November 7.
Adam had passed a restless night, being disquieted by gloomy
apprehensions of approaching death, which we tried in vain to dispel. He
was so low in the morning as to be scarcely able to speak. I remained in
bed by his side to cheer him as much as possible. The Doctor and Hepburn
went to cut wood. They had hardly begun their labour when they were
amazed at hearing the report of a musket. They could scarcely believe
that there was really anyone near until they heard a shout and
immediately espied three Indians close to the house. Adam and I heard the
latter noise and I was fearful that a part of the house had fallen upon
one of my companions, a disaster which had in fact been thought not
unlikely. My alarm was only momentary, Dr. Richardson came in to
communicate the joyful intelligence that relief had arrived. He and
myself immediately addressed thanksgivings to the throne of mercy for
this deliverance but poor Adam was in so low a state that he could
scarcely comprehend the information. When the Indians entered he
attempted to rise but sank down again. But for this seasonable
interposition of Providence his existence must have terminated in a few
hours, and that of the rest probably in not many days.
The Indians had left Akaitcho's encampment on the 5th November, having
been sent by Mr. Back with all possible expedition after he had arrived
at their tents. They brought but a small supply of provision that they
might travel quickly. It consisted of dried deer's meat, some fat, and a
few tongues. Dr. Richardson, Hepburn and I eagerly devoured the food
which they imprudently presented to us in too great abundance, and in
consequence we suffered dreadfully from indigestion and had no rest the
whole night. Adam, being unable to feed himself, was more judiciously
treated by them and suffered less; his spirits revived hourly. The
circumstance of our eating more food than was proper in our present
condition was another striking proof of the debility of our minds. We
were perfectly aware of the danger, and Dr. Richardson repeatedly
cautioned us to be moderate, but he was himself unable to practise the
caution he so judiciously recommended.
Boudell-kell, the youngest of the Indians, after resting about an hour,
returned to Akaitcho with the intelligence of our situation, and he
conveyed a note from me to Mr. Back, requesting another supply of meat as
soon as possible. The two others, Crooked-Foot and the Rat, remained to
take care of us until we should be able to move forward.
The note received by the Indians from Mr. Back communicated a tale of
distress with regard to himself and his party as painful as that which we
had suffered, as will be seen hereafter by his own narrative.
November 8.
The Indians this morning requested us to remove to an encampment on the
banks of the river as they were unwilling to remain in the house where
the bodies of our deceased companions were lying exposed to view. We
agreed but the day proved too stormy and Dr. Richardson and Hepburn,
having dragged the bodies to a short distance and covered them with snow,
the objections of the Indians to remain in the house were dissipated, and
they began to clear our room of the accumulation of dirt and fragments of
pounded bones. The improved state of our apartment and the large and
cheerful fires they kept up produced in us a sensation of comfort to
which we had long been strangers. In the evening they brought in a pile
of dried wood which was lying on the riverside and towards which we had
often cast a wishful eye, being unable to drag it up the bank. The
Indians set about everything with an activity that amazed us. Indeed
contrasted with our emaciated figures and extreme debility their frames
appeared to us gigantic and their strength supernatural. These kind
creatures next turned their attention to our personal appearance and
prevailed upon us to shave and wash ourselves. The beards of the Doctor
and Hepburn had been untouched since they left the sea-coast and were
become of a hideous length and peculiarly offensive to the Indians. The
Doctor and I suffered extremely from distension and therefore ate
sparingly.* Hepburn was getting better and Adam recovered his strength
with amazing rapidity.
(*Footnote. The first alvine discharges after we received food were, as
Hearne remarks on a similar occasion, attended with excessive pain.
Previous to the arrival of the Indians the urinary secretion was
extremely abundant and we were obliged to rise from bed in consequence
upwards of ten times in a night. This was an extreme annoyance in our
reduced state. It may perhaps be attributed to the quantity of the
country tea that we drank.)
November 9.
This morning was pleasantly fine. Crooked-Foot caught four large trout in
Winter Lake which were very much prized, especially by the Doctor and
myself, who had taken a dislike to meat in consequence of our sufferings
from repletion which rendered us almost incapable of moving. Adam and
Hepburn in a good measure escaped this pain. Though the night was stormy
and our apartment freely admitted the wind we felt no inconvenience, the
Indians were so very careful in covering us up and in keeping a good
fire, and our plentiful cheer gave such power of resisting the cold, that
we could scarcely believe otherwise than that the season had become
milder.
On the 13th the weather was stormy with constant snow.
