CONCLUSION OF DR. RICHARDSON’S NARRATIVE.

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The morning of the 31st was very cold, the wind being strong from the north.  Hepburn went again in quest of deer and the Doctor endeavoured to kill some partridges, both were unsuccessful.  A large herd of deer passed close to the house, the Doctor fired once at them but was unable to pursue them.  Adam was easier this day and left his bed.  Peltier and Samandre were much weaker and could not assist in the labours of the day.  Both complained of soreness in the throat and Samandre suffered much from cramps in his fingers.  The Doctor and Hepburn began this day to cut the wood and also brought it to the house.  Being too weak to aid in these laborious tasks I was employed in searching for bones and cooking and attending to our more weakly companions.

In the evening Peltier, complaining much of cold, requested of me a portion of a blanket to repair his shirt and drawers.  The mending of these articles occupied him and Samandre until past one A.M. and their spirits were so much revived by the employment that they conversed even cheerfully the whole time.  Adam sat up with them.  The Doctor, Hepburn, and myself went to bed.  We were afterwards agreeably surprised to see Peltier and Samandre carry three or four logs of wood across the room to replenish the fire, which induced us to hope they still possessed more strength than we had supposed.

November 1.

This day was fine and mild.  Hepburn went hunting but was as usual unsuccessful.  As his strength was rapidly declining we advised him to desist from the pursuit of deer, and only to go out for a short time and endeavour to kill a few partridges for Peltier and Samandre.  The Doctor obtained a little tripe de roche but Peltier could not eat any of it, and Samandre only a few spoonfuls, owing to the soreness of their throats.  In the afternoon Peltier was so much exhausted that he sat up with difficulty and looked piteously; at length he slid from his stool upon his bed, as we supposed to sleep, and in this composed state he remained upwards of two hours without our apprehending any danger.  We were then alarmed by hearing a rattling in his throat and on the Doctor’s examining him he was found to be speechless.  He died in the course of the night.  Samandre sat up the greater part of the day and even assisted in pounding some bones but, on witnessing the melancholy state of Peltier, he became very low and began to complain of cold and stiffness of the joints.  Being unable to keep up a sufficient fire to warm him we laid him down and covered him with several blankets.  He did not however appear to get better and I deeply lament to add he also died before daylight.  We removed the bodies of the deceased into the opposite part of the house but our united strength was inadequate to the task of interring them or even carrying them down to the river.