In the. Arctic Regions. 265 
the middle of the rapid. We fortunately kept hold 
of it, until we touched a rock where the water did not 
reach higher than our waists ; here we kept our foot- 
ing, notwithstanding the strength of the current, un- 
til the water was emptied out of thecanoe. Belanger 
then held the canoe steady whilst St. Germain placed 
me in it, and afterwards embarked himself.in a very 
dexterous manner. It was impossible, however, to 
embark Belanger, as the canoe would have been hur- 
ried down the rapid, the moment he should have 
raised his foot from the rock on which he stood. We 
were, therefore, compelled to leave him in his perilous 
situation. We had not gone twenty yards before the 
canoe, striking on a sudden rock, went down. The 
place being shallow, we were again enabled to empty 
it, and the third attempt brought us to theshore. In 
the mean time Belanger was suffering extremely, im- 
mersed to his middle in the centre of a rapid, the tem- 
perature of which was very little above the freezing 
point, and the upper part of his body covered with 
wet clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above 
zero, to a strong breeze. He called piteously for re- 
lief, and St. Germain on his return endeavored to em- 
bark him, but in vain, The canoe was hurried down 
the rapid, and when he landed he was rendered by the 
cold incapable of further exertion, and Adam attempt- 
ed to embark Belanger, aS found it impossible. An 
