OF THE POLAR SEA. 85 
soon as the navigation should open, and had the 
satisfaction of receiving from both these gentle- 
men renewed assurances of their desire to pro- 
mote the objects of the Expedition. I conceived 
it to be necessary, previous to my departure, to 
. make some arrangement respecting the men who 
were engaged at Stromness. Only one of them 
was disposed to extend his engagement,’ and 
proceed beyond the Athabasca Lake: and, as 
I found there was much uncertainty whether the 
remaining three could get from the Athabasca to 
York Factory sufficiently early to secure them a 
passage in the next Hudson’s Bay ship, I re- 
solved not to take them forward, unless Dr. 
Richardson and Mr. Hood should fail in pro- 
curing other men from these establishments next 
spring, but to despatch them down to York to 
bring up our stores to this place: after which 
they might return to the coast in time to secure 
their passage in the first ship. 
I delivered to Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood 
a memorandum, containing the arrangements 
which had been made with the two Companies, 
respecting their being forwarded in the spring, 
and some other points of instruction for their 
guidance in my absence; together with direc- 
tions to forward the map of our route which had 
been finished, since our arrival, by Mr. Hood, 
