. INTRODUCTION, Xill 
make such observations as might be useful 
in a commercial point of view, or interesting 
to the science of mineralogy. 
From Joseph Berens, Esq., the Governor 
of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the 
gentlemen of the Committee, I received all 
kinds of assistance and information, com- 
municated in the most friendly manner pre- 
vious to my leaving England ; and I had 
the gratification of perusing the orders to 
their agents and servants in North America, 
containing the fullest directions to promote, 
by every means, the progress of the Expe- 
dition; and I most cheerfully avail myself 
of this opportunity of expressing my gra- 
titude to these Gentlemen for their personal 
kindness to myself and .the other officers, 
as well as for the benefits rendered by them 
to the Expedition ; and the same sentiment 
is due towards the Gentlemen of the North- 
West Company, both in England and Ame- 
rica, more particularly to Simon M:Gil- 
livray, Esq., of London, from whom I re- 
ceived much useful information, and cordial 
letters of recommendation to the partners 
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