we
should leave him the hatchet, and his cumbering himself with it when he
went out in the morning, unlike a hunter who makes use only of his knife
when he kills a deer, seem to indicate that he took it for the purpose
of cutting up something that he knew to be frozen. These opinions,
however, are the result of subsequent consideration. We passed this
night in the open air.

On the following morning the tent was pitched; Michel went out early,
refused my offer to accompany him, and remained out the whole day. He
would not sleep in the tent at night, but chose to lie at the fire-side.

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 to-day 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 Vaillan