448 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



now our object immediately to get all that we could, but I had not 

 strength to drag in more than two of those which were within twenty 

 yards of the house until the Doctor came and assisted me. We 

 made up our stock to twenty-six, but several of them were putrid, 

 and scarcely eatable, even by men suffering the extremity of famine. 

 Peltier and Samandre continued very weak and dispirited, and 

 they were unable to cut fire-wood. Hepburn had in consequence 

 that laborious task to perform after he came back. The Doctor 

 having scarified the swelled parts of Adam's body, a large quan- 

 tity of water flowed out, and he obtained some ease, but still kept 

 his bed. 



After our usual supper of singed skin and bone soup, Dr. Kichard- 

 son acquainted me with the afflicting circumstances attending 

 the death of Mr. Hood and Michel, and detailed the occurrences 

 subsequent to my departure from them, which I shall give from 

 his journal, in his own words ; but, I must here be permitted to 

 express the heart-felt sorrow with which I was overwhelmed at the 

 loss of so many companions ; especially for that of my friend Mr. Hood, 

 to whose zealous and able co-operation I had been indebted for so 

 much invaluable assistance during the Expedition, whilst the excel- 

 lent qualities of his heart engaged my warmest regard. His scientific 

 observations, together with his maps and drawings (a small part of 

 which only appear in this work), evince a variety of talent, which, 

 had his life been spared, must have rendered him a distinguished 

 ornament to his profession, and which will cause his death to be felt 

 as a loss to the service. 



