s, although putrid, was esteemed a
valuable prize, and the spine being divided into portions, was
distributed equally. After eating the marrow, which was so acrid as to
excoriate the lips, we rendered the bones friable by burning, and ate
them also.

On the following morning the ground was covered with snow to the depth
of a foot and a half, and the weather was very stormy. These
circumstances rendered the men again extremely despondent; a settled
gloom hung over their countenances, and they refused to pick _tripe de
roche_, choosing rather to go entirely without eating, than to make any
exertion. The party which went for gum returned early in the morning
without having found any; but St. Germain said he could still make the
canoe with the willows, covered with canvass, and removed with Adam to a
clump of willows for that purpose. Mr. Back accompanied them to
stimulate his exertion, as we feared the lowness of his spirits would
cause him to be slow in his operations. Augustus went to fish at the
rapid, but a large trout having carried away his bait, we had nothing to
replace it.

The snow-storm continued all the night, and during the forenoon of the
3d. Having persuaded the people to gather some _tripe de roche_, I
partook of a meal with them; and afterwards set out with the intention
of going to St. Germain to hasten his operations, but though he was only
three quarters of a mile distant, I spent three hours in a vain attempt
to reach him, my strength being unequal to the labour of wading through
the deep snow; and I returned quite exhausted, and much shaken by the
numerous falls I had got. My associates were all in the same debilitated
state, and poor Hood was reduced to a perfect shadow, from the severe
bowel complaints which the _tripe de roche_ never failed to give him.
Back was so feeble as to require the support of a stick in walking; and
Dr. Richardson had lameness superadded to weakness. The voyagers were
somewhat stronger than ourselves, but more indisposed to exertion, on
account of their despondency. The sensation of hunger was no longer felt
by any of us, yet we were scarcely able to converse upon any other
subject than the pleasures of eating. We were much indebted to Hepburn
at this crisis. The officers were unable from weakness to gather _tripe
de roche_ themselves, and Samandre, who had acted as our cook on the
journey from the coast, sharing in the despair of the rest of the
Canadians, refused to mak