1769. HOUND THE WORLD. 55 



been left with him ; and that though they had shouted 

 many times, no voice had replied. This was matter of 

 equal surprise and concern, particularly to Mr. Banks, 

 who, while he was wondering how it could happen, 

 missed a bottle of rum, the company's whole stock, 

 which they now concluded to be in the knapsack 

 of one of the absentees. It was conjectured, that 

 with this Richmond had been roused by the two per- 

 sons who had been left with him, and that, having 

 perhaps drank too freely of it themselves, they had 

 all rambled from the place where they had been left, 

 in search of the fire, instead of waiting for those 

 who should have been their assistants and guides. 

 Another fall of snow now came on, and continued 

 incessantly for two hours, so that all hope of seeing 

 them again, at least alive, were given up ; but about 

 twelve o'clock, to the great joy of those at the fire, 

 a shouting was heard at some distance. Mr. Banks, 

 with four more, immediately went out, and found the 

 seaman with just strength enough left to stagger 

 along, and call out for assistance : Mr. Banks sent him 

 immediately to the fire, and, by his direction, pro- 

 ceeded in search of the other two, whom he soon 

 after found. Richmond was upon his legs, but not 

 able to put one before the other : his companion was 

 lying upon the ground, as insensible as a stone. All 

 hands were now called from the fire, and an attempt 

 was made to carry them to it ; but this, notwithstand- 

 ing the united efforts of the whole company, was 

 found to be impossible. The night was extremely 

 dark, the snow was now very deep, and, under these 

 additional disadvantages, they found it very difficult to 

 make way through the bushes and the bog for them- 

 selves, all of them getting many falls in the attempt. 

 The only alternative was to make a fire upon the 

 spot ; but the snow which had fallen, and was still 

 falling, besides what was every moment shaken in 

 flakes from the trees, rendered it equally impracti- 

 cable to kindle one there and to bring any part of 



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