﻿336 FORT CONFIDENCE. Sept. 



rapid. Here we found a barge moored for our use, 

 and, embarking the whole party in it, reached the 

 house at 4 r. m. We were happy to find Mr. 

 Bell and his people well, and the buildings much 

 further advanced than we had expected. All the 

 houses erected by Dease and Simpson had been 

 burnt down, except part of the men's dwelling. 

 Mr. Bell reached the site on the 17th of August, and 

 immediately set to work. Since that time he had 

 built an ample storehouse, two houses for the men, 

 and a dwelling house for the officers, consisting of 

 a hall, three sleeping apartments, and store-closet. 

 This building was roofed in when we arrived, but 

 the flooring and ceiling of the rooms were not yet 

 laid, though planks had been sawn for that purpose ; 

 the kitchen was still to be built, and tables, chairs, 

 and other articles of furniture, to be made. In the 

 log houses, which are commonly erected in this 

 country, the chimneys are massive affairs of tem- 

 pered clay and boulder stones, and require to be 

 leisurely constructed. The Canadians, who are all 

 practised in the use of the axe, soon set up the wood- 

 work; and Bruce, the guide, who superintended the 

 operations, and indeed did two men's work himself, 

 advanced them rapidly. 



Mr. Bell and Mr. Rae quartered themselves with 

 Bruce in the store-room, and I took possession of 

 my sleeping room, which was put temporarily in 



