst the delay would afford us the chance of learning whether Mr.Back had seen the Indians.
DISTRESS SUFFERED AT THAT PLACE.
We now looked round for the means of subsistence and were gratified to find several deer-skins which had been thrown away during our former residence.