LIFE OR DEATH? 205 



caused us much anxiety. His brother Louis was also 

 in a wretched condition from the effects of severe 

 dysentery caused by exposure and starvation, and was 

 unable to walk. 



On the morning of the 17th, feeling somewhat revived 

 after a long night's rest, I undertook to go hunting 

 ptarmigan, which we were glad to find were plentiful 

 in the woods about us. Had it not been for the fact 

 that our ammunition was almost exhausted, the occur- 

 rence of these birds in abundance would have afforded 

 us greater consolation, but being, as we were, reduced 

 to a dozen or two charges, the opportunity for living 

 on feathered game seemed limited to a short period. 

 We were hoping that Jim and John might be successful 

 in reaching Churchill. Before I had walked a hundred 

 yards from camp, I was forced to realize how weak I 

 had become, and after making a circuit of about half a 

 mile and shooting only two or three birds, I was 

 scarcely able to crawl back to the tent. On my return, 

 Fran9ois, taking the shot-gun, went out and returned in 

 the evening with a fine bag of game. 



On waking the next morning, my brother amused us 

 by relating an extraordinary dream, in which he imagined 

 he was luxuriating in good things, and particularly sweet 

 currant cakes, for which he was exhibiting a wonderful 

 capacity. But alas ! with the visions of the night the 

 cakes had vanished, and for breakfast he was forced to 

 be content with unseasoned boiled ptarmigan. 



At about one o'clock in the day, as we were seated 

 within the tent partaking of our second meal, we were 

 suddenly startled by hearing the exclamation, " Hullo, 

 Jim ! " The eagerness with which we scrambled over 



