OF THE POLAR SEA. 



485 



when he fell, and the blanket which he wore around his neck and 

 shoulders thrown on one side. Seeing that there was no longer life 

 in him, I threw your covering over him, and placed his snow shoes 

 on the top of it." 



I had not even thought of so serious an occurrence in our little 

 party, and for a short time was obliged to give vent to my grief. 

 Left with one person and both of us weak, no appearance of Be- 

 langer, a likelihood that great calamity had taken place amongst 

 our other companions, and upwards of seventeen days' march from 

 the nearest Establishment, and myself unable to carry a burden, 

 all these things pressed heavy on me; and how to get to the 

 Indians or to the fort I did not know; but that I might not depress 

 St. Germain's spirits, I suppressed the feelings which these thoughts 

 gave rise to, and made some arrangements for the journey to Fort 

 Providence. We continued very weak. 



October 18. — While we were this day occupied in scraping to- 

 gether the remains of some deer's meat, we observed Belanger 

 coming round a point apparently scarcely moving. I went to 

 meet him, and made immediate inquiries about my friends. Five, 

 with the Captain, he said, were at the house, the rest were left 

 near the river, unable to proceed ; but he was too weak to relate 

 the whole. He was conducted to the encampment, and paid 

 every attention to, and by degrees we heard the remainder of his 

 tragic tale, at which the interpreter could not avoid crying. He 

 then gave me a letter from my friend the Commander, which indeed 

 Was truly afflicting. The simple story of Belanger I could hear, but 

 when I read it in another language, mingled with the pious resigna- 

 tion of a good man, I could not sustain it any longer. The poor 

 man was much affected at the death of our lamented companion, but 

 his appetite prevailed over every other feeling; and, had I per- 

 mitted it, he would have done himself an injury ; for after two hours' 

 eating, principally skin and sinews, he complained of hunger. The 



