OF THE POLAR SEA. 



85 



their dress, desiring me to send them skins 

 in return by the Indians. Having patched 

 -4^three pair of snow-shoes, and singed a 

 quantity of skin for the journey, we started 

 on the morning of the 20th. Previous to 

 my departure, I packed up the journals of 

 the officers, the charts, and some other 

 documents, together with a letter addressed 

 to the Under-Secretary of State, detailing 

 the occurrences of the Expedition up to this 

 period, which package was given in charge 

 to Peltier and Samandre, with directions 

 that it should be brought away by the 

 Indians who might come to them. I also 

 instructed them to send succour immediately 

 on its arrival to our companions in the rear, 

 which they solemnly promised to do, and I 

 left a letter for my friends, Richardson and 

 Hood, to be sent at the same time. I 

 thought it necessary to admonish Peltier, 

 Samandre, and Adam, to eat two meals 

 every day, in order to keep up their 

 strength, which they promised me they 

 would do. No language that I can use 

 could adequately describe the partin gscene. 



