ce and made twenty-two miles in the course of the
day though the weather was very disagreeable for travelling, being stormy
with constant snow. We kept along the river the whole time: its breadth
is about two miles. The islands appear better furnished with wood than
its banks, the summits of which are almost bare. Soon after we had
encamped our Indian guide rejoined us; he had remained behind the day
before without consulting us to accompany a friend on a hunting
excursion. On his return he made no endeavour to explain the reason of
his absence but sat down coolly and began to prepare his supper. This
behaviour made us sensible that little dependence is to be placed on the
continuance of an Indian guide when his inclination leads him away.

Early the next morning we sent forward the Indian and a Canadian to
apprise the gentleman in charge of Pierre au Calumet of our approach; and
after breakfast the rest of the party proceeded along the river for that
station which we reached in the afternoon. The senior partner of the
North-West Company in the Athabasca department, Mr. John Stuart, was in
charge of the post. Though he was quite ignorant until this morning of
our being in the country we found him prepared to receive us with great
kindness and ready to afford every information and assistance agreeably
to the desire conveyed in Mr. Simon McGillivray's circular letter. This
gentleman had twice traversed this continent and reached the Pacific by
the Columbia River; he was therefore fully conversant with the different
modes of travelling and with the obstacles that may be expected in
passing through unfrequented countries. His suggestions and advice were
consequently very valuable to us but, not having been to the northward of
the Great Slave Lake, he had no knowledge of that line of country except
what he had gained from the reports of Indians. He was of opinion however
that positive information on which our course of proceedings might safely
be determined could be procured from the Indians that frequent the north
side of the lake when they came to the forts in the spring. He
recommended my writing to the partner in charge of that department,
requesting him to collect all the intelligence he could and to provide
guides and hunters from the tribe best acquainted with the country
through which we proposed to travel.

To our great regret Mr. Stuart expressed much doubt as to our prevailing
upon any experienced Canadian voyager