ch as possible from the incumbrance of heavy
baggage, and thus enabling it, by marching quickly, to reach its
intended winter-quarters at Great Bear Lake, as well as to provide for
its more comfortable reception at that place. These stores, with the
addition of other articles obtained in Canada, sufficed to load three
north canoes, manned by eighteen voyagers; and they were delivered by
Mr. M'Vicar, before the winter set in, to Mr. Dease, at the Athabasca
Lake. Mr. Dease was instructed to support his party by fishing at Great
Slave Lake, during the winter of 1824-25; and, early in the spring of
1825, to proceed to Great Bear Lake, and commence the necessary
buildings for the reception of the Expedition. I may here cursorily
remark that, in selecting Great Bear Lake as our winter residence, I was
influenced by the information I had obtained of its being the place
nearest to the mouth of the Mackenzie, known to the traders, where a
sufficient supply of fish could be procured for the support of so large
a party.

Three light boats, which I shall soon more particularly describe, were
also sent out to York Factory, in June 1824, in the annual Hudson's Bay
ship, together with a further supply of stores, two carpenters, and a
party of men, with a view of their reaching Cumberland House, on the
Saskatchawan River, the same season; and starting from thence as soon as
the navigation opened in the following spring, that they might be as far
as possible advanced on their way to Bear Lake before they were
overtaken by the Officers of the Expedition. The latter proceeding by
way of New York and Canada, would have the advantage of an earlier
spring in travelling through the more southern districts; and, further
to expedite their progress, I directed two _large_ canoes (canots de
maitre,) with the necessary equipments and stores, to be deposited at
Penetanguishene, the naval depot of Lake Huron, in the autumn of 1824,
to await our arrival in the following spring; having been informed
that, in ordinary seasons, we should, by commencing our voyage at that
place, arrive in the north-west country ten days earlier than by the
usual way of proceeding up the Utawas River from Montreal.

The return of the Hudson's Bay ship towards the close of the year 1824,
brought me satisfactory intelligence of the progress of the
above-mentioned parties, together with the most pleasing assurances from
the Gentlemen of the Company to whom I had written, of