aversed 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 voyagers to accompany us to
the sea, in consequence of their dread of the Esquimaux; who, he
informed us, had already destroyed the crew of one canoe, which had been
sent under Mr. Livingstone, to open a trading communication with those
who reside near the mouth of the Mackenzie River; and he also mentioned,
that the same tribe had driven away the canoes under Mr. Clark's
direction, going to them on a similar object, to which circumstance I
have alluded in my remarks at Isle a la Crosse.

This was unpleasant information; but we were comforted by Mr. Stuart's
assurance that himself and his partners would use every endeavour to
remove their fears, as well as to promote our views in every other way;
and he undertook, as a necessary part of our equipment in the spring, to
prepare the bark and other materials for constructing two canoes at this
post.

Mr. Stuart informed us that the residents at Fort Chipewyan, from the
recent sickness of their Indian hunters, had been reduced to subsist
entirely on the produce of their fishing-nets, which did not then yield
more than a bare sufficiency for their support; and he kindly proposed
to us to remain with him until the spring: but, as we were most desirous
to gain all the information we could as early as possible, and Mr.
Stuart assured us that the addition of three persons would not be
materially felt in their large family at Chipewyan, we determi