OF THE POLAR SEA. 423 



the rest of the party, but they could not approach them. A great 

 many shots were fired by those in the rear at partridges, but they 

 missed, or at least did not choose to add what they killed to the 

 common stock. We subsequently learned that the hunters often 

 secreted the partridges they shot, and ate them unknown to the 

 officers. Some tripe de roche was collected, which we boiled for 

 supper, with the moiety of the remainder of our deer's meat. The 

 men commenced cutting the willows for the construction of the raft. 

 As an excitement to exertion, I promised a reward of three hundred 

 livres to the first person who should convey a line across the river, 

 by which the raft could be managed in transporting the party. 



September 29. — Strong south-east winds with fog in the morning, 

 more moderate in the evening. Temperature of the rapid 38 

 The men began at an early hour to bind the willows in fagots for 

 the construction of the raft, and it was finished by seven ; but as 

 the willows were green, it proved to be very little buoyant, and was 

 unable to support more than one man at a time. Even on this, 

 however, we hoped the whole party might be transported, by 

 hauling it from one side to the other, provided a fine could be 

 carried to the other bank. Several attempts were made by Belanger 

 and Benoit, the strongest men of the party, to convey the raft across 

 the stream, but they failed for want of oars. A pole constructed by 

 tying the tent poles together, was too short to reach the bottom at 

 a short distance from the shore; and a paddle which had been 

 carried from the sea coast by Dr. Richardson, did not possess suf- 

 ficient power to move the raft in opposition to a strong breeze, 

 which blew from the opposite shore. All the men suffered ex- 

 tremely from the coldness of the water, in which they were ne- 

 cessarily immersed up to the waists, in their endeavours to aid 

 Belanger and Benoit ; and having witnessed repeated failures, they 

 began to consider the scheme as hopeless. At this time Dr. Richardson, 

 prompted by a desire of relieving his suffering companions, proposed 



