vïri P R E | 'AP&W
Before I cöficlüde, I muft beg leave- to inform my readers, that they
are not to expeft thé charms of embelïilhéd narrative, or animated de-'-
fcfiption; the approbation due to -fimplicity and to truth is all I prefume-
to claim; and I am not without the hope that thisclaim will be allowed
me. I have deferibed whatever I faW with the imprefSonS of the moment
which préfented ft to me. * The fuccelBve cireumfianees of my progrefs.
aré relatéd withöüt exaggeration or difplay. - I have fddoia allowed my-
felf to wander into conjecture; and whenever conje&ure has been in
diilged, it will be found, I truft, to be accompanied with the temper of a
man who is nöt difpofed to think too highly ofhimfelfi an d jf at any
time I havé delivered myfelf with confidence, it will appear, I hope, to
be on thole fubjells-which, from the habits and experience of my life,
Will juftify an unreferved communication of my opinions. I am
J É a CaödMatè for literary fame ; at the fame time, I cannot but indulge4
the hope that this Volume, with ail its iteperfe^lfons, ■ will
ndt be thought unworthy the attention of the fdentific geographer;
and that, by unfolding countries hitherto unexplored, and whndi, I pre-
fiiifte, may now be confidered as a part of the Britilh dominions, it will
BS1 reeéivèd as a faithful tribute to die. profperity of my country.
ALEXANDER MACKENZIE.
Lo»dW, ‘
Nbven&èr gó, fSèif.
GEN E RAL HI S T OR Y
OF THE
FUR TRADE
C A N A D A TO T H E N O R T H - W E S T .
T h e fur trade, from the earlieft fettlement o f Canada, was confidered
of the iirft importance to that colony. The country was then fo
populous, that, in the vicinity of the efbablifhments, the animals
*fldhs were precious, -'in- ft1 ; ifooh became very
ibarfee; (not altogether extinct. They were, it- is true, hunted at
former periods, but merely for food and dothing. The Itdians, there-
fore, to procure the neceflary fuppily, were encouraged to penetrate into
the country, and were generally accompanied by fome of the Canadians,
who found means to induce the remote!! tribes o f natives to
[bring <fhe fkins whiOh were moft in demand, to their fettlements, in the
way dftradp.
. ’ It?is not neeeffary for me to examine ‘the caufe, but experience proves
thaft it reiphifs much lefs time for a civilised people to deviate into
a the