old Misissaga hut, upon the south side
of the Thames. After taking some refreshment of salt pork and venison,
well cooked by Lieutenant Smith, who superintended that department, we,
as usual, sang God Save the King, and went to rest."

"March 1st.--We set out along the banks of the river; hen, ascending a
high hill, quitted our former path, and directed our course to the
northward. A good deal of snow having fallen, and lying still on the
ground, we saw tracks of otters, deer, wolves and bears and other
animals many of which being quite fresh induced the Mohawks to pursue
them, but without success. We walked 14 or 15 miles and twice crossed
the river, and a few creeks, upon the ice; once we came close to a
Chippawa hunting camp, opposite to a fine terrace, on the banks of which
we encamped, near a bay. * * * 2nd.--We struck the Thames at one end
of a low flat island enveloped with shrubs and trees; the rapidity and
strength of the current were such as to have forced a channel through
the main land, being a peninsula, and to have formed the island. We
walked over a rich meadow, and at its extremity came to the forks of the
river.[21] The Governor wished to examine this situation and its
environs: and we therefore remained here all the day. He judged it to be
a situation eminently calculated for the metropolis of Canada. Among
many other essentials, it possesses the following advantages: command of
territory,--internal situation,--central position,--facility of water
communication up and down the Thames into Lakes St. Clair, Erie, Huron
and Superior,--navigable for boats to near its source, and for small
crafts probably to the Moravian settlement--to the northward by a small
portage to the waters flowing into Lake Huron--to the south-east by a
carrying place into Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence; the soil
luxuriantly fertile,--the land rich, and capable of being easily
cleared, and soon put into a state of agriculture,--a pinery upon an
adjacent high knoll, and other timber on the heights, well calculated
for the erection of public buildings,--a climate not inferior to any
part of Canada."

[21] Now the city of London.

"To these natural advantages an object of great consideration is to be
added, that the enormous expenses of the Indian Department would be
greatly diminished, if not abolished; the Indians would, in all
probability, be induced to become the carriers of their own peltries,
and they would