92 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



Dr. Richardson and Hepburn entered, each 

 carrying his bundle. Peltier, however, 

 soon recovered himself enough to express 

 his delight at their safe arrival, and his re- 

 gret that their companions were not with 

 them. When I saw them alone my own 

 mind was instantly filled with apprehensions 

 respecting my friend Hood, and our other 

 companions, which were immediately con- 

 firmed by the Doctor's melancholy com- 

 munication, that Mr. Hood and Michel 

 were dead. Perrault and Fontano had 

 neither reached the tent nor been heard of 

 by them. This intelligence produced a 

 melancholy despondency in the minds of 

 my party, and on that account the particu- 

 lars were deferred until another opportu- 

 nity. We were all shocked at beholding 

 the emaciated countenances of the Doctor 

 and Hepburn, as they strongly evidenced 

 their extremely debilitated state. The al- 

 teration in our appearance was equally dis- 

 tressing to them ; for since the swellings 

 had subsided we were little more than skin 

 and bone. The Doctor particularly re- 



