X-ll
of the North-West Company, both in England and America, more
particularly to Simon M'Gillivray, Esq., of London, from whom I
received much useful information, and cordial letters of recommendation
to the partners and agents of that Company, resident on
our line of route.
A short time before I left London, I had the pleasure- and advantage
of an interview with the late Sir Alexander Mackenzie,
who was one of the two persons who had visited the coast we were
to explore. He afforded me, in the most open and kind manner,
much valuable information and advice.
The provisions, instruments, and other articles of which I had
furnished a list, by direction of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty, were embarked on board the Hudson’s Bay Company’s
ship Prince of Wales, appointed by the Committee to convey
the Expedition to York Factory, their principal establishment in
Hudson’s Bay.
It wdl be seen, in the course of the Narrative as well as in the
Appendix, how much reason I had to be satisfied with, and how
great my obligations are to, all the Gentlemen who were associated
ivith me in the Expedition, whose kindness, good conduct, and
cordial co-operation, have made an impression which can never
be effaced from my mind. The unfortunate death of Mr. Hood
is the only drawback which I feel from the otherwise unalloyed
pleasure of reflecting on that cordial unanimity which at all times
prevailed among us in the days of sunshine, and in those of | sickness
and sorrow.”
To Doctor Richardson, in particular, the exclusive merit is due
of whatever collections and observations have been made in the
department of Natural History; and I am indebted to him in no
small degree for his friendly advice and assistance in the preparation
of the present Narrative. The Appendix is mostly his
own.
The charts and drawings were made by Lieutenant Back, and
the late Lieutenant Hood. Both these gentlemen cheerfully and
ably assisted me in making the observations, and in the daily
conduct of the Expedition. The paper in the Appendix by
Mr. Hood, on the various phenomena presented by the Aurora
Borealis, will, it is presumed, present to the reader some new facts
connected with this meteor. Mr. Back was mostly prevented from
turning his attention to objects of science by the many severe duties
which were required of him, and which obliged him to travel
almost constantly every winter that we passed in America; to his
personal exertions, indeed, our final safety is mainly to be attributed.
And here I must be permitted to pay the tribute due to
the fidelity, exertion, and uniform good conduct in the most
trying situations, of John Hepburn, an English seaman, and our
only attendant, to whom in the latter part of our journey we
owe, under Divine Providence, the preservation of the lives of some
of the party.
I ought, perhaps, to crave the reader’s indulgence towards the
defective style of this work, which I trust will not be refused when
it is considered that mine has been a life of constant employment
in my profession from a very early age. I have been prompted