ARRIVAL OF GOVERNOR SIMPSON. 43 



distant part, the full term of his three years' 

 engagement. 



Mr. H. Berens, who was on his way to Canada 

 from the Red River Colony, brought me the pleas- 

 ing intelligence that Mr. Simpson would very 

 shortly follow ; and as the latter gentleman was 

 about to return to England, without proceeding 

 to the depot at Norway House, it was fortunate 

 that I had determined on remaining, though it 

 was certain that nothing which prudence and ex- 

 perience could suggest would have been omitted 

 to promote my views. I learned from Mr. Berens 

 that the colony at Red River was in a prosperous 

 state ; and that notwithstanding the failure of 

 the crops last season, meat was from three 

 halfpence to two-pence a pound, and eggs three- 

 pence a dozen. 



June 10th. — Governor Simpson arrived, and 

 communicated to me the measures he had 

 adopted, as well as the result of a council held 

 by some of the principal officers of the Company, 

 respecting the affairs of the expedition. 



Every aid, it seemed, was to be rendered to our 

 operations ; the stores were to be thrown open 

 for our use ; and the services and experience 

 of several well-informed individuals were to be 

 made available for preventing those accidents to 

 which our remote situation, or other local cir- 

 cumstances, might particularly expose us. Part 



