﻿1847. STORES LANDED. 45 



cessaries for the use of the party in the winter 

 of 1847-8.* 



The Company's ships sailed from the Thames on 

 the 15th of June, 1847, and, being much delayed 

 by ice in Hudson's Straits, had a long passage ; so 

 that the "Prince of AYales" did not cross the bar 

 of Hayes River till the 25th of August, nor the 

 " Westminster " until five days later ; and the 8th 

 of September arrived before the expedition stores 

 were landed. Sir George Simpson, on his annual 

 visit to the Company's depot at Norway House, had 

 engaged a guide or river pilot, Avith the requi- 

 site number of bowmen, steersmen, and fishermen, 

 and placed the whole under the superintendence of 

 Mr. John Bell, chief trader, who, having resided 

 many years on the Mackenzie, was intimately ac- 

 quainted with the natives inhabiting that part of 

 the country. Notwithstanding tlie high wages 

 offered, being much in advance of the rate ordi- 

 narily paid by the Company, and though none of 

 these men were required to extend their services 

 beyond the winter quarters of the party in 1848, 

 there was a scarcity of volunteers ; and several of the 

 steersmen, that were, from the necessity of the case, 

 engaged, w^ere men of little experience. None of 

 them were acquainted with the neighbourhood of 

 Great Bear Lake, and they all anticipated with more 

 * See Appendix. 



