In the Arctic Regions. 337 
which he had observed of Michel’s behavior, and which 
confirmed me in the opinion that there was no safety 
for us except in his death, and he offered to be'the 
instrument of it, I determined, however, as I was 
thoroughly convinced of the necessity of such a dread- 
ful act, to take the whole responsibility upon myself ; 
and immediately upon Michel’s coming up, I put an 
-end to his life by shooting him through the head with 
a pistol. Had my own life alone been threatened, I 
would not have purchased it by such a measure ; but 
I considered myself as intrusted also with the protec- 
tion of Hepburn’s, a man, who, by his humane atten- 
tions and devotedness, had so endeared himself to me, 
that I felt more anxiety for his safety than for my own. 
Michel had gathered no tripe de roche, and it was 
evident to us that he had halted for the purpose of 
putting his gun in order, with the intention of attack- 
ing us, perhaps, whilst we were in the act of encamp- 
ing. 
I have dwelt in the preceding part of the narrative 
upon many circumstances of Michel’s conduct, not for 
the purpose of aggravating his crime, but to put the 
reader in possession of the reasons that influenced me 
in depriving a fellow creature of life. Up to the period 
of his return to the tent, his conduct had been good 
and respectful to the officers, and in a conversation 
between Captain Franklin, Mr. Hood, and myself, at 
15 
