222 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



Our situation was indeed distressing, but in com- 

 parison with that of our friends in the rear, we 

 considered it happy. Their condition gave us 

 unceasing solicitude, and was tlie principal sub- 

 ject of our conversation. 



Though the weather was stormy on the 26th, 

 Samandre assisted me to gather tripe de roc he. 

 Adam, who was very ill, and could not now be 

 prevailed upon to eat this weed, subsisted prin- 

 cipally on bones, though he also partook of the 

 soup. The tripe de roche had hitherto afforded 

 us our chief support, and we naturally felt great 

 uneasiness at the prospect of being deprived of 

 it, by its being so frozen as to render it impos- 

 sible for us to gather it. 



We perceived our strength decline every day, 

 and every exertion began to be irksome ; when 

 we were once seated the greatest effort was ne- 

 cessary in order to rise, and we had frequently to 

 lift each other from our seats ; but even in this 

 pitiable condition we conversed cheerfully, being 

 sanguine as to the speedy arrival of the Indians. 

 We calculated indeed that if they should be near 

 the situation where they had remained last win- 

 ter, our men would have reached them by this 

 day. Having expended all the wood which we 

 could procure from our present dwelling, without 

 endangering its falling, Peltier began this day to 



