It May Be Worthy Of Remark That Poor Peltier, From The Time Of Benoit's
Departure, Had Fixed On The First
Of November as the time when he should
cease to expect any relief from the Indians, and had repeatedly said
That
if they did not arrive by that day he should not survive.
Peltier had endeared himself to each of us by his cheerfulness, his
unceasing activity, and affectionate care and attentions ever since our
arrival at this place. He had nursed Adam with the tenderest solicitude
the whole time. Poor Samandre was willing to have taken his share in the
labours of the party had he not been wholly incapacitated by his weakness
and low spirits. The severe shock occasioned by the sudden dissolution of
our two companions rendered us very melancholy. Adam became low and
despondent, a change which we lamented the more as we had perceived he
had been gaining strength and spirits for the two preceding days. I was
particularly distressed by the thought that the labour of collecting wood
must now devolve upon Dr. Richardson and Hepburn, and that my debility
would disable me from affording them any material assistance; indeed both
of them most kindly urged me not to make the attempt. They were occupied
the whole of the next day in tearing down the logs of which the
storehouse was built but the mud plastered between them was so hard
frozen that the labour of separation exceeded their strength, and they
were completely exhausted by bringing in wood sufficient for less than
twelve hours' consumption.
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