ch. xxiv] Discovery of N. coast of America 225 
unwholesome lichen. At last, on the 10th of September, 
after six days of starvation, a herd of musk oxen was seen, 
and one was killed 
Affairs were so serious that young Back volunteered 
to make his way to Fort Enterprise and send back 
Indians with the supplies that had been ordered to be 
collected there. Back started on the 4th of October, 
Fort Enterprise being then 24 miles distant. The rest 
followed, several in a state of extreme weakness. Some of 
the men got weaker every day. At last it was settled 
that Dr Richardson, with Hood and Hepburn, should 
remain with the sick, while Franklin, with the stronger 
men, went on to Fort Enterprise for help. 
Franklin, living on tripe de roche, took four days to 
reach Fort Enterprise and, on his arrival, found to his 
horror and dismay that there were no Indians there, 
no provisions, and that the place was quite abandoned. 
There was a hurried note from Back saying that he had 
gone on in search of Indians, and that if he found none, 
he intended to walk to Fort Providence. He added that 
it was doubtful whether, in his debilitated condition, he 
could make the journey. The temperature at Fort 
Enterprise was 15 0 to 20 0 below zero. 
On the 29th Dr Richardson and Hepburn quite un- 
expectedly arrived at Fort Enterprise. They had a sad 
tale to tell. They were the only survivors of their 
party, the others having died of cold and starvation. 
But the horrors were made far more appalling by the 
crimes of a Canadian voyageur named Michel. There 
was little doubt that he had murdered two of his com- 
rades, and feasted on their bodies, getting fat and strong 
while the others became weaker every day, and were at 
his mercy. He then shot Hood through the head, while 
the others were away collecting tripe de roche, and 
they found the body of their murdered friend on their 
return. Their only chance of survival now was the death 
of Michel. Dr Richardson undertook the duty, and shot 
him. The two survivors then walked on to Fort Enter- 
prise. Here they all remained in the last stage of starva- 
tion until on the 7th of November three Indians arrived 
with food, having been sent by Back, and their lives were 
saved. The Indians treated the starving explorers with 
M. I. 
15 
