OF THE POLAR SEA. SS3 



encampment, for his strength had quite failed him. 

 I endeavoured to encourage him by explaining 

 the mercy of the Supreme Being, who ever beholds 

 with an eye of pity those that seek his aid. This 

 passed as common discourse, when he inquired 

 where we were to put up ; St, Germain pointed 

 to a small clump of pines near us, the only place 

 indeed that offered for fuel. " Well," replied the 

 poor man, " take your axe, Mr. Back, and I will 

 follow at my leisure, I shall join you by the time 

 the encampment is made." This is a usual prac- 

 tice of the country, and St. Germain and myself 

 went on towards the spot; it was five o'clock and 

 not very cold, but rather milder than we had ex- 

 perienced it for some time, when, on leaving the 

 ice, we saw a number of crows perched on the 

 top of some high pines near us. St. Germain 

 immediately said there must be some dead 

 animal thereabouts, and proceeded to search, 

 when we saw several heads of deer half buried 

 in the snow and ice, without eyes or tongues. 

 The previous severity of the weather only having 

 obliged the wolves and other animals to abandon 

 them. An expression of " Oh merciful God I wo 

 are saved," broke from us both ; and with feel- 

 ings more easily imagined than described, we 

 shook hands, not knowing what to say for joy. 

 It was twilight, and a fog was rapidly darkening 



