RICHARDSON'S AND RAE'S EXPLORATIONS. 269 



at Gravesend, on board of ships of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, on the 4th June, 1847. Sir John Richardson 

 and Mr. Rae left Liverpool on the 25th March, 1848, 

 and succeeded in overtaking Chief-trader Bell, in charge 

 of the boats arid the men, at Methy Portage, on the 

 '20th June. The whole party reached the last portage 

 on Slave River on the 15th July, and there they divided 

 into a seaward or exploring party, under Sir John Rich 

 ardson and Mr. Rae, and a landward or auxiliary party, 

 under Mr. Bell. The seaward party comprised three 

 boats, with full loads of pemmican, and eighteen men, 

 and immediately embarked. The landward party com- 

 prised two boats and the stores for winter use, and 

 were directed to make the best of their way to Great 

 Bear Lake, to coast round its western shore, and to 

 establish a fishery at its west end, near the site of Fort 

 Franklin, for the convenience of the seaward party, in 

 the event of its having to return up the Mackenzie ; 

 to erect, at its north-eastern extremity, near the influx 

 of the Dease River, suitable dwelling-houses and store' 

 houses for winter quarters ; and, in the beginning of 

 September, to despatch a well-tried Cree Indian and a 

 native hunter to the banks of the Coppermine, there to 

 hunt till the 20th of that month, and to keep a diligent 

 outlook for the arrival of the boats. 



The seaward party reached the sea on the 4th of 

 August. On their way down, they put ashore, at Fort 

 Good Hope, the lowest of the company's posts on the 

 Mackenzie, three bags of pemmican for the use of any 

 party from the Plover, or from Sir James Ross's ships, 

 who might reach that establishment At Point Separa- 

 tion, also, which forms the apex of tne delta of the Mac- 

 kenzie, they deposited one case of pemmican and a 

 bottle of memoranda, and letters for the use of Sir John 

 Franklin's party, burying them in the circumference of 



