HORRIBLE FATE OF THE THREE CANADIANS. 327 



fearfully frost-bitten. They were so helpless as to be 

 quite unable to proceed further, and the two Kennies, 

 having cut a quantity of fire-wood, and given them 

 almost the whole of their scanty stock of provisions, 

 set out on foot to seek assistance at Fort George, 

 which they calculated on reaching in six days. But 

 they had under-rated the distance ; their path lay 

 through dense encumbered forests, and the snow had 

 fallen to considerable depth before they reached the 

 Fort, frost-bitten, and almost dead from hunger and 

 exhaustion, after twenty-eight days' travelling. 

 Indians were immediately sent out to the assistance 

 of the unfortunate men left behind, but returned in 

 a few days, declaring the snow was too deep for them 

 to proceed. Other Indians, however, discovered the 

 party some time afterwards. Heist one and Wright 

 were still alive, but, maddened by hunger, had killed 

 Rennie. When they were found they had eaten all 

 but his legs, which they held in their hands at the 

 time. They were covered with blood, being engaged 

 in tearing the raw flesh from the bones with their 

 teeth. The Indians attempted to light a fire for 

 them, when the two cannibals drew their revolvers, 

 and looked so wild and savage, that the Indians fled 

 and left them to their fate, not daring to return. 

 The following spring a party of miners, on their way 

 to Peace River, were guided by Indians to the place 

 where these men were seen by them. The bones 

 of two were found piled in a heap, one skull had 

 been split open by an axe, and many of the other 

 bones showed the marks of teeth. The third was 



