OF THE POLAR SEA. 115 



that he would never suffer us to go thither 

 in company with him. In the course of the 

 day he had several times remarked that we 

 were pursuing the same course that Mr. 

 Franklin was doing when he left him, and 

 that by keeping towards the setting sun he 

 could find his way himself. Hepburn and 

 I were not in a condition to resist even an 

 open attack, nor could we by any device 

 escape from him. Our united strength was 

 far inferior to his, and, beside his gun, he 

 was armed with two pistols, an Indian bay- 

 onet and a knife. In the afternoon, coming 

 to a rock, .on which there was some tripe de 

 rocke, he halted, and said he would gather 

 it whilst we went on, and that he would 

 soon overtake us. Hepburn and I were 

 now left together for the first time since Mr. 

 Hood's death, and he acquainted me with 

 several material circumstances which he had 

 observed of Michel's behaviour, and which 

 confirmed me in the opinion that there was 

 no safety for us except in his death, and he 

 offered to be the instrument of it. I deter- 

 mined, however, as I was thoroughly con- 

 i 2 



