They remained about the post for a short time, admiring its wonderful novelties—­wonderful to them—­and then proceeded some distance up the river to waylay the deer that had already crossed unobserved by them.  The poor creatures, unaware of this fact, remained on the ground until every article that afforded any kind of sustenance was consumed; when they started for the post, leaving the weaker of the party to follow as they best could.  They all arrived the same day except two widows, who had lost their husbands in the fray.  I sent off two young men with a supply of provisions to meet them, but the wretches, having devoured the food, returned without the women, although I had previously supplied their own wants.  Next morning I sent off one of my own men, accompanied by an Esquimaux; but, as might have been expected, the women were found lying dead on the ice near each other.

Although Mr. Erlandson did not particularly request any assistance from me, the report he communicated as to the failure of provisions was sufficient to induce me to use my best endeavours to relieve his wants.  With this view I hired an Indian lad to act as guide to a party whom I despatched overland with the necessary supplies.  The guide assured me they would perform the journey, going and coming, in a month.  The appointed period passed, and no accounts of them; and week after week, until I at last despaired of ever seeing them in life.  At the end of about two months they made their appearance, but in so deplorable a state of emaciation that we could scarcely recognise them.

The roads proved so bad that they were nearly a month on their way going, and consequently they had consumed almost all the provisions they had for the whole trip.  Mr. Erlandson’s scanty supply not allowing him to afford them any assistance for their return, they commenced their journey homeward with one meal a day, which they continued until all was gone, when they fed on their dogs; and they finally arrived at the house without having tasted any kind of food for three days.  Their spectre-like forms excited the greatest pity; the interpreter, who came to tell me of their arrival, was in tears.  No time was lost in administering relief; but the greatest caution was necessary in administering it, or the consequences might have been fatal.

I was mortified to find, on the approach of spring, that my stock of goods did not admit of supplying the interior; and I was consequently compelled to relinquish the advantages that had cost us so much to acquire.  Without goods we could not, of course, maintain our position in that quarter.

CHAPTER VI.

    TRIP TO ESQUIMAUX BAY—­GOVERNOR’S INSTRUCTIONS—­MY REPORT
    TO THE COMMITTEE—­RECOMMEND THE ABANDONMENT OF UNGAVA
    SETTLEMENT—­SUCCESS OF THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION, CONDUCTED
    BY MESSRS.  DEASE AND SIMPSON—­RETURN BY SEA TO FORT
    CHIMO—­NARROWLY ESCAPE SHIPWRECK IN THE UNGAVA RIVER—­INHUMAN
    AND IMPOLITIC MEASURE OF THE GOVERNOR—­CONSEQUENT DISTRESS AT
    THE POST.