396 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. X. 



aggravated by want of fire, of food, and of ability to 

 provide sustenance, by the coldness of the weather, 

 and by the extreme debility of poor Hood. On the 

 first two days they had nothing to eat, except an in- 

 fusion of the country tea-plant, which was gratifying 

 from its warmth, but afforded no sustenance ; the 

 second day was so stormy, and the snow fell so 

 heavy, that they kept their beds, if a few miserable 

 skins and their clothing deserved the name. On 

 the third day Michel, the Iroquois, brought them a 

 hare and partridge : " This unexpected supply," 

 says Richardson, " was received by us with a deep 

 sense of gratitude to the Almighty, and we looked 

 upon Michel as the instrument he had chosen to 

 preserve all our lives." He complained of cold, 

 and Mr. Hood offered to share his buffalo robe with 

 him at night; the Doctor gave him a shirt, and 

 Hepburn in the warmth of his heart exclaimed, 

 " How I shall love this man, if I find he does not 

 tell lies, like the others ! " Hepburn had studied 

 the man, and found cause to suspect him. The 

 party this day, after reading the evening service, 

 retired to bed full of hope. Nothing, it may be 

 observed, like despondency, not even a murmur, 

 ever escaped from their lips. 



With great fatigue Richardson and Hepburn, with 

 Hood, removed to a wood of pines, to enable them 

 to keep up a fire. The Iroquois was absent. He 

 had indeed refused for some days to do any thing, 



