He
would not sleep in the tent at night but chose to lie at the fireside.
On the 13th there was a heavy gale of wind and we passed the day by the
fire. Next day about two P.M., the gale abating, Michel set out as he
said to hunt but returned unexpectedly in a very short time. This conduct
surprised us and his contradictory and evasory answers to our questions
excited some suspicions but they did not turn towards the truth.
October 15th.
In the course of this day Michel expressed much regret that he had stayed
behind Mr. Franklin's party, and declared that he would set out for the
house at once if he knew the way. We endeavoured to sooth him and to
raise his hopes of the Indians speedily coming to our relief but without
success. He refused to assist us in cutting wood but about noon, after
much solicitation, he set out to hunt. Hepburn gathered a kettleful of
tripe de roche but froze his fingers. Both Hepburn and I fatigued
ourselves much today in pursuing a flock of partridges from one part to
another of the group of willows in which the hut was situated, but we
were too weak to be able to approach them with sufficient caution. In the
evening Michel returned, having met with no success.
Next day he refused either to hunt or cut wood, spoke in a very surly
manner, and threatened to leave us. Under these circumstances Mr. Hood
and I deemed it better to promise if he would hunt diligently for four
days that then we would give Hepburn a letter for Mr. Franklin, a
compass, inform him what course to pursue, and let them proceed together
to the fort. The non-arrival of the Indians to our relief now led us to
fear that some accident had happened to Mr. Franklin, and we placed no
confidence in the exertions of the Canadians that accompanied him but we
had the fullest confidence in Hepburn's returning the moment he could
obtain assistance.
On the 17th I went to conduct Michel to where Vaillant's blanket was left
and after walking about three miles pointed out the hills to him at a
distance, and returned to the hut, having gathered a bagful of tripe de
roche on the way. It was easier to gather this weed on a march than at
the tent, for the exercise of walking produced a glow of heat which
enabled us to withstand for a time the cold to which we were exposed in
scraping the frozen surface of the rocks. On the contrary when we left
the fire to collect it in the neighbourhood of the hut we became chilled
at once and were obliged to return very quickly.
Michel proposed to remain out all night and to hunt next day on his way
back.
