gether to the fort. We had the fullest confidence in Hopburn’s returning the moment he could obtain assistance.
“On the 17th. I went to conduct Michel to where Vaillant’s blanket was left; and after walking about three miles, pointed out the hills to him at a distance, and returned to the tent, having gathered a bagful of tripe de roche on the way. He returned in the afternoon of the 18th having found the blanket, together with a bag containing two pistols, and some other things which had been left beside it. Mr. Hood was now so weak as to be scarcely able to sit up at the fire-side, and complained that the least breeze of wind seemed to blow through his frame. We lay close to each other during the night, but the heat of the body was no longer sufficient to thaw the frozen rime formed by our breaths on the blankets that covered him.
“At this period we avoided as much as possible conversing upon the hopelessness of our situation, and generally endeavoured to lead the conversation towards our future prospects in life. The fact is, that with the decay of our strength, our minds decayed, and we were no longer able to bear the contemplation of the horrors that surrounded us. Each of us, if I may be allowed to judge from my own case, excused himself from so doing, by a desire of not shocking the feelings of the others; for we were sensible of one another’s weakness of intellect, though blind to our own. Yet we were calm and resigned to our fate; not a murmur escaped us, and we were punctual and fervent in our addresses to the Supreme Being.
“On the 19th Michel refused to hunt, or even to assist in carrying a log of wood to the fire, which was too heavy for Hepburn’s strength and mine: amongst other angry expressions, he made use of the following remarkable one: – “It is no use hunting; there are no animals; you had better kill and eat me.” At length, however, he went out, but returned very soon, with a report that he had seen three deer, which he was unable to follow from having wet his foot in a small stream of water thinly covered with ice, and being consequently obliged to come to the fire.
“Sunday, Oct. 20. – In the morning we again urged Michel to go a hunting, that he might if possible leave us some provision, to-morrow being the day appointed for his quitting us; but he shewed great unwillingness, and lingered about the fire, under the pretence of cleaning his gun. After we had read the morning service, I went about noon to gather some tripe de roche, leaving Mr. Hood sitting before the tent at the fire-side arguing with Michel; Hepburn was employed in cutting down a tree, at a short distance from the tent, being desirous of accumulating a quantity of fire-wood before he left us. A short time after I went out I heard the report of a gun, and about ten minutes afterwards, Hepburn called to me, in a voice of great alarm, to come directly. When I arrived, I found poor Hood lying lifeless at the fire-side, a ball having apparently entered his forehead. I was at first horror-struck with the idea, that in a