Indian Party--His Journey to Chipewyan 260

CHAPTER VII.

Departure from Chipewyan--Difficulties of the various
Navigation of the Rivers and Lakes, and of the
Portages--Slave Lake and Fort Providence--Scarcity of
Provisions, and Discontent of the Canadian
Voyagers--Difficulties with regard to the Indian
Guides--Refusal to proceed--Visit of Observation to the
upper part of Copper-Mine River--Return to the
Winter-Quarters of Fort Enterprise 301

* * * * *

_Directions to the Binder._

VOL. I.

I. The CHART shewing the Connected Discoveries of Captains Ross, Parry,
and Franklin, to face the _Title-Page_.

VOL. II.

II. Route from York Factory }
III. Isle a la Crosse } To be placed at the end.
IV. Slave Lake }

INTRODUCTION.

His Majesty's Government having determined upon sending an Expedition
from the Shores of Hudson's Bay by land, to explore the Northern Coast
of America, from the Mouth of the Copper-Mine River to the eastward, I
had the honour to be appointed to this service by Earl Bathurst, on the
recommendation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; who, at the
same time, nominated Doctor John Richardson, a Surgeon in the Royal
Navy, Mr. George Back, and Mr. Robert Hood, two Admiralty Midshipmen, to
be joined with me in the enterprize. My instructions, in substance,
informed me that the main object of the Expedition was that of
determining the latitudes and longitudes of the Northern Coast of North
America, and the trending of that Coast from the Mouth of the
Copper-Mine River to the eastern extremity of that Continent; that it
was left for me to determine according to circumstances, whether it
might be most advisable to proceed, at once, directly to the northward
till I arrived at the sea-coast, and thence westerly towards the
Copper-Mine River; or advance, in the first instance, by the usual route
to the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, and from thence easterly till I
should arrive at the eastern extremity of that Continent; that, in the
adoption of either of these plans, I was to be guided by the advice and
information which I should receive from the wintering servants of the
Hudson's Bay Company, who would be instructed by their employers to
co-operate cordially in the prosecution of the objects of the
Expedition, and who would