Many Died And Most Of The Survivors
Were So Enfeebled As To Be Unable To Pursue The Necessary Avocations Of
Hunting And Fishing.
Even those who experienced only a slight attack, or
escaped the sickness altogether, dispirited by the scenes of misery which
environed them, were rendered incapable of affording relief to their
distressed relations and spent their time in conjuring and drumming to
avert the pestilence.
Those who were able came to the fort and received
relief, but many who had retired with their families to distant corners
to pursue their winter hunts experienced all the horrors of famine. One
evening early in the month of January a poor Indian entered the
North-West Company's House, carrying his only child in his arms and
followed by his starving wife. They had been hunting apart from the other
bands, had been unsuccessful and, whilst in want, were seized with the
epidemical disease. An Indian is accustomed to starve and it is not easy
to elicit from him an account of his sufferings. This poor man's story
was very brief; as soon as the fever abated he set out with his wife for
Cumberland House, having been previously reduced to feed on the bits of
skin and offal which remained about their encampment. Even this miserable
fare was exhausted and they walked several days without eating, yet
exerting themselves far beyond their strength that they might save the
life of the infant. It died almost within sight of the house. Mr.
Connolly, who was then in charge of the post, received them with the
utmost humanity and instantly placed food before them; but no language
can describe the manner in which the miserable father dashed the morsel
from his lips and deplored the loss of his child.
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