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Harmon's journal. 



87 



than nothing. When we shall be in a better situ- 

 ation, God only knows. Hope, however, which 

 seldom abandons the wretched, denies us not her 

 comforting aid ; and past experience teaches us, 

 that it is possible our circumstances may suddenly 

 change for the better. 



Sunday, 17. Last evening, our people brought 

 from the tent of our hunter, the meat of a moose, 

 which lighted up a smile of joy upon our counte- 

 nances. We were happy to find, that a kind 

 Providence, instead of abandoning, had favoured 

 us with one of the richest dainties, that this coun- 

 try affords. It w r ould be well if our joy was true 

 gratitude to our kind Benefactor. — There are 

 twelve persons in the fort ; and yet for the last 

 fifteen days, we have subsisted on what was scarce- 

 ly sufficient for two people ! These were cer- 

 tainly the darkest days that I ever experienced, 

 in this or any other country. 



Tuesday, 19. I have taken a walk, accompa- 

 nied by Payet, a short distance from the fort, 

 where we found hazelnuts, still on the bushes, 

 in such plenty, that a person may easily gather a 

 bushel in the course of a day. I am told, that 

 when sheltered from the wind, all of them do not 

 fall off, until the month of May. 



Monday, February 1. For several days past, 

 the weather has been excessively cold ; and this 



