y to embarking for the north. I embarked on the 29th, but
the crews were so intoxicated that we were compelled to land on an
island near by, to allow them to recover from the effects of their
carousals.

I was joined here by Captain Stalk of the 71st, and Lieutenant Lefroy
of the Artillery; the former accompanying us on a jaunt of pleasure,
the latter on a scientific expedition. There were also four junior
clerks in the Company's service. Our brigade consisted of three large
canoes manned by about fifty Canadians, and Iroquois Indians.

We were detained in our insular encampment by stress of weather until
the 2d of May, when we set out. Our crews being now perfectly sober,
plied their paddles with the utmost good-will, singing and whooping,
apparently delighted with their situation. Ignorance here was bliss;
they little dreamed of the life that awaited them. I may here premise,
that as I have already narrated the particulars of a similar voyage,
I shall pass on to the different stages of our route without noticing
the uninteresting incidents of our daily progress.

We arrived at Fort William on the 28th of May, where we exchanged our
large Montreal canoes for smaller. Here Captain S. remained to await
his passage back to Canada; not much disposed to try such a jaunt
of pleasure again, I suspect,--and Lieutenant L., taking a canoe for
himself with a view of prosecuting his scientific researches more at
leisure than our go-a-head mode of travelling admitted, left us also.
We were detained a day at Fort William, repairing canoes, arranging
crews, &c., and on the 30th, I took leave of my excellent _compagnons
de voyage_ with sincere regret.

On descending Lac la Pluie River, we landed at an extensive Sauteux
camp, where we found a Protestant (Methodist) Missionary, with a
native interpreter as his only companion. I learned with much regret,
that this gentleman's exertions in his vocation had been attended with
little or no success, although he had been two years engaged in it;
while the Romish priests, in the same space of time, had converted
numbers.

The natives were occupied with the sturgeon fishing, and had
apparently been tolerably successful. Having procured a supply for the
use of our crews by barter, we set off, and without experiencing any
accident, reached Bas de la Riviere on the 13th of June, where I found
letters from the Governor, directing me to proceed with all possible
speed to York Factory.

Havin