On the 10th of May we were gratified by the appearance of spring,
though the ice remained firm on the lake. The anemone (pulsatilla,
pasque flower,) appeared this day in flower, the trees began to put
forth their, leaves, and the musquito.es visited the warm rooms. On
the iJ.7th and ,18th there were frequent showers of rain, and much
thunder and.,lightning. . This moist weather caused the ice to waste
so rapidly, that by the 24th it had entirely disappeared from the lake.
The gentlemen belonging to both the Companies quickly arrived
from the different posts in this department, bringing their winter’s
collection of furs, which are forwarded from these establishments
to the dépôts. ,
I immediately waited on Mr. Colin Robertson, the agent of the
Hudson’s Ray Company, and communicated to him, as I had done before
to the several partners of the North-West Company, our plan,
and the requisitions we should have to make on each Company, and I
requested of all the gentlemen the favour of their advice and suggestions.
As I perceived that the arrangement of ' their winter
accounts, and other business, fully occupied them, I forbore further
pressing the subject of our concerns for some days; until there was
an appearance of despatching the first brigade of canoes. It then
became necessary to urge their attention to them ; but it was'evident,
from the determined commercial opposition, and the total want of
intercourse between the two Companies, that we could not expect
to receive any cordial, advice, or the assurance of thé aid of both,
without devising some expedient to bring the parties together. I
therefore caused a tent to be pitched at a distance from both establishments,
and solicited the gentlemen of both Companies to meet
Mr. Back and myself there, for the purpose of affording us their
.combined assistance.
With this request they immediately complied ; and on May 25th
we were joined at the tent by Mr. Stuart and Mr. Grant, of the
North-West Company, and Mr. Colin Robertson, of the Hudson’s
Bay Company; all of whom kindly gave very satisfactory answers to
a series óf questions 'which we had drawn up for the occasion, and
promised all thé aid in their power.
: Furnished with the information thus obtained, we proceeded to
make some arrangements respecting the obtaining of men, and the
stores we Should require for their equipment, as well as’ for presents
to the Indians ? and !0h: the following day a requisition was made on
the1 Companies for eight men each, and whatever useful stores they
could Supply. We learned with regret, that, in consequence of the
récent lavish expenditure of their goods in support of the opposition,
their supply to us would, of necessity, be very limited. The men;
too, were backward in offering their services, especially those of the
Hudson’s'Bay Company, who demanded a much higher rate of wages
than I considered it prdper grant.
June 3.—Mr. Smith, a partner of the North-West Company, arrived
from the Great Slave Lake, bearing the welcome news that the
principal Chief of the-Copper Indians had received the communication
of our arrival with joy, and given all the intelligence he possessed
respecting the route to th e. sea-coast by the Copper-M
River ; and that he and a party of his men, at the instance of Mr.
Wentzel, a clerk of the North-West Company, whom they wished
might go along with them, had engaged to accompany the Expedition
as guides and hunters. They were to wait our arrival at Fort
■ Providence, on the north side of the Slave Lake. Their information
.'coincided with that given by Beaulieu. They had no doubt of pur
being able to" obtain the means of subsistence in travelling to the
Coast. This agreeable intelligence had a happy effect upon the
Canadian voyagers, many of their fears being removed: several of
them-seemed now disposed to volunteer ; and indeed, on the same
evening, two men from the North-West Company offered themselves
and were accepted.
June 5.—This day Mr. Back and I went over to Fort Wedder