The morning before, they had issued their last ration of flour.

Now he divided among the company a little hard bread they had kept, and waited in the snow, for they could travel no further without food.
One of their number was sent ahead to bring aid.

After a day in which they ate nothing, supplies reached them from the valley; but now they were so weakened that food could not fortify them against the extreme cold that had set in.

They wrapped themselves in their few poor quilts, and struggled bravely on into a white, stinging fog of snow.

Each morning there were more and more of them to bury.