334 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



He would not sleep in. the tent at night, but chose 

 to lie at the fire-side. 



On the 13th there was a heavy gale of wind, 

 and we passed the day by the fire. Next day, 

 about two, P.M., the gale abating, Michel set 

 out as he said to hunt, but returned unexpectedly 

 in a very short time. This conduct surprised us, 

 and his contradictory and evasory answers to our 

 questions excited some suspicions, but they did 

 not turn towards the truth. 



October 15th. — In the course of this day Michel 

 expressed much regret that he had stayed be- 

 hind Mr. Franklin's party, and declared that 

 he would set out for the house at once if he knew 

 the way. We endeavoured to soothe him, and to 

 raise his hopes of the Indians speedily coming to 

 our relief, but without success. He refused to 

 assist us in cutting wood, but about noon, after 

 much solicitation, he set out to hunt. Hepburn 

 gathered a kettle of tripe de roche, but froze his 

 fingers. Both Hepburn and I fatigued ourselves 

 much to-day in pursuing a flock of partridges 

 from one part to another of the group of willows, 

 in which the hunt was situated, but we were too 

 weak to be able to approach them with sufficient 

 caution. In the evening Michel returned, having 

 met with no success. 



