the boat was nearly
swamped. All this and the succeeding day, the gale continuing, we
could not launch the boats, and were employed carrying such provisions
and stores as were saved, to some empty houses which were discovered
about six miles to the eastward of where we landed. Finding that with
all our exertions we had only been able to save three days' bread, the
officers and crew were put upon half allowances, with the melancholy
prospect of starving in the woods.

'On Thursday, the 3rd November, the weather moderating, we launched
the boats before daylight, and dispatched the jolly boat, with the
purser, to a village called Trois Pistoles, about forty-five miles
distant, on the opposite side of the river, that he might find his way
to Quebec, to procure us assistance and relief, there being no
possibility of communicating with any inhabited quarter from where we
were but by water.

'During our stay near the wreck, we had repeated gales of wind, both
to the eastward and westward; and so violent, and with so much sea,
that the mizenmast was thrown overboard, all the upper deck beams
broken, and the ship's bottom beaten out.

'We embraced every intervening opportunity of going off to save stores
by scuttling the decks, which were covered with ice, the ship on her
broadside, and the water flowing over the quarter-deck. On these
occasions we were generally away ten or twelve hours, exposed to the
wet and cold, without nourishment; from which, and fatigue, I had to
lament seeing the people every day become more sickly, and many of
them frost-bitten from the severity of the weather. By the
indefatigable exertions of the officers and crew, we succeeded in
saving all our spare sails, cables, and stores, to a considerable
amount; though the cables were frozen so hard, that we were obliged to
cut and saw them as junk.

'On the 7th, I again sent a boat with the second lieutenant, to Trois
Pistoles, in the hope of procuring, if possible, some temporary
supplies; but the wind increasing to a violent gale from the eastward,
with a heavy fall of snow, they got frozen up on the opposite shore,
and did not return till the 12th, having then only procured three
hundred weight of flour, a few potatoes, and some beef--two men having
deserted from the boat.

'At this period, I had a respectful request made me from the people,
to be allowed to go to Trois Pistoles, that they might shift for
themselves whilst the weather would admit o