was to the accomplishment of my plans, it was of still greater moment to me to see Mr. Simpson personally; and, aware of the probability of our passing each other unobserved, if I attempted to hasten towards him in a canoe, I preferred the alternative of remaining quietly at the establishment, and so securing an interview which I so ardently desired.

To beguile the time, the stores were examined, and the few which the rain had damaged were exposed to the sun, dried, and carefully repacked. I also made a set of observations for the dip. The result was 79° 12′*, making a difference of 25 minutes from those taken on a former occasion. The vibrations and dip were ascertained alternately, according to the face of the instrument; and all were satisfactory enough, except needle No. 2. reversed, with the face of the instrument east, when a considerable alteration appeared both in the number of the vibrations and the point at which the needle finally rested. A second trial showed a similar discrepancy. The reason of this peculiarity I could not divine until about an hour afterwards, when some gentlemen arrived from the westward, and acquainted us that they had just encountered a severe thunder shower, though the sky over the fort

* The results are those given by the instrument, without any correction for temperature.

42 ONE OF THE PARTY SOLICITS HIS DISCHARGE.

underwent no visible change, and wore the same sultry aspect as it had done most of the forenoon.

Amongst the people who had accompanied us from Montreal, was a tall fine-looking fellow of the name of Larke, who had volunteered, and, indeed, had taken a great deal of trouble to get entered, for the expedition. He had passed a part of his life in the woods, was particularly well qualified for such an undertaking, and had attracted universal admiration by his apparent determination to brave all difficulties. This man now, however, came to me, and in a humble tone solicited his discharge, as, to use his own phrase, "he was sure we should be all starved to death;" and so firmly was this unmanly resolution fixed in his mind, that he declared nothing should force him to go on. It is unnecessary to say that such pusillanimous weakness was utterly irreconcilable with an enterprise like that in which we were engaged, which demanded an entire sacrifice of home comforts, and an enthusiastic and unreflecting ardour in the prosecution of its objects. I was not sorry, therefore, that the disease had shown itself so early; for, had it broken out hereafter, at a more critical period of the adventure, the infection might have spread in a manner too formidable for remedy. He had his wish, and with it a recommendation, at the same time, to the Company to oblige him to serve, in some

distant part, the full term of his three years' engagement.

Mr. H. Berens, who was on his way to Canada from the Red River Colony, brought me the pleasing intelligence that Mr. Simpson would very shortly follow; and as the latter gentleman was about to return to England, without proceeding to the depôt at Norway House, it was fortunate that I had determined on remaining, though it was certain that nothing which prudence and experience could suggest would have been omitted to promote my views. I learned from Mr. Berens that the colony at Red River was in a prosperous state; and that notwithstanding the failure of the crops last season, meat was from three halfpence to two-pence a pound, and eggs threepence a dozen.

June 10th.-Governor Simpson arrived, and communicated to me the measures he had adopted, as well as the result of a council held by some of the principal officers of the Company, respecting the affairs of the expedition.

Every aid, it seemed, was to be rendered to our operations; the stores were to be thrown open for our use; and the services and experience of several well-informed individuals were to be made available for preventing those accidents to which our remote situation, or other local circumstances, might particularly expose us. Part

44 ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR.

of the stores ordered last year were at Cumberland House, and the remainder would be there before we reached that station. Of pemmican Mr. Simpson anticipated a less plentiful supply, on account of the migration of the buffalo from the plains in the neighbourhood of Carlton and Edmonton, the two principal posts for collecting that useful, and, to us, indispensable provision. Yet, as orders had been transmitted along the whole line of route up to Great Slave Lake to hoard provision for the expedition, there was every reason to believe that we should not be exposed to inconvenience.

Two additional men were engaged by the Governor; and for the rest he recommended me to go as speedily as possible to Norway House; where, by intercepting the different brigades of boats on their way to Hudson's Bay, I might have an opportunity of selecting a choice crew of old hands.

Two letters, which about this time I received from Mr. Simpson, are so creditable to him, both as regards his capacity as Governor and his feelings as a man, that, though written with no such view, I cannot deny myself the gratification of making them public. If they excite in others only a small part of the admiration with which I regarded them, Mr. Simp

son will have no reason to complain. My own feelings towards him may be understood, when it is seen that he thus literally identified himself with the expedition, and, what was scarcely of less value, impressed those around him with the same sentiments.

"To Captain Back, R. N., Commander of the Arctic Land Expedition.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Red River Settlement,

7th June, 1832.

"I am in possession of two very valuable communications from you, which came to hand yesterday; one dated London, December 14th, 1832- the other at Gros Cap, Lake Superior, May 12th, 1833.

"It is with unfeigned regret I have to state that imperious circumstances oblige me to forego the pleasure of a personal interview with you, on your route to the scene of your operations; but the state of my health is so deranged as to render it absolutely necessary for me to proceed direct from hence to Canada, and thence to England, for the benefit of medical advice. Indeed, so completely invalided am I at present, that in this communication I am obliged to have recourse to dictation, being unequal to the fatigue of writing.