nt, until the water was emptied out of the canoe. Belanger
then held the canoe steady whilst St. Germain placed me in it, and
afterwards embarked himself in a very dextrous manner. It was
impossible, however, to embark Belanger, as the canoe would have been
hurried down the rapid, the moment he should have raised his foot from
the rock on which he stood. We were, therefore, compelled to leave him
in his perilous situation. We had not gone twenty yards before the
canoe, striking on a sunken rock, went down. The place being shallow, we
were again enabled to empty it, and the third attempt brought us to the
shore. In the mean time Belanger was suffering extremely, immersed to
his middle in the centre of a rapid, the temperature of which was very
little above the freezing point, and the upper part of his body covered
with wet clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above zero, to a
strong breeze. He called piteously for relief, and St. Germain on his
return endeavoured to embark him, but in vain. The canoe was hurried
down the rapid, and when he landed he was rendered by the cold incapable
of further exertion, and Adam attempted to embark Belanger, but found it
impossible. An attempt was next made to carry out to him a line, made of
the slings of the men's loads. This also failed, the current acting so
strongly upon it, as to prevent the canoe from steering, and it was
finally broken and carried down the stream. At length, when Belanger's
strength seemed almost exhausted, the canoe reached him with a small
cord belonging to one of the nets, and he was dragged perfectly
senseless through the rapid. By the direction of Dr. Richardson, he was
instantly stripped, and being rolled up in blankets, two men undressed
themselves and went to bed with him: but it was some hours before he
recovered his warmth and sensations. As soon as Belanger was placed in
his bed, the officers sent over my blankets, and a person to make a
fire. Augustus brought the canoe over, and in returning he was obliged
to descend both the rapids, before he could get across the stream; which
hazardous service he performed with the greatest coolness and judgment.
It is impossible to describe my sensations as I witnessed the various
unsuccessful attempts to relieve Belanger. The distance prevented my
seeing distinctly what was going on, and I continued pacing up and down
upon the rock on which I landed, regardless of the coldness of my
drenched and stiffening ga