from these establishments next spring, but to
despatch them down to York to bring up our stores to this place: after
which they might return to the coast in time to secure their passage in
the first ship.

I delivered to Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood a memorandum, containing the
arrangements which had been made with the two Companies, respecting
their being forwarded in the spring, and some other points of
instruction for their guidance in my absence; together with directions
to forward the map of our route which had been finished, since our
arrival, by Mr. Hood, the drawings and the collections of natural
history, by the first opportunity to York Factory, for conveyance to
England[3].

[3] As Samuel Wilks, who had accompanied the Expedition from England,
proved to be quite unequal to the fatigue of the journey, I
directed him to be discharged in the spring, and sent to England
by the next ship.

The houses of the two Companies, at this post are situated close to each
other, at the upper extremity of a narrow island, which separates Pine
Island Lake from the Saskatchawan River, and are about two miles and
three quarters from the latter in a northern direction. They are
log-houses, built without much regard to comfort, surrounded by lofty
stockades, and flanked with wooden bastions. The difficulty of conveying
glass into the interior has precluded its use in the windows, where its
place is poorly supplied by parchment, imperfectly made by the native
women from the skin of the rein-deer. Should this post, however,
continue to be the residence of Governor Williams, it will be much
improved in a few years, as he is devoting his attention to that point.
The land around Cumberland House is low, but the soil, from having a
considerable intermixture of limestone, is good, and capable of
producing abundance of corn, and vegetables of every description. Many
kinds of pot-herbs have already been brought to some perfection, and
the potatoes bid fair to equal those of England. The spontaneous
productions of nature would afford ample nourishment for all the
European animals. Horses feed extremely well even during the winter, and
so would oxen if provided with hay, which might be easily done[4]. Pigs
also improve, but require to be kept warm in the winter. Hence it
appears, that the residents might easily render themselves far less
dependent{14} on the Indians for support, and be relieved from the great
anxiety