Peltier. I undertook the office of cooking, and
insisted they should eat twice a day whenever food could be procured;
but as I was too weak to pound the bones, Peltier agreed to do that in
addition to his more fatiguing task of getting wood. We had a violent
snow storm all the next day, and this gloomy weather increased the
depression of spirits under which Adam and Samandre were labouring.
Neither of them would quit their beds, and they scarcely ceased from
shedding tears all day; in vain did Peltier and myself endeavour to
cheer them. We had even to use much entreaty before they would take the
meals we had prepared for them. Our situation was indeed distressing,
but in comparison with that of our friends in the rear, we thought it
happy. Their condition gave us unceasing solicitude, and was the
principal subject of our conversation.

Though the weather was stormy on the 26th, Samandre assisted me to
gather _tripe de roche_. Adam, who was very ill, and could not now be
prevailed upon to eat this weed, subsisted principally on bones, though
he also partook of the soup. The _tripe de roche_ had hitherto afforded
us our chief support, and we naturally felt great uneasiness at the
prospect of being deprived of it, by its being so frozen as to render it
impossible for us to gather it.

We perceived our strength decline every day, and every exertion began to
be irksome; when we were once seated the greatest effort was necessary
in order to rise, and we had frequently to lift each other from our
seats; but even in this pitiable condition we conversed cheerfully,
being sanguine as to the speedy arrival of the Indians. We calculated
indeed that if they should be near the situation where they had remained
last winter, our men would have reached them by this day. Having
expended all the wood which we could procure from our present dwelling,
without danger of its fall, Peltier began this day to pull down the
partitions of the adjoining houses. Though these were only distant about
twenty yards, yet the increase of labour in carrying the wood fatigued
him so much, that by the evening he was exhausted. On the next day his
weakness was such, especially in the arms, of which he chiefly
complained, that he with difficulty lifted the hatchet; still he
persevered, while Samandre and I assisted him in bringing in the wood,
but our united strength could only collect sufficient to replenish the
fire four times in the course of the day. As