We Instantly Hauled Upon The
Line And He Came Again On The Surface And Was Gradually Drawn Ashore In
An Almost Lifeless State.
Being rolled up in blankets he was placed
before a good fire of willows and fortunately was just able to speak
sufficiently to give some slight directions respecting the manner of
treating him.
He recovered strength gradually and through the blessing of
God was enabled in the course of a few hours to converse and by the
evening was sufficiently recovered to remove into the tent. We then
regretted to learn that the skin of his whole left side was deprived of
feeling in consequence of exposure to too great heat. He did not
perfectly recover the sensation of that side until the following summer.
I cannot describe what everyone felt at beholding the skeleton which the
Doctor's debilitated frame exhibited. When he stripped the Canadians
simultaneously exclaimed "Ah! que nous sommes maigres!" I shall best
explain his state and that of the party by the following extract from his
journal: "It may be worthy of remark that I should have had little
hesitation in any former period of my life at plunging into water even
below 38 degrees Fahrenheit, but at this time I was reduced almost to
skin and bone and, like the rest of the party, suffered from degrees of
cold that would have been disregarded in health and vigour. During the
whole of our march we experienced that no quantity of clothing would keep
us warm whilst we fasted, but on those occasions on which we were enabled
to go to bed with full stomachs we passed the night in a warm and
comfortable manner."
In following the detail of our friend's narrow escape I have omitted to
mention that when he was about to step into the water he put his foot on
a dagger which cut him to the bone, but this misfortune could not stop
him from attempting the execution of his generous undertaking.
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