In the Arctic Regions. 283 
might obstruct our path, and that the strength of the 
party would entirely fail, long before we could reach 
the only part where we were certain of finding wood, 
distant in a direct-line twenty-five miles. While we 
halted to consider of this subject, and to collect the 
party, the carcass of a deer was discovered in the cleft 
of a rock into which it had fallen in the spring. It 
was putrid, but_it was little less acceptable to us on 
that account, in our present circumstances ; and a 
fire being kindled, a large portion of it was devoured 
on the spot, affording us an unexpected breakfast, for 
in order to husband our small remaining portion of 
meat, we had agreed to make only one scanty meal a 
day. The men, cheered by this unlooked-for supply, 
became sanguine in the hope of being able to cross the 
stream on a raft of willows, although they had before 
declared such a project impracticable, and they un- 
animously entreated us to return back to the rapid, 
_@ request which accorded with our own opinion, and 
was therefore acceded to. Crédit and Junius, how- 
ever, were missing, and it was also necessary to send 
notice of our intention to Mr. Back and his party., 
Augustus being promised a reward, undertook the task, 
and we agreed to wait for him at the rapid. It was 
supposed he could not fail meeting with the two 
stragglers on his way to or from Mr. Back, as it was 
likely they would keep on the borders of the lake. He 
