308 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



noticed a remarkable change during the last week. 

 Trom being the most garrulous of men, he had lately 

 become the most taciturn ; and although solemn and 

 silent in company, he muttered to himself incessantly 

 as he walked along. Eevived, however, by a plentiful 

 meal of fresh meat, he became more cheerful, took a 

 more orthodox view of the " Evidences," the one-eyed 

 spectacles again stole on to his nose, Paley again 

 came forth from the pocket of the clerical coat, and he 

 was presently absorbed in theology once more. 



The rest of us discussed our prospects, and various 

 plans were proposed. It was certain that the horses, 

 already mere skeletons, could not hold out many days 

 longer, unless they found proper pasturage. Tor 

 a long time past indeed we had expected some of 

 them to lie down and die in their tracks. Their 

 bodies mere frames of bone covered with skin, their 

 flanks hollow, their backs raw, their legs battered, 

 swollen, and bleeding — a band for the knackers' yard 

 — ^they were painful to look upon. 



The project of rafting was renewed, for the river 

 now flowed with a tempting tranquillity; but the 

 recollection of the Grrand Eapid and Porte d'Enfer 

 decided us against it, and doubtless we thus escaped 

 great disaster, for we afterwards met with several 

 dangerous rapids in the river below. We agreed to 

 stick to our horses as long as they could travel, then 

 kill some for provisions, and make for the Fort on 

 foot. The Assiniboine was utterly dispirited, and con- 

 tinued gloomy and morose, dropping from time to time 

 hints of desertion, and reproaching us bitterly with 



