OF THE POLAR SEA. 301 



would be a strong inducement for the Indians to 

 venture across the barren grounds to their aid. 

 We communicated this resolution to the men, 

 who were cheered at the sliglitest prospect of 

 alleviation of their present miseries, and they 

 promised with great appearance of earnestness 

 to return to those officers, upon the first supply of 

 food. 



The party then moved on ; Vaillant's blanket 

 and other necessaries were left in the track, at 

 the request of the Canadians, without any hope, 

 however, of his being able to reach them. After 

 marching until dusk without seeing a favourable 

 place for encamping, night compelled us to take 

 shelter under the lee of a hill, amongst some 

 willows, with which, after many attempts, we at 

 lengdi made a fire. It was not sufficient, how- 

 ever, to warm the whole party, much less to thaw 

 our shoes ; and the weather not permitting the 

 gathering of tripe dc roche, we had nothing to 

 cook. The painful retrospection of the melan- 

 choly events of the day banished sleep, and we 

 shuddered as we contemplated the dreadful effects 

 of this bitterly cold night on our two companions, 

 if still living. Some faint hopes were entertained 

 of Credit's surviving the storm, as he was pro- 

 vided with a good blanket, and had leather to 



