LETTER TO CAPTAIN BACK. 45 



son will have no reason to complain. My own 

 feelings towards him may be understood, when 

 it is seen that he thus literally identified himself 

 with the expedition, and, what was scarcely 

 of less value, impressed those around him with 

 the same sentiments. 



66 To Captain Back, R.N., Commander of the 

 Arctic Land Expedition. 



" Red River Settlement, 

 7th June, 1832. •— 



" My dear Sir, 



" I am in possession of two very valuable 

 communications from you, which came to hand 

 yesterday ; one dated London, December 14th, 

 1832 — the other at Gros Cap, Lake Superior, 

 May 12th, 1833. 



" It is with unfeigned regret I have to state 

 that imperious circumstances oblige me to fore- 

 go the pleasure of a personal interview with you, 

 on your route to the scene of your operations ; 

 but the state of my health is so deranged as to 

 render it absolutely necessary for me to proceed 

 direct from hence to Canada, and thence to 

 England, for the benefit of medical advice. 

 Indeed, so completely invalided am I at present, 

 that in this communication I am obliged to have 

 recourse to dictation, being unequal to the 

 fatigue of writing. 





