The clear night and days furnished us with the mean of telling the points of compass as the sun rose and set, but not a sign of life in nature's wide domain had been seen for a month or more.

A vest pocketful of powder and shot would last a good hunter till he starved to death for there was not a living thing to shoot great or small.
We talked over our present position pretty freely, and every one was asked to speak his unbiased mind, for we knew not who might be right or who might be wrong, and some one might make a suggestion of the utmost value.

We all felt pretty much downhearted.

Our civilized provisions were getting so scarce that all must be saved for the women and children, and the men must get along some way on ox meat alone.

It was decided not a scrap of anything that would sustain life must go to waste.