Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/50

 “On my return to the house, I found Samandré very dispirited, and too weak, as he said, to render any assistance to Peltier, upon whom the whole labour of getting wood and collecting the means of subsistence would have devolved. Conscious too that his strength would have been unequal to these tasks, they had determined upon taking only one meal each day; so that I felt my going back particularly fortunate, as I hoped to stimulate Samandré to exertion, and at any rate could contribute some help to Peltier. I undertook the office of cooking, and insisted they should eat twice a-day, whenever food could be procured; but as I was too weak to pound the bones (for making soup), Peltier agreed to do that in addition to his more fatiguing task of getting wood. We had a violent snow-storm all the next day, and this gloomy weather increased the depression of spirits under which Adam and Samandré were labouring. Neither of them would quit their beds, and they scarcely ceased from shedding tears all day; in vain did Peltier and myself endeavour to cheer them. Our situation was indeed distressing, but, in comparison with that of our friends in the rear, we thought it happy. Their condition gave us unceasing solicitude, and was the principal subject of our conversation.

“On the 26th, having expended all the wood which we could procure from our present dwelling without danger of its fall, Peltier began to pull down the partitions of the adjacent houses. Though these were only distant about twenty yards, yet the increase of labour in carrying the wood fatigued him so much that by the evening he was exhausted. On the next day his weakness was such, especially in the arms, that he with difficulty lifted the hatchet; still he persevered, while Samandré and I assisted him in bringing in the wood; but our united strength could only collect sufficient to replenish the fire four times in the course of a day. As the insides of our mouths had become sore from eating the bone-soup, we relinquished the use of it, and now boiled the skin, which mode of dressing we found more palatable than frying it, as we had hitherto done.

“On the 29th, we endeavoured to pick some tripe de roche, but in vain, as it was entirely frozen. In searching for bones, under the snow, I found several pieces of bark, which proved a valuable acquisition, as we were almost destitute of dry wood proper for kindling the fire. Whilst we were seated this evening, discussing about the anticipated relief, the conversation was suddenly interrupted by Peltier’s exclaiming with joy, ‘Ah! le monde!’ imagining that he heard the Indians in the other room; immediately afterwards, to his bitter disappointment, Dr. Richardson and Hepburn entered, each carrying his bundle. When I saw them alone my mind was instantly filled with apprehensions respecting our other companions, which were immediately confirmed by the Doctor’s melancholy communication, that Mr. Hood and Michel w»re dead. Perrault and Fontano had neither reached the tent, nor been heard of by them. This intelligence produced a melancholy despondency in the minds of my party, and on that account the particulars were deferred until another opportunity. We were all shocked at