290 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



but at this time I was reduced almost to skin and 

 bone, and, like the rest of the party, suffered from 

 degrees of cold that would have been disregarded 

 whilst in health and vigour. During the whole 

 of our march we experienced that no quantity of 

 clothing could keep us warm whilst we fasted, 

 but on those occasions on which we were enabled 

 to go to bed with full stomachs, we passed the 

 night in a warm and comfortable manner." 



In following the detail of our friend's narrow 

 escape, I have omitted to mention, that when he 

 was about to step into the water, he put his foot 

 on a dagger, which cut him to the bone ; but this 

 misfortune could not stop him from attempting 

 the execution of his generous undertaking. 



In the evening Augustus came in. He had 

 walked a day and a half beyond the place from 

 whence we turned back, but had neither seen 

 Junius nor Mr. Back. Of the former he had seen 

 no traces, but he had followed the tracks of Mr. 

 Back's party for a considerable distance, until 

 the hardness of the ground rendered them imper- 

 ceptible. Junius was well equipped with am- 

 munition, blankets, knives, a kettle, and other 

 necessaries ; and it was the opinion of Augustus, 

 that when he found he could not rejoin the party, 

 he would endeavour to gain the woods on the 

 west end of Point Lake, and follow the river until 



