About eight days from this time, we learned that, a few hours after we left him, he was found by some natives in a perfectly helpless state, and carried by them to a settlement several miles distant, where he was taken care of, and finally joined the company at East Cape.
In regard to those of us who were still able to proceed through the drifted snow, how slight the hope that we should long continue our perilous journey, and how probable that each one of us in turn would lag behind, and finally lie down to rise up no more!
We saw in our companion an example of what our own fate might shortly be. Whatever of heart or hope there was left, the captain encouraged those with him to put forth all their strength and energies, as every thing they held dear on earth—even life itself—was now at stake. If they faltered, death was certain; if they pressed on, there might be some remote chance of safety and of life.
When Captain Norton left the settlement, he took with him as his only supply of food, both for himself and his three companions, three sea biscuits, which he hid away the first of the winter as a last resort, not knowing what necessity the future might bring along with it.
The last and final emergency had now arrived. He therefore took one of the biscuits, and divided it into three parts, retained one for himself, and gave the other two to his companions.
Soon after the division of the biscuit, we found a temporary shelter under the lee of a precipitous and broken line of hills, which extended some distance, and which protected us from the cold and piercing north wind.
Captain Norton never allowed himself to sit down, because he was convinced, so weak as he was, and nearly worn out, if he should yield to the promptings of his almost exhausted body, and sit down, he would never rise up again; and therefore he continued on his feet, and moving about from place to place. He warned his companions again and again, if they valued life, not to think of finding rest by sitting down, or seeking repose in any manner; if they should, death would shortly ensue. There was "but a step between us and death."
Yet, notwithstanding the entreaties, persuasions, and warnings of Captain Norton, another one was observed to falter and disposed to sit down. Being but a short distance from him, we perceived he made no effort to eat his biscuit, and also exhibited that singular dulness and stupidity which are the silent and stealthy precursors of the sleep of death. He was then sitting down in an easy and natural posture. The captain spoke to him several times; but he gave no answer, nor made any movement of any kind. He went to him immediately, though he was not twelve feet distant, to ascertain the cause, and found what we greatly feared; alas! the poor fellow's eyes were set, his limbs were rigid, the piece of biscuit was still in his hand. He was frozen to death; his mortal life had fled; his spirit had gone to God, who gave it!
In the winding sheet of drifting snow we let him remain. What a scene that was to us! We were struggling for life amid elements of destruction such as but few of our countrymen ever witnessed, and, we trust, never will.
Only two of us were now left to pursue our sad, and in some respects almost hopeless, journey. It seems quite incredible that we should have had any courage to make another effort in struggling forward, after what we had just witnessed, and that, at once, we should not have surrendered ourselves to the fate which appeared to follow and surround us.