OF THE POLAR SEA. 



463 



upwards of two hours, without our apprehending any danger. We 

 were then alarmed by hearing a rattling in his throat, and on the 

 Doctors examining him, he was found to be speechless. He died 

 in the course of the night. Semandre sat up the greater part of the 

 day, and even assisted in pounding some bones ; but on witnessing 

 the melancholy state of Peltier, he became very low, and began to 

 complain of cold and stiffness of the joints. Being unable to keep 

 up a sufficient fire to warm him, we laid him down and covered him 

 with several blankets. He did not, however, appear to get better* 

 and I deeply lament to add he also died before daylight. We 

 removed the bodies of the deceased into the opposite part of the 

 house, but our united strength was inadequate to the task of in- 

 terring them, or even carrying them down to the river. 



It may be worthy of remark that poor Peltier, from the time of 

 Benoit's departure, had fixed on the first of November as the time 

 when he should cease to expect any relief from the Indians, and had 

 repeatedly said that if they did not arrive by that day, he should 

 not survive. 



Peltier had endeared himself to each of us by his cheerfulness, 

 his unceasing activity, and affectionate care and attentions, ever 

 since our arrival at this place. He had nursed Adam with the 

 tenderest solicitude the whole time. Poor Samandre was will- 

 ing to have taken his share in the labours of the party, had he 

 not been wholly incapacitated by his weakness and low spirits. 

 The severe shock occasioned by the sudden dissolution of our 

 two companions rendered us very melancholy. Adam became low 

 and despondent, a change which we lamented the more, as we 

 had perceived he had been gaining strength and spirits for the two 

 preceding days. I was particularly distressed by the thought that 

 the labour of collecting wood must now devolve upon Dr. Bichardson 

 and Hepburn, and that my debility would disable me from affording 

 them any material assistance; indeed both of them most kindly 



