132 



JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



in carrying wood to the fire ; none of us 

 were willing to receive assistance, although 

 / the task was disproportioned to our strength. 

 f On one of these occasions, Hepburn was so 

 convinced of this waywardness, that he ex- 

 claimed, " Dear me, if we are spared to 

 return to England, I wonder if we shall 

 recover our understandings." 



November 7. — Adam had passed a rest- 

 less night, being disquieted by gloomy ap- 

 prehensions of approaching death, which 

 we tried in vain to dispel. He was so low 

 in the morning as to be scarcely able to 

 speak. I remained in bed by his side to 

 cheer him as much as possible. The Doctor 

 and Hepburn went to cut wood. They had 

 hardly begun their labour, when they were 

 amazed at hearing the report ^ a musj£JU~ 

 They could scarcely believe that there was 

 really any one near, until they heard a 

 shout, and immediately espied three In- 

 dians close to the house. Adam and I 

 heard the latter noise, and I was fearful that 

 a part of the house had fallen upon one of 

 my companions, a disaster which had in fact 



