OF THE POLAR SEA. 459 



reasons that influenced me in depriving a fellow-creature of life. 

 Up to the period of his return to the tent, his conduct had been 

 good and respectful to the officers, and in a conversation between 

 Captain Franklin, Mr. Hood, and myself, at Obstruction Rapid, it 

 had been proposed to give him a reward upon our arrival at a post. 

 His principles, however, unsupported by a belief in the divine truths 

 of Christianity, were unable to withstand the pressure of severe dis- 

 tress. His countrymen, the Iroquois, are generally Christians, but 

 he was totally uninstructed and ignorant of the duties inculcated 

 by Christianity ; and from his long residence in the Indian country? 

 seems to have imbibed, or retained, the rules of conduct which the 

 southern Indians prescribe to themselves. 



On the two following days we had mild but thick snowy weather, 

 and as the view was too limited to enable us to preserve a straight 

 course, we remained encamped amongst a few willows and dwarf 

 pines, about five miles from the tent. We found a species of cornicu~ 

 laria, a kind of lichen, that was good to eat when moistened and 

 toasted over the fire ; and we had a good many pieces of singed 

 buffalo hide remaining. 



On the 26th, the weather being clear and extremely cold, we 

 resumed our march, which was very painful from the depth of 

 the snow, particularly on the margins of the small lakes that lay in 

 our route. We frequently sunk under the load of our blankets, 

 and were obliged to assist each other in getting up. After walking 

 about three miles and a half, however, we were cheered by the sight 

 of a large herd of rein-deer, and Hepburn went in pursuit of them ; 

 but his hand being unsteady through weakness 5 he missed. He was 

 so exhausted by this fruitless attempt that we were obliged to 

 encamp upon the spot, although it was a very unfavourable one. 



Next day we had fine and clear, but cold, weather. We set 

 out early, and, in crossing a hill, found a considerable quantity of 

 tripe de roche. About noon we fell upon Little Marten Lake, having 



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