Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/195

 was no doubt intended to detain us in the neighbourhood, by keeping alive our hopes of aid, until he saw what profit he was likely to make with Mansell, little caring what severe reflections he was thereby casting upon the lad's character; whatever may have been the fact, we could obtain neither shoes, nor supplies of any kind to enable us to depart, although kept in daily expectation of them. Whitehurst now suffered so severely from illness, that doubts arose as to the possibility of his continuing much longer in this state of exposure, and, had not his complaint taken a favourable turn, his patience and fortitude must soon have yielded to stern and absolute necessity.

In addition to our anxiety for the sufferings of our companion, a degree of gloomy restlessness pervaded every thought, auguring nothing but evil; but whether these feelings proceeded from pain and despondency, or bore any affinity to that instinctive foresight which teaches the tenants of the forest to prepare for tempestuous weather, I will not