302 Thirty Years 



de roche was their only chance of preserving life ; un- 

 der these circumstances, I could not do otherwise than 

 yield to their desire. I wrote a note to Dr. Richard- 

 son and Mr. Hood, informing them of the pines we 

 had passed, and recommending their removing thither. 

 Having found that Michel was carrying a considerable 

 quantity of ammunition, I desired him to divide it 

 among my party, leaving him only ten balls and a lit- 

 tle shot, to kill any animals he might meet on his 

 way to the tent. This man was very particular in his 

 inquiries respecting the direction of the house, and 

 the course we meant to pursue ; he also said, that if 

 he should be able, he would go and search for Vail- 

 lant and Credit ; and he requested my permission to 

 take Vaillant'a blanket, if he should find it, to which 

 1 agreed, and mentioned it in my notes to the officers. 

 Scarcely were these arrangements finished, before 

 Perrault and Fontano were seized with a lit of dizzi- 

 ness, and betrayed other symptoms of extreme debility. 

 Some tea was quickly prepared for them, and after 



drinking it, and eating a few morsels of burnt leather, 



they recovered, and expressed their desire to go for- 

 ward : but the other men, alarmed at what they had 

 ju-t witnessed, became doubtful of their own strength, 

 and. giving way to absolute dejection, declared their 

 own inability to move. I now earnestly pressed upon 

 them the necessity of continuing our journey, as the 



