204< SHORTNESS OF FOOD. 



their former melancholy; and a painful sight 

 it was to behold them, singly or in groups, 

 standing by the men at their meals, and eagerly 

 watching each envied mouthful, but disdaining 

 to utter a word of complaint. The wretched 

 old woman, whom I have spoken of before, was 

 too much worn out by her infirmities to be sen- 

 sible of our kindness and protection ; and, though 

 assured that she would be taken care of, she 

 never failed to attend our scanty repast, and, 

 with monotonous and feeble wailings, assailed 

 my servant for the scrapings of the kettles. 



Different places had been tried for fish, but 

 after the first haul, the nets were invariably 

 found empty. To remedy, if possible, so de- 

 plorable a circumstance, the men were divided 

 into parties, and, with the exception of one 

 retained to finish the house, were sent to a 

 specified part of the lake for the sole purpose 

 of procuring subsistence. Some succeeded, but 

 others returned after a short absence, with the 

 loss of two nets, and a most discouraging account 

 of their labours. I had therefore no resource 

 but to reduce the daily rations, and stop the 

 usual allowance to the dogs, many of which be- 

 came in consequence so reduced as to be barely 

 able to crawl, and to this day I have not ceased 

 to wonder how they were kept alive. 



In the midst of these disasters, our hopes were 



