OF THE POLAR SEA. 



125 



bed, as we supposed to sleep, and in this 

 composed state he remained upwards of 

 two hours, without our apprehending any 

 danger. We were then alarmed by hearing 

 a rattling in his throat, and on the Doctor's 

 examining him, he was found to be speech- 

 less. He died in the course of the night. 

 Samandre sat up the greater part of the 

 day, and even assisted in pounding some 

 bones; but on witnessing the melancholy 

 state of Peltier, he became very low, and 

 began to complain of cold and stiffness of 

 the joints. Being unable to keep up a suf- 

 ficient fire to warm him, we laid him down 

 and covered him with several blankets. 

 He did not, however, appear to get better, 

 and I deeply lament to add he also died 

 before day-light. We removed the bodies 

 of the deceased into the opposite part of 

 the house, but our united strength was in- 

 adequate to the task of interring them, or 

 even carrying them down to the river. 



It may be worthy of remark that poor 

 Peltier, from the time of Benoit's departure, 

 had fixed on the first of November as the 



