ing communicated to the Governor the objects of the Expedition, and
that I had been directed to consult with him and the senior servants of
the Company as to the best mode of proceeding towards the execution of
the service, I was gratified by his assurance that his instructions from
the Committee directed that every possible assistance should be given to
forward our progress, and that he should feel peculiar pleasure in
performing this part of his duty. He introduced me at once to Messrs.
Charles, Swaine, and Snodie, masters of districts, who, from long
residence in the country, were perfectly acquainted with the different
modes of travelling, and the obstructions which might be anticipated. At
the desire of these gentlemen, I drew up a series of questions
respecting the points on which we required information; to which, two
days afterwards they had the kindness to return very explicit and
satisfactory answers; and on receiving them I requested the Governor to
favour me with his sentiments on the same subject in writing, which he
delivered to me on the following day.

Having learned that Messrs. Shaw, McTavish, and several other partners
of the N.W. Company, were under detention at this place, we took the
earliest opportunity of visiting them; when having presented the general
circular, and other introductory letters, with which I had been
furnished by their agent Mr. Simon McGillivray, we received from them
the most friendly and full assurance of the cordial endeavours of the
wintering partners of their company to promote the interests of the
Expedition. The knowledge we had now gained of the state of the violent
commercial opposition existing in the country, rendered this assurance
highly gratifying; and these gentlemen added to the obligation by freely
communicating that information respecting the interior of the country,
which their intelligence and long residence so fully qualified them to
give.

I deemed it expedient to issue a memorandum to the officers of the
Expedition, strictly prohibiting any interference whatever in the
existing quarrels, or any that might arise, between the two Companies;
and on presenting it to the principals of both the parties, they
expressed their satisfaction at the step I had taken.

The opinions of all the gentlemen were so decidedly in favour of the
route by Cumberland House, and through the chain of posts to the Great
Slave Lake, that I determined on pursuing it, and immediately