OF THE POLAR SEA. 315 



below the rapid. On his way thither he saw two 

 deer, but had not strength to follow them. 



On the 13th the wind blew violently from south- 

 east, and the snow drifted so much that the party 

 were confined to the house. In the afternoon of the 

 following day Belanger arrived with a note from 

 Mr. Back, stating that he had seen no trace of 

 the Indians, and desiring further mstructions as 

 to the course he should pursue. Belanger's 

 situation, however, required our first care, as ho 

 came in almost speecliless, and covered with ice, 

 having fallen into a rapid, and, for the third time 

 since we left the coast, narrowly escaped drown- 

 ing. He did not recover sufficiently to answer 

 our questions, until we had rubbed him for some 

 time, changed his dress, and given him some 

 warm soup. My companions nursed him with 

 the greatest kindness, and the desire of re- 

 storing him to health, seemed to absorb all re- 

 gard for their own situation. I witnessed with 

 peculiar pleasure this conduct, so different from 

 that which they had recently pursued, when every 

 tender feeling was suspended by the desire of 

 self-preservation. They now no longer betrayed 

 impatience or despondency, but were composed 

 and cheerful, and had entirely given up the prac- 

 tice of swearing, to which the Canadian voyagers 

 are so lamentably addicted. Our conversation 



