OF THE POLAR SEA. 



233 



restrained even by the presence of their of- 

 ficers from expressing them. Their feafs, 

 we imagined, had been principally excited 

 by the interpreters, St. Germain and Adam, 

 who from the outset had foreboded every 

 calamity; and we now strongly suspected 

 that their recent want of success in hunting 

 had proceeded from an intentional relaxa- 

 tion in their efforts to kill deer in order that 

 the want of provision might compel us to 

 put a period to our voyage. 



I must now mention that many concurrent 

 circumstances had caused me, during the 

 few last days, to meditate on the approach 

 of this painful necessity. The strong breezes 

 we had encountered for some days, led me 

 to fear that the season was breaking up, 

 and severe weather would soon ensue, which 

 we could not sustain in a country destitute 

 of fuel. Our stock of provision was now 

 reduced to a quantity of pemmican only 

 sufficient for three days' consumption, and 

 the prospect of increasing it was not encou- 

 raging, for though rein- deer were seen, they 

 could not be easily approached on the level 



