he surface, and was gradually drawn ashore in an
almost lifeless state. Being rolled up in blankets, he was placed before
a good fire of willows, and fortunately was just able to speak
sufficiently to give some slight directions respecting the manner of
treating him. He recovered strength gradually, and through the blessing
of God was enabled in the course of a few hours to converse, and by the
evening was sufficiently recovered to remove into the tent. We then
regretted to learn, that the skin of his whole left side was deprived of
feeling, in consequence of exposure to too great heat. He did not
perfectly recover the sensation of that side until the following summer.
I cannot describe what every one felt at beholding the skeleton which
the Doctor's debilitated frame exhibited. When he stripped, the
Canadians simultaneously exclaimed, "Ah! que nous sommes maigres!" I
shall best explain his state and that of the party, by the following
extract from his journal: "It may be worthy of remark that I should have
had little hesitation in any former period of my life, at plunging into
water even below 38 deg. Fahrenheit; but at this time I was reduced almost
to skin and bone, and, like the rest of the party, suffered from degrees
of cold that would have been disregarded in health and vigour. During
the whole of our march we experienced that no quantity of clothing could
keep us warm whilst we fasted, but on those occasions on which we were
enabled to go to bed with full stomachs, we passed the night in a warm
and comfortable manner."

In following the detail of our friend's narrow escape, I have omitted to
mention, that when he was about to step into the water, he put his foot
on a dagger, which cut him to the bone; but this misfortune could not
stop him from attempting the execution of his generous undertaking.

In the evening Augustus came in. He had walked a day and a half beyond
the place from whence we turned back, but had neither seen Junius nor
Mr. Back. Of the former he had seen no traces, but he had followed the
tracks of Mr. Back's party for a considerable distance, until the
hardness of the ground rendered them imperceptible. Junius was well
equipped with ammunition, blankets, knives, a kettle, and other
necessaries; and it was the opinion of Augustus that when he found he
could not rejoin the party, he would endeavour to gain the woods on the
west end of Point Lake, and follow the river until he fell in with the
E