OF THE POLAR SEA. 293 



After eating the marrow, which was so acrid as 

 to excoriate the lips, we rendered the bones fri- 

 able by burning, and ate them also. 



On the following morning the ground was co- 

 vered Vv ith snow to the depth of a foot and a half, 

 and the weather was very stormy. These circum- 

 stances rendered the men again extremely de- 

 spondent ; a settled gloom hung over their coun- 

 tenances, and they refused to pick tripe de roche, 

 choosing rather to go entirely v/ithout eating, than 

 to make any exertion. The party which went 

 for gum returned early in the morning without 

 having found any ; but St. Germain said he could 

 still make the canoe with the willows, covered 

 with the canvass, and removed with Adam to a 

 clump of willows for that purpose. Mr. Back 

 accompanied them to stimulate his exertion, as 

 we feared the lowness of his spirits would cause 

 him to be slow in his operations. Augustus went 

 to iish at the rapid,but a large trout having carried 

 away his bait, we had nothing to replace it. 



The snow-storm continued all the night, and 

 during the forenoon of the 3d. Having persuaded 

 the people to gather some tripe de roche, I par- 

 took of a meal with them ; and afterwards set out 

 with the intention of going to St. Germain to 

 hasten his operations, but though he was only 

 three quarters of a mile distant, I spent three 



