304 Thirty Tears 



face of the ice was perfectly smooth, we slipt at almost 

 every step, and were frequently blown clown by the 

 wind with such force as to shake our whole frames. 

 Poor Fontano was completely exhausted by the la- 

 bor of making this traverse, and we made a halt until 

 his strength was recruited, by which time the party 

 was benumbed with cold. Proceeding again, he got 

 on tolerably well for a little time, but being again 

 seized with faintness and dizziness, he fell often, and 

 at length exclaimed that he could go no further. We 

 immediately stopped, and endeavored to encourage 

 him to persevere, until we should find some willows, 

 to encamp ; he insisted, however, that he could not 

 march any longer through this deep snow ; and said, 

 that if he should even reach our encampment thia 

 evening, he must be left there, provided tripe de roche 

 cotild not be procured to recruit his strength. The 

 poor man was overwhelmed with grief, and seemed de- 

 sirous to remain at that spot. We were about two 

 miles from the place where the Other men had been 

 left, and as the track to it was beaten, we proposed to 



him to return thither, as we thought it probable he 

 would find the men still there : al any rate he would 

 be able to get fuel to keep him warm during the oighl : 

 and, "ii the next day, he could follow their track to 

 the officers' tl Ql ; and, should the path be covered by 



now, the pines we had passed yesterday would 



guide him, as they were yet in view. 



