BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

JOURNAL 185
baggage where we found Mr. Quesnel all alone. We inquired
of him about the men; at the same time we discovered that
three of the canoes were missing, but he had seen none of them,
nor did he know where they were. On casting our view across
the river, we remarked one of the canoes and some of the men
ashore there. From this incident we had reason to believe that
the others were either ahead or had perished. vVe immediately
directed our speed to the lower end of the rapid.
At a distance of four miles or so, we found one of our men,
LaChapelle, who had carried two loads of his own share of the
baggage that far; he could give us no account of the others, but
supposed they were following him with their proportion. We
still continued, and at last growing fatigued, and seeing no
appearance of the canoes, we consIdered it advisable to return
and keep along the bank of the river.
We had not proceeded far when we observed one of our men,
Dalaire, walking slowly from the bank with a stick in his hand
and, on coming up to him, we discovered that he was so wet, so
weak and exhausted that he could scarcely speak. However,
after leaning a little while on his stick and recovering his breath,
heinformed us that, unfortunately, he and the others, finding the