233 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



it proved to be very little buoyant, and was un- 

 able to support more than one man at a time. 

 Even on this, however, we hoped the whole party 

 might be transported, by hauling it from one side 

 to the other, provided a line could be carried to 

 the other bank. Several attempts were made by 

 Belanger and Benoit, the strongest men of the 

 party, to convey the raft across the stream, but 

 they failed for want of oars. A pole constructed 

 by tying the tent poles together, was too short to 

 reach the bottom at a short distance from the 

 shore ; and a paddle which had been carried from 

 the sea-coast by Dr. Richardson, did not possess 

 sufficient power to move the raft in opposition to 

 a strong breeze, which blew from the opposite 

 shore. All the men suffered extremely from the 

 coldness of the water, in which they were neces- 

 sarily immersed up to the waists, in their endea- 

 vours to aid Belanger and Benoit ; and having 

 witnessed repeated failures, they began to con- 

 sider the scheme as hopeless. At this time Dr. 

 Richardson, prompted by a desire of relieving 

 his suffering companions, proposed to swim across 

 the stream with a line, and to haul the raft over. 

 He launched into the stream with the line round 

 his middle, but when he had got a short distance 

 from the bank, his arms became benumbed with 

 cold, and he lost the power of moving them ; still 



