t's blanket was
left, and after walking about three miles, pointed out the hills to him
at a distance, and returned to the hut, having gathered a bagful of
_tripe de roche_ on the way. It was easier to gather this weed on a
march than at the tent, for the exercise of walking produced a glow of
heat, which enabled us to withstand for a time the cold to which we were
exposed in scraping the frozen surface of the rocks. On the contrary,
when we left the fire, to collect it in the neighbourhood of the hut, we
became chilled at once, and were obliged to return very quickly.

Michel proposed to remain out all night, and to hunt next day on his way
back. He returned in the afternoon of the 18th, having found the
blanket, together with a bag containing two pistols, and some other
things which had been left beside it. We had some _tripe de roche_ in
the evening, but Mr. Hood from the constant griping it produced, was
unable to eat more than one or two spoonfuls. He was now so weak as to
be scarcely able to sit up at the fire-side, and complained that the
least breeze of wind seemed to blow through his frame. He also suffered
much from cold during the night. We lay close to each other, but the
heat of the body was no longer sufficient to thaw the frozen rime formed
by our breaths on the blankets that covered him.

At this period we avoided as much as possible conversing upon the
hopelessness of our situation, and generally endeavoured to lead the
conversation towards our future prospects in life. The fact is, that
with the decay of our strength, our minds decayed, and we were no longer
able to bear the contemplation of the horrors that surrounded us. Each
of us, if I may be allowed to judge from my own case, excused himself
from so doing by a desire of not shocking the feelings of the others,
for we were sensible of one another's weakness of intellect though
blind to our own. Yet we were calm and resigned to our fate, not a
murmur escaped us, and we were punctual and fervent in our addresses to
the Supreme Being.

On the 19th Michel refused to hunt, or even to assist in carrying a log
of wood to the fire, which was too heavy for Hepburn's strength and
mine. Mr. Hood endeavoured to point out to him the necessity and duty of
exertion, and the cruelty of his quitting us without leaving something
for our support; but the discourse, far from producing any beneficial
effect, seemed only to excite his anger, and amongst other expressi