ANXIETY ABOUT WILLIAMSON. c >5\ 



his hunters indeed as wretchedly off as could be 

 imagined ; so that the winter terminated as it had 

 commenced. Bad as this was, the serious ap- 

 prehension which he raised in my mind about 

 the fate of David Williamson, the artillery-man, 

 who had been so lately discharged, was infinitely 

 worse. It appeared that he had left the fishery 

 with his companions, and two Indians as guides ; 

 but, being a slow walker and much encum- 

 bered with useless baggage of his own, he had 

 one day set out first, the route being quite 

 straight ; while the others, knowing that they 

 could easily overtake him, had loitered in their 

 encampment, perhaps an hour after his departure. 

 Aware of his eccentricity, they were not alarmed 

 at not seeing him for the better part of the day ; 

 but as the evening drew in, their fears were ex- 

 cited, and one of the Indians retraced his way, 

 in order to be quite sure that he was not behind 

 among the islands. His search was fruitless, and 

 he very properly returned with the information 

 to the fishery. Mr. M c Leod lost not a moment 

 in selecting another Indian to accompany the 

 same person, directing them to use the utmcst 

 vigilance, and holding out the promise of a con- 

 siderable reward to whoever should find him. 

 With such an inducement, it was not likely they 

 would leave any part unexamined ; and, accord- 

 ingly, after an absence of three or four days, 



