Our
Disappointment When This Illusion Was Dispelled By Our Reaching The End
Of The Lake So Operated On Our Feeble
Minds as to exhaust our strength,
and we decided upon encamping but, upon ascending a small eminence to
look for
A clump of wood, we caught a glimpse of the Big Stone, a
well-known rock upon the summit of a hill opposite to the fort, and
determined upon proceeding. In the evening we saw several large herds of
reindeer but Hepburn, who used to be considered a good marksman, was now
unable to hold the gun straight and although he got near them all his
efforts proved fruitless. In passing through a small clump of pines we
saw a flock of partridges, and he succeeded in killing one after firing
several shots. We came in sight of the fort at dusk and it is impossible
to describe our sensations when, on attaining the eminence that overlooks
it, we beheld the smoke issuing from one of the chimneys. From not having
met with any footsteps in the snow as we drew nigh our once cheerful
residence we had been agitated by many melancholy forebodings. Upon
entering the now desolate building we had the satisfaction of embracing
Captain Franklin, but no words can convey an idea of the filth and
wretchedness that met our eyes on looking around. Our own misery had
stolen upon us by degrees and we were accustomed to the contemplation of
each other's emaciated figures, but the ghastly countenances, dilated
eyeballs, and sepulchral voices of Captain Franklin and those with him
were more than we could at first bear.
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