72 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



The poor man was overwhelmed with grief, 

 and seemed desirous to remain at that spot. 

 We were about two miles from the place 

 where the other men had been left, and as 

 the track to it was beaten, we proposed to 

 him to return thither, as we thought it pro- 

 bable he would find the men still there ; at 

 any rate, he would be able to get fuel to 

 keep him warm during the night ; and, on 

 the next day, he could follow their track to 

 the officers' tent ; and, should the path be 

 covered by the snow, the pines we had 

 passed yesterday would guide him, as they 

 were yet in view. 



I cannot describe my anguish on the oc- 

 casion of separating from another com- 

 panion under circumstances so distressing. 

 There was, however, no alternative. The 

 extreme debility of the rest of the party put 

 the carrying him quite out of the question, 

 as he himself admitted ; and it was evident 

 that the frequent delays he must occasion 

 if he accompanied us, and did not gain 

 strength, would endanger the lives of the 

 whole. By returning he had the prospect 



