Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/242

212 some Indians, carrying our long looked-for packet. His comrade, Peter Taylor, had died on the way in M'Tavish Bay of an old pulmonary complaint, aggravated, no doubt, by the fatigue of the journey; and he himself, having never heard of the latter arm of the lake, had wandered about searching for the establishment, and hunting reindeer, till he fortunately fell in with a camp of our Indians as he was returning towards Fort Norman. He had started from the latter place with his ill-fated companion, who was a relative of his own, in a small canoe, and reached the rapids of Bear Lake River, where they were set fast in October. They then struck over land to the lake, and had fine travelling on the smooth ice, along its southern and eastern shores, the centre of the lake being still open. By the time they reached M'Vicar Bay, Taylor complained of weakness; upon which his friend, with considerate kindness, carried his provisions and spare clothing, and rendered him every possible assistance. At last, when he became unable to walk farther, Le Sourd made a comfortable encampment, and nourished the dying man with venison broth; and, when he expired, carefully laid his body in a grave dug by thawing the earth with fire. He even placed, with Indian superstition, a valuable gun,