﻿1848. INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE ADMIRALTY. 27 



" You should next travel to Penetanguishene, on Lake 

 Huron, and from thence, by a steamer, which sails on the 

 1st and 15th of every month of open water, to Saut 

 Ste. Marie, at the foot of Lake Superior, and there em- 

 bark in a canoe, which, with its crew, will have been pro- 

 vided for you, by that time, by Sir George Simpson. 



" Following the usual canoe route by Fort William, 

 Rainy Lake, the Lake of the Woods, Lake Winipeg, and 

 the Saskatchewan River, it is hoped that you will overtake 

 the boats now under charge of Mr. Bell, in July 1848, 

 somewhere near Isle a la Crosse, or perhaps the Methy 

 Portage. 



" You will then send the canoe with its crew back to 

 Canada, and having stowed the four boats for their sea 

 voyage, you will go on as rapidly as you can to the mouth 

 of the Mackenzie ; leaving Mr. Bell to follow with the 

 heavier laden barge, to turn off at Great Bear Lake, and 

 erect your winter residence at Fort Confidence, establish 

 fisheries, and send out hunters. 



" Making a moderate allowance for unavoidable deten- 

 tion by ice, tliick fogs, and storms, the examination of the 

 coast between the Mackenzie and the Coppermine Rivers 

 will probably occupy 30 days ; but you cannot calculate to 

 be able to keep the sea later than the 15th of September, 

 for, from the beginning of that month, the young ice 

 covers the sea almost every night, and very greatly im- 

 pedes the boats, until the day is well advanced. 



" If you reach the sea in the first week of August, it is 

 hoped you will be able to make the complete voyage to 

 the Coppermine River, and also to coast a considerable 

 part of the western and southern shores of Wollaston 

 Land, and to ascend the Coppermine to some convenient 

 point, where the boats can be left with the provisions 



