Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1879-04-19 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ADVENTURE WITH A CANNI BAL.  While Franklin was on his journey, tertible scenes were enacted in the encampment of Dr. Richardson and his friends. Two of the men died, but an addition was made to the party by the arrival of one Michel, an Iroquois Indian, who had started off with Franklin, but had fallen back, being, as he said, unable to proceed. He was one of four (as it subsequently became known) who had ba.au left on the road, but the other three were never heard of again. when Michel arrived he brought with him some pieces of flesh, which he said were parts of a wolf he had killed on his journey. He soon became gloomy and sullen, and his manner exc:ted suspicion, for it was observed that while others were fading away from starvation he was strong and robust, and capable of hunting. He haunted the presence of Richardson and Hepburn, suspiciously watching all their movements, and never allowing them to be for a moment alone. He refused to assist in collecting tripe-de-roche, or in searching for food, and as poor Hood was lying in the teat, unable to move, and apparently near to death, the doctor and Hepburn were bound to go out themselves to try and obtain same supplies. One day when they were so occupied they were startled by the sound of a gun fired in the tent, and rushing in they found their brave, noble comrade lying dead, and killed by a ballet through the head. Lying by his side was Bickersteth's "Scripture Help," open, as if it had just fallen from his hand— open, as if he had been reading it at the instant of his death. Michel, the Iroquois, was at the tent whea the gun was discharged; he came forward to say it must either have gone off accideutlly, or Hood must have committed suicide, and then, seeing the faces of his companions, said incautiously, "Do you suppose I murdered him ? " Neither Richardson nor Hepburn dared to utter a word, but they both felt all their worst suspicions confirmed. They were satisfied that the flesh Michel had brought with him was not wolf's out human flesh, parts of the bodies of those who hp d fallen in Franklin's party; they felt sure that Hood had been murdered by M.chel, for the bullet had entered at the back of the head, and they did not doubt that they were reserved for the same fate. A situation more I terrible can scarcely be conceived: two c panions dead of starvation a third, young, ' talerted, pure in heart and life, cruelly murdered; and themselves both weak and ill, at the mercy of a strong man—strong by cannibalism—and alone in the vast wilderness of ice and snow. Three days after the murder of Hood the three survivors, Richardson, Hepburn, and Mice.l, started off ostensibly to make their way towards Fort Enterprise, but the two doomed men felt morally certain that they would never reach that place —they knew th a t,with the damnatory evidence of guilt they had, Michel would never allow that—they knew that every movement was watched, insomuch that from the moment of Hood's death they had never had the opportunity of saying one word to each other alone. On the first day of their march Michel stayed behind for a little while on the pretext of gathering some tripe-de-roche. Richardson's suspicions were at once excited; it was the first time he had had an opportunity to speak. to Hepburn alone,and found that his feelings were identical with his own. He resolved in a moment on the course he would pursue. Michel was approaching. Richardson turned to meet him, and taking from his bosom a loaded pistol, fired its contents into the head of the fiend in human guise, who fell dead at his feet ! It was a step not taken till the very last moment of need; it was taken not one moment too soon, for they found that Michel had not gathered any tripe-de-roche, although there was plenty to be found, but he had loaded his gun The two then set forward together on their journey and after a terrible march at last arrived at Fort Enterprise.—From "Heroes of Britain in Peace and War" for April.