began to clear our room of the
accumulation of dirt, and fragments of pounded bones. The improved state
of our apartment, and the large and cheerful fires they kept up,
produced in us a sensation of comfort to which we had long been
strangers. In the evening they brought in a pile of dried wood, which
was lying on the river-side, and towards which we had often cast a
wishful eye, being unable to drag it up the bank. The Indians set about
every thing with an activity that amazed us. Indeed, contrasted with our
emaciated figures and extreme debility, their frames appeared to us
gigantic, and their strength supernatural. These kind creatures next
turned their attention to our personal appearance, and prevailed upon us
to shave and wash ourselves. The beards of the Doctor and Hepburn had
been untouched since they left the sea-coast, and were become of a
hideous length, and peculiarly offensive to the Indians. The Doctor and
I suffered extremely from distention, and therefore ate sparingly[15].
Hepburn was getting better, and Adam recovered his strength with amazing
rapidity.

[15] The first alvine discharges after we received food, were, as
Hearne remarks on a similar occasion, attended with excessive
pain. Previous to the arrival of the Indians the urinary
secretion was extremely abundant, and we were obliged to rise
from bed in consequence upwards of ten times in a night. This was
an extreme annoyance in our reduced state. It may, perhaps, be
attributed to the quantity of the country tea that we drank.

_November 9_.--This morning was pleasantly fine. Crooked-Foot caught
four large trout in Winter Lake, which were very much prized, especially
by the Doctor and myself, who had taken a dislike to meat, in
consequence of our sufferings from repletion, which rendered us almost
incapable of moving. Adam and Hepburn in a good measure escaped this
pain. Though the night was stormy, and our apartment freely admitted the
wind, we felt no inconvenience, the Indians were so very careful in
covering us up, and in keeping a good fire; and our plentiful cheer gave
such power of resisting the cold, that we could scarcely believe
otherwise than that the season had become milder.

On the 13th, the weather was stormy, with constant snow. The Indians
became desponding at the non-arrival of the supply, and would neither go
to hunt nor fish. They frequently expressed their fears of some
misfortu