Chap. X. FRANKLIN AND RICHARDSON'S JOURNEY. 337 



turned, and made all sail. The route was settled 

 to be by Cumberland House, and through the 

 chain of posts to the Great Slave Lake. It is not 

 deemed necessary to notice the multitude of lakes, 

 rivers, portages, and the numerous difficulties and 

 impediments which beset the traveller throughout 

 his arduous journey in the northern regions of 

 America ; these having been so frequently described 

 by various travellers since the time of Hearne and 

 Mackenzie. Suffice it to say that, from the time 

 of their leaving York Factory, on the 9th Septem- 

 ber, to their arrival at Cumberland House, on the 

 22nd October, they had travelled over a distance 

 of very nearly seven hundred miles, with and 

 against the streams of some ten different rivers, 

 and nine lakes, to say nothing of rocks, rapids, and 

 portages. The charts and views, from the observa- 

 tions and pencils of Messrs. Hood and Back, afford 

 a more clear description than any written account 

 could convey. The services of those two officers, 

 in these and other respects, were of incalculable 

 benefit, and highly spoken of by the commander of 

 the expedition. 



Nothing could exceed the kindness of the Gover- 

 nor of Fort Cumberland : he forthwith set about 

 enlarging the premises, to make this their intended 

 winter-quarters as convenient and agreeable as 

 possible. But Franklin, after many conversations 

 with Governor Williams, and other gentlemen in 



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