the sacrifice of some of these
advantages; so he also swallows the pill without daring to complain of
its bitterness, and is silent.

A very valuable piece of plate was, some years ago, presented to
Sir George by the commissioned gentlemen in the service, as a mark
of respect and esteem; and this circumstance may be adduced by Sir
George's friends, with every appearance of reason, as a proof of his
popularity; but the matter is easily explained. Some two or three
persons who share Sir George's favour, determine among themselves
to present him with some token of their gratitude. They address a
circular on the subject to all the Company's officers, well knowing
that none dare refuse in the face of the whole country to subscribe
their name. The same cogent reasons that suppress the utterance of
discontent compelled the Company's servants to subscribe to this
testimonial; and the subscription list accordingly exhibits, with few
exceptions, the names of every commissioned gentleman in the service;
while two-thirds of them would much rather have withheld their
signatures.

Sir George owes his ribbon to the successful issue of the Arctic
expedition conducted by Messrs. Dease and Simpson. His share of the
merit consisted in drawing out instructions for those gentlemen,
which occupied about half-an-hour of his time at the desk. It is
quite certain that the expedition owed none of its success to those
instructions. The chief of the party, Mr. Dease, was at least as well
qualified to give as to receive instructions; and Sir George is well
aware of the fact. He knows, too, that Mr. Dease was engaged in
the Arctic expedition under Sir J. Franklin, where he acquired that
experience which brought this important yet hazardous undertaking to
a successful issue; he knows also that in an enterprise of this kind
a thousand contingencies may arise, which must be left entirely to the
judgment of those engaged in it to provide against.

Sir George, nevertheless, obtained the chief honours; but the bauble
perishes with him; while the courage, the energy and the perseverance
of Mr. Dease and his colleague will ever be a subject of admiration to
those who peruse the narrative of their adventures.

Sir George's administration, it is granted, has been a successful
one; yet his own friends will admit that much of this success must
be ascribed to his good fortune rather than to his talents. The
North-West Company had previously reduced the bus