In the Arctic Regions. 331 
At this period we avoided as much as possible con- 
versing upon the hopelessness of our situation, and 
generally endeavored to lead the conversation towards 
our future prospects in life, The fact is, that with the 
decay of our strength, our minds decayed, and we were 
no longer able to bear the contemplation of the hor- 
rors that surrounded us. Each of us, if I may be al- 
lowed to judge from my own case, excused himself 
from so doing by a desire of not.shocking the feelings 
of the others, for we were sensible of one another’s 
weakness of intellect, though blind to our own. Yet 
we were calm and resigned to our fate, not a murmur 
escaped us, and we were punctual and fervent in our 
addresses to the Supreme Being. 
On the 19th Michel refused to hunt, or even to as- 
sist in carrying a log of wood to the fire, which was 
too heavy for Hepburn’s strengthand mine. Mr. Hood 
endeavored to point out to him the necessity and duty 
of exertion, and the cruelty of his quitting us without 
leaving something for our support ; but the discourse, 
far from producing any beneficial effect, seemed only 
to excite his anger, and amongst other expressions he 
made use of the following remarkable one: “It is no 
use hunting, there are no animals, you had better kill 
and eat me.” At length, however, he went out, but 
returned very soon, with a report that he had seen 
three deer, which he was unable to follow from having 
