330 Thirty Years 



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 gathered a bagful of 

 tripe de roclie 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 ex- 

 posed in scraping the frozen surface of the rocks. On 

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

 neighborhood of the hut, we became chilled at once, 

 and were obliged to return very quickly. 



Michel proposed to remain out all night, and to hunt 

 next day on his way back. He returned in the after- 

 noon of the 18th, having found the blanket, together 

 with a bag containing two pistols, and some other 

 things which had been left beside it. We had some 

 tripe de roche, in the evening, but Mr. Hood, from the 

 constant griping it produced, was unable to eat more 

 than one or two spoonfuls, lie was no"w so weak as 

 to be scarcely able to sit up at the lire-side, and com- 

 plained thai the least breeze of wind seemed to blow 

 through his frame. He also suffered much from cold 

 during the night. We Lay close to each other, but the 

 heal of the body was no longer sufficient to thaw the 

 frozen rime formed by our breaths on the blankets that 

 covered him. 



