Michel proposed to remain out all night, and to hunt next day on
his way back. He returned in the afternoon of the 18th, having
found the blanket, together with a bag containing two pistols, and
some other things which had been left beside it. We had some
tripe de roche in the evening, but Mr. Hood from the constant
griping it produced, was unable to eat more than one or two spoonsful.
He was now so weak as to be scarcely able to sit up at the
fire-side, and complained that the least breeze of wind seemed to
blow through his frame. He also suffered much from cold during
the night. We lay close to each other, but the heat of the body
was no longer sufficient to thaw the frozen rime formed by our
breaths on the blankets that covered him.
At this period we avoided as much as possible conversing upon
the hopelessness of our situation, and generally endeavoured to lead
the conversation towards our future prospects in life. The fact is,
that with the decay of our strength, our minds decayed, and we were
no longer able to bear the contemplation of the horrors that surrounded
us. Each of us, if I may be allowed to judge from my own
case, excused himself from so doing by a desire of not shocking the
feelings of the others, for we were sensible of one another’s weakness
of intellect though blind to our own. Yet we were calm and
resigned to our fate, not a murmur escaped us, and we were punctual
and fervent in our addresses to the Supreme Being.
On the 19th Michel refused to hunt, or even to assist in carrying
a log of wood to the fire, which was too heavy for Hepburn’s
strength and mine. Mr. Hood endeavoured to point out to him
the necessity and duty of exertion, and the cruelty of his quitting
us without leaving something for our support; but the discourse,
far from producing any beneficial effect, seemed only to excite his
anger, and amongst other expressions, he made use of the following
remarkable one: “ It is no use hunting: there are no animals, you
had better kill and eat me.” At length, however, he went out, but
returned very soon, with a report that he had seen three deer, which
he was unable to follow from having wet his foot in a small stream
of water thinly-covered with ice, and being Consequently obliged to
come to the fire. The day was rather mild, and Hepburn and I
gathered a large kettleful of tripe de roche ; Michel slept in the tent
this night.
Sunday, October 20.»—In the morning we again urged Michel to
go hunting, that he might if possible leave us some provision, tomorrow
being the day appointed for his quitting us ; but he shewed
great unwillingness to go out, and lingered about the fire, under the
pretence of cleaning his gun. After we had read the morning
service, I went about noon to gather some tripe de roche, leaving
Mr. Hood sitting before the tent at the fire-side arguing with
M ichelHepburn was employed cutting down a tree at a short
distance from the tent, being desirous of accumulating a quantity of
firewood before he left us. A short time after I went out, I heard
the report of a gun, and about ten minutes afterwards Hepburn
called to me in a voice of great alarm, to come directly. When I
arrived I found poor Hood lying lifeless at the fire-side, a ball having
apparently entered his, forehead. I was at first horror-struck with
the idea, that in a fit of despondency he had hurried himself into
the presence of his Almighty Judge, by an act of his own hand ; but
the conduct of Michel soon gave rise to other thoughts, and excited
suspicions which were confirmed, when upon examining the body, I
discovered that the shot had entered the back part of the head, and
passed out at the forehead, and that the muzzle of the gun had been
applied so close as to set fire to the night-cap behind. The gun,
which was of the longest kind supplied to the Indians, could not
have been placed in a position to inflict such a wound, except by a
second person. Upon inquiring of Michel how it happened, he
replied, that Mr. Hood had sent him into the tent for the short gun,
and that during his absence the long gun had gone off, he did not