the lake, (for we had actually
crossed it at its greatest width,) I could make out pretty clearly
that we had turned our backs to our true course! We had, however, a
good supply of provisions, and a voyageur is never discouraged while
he has the provender before him. Having now learned, to my cost, what
confidence my pilot was entitled to, I determined on keeping land in
view for the future.

We embarked early next morning, and, after a tedious and laborious
passage of seven days, arrived at Big Island fishery at the outlet of
the Lake on the 8th of October, where I found a boat ready to start
with a cargo of fish, in which I embarked; and landing finally at Fort
Simpson on the 16th, my long trip of five months _per mare et terram_,
was brought to a close; and high time it should, for the weather was
become excessively cold, and the ice was forming along the beach.

I was much grieved to find Mr. Lewis confined to bed in consequence of
a shocking accident he had lately met with, his right hand being blown
off by the accidental discharge of his fowling-piece.

Having perused the governor's official letter to Mr. Lewis, I found
the following paragraph in it relating to myself:--"On retiring from
the district next season, you will be pleased to invest Mr. McLean
with the management, handing to that gentleman all correspondence,
papers, &c., connected with the public business." This paragraph,
taken in conjunction with the instructions I had previously received,
confirmed both Mr. L. and myself in the opinion that I was to succeed
him in the charge; and we took our measures accordingly.

I was very agreeably surprised to find that the high latitude of this
locality (61 deg. north) did not prevent agricultural operations from
being carried on with success. Although the season had been rather
unfavourable, the farm yielded four hundred bushels of potatoes,
and upwards of one hundred bushels of barley; the barnyard, with its
stacks of barley and hay, and the number of horned cattle around it,
had quite the air of a farm standing in the "old country." It is to be
regretted that the gentlemen here should have paid so little attention
to the cultivation of the soil in former times, as the produce
would, ere now, not only have contributed to the support of the
establishment, but have afforded assistance to the natives in years of
scarcity.

For these three years past the distress of the natives in this
quarter has been witho