they did not arrive till Noon next day; havg. taken a Meal, @ given them the rest of the Swans, we set off, but could procure nothing more whatever for Food. July 16 as I was ahead a Kootanae Man @ woman in a Canoe of Pine Bark/came to us, we told them to bring us something to eat, but they paid little attention to us, @ we paddled on 'till 1 P.M. when we came to a Camp of 6 Men; they had a mere nothing for themselves, however by 4 P. M. we procured enough to make a Meal, @ they afterwards traded abt. 6 lbs of Buck Meat. I got 2 of them to go a huntg. @ late in the evening they arrived with 3 Swans, which they ran away with @ almost in an instant devoured, without offering us a Mouthful, seeing no Hopes of getting further good from these Hogs, next morning at day break I set off @ waited the Canoes, who soon coming up. I gave them the Morsel I had procured @ we all agreed to paddle on without delay to the Lake, in Hopes of getting a Meal of Fish by our Nets &c. July 18 at Noon we arrived at the Kootanae Lake extremely hungry @ fatigued, so that we were hardly able to paddle; luckily we found a few Berries, which relieved us a little; we hasted @ set the Nets.
Boulard, a half free Man, with the 3 Kootanae Lads, had agreed at the Portage to bring us the Horses hereto, but they arrived with only 3 Horses @ those the worst belonging to the Compy. this was occasioned partly by the laziness of the Fellow @ the badness of the Country, being almost impassable., from whatever Cause the want of the Horses was severely felt @ it was a material disadvantage to us in proceeding any farther, had it been necessary, especially in our low Condition.
The 9 Kootanae Men whom we had left behind, also arrived @ gave us near half a Chevreuil, which made a most welcome, tho' scanty meal for us. Early in the next Morng. we visited the Nets, but to our great Mortification not a Fish in them. From the State of the Country @ the Situation of my Affairs I found myself necessitated to lay aside/ all Thoughts of Discovery for the present @
