About midday
Underbrush appeared scarce except in ravines , and the ground in open patches held a bleached grass . Jean 's eye roved for sight of squirrels , birds , deer , or any moving creature . It appeared to be a dry , uninhabited forest . About midday Jean halted at a pond of surface water , evidently melted snow , and gave his animals a drink . He saw a few old deer tracks in the mud and several huge bird tracks new to him which he concluded must have been made by wild turkeys . The trail divided at this pond . Jean had no idea which branch he ought to take .