﻿1848. REACH MONTREAL. 5t 



way of Lake Champlain, to Montreal, where the 

 canoe-men engaged for us by Sir George Simpson 

 were ordered to rendezvous. 



We waited one day at Whitehall, for the complete 

 disruption of the ice on Lake Champlain*, and did 

 not reach Montreal till the fourth day after leaving 

 New York. Sir George Simpson received us, with 

 his usual kindness and hospitality, at his residence 

 in La Chine, and expedited our arrangements by 

 all the means in his power; but two days were 

 spent in collecting the voyagers f who were en- 

 jraofed as our canoe-men. Four of them, with 

 the levity of their class, were absent at the time 

 finally fixed for our departure, thereby, in terms 

 of their agreements, incurring fines, which were 

 afterwards levied by the Hudson's Bay Company. 



The steamers commenced running on the St. 

 Lawrence on the 18th of April ; we embarked on 

 the 19th, reached Buff'alo on 21st, Detroit on the 

 23rd, and Saut Ste. Marie, at the outlet of Lake 

 Superior, on the 29th, where we again found our- 



* The ice broke up on Lake Champlain on the 13th of Aprih 

 On the previous day a steamer was prevented from reaching 

 Whitehall bj drift ice filling a narrow passage of the lake. 



f The Canadian term " voyageurs " is usually employed to 

 designate these men, as that is the language in which they 

 are addressed ; but there seems to be no reason why they 

 should not be called " voyagers," or " canoe-men," in an Eng- 

 lish work. 



E 2 



