OF THE POLAR SEA. 



135 



painful as that which we had suffered ; as 

 will be seen hereafter by his own narrative. 



November 8. — The Indians this morning- 

 requested us to remove to an encampment 

 on the banks of the river, as they were un- 

 willing to remain in the house where the 

 bodies of our deceased companions^W^re* 

 lying exposed to view. We agreed, but 

 the day proved too stormy, and Dr. Ri- 

 chardson and Hepburn, having dragged the 

 bodies to a short^di^tance, and covered them 

 with sngWj the objections of the Indians to 

 remain in the house were dissipated, and 

 they began to clear our room of the accu- 

 mulation of dirt and fragments of poungjed 

 bones. The improved state of our apart- 

 ment, and the large and cheerful fires they 

 kept up, produced in us a sensation of comfort 

 to which we had long been strangers. In 

 the evening they brought in a pile of dried 

 wood, which was lying on the river-side, 

 and towards which we had often cast a 

 wishful eye, being unable to drag it up the 

 bank. The Indians set about every thing 

 with an activity that amazed us. Indeed, 



