As The
Encampment Was Not More Than A Quarter Of A Mile Distant We Recommended
That He Should Return To
It and rejoin Belanger and Michel whom we knew
to be still there from perceiving the smoke of a fresh
Fire, and because
they had not made any preparation for starting when we quitted them. He
readily acquiesced in the proposition and, having taken a friendly leave
of each of us, and enjoined us to make all the haste we could in sending
relief, he turned back, keeping his gun and ammunition. We watched him
until he was nearly at the fire and then proceeded. During these
detentions Augustus becoming impatient of the delay had walked on and we
lost sight of him. The labour we experienced in wading through the deep
snow induced us to cross a moderate-sized lake which lay in our track,
but we found this operation far more harassing. As the surface of the ice
was perfectly smooth we slipped at almost every step and were frequently
blown down by the wind with such force as to shake our whole frames.
Poor Fontano was completely exhausted by the labour of this traverse and
we made a halt until his strength was recruited, by which time the party
was benumbed with cold. Proceeding again he got on tolerably well for a
little time but, being again seized with faintness and dizziness, he fell
often and at length exclaimed that he could go no farther. We immediately
stopped and endeavoured to encourage him to persevere until we should
find some willows to encamp; he insisted however that he could not march
any longer through this deep snow, and said that, if he should even reach
our encampment this evening, he must be left there, provided tripe de
roche could not be procured to recruit his strength.
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