﻿1848. FORT CHEPEWYAN. 131 



tory before the annual ship sails from thence for 

 England, about the middle of September, or in 

 backward seasons a week or two later ; and after- 

 wards to return to the colony at Red River, where 

 the crews reside, and from whence they come an- 

 nually in the spring on this special service. For 

 many years the Methy Portage brigade has been 

 conducted by a guide named L'Esperance, and on 



that account it is known by the name of L'Espe- 



« 



ranee's brigade. 



After the return of the Mackenzie River boats 

 to Fort Simpson, the winter's sujDply of goods has 

 to be sent to the outposts; but as some of these 

 are at the distance of four or five weeks' travelling, 

 the parties carrying them are not unfrequently ar- 

 rested by frost, far from their destination, and the 

 posts suffer severely, — sometimes to the length of 

 actual starvation and loss of life ; an instance of 

 which occurred before I left the country. 



We reached Fort Chepewyan at half-past 7 a.m., 

 but the two boats that strayed from us did not 

 arrive till the afternoon, and the chief artizans 

 being in the missing boats, the intention I had 

 of giving them a complete repair here, and put- 

 tins: on false keels, was frustrated. Their leaks 

 were, however, stopped, and some planks replaced, 

 which detained us till 11 a.m. on July the 12th, 

 when we left the fort. 



K 2 



