OF THE POLAR SEA. 335 



Next day he refused either to hunt or cut wood, 

 spoke in a very surly manner, and threatened to 

 leave us. Under these circumstances, Mr. Hood 

 and I deemed it better to promise if he would 

 hunt diligently for four days, that then w^e would 

 give Hepburn a letter for Mr. Franklin, a com- 

 pass, inform him what course to pursue, and let 

 them proceed together to the fort. The non- 

 arrival of the Indians to our relief, now led us to 

 fear that some accident had happened to Mr. 

 Franklin, and we placed no confidence in the 

 exertions of the Canadians that accompanied 

 him, but we had the fullest confidence in Hep- 

 burn's returning the moment he could obtain as- 

 sistance. 



On the 17th I went to conduct Michel to where 

 Vaillant's blanket was left, and after walking 

 about three miles, pointed out the hills to him at 

 a distance, and returned to the hut, having ga- 

 thered a bagful of tripe de roche on the way. It 

 was easier to gather this weed on a march than 

 at the tent, for the exercise of walking produced 

 a glow of heat, which enabled us to withstand 

 for a time the cold to which we were exposed in 

 scraping the frozen surface of the rocks. On the 

 contrary, when we left the fire, to collect it in the 

 neighbourhood of the hut, we became chilled at 

 once, and were obliged to return very quickly. 



