Nor was it useless. In consequence of this
foresight, a fleet of canoes was passed in safety, which were
crossing from the post at Mackinaw to ward the main land of
Michigan. The number of the canoes in this fleet could not have been
less than fifty, but getting a timely view of them, le Bourdon hid
his own craft in a cove, and remained there until the danger was
over.
The course now changed still more, while the wind got quite round to
the westward. This made a fair wind at first, and gave the canoes a
good lee as they advanced. Lake Huron, which was the water the
fugitives were now on, lies nearly parallel to Michigan, and the
course was southeasterly. As le Bourdon had often passed both ways
on these waters, he had his favorite harbors, and knew those signs
which teach navigators how to make their prognostics of the weather.
On the whole, the fugitives did very well, though they lost two days
between Mackinaw and Saginaw Bay; one on account of the strength of
the wind, and one on account of rain. During the last, they remained
in a hut that le Bourdon had himself constructed in one of his many
voyages, and which he had left standing.
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