We set out early on the 26th and, after walking about three miles along the lake, came to the river which we at once recognised from its size to be the Copper-Mine.  It flowed to the northward and, after winding about five miles terminated in Point Lake.  Its current was swift, and there were two rapids in this part of its course which in a canoe we could have crossed with ease and safety.  These rapids, as well as every other part of the river, were carefully examined in search of a ford but, finding none, the expedients occurred of attempting to cross on a raft made of the willows which were growing there, or in a vessel framed with willows and covered with the canvas of the tents, but both these schemes were abandoned through the obstinacy of the interpreters and the most experienced voyagers, who declared that they would prove inadequate to the conveyance of the party and that much time would be lost in the attempt.  The men in fact did not believe that this was the Copper-Mine River and, so little confidence had they in our reckoning, and so much had they bewildered themselves on the march, that some of them asserted it was Hood’s River and others that it was the Bethetessy. (A river which rises from a lake to the northward of Rum Lake and holds a course to the sea parallel with that of the Copper-Mine.) In short their despondency had returned, and they all despaired of seeing Fort Enterprise again.  However the steady assurances of the officers that we were actually on the banks of the Copper-Mine River, and that the distance to Fort Enterprise did not exceed forty miles, made some impression upon them, which was increased upon our finding some bear-berry plants (Arbutus uva ursi) which are reported by the Indians not to grow to the eastward of that river.  They then deplored their folly and impatience in breaking the canoe, being all of opinion that had it not been so completely demolished on the 23rd it might have been repaired sufficiently to take the party over.  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.