290 Thirty Years 
ing, brought in the antlers and back bone of a deer 
which had been killed in the summer. The wolves 
and birds of prey had picked them clean, but there 
still remained a quantity of the spinal marrow which 
they had not been able to extract. This, although 
putrid, was esteemed a valuable prize, and the spine 
being divided into portions, was distributed equally. 
After eating the marrow, which was so acrid as to ex- 
crociate the lips, we rendered the bones friable by burn-- 
ing, and ate them also. 
On the following morning the ground was covered 
with snow to the depth of a foot and a half, and the 
weather was very stormy. These circumstances ren- 
dered the men again extremely despondent ; a settled 
gloom hung over their countenances, and they refused 
to pick tripe de roche, choosing rather to go entirely 
without eating, than to make any exertion. The 
party which went for gum returned early in the morn- 
ing without having found any ; but St. Germain said 
he could still make the canoe with the willows cover- 
ed with the canvass, and removed with Adam to a 
clump of willows for that purpose. Mr. Back accom- 
panied them to stimulate his exertion, as we feared 
the lowness of his spirits would cause him to be slow 
in his operations. “Augustus went to fish at the rapid, 
but a large trout having carried away his bait, we had 
nothing to replace it. 
