24 PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. 



Any comment on a letter so honourable to 

 the liberal and public-spirited writer would be 

 superfluous. Such a generous act will be duly 

 estimated by every English reader. 



To my friend Dr. Richardson I owe a large 

 debt of gratitude for many most useful sug- 

 gestions, and for his friendly aid in general. 

 The public also is his debtor, not only for the 

 valuable matter contained in the fourth Chapter, 

 but also for the exposition of the Natural His- 

 tory which is found in the Appendix. 



Nor are my obligations less to Professor Chris- 

 tie, of Woolwich, for his valuable assistance in 

 selecting some of the instruments, and for his 

 examination and analysis of the results of the 

 observations made with them. I am also indebted 

 to Professor Hooker, J. G. Children, Esq., and 

 Dr. Fitton, for their kind assistance in different 

 departments of science. 



Of the great and unappreciable service afforded 

 by the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Di- 

 rectors of the Hudson's Bay Company, I have 

 already spoken ; but I should be indeed ungrate- 

 ful, if I were not to add that their benevolent 

 intentions were zealously fulfilled, and their ju- 

 dicious arrangements carried into complete effect 

 by Mr. Simpson, the resident Governor, and the 

 various officers in the service of the Company. 

 Those who reflect how much, if not how en- 



