determination which'route , to take f and n0/lp%rintery»1^0f refleBion
was employed, before I preferred to- gorbvei* .land'’. theVComparativS
fhortnels and fecurtty of fuch:a: journey were alone' fufficierits Mo determine
me. I accordingly propofed1 to-two of thedUdians-tC accompany
me, and one of them readily affented .to my pnopofition: g
I now called thofe of my -people aboutmei'who had not been prefem
at my confultation with the natives; and after palling a warm eulogium
on their fortitude, patience, and peifeveraiicey I ftat^tiio'diffics^i^
that threatened our continuing Wnavigate the river, the length’ oSjtjme
if would require, and the fcanty provifion we had for fuch *a'Voyage*:' I
then proceeded for the foregoing reafons to prQpofe;a.ffi©$q^rquf$ by
trying the over-dand road to the fea. At the fame!tim‘e,-as I kndw from
experience, die difficulty of retaining guides,;and as many 'circ'umftances
might occur to prevent our progrefs in that direQion, I declared my v&-
folution'nottcrattempt it, unlefsrthey would engage, ifwe'coulifnot after
all proceed over land, to return with me;
the difcharge of the waters, whatever/ the vdffianbe^might be. : At’ -all
events, I declared, in the moll folemn manner, that 1 would hot abandon
my defigh-of reaching the fea, if. I made-the'attempt: alone, and that I
did not defpair of returning in fafety to my friends.
This propofition met with the moft zealous return, and they uriani-
moufly aflured -mej-that they .were as willing now as they had ever heefi,
to abide by my refolutions, whatever they might be, and to' follow :rhe
wherever I ffiould go. I therefore requefted them to prepare for an
immediate departure, and at the fame time gave notice to the man who
had
NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.
had *ehgaged'.;to b e ou rguide, t o : b e in •. readifiefs».to.‘ accompany us*
JWhen our determinadoijjtOireturn up the river was- made known> feveral
of the natwesAO&k a,.ygry abrupt^departure; b,ut to tbpfe who remained,
Isgave a few ufefu! articles,.e3fplain^ng,.tp;.thepi at,the fame time, the advantages
thavwouldrefqlt totithem, iftheir relations condufted me to the
tea, alongfach a road'^as^they, had defcribed. * I'had alfeady given a
moofe Ikin itp/;>fqme oL,the women ,fqr;fhe purpofe of making, {hoes,
which were now brought us ; , they, ^ere^wcll- fewed’bht-ill ffiaped,’ and
a> few beads were»' eonfidejed ,as a fuffieienO.remunCTatipnj.fqr the Ikill
employed on them. Mr. Mackay, by my delire, engraved, my name,
and thedate ofthe year on a tree., |
*793?
June.
When we were ready to depart, our guide propqfed, for the fake of
expedition, to go over land to has lodge, that he might get there before
us, to make fame neceflary preparation for hisijoumey. I did not altogether
relifh his defign, Jaut was obliged to confent: I thought it prudent,
however, to .fend Mr. Mackay, and the two ilndjajis.. along with
him. Our place of rendezvous, was the fubterran$ous houfe which we
palled yefterdayi.
At ten in the morning we embarked, and went up the current much
fatter than I expe&ed with fuch a crazy veflel as that which carried us.
We met our people .at the bqufe as had beeplappointed;; but, the Indian
ftill continued to prefer going on by land, and it would have been need-
|£fs for me to oppofe, him. He proceeded** therefore, with his . former
companions, whom I defired to keep-him in good humour by every reafonable