150 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



burne, to see Mr. Kobertson respecting his quota of men. We 

 learned from him that, notwithstanding his endeavours to persuade 

 them, his most experienced voyagers still declined engaging without 

 very exorbitant wages. After some hesitation, however, six men 

 engaged with us, who were represented to be active and steady ; and 

 I got Mr. Robertson's permission for St. Germain, an interpreter 

 belonging to this Company, to accompany us from Slave Lake, if he 

 should choose. The bow-men and steers-men were to receive one 

 thousand six hundred livres Halifax per annum, and the middle 

 men one thousand two hundred, exclusive of their necessary equip- 

 ments; and they stipulated that their wages should be continued 

 until their arrival in Montreal, or their rejoining the service of their 

 present employers. 



I delivered to Mr. Robertson an official request, that the stores 

 we had left at York Factory and the Rock Depot, with some other 

 supplies, might be forwarded to Slave Lake by the first brigade of 

 canoes which should come in. He also took charge of my letters 

 addressed to the Admiralty. Five men were afterwards engaged 

 from the North- West Company for the same wages, and under the 

 same stipulations, as the others, besides an interpreter for the Copper 

 Indians ; but this man required three thousand livres Halifax 

 currency, which we were obliged to give him, as his services were 

 indispensable. 



The extreme scarcity of provision at the posts rendered it neces- 

 sary to despatch all our men to the Mammawee Lake, where they 

 might procure their own subsistence by fishing. The women and 

 children were also sent away for the same purpose ; and no other 

 families were permitted to remain at the houses after the departure 

 of the canoes, than those belonging to the men who were required 

 to carry on the daily duty. 



The large party of officers and men, which had assembled here 

 from the different posts in the department, was again quickly dis- 



