230 : JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
On the 10th of May we were gratitie byd the 
appearance of spring, though the ice remained 
firm on the lake. The anemone (pulsatilla, pasque 
flower,) appeared this day in flower, the trees 
began to put forth their leaves, and the mus- 
quitoes visited the warm rooms. On the 17th 
and 18th there were frequent showers of rain, 
and much thunder and lightning. This moist 
weather caused the ice to waste so rapidly, that 
by the 24th it had entirely disappeared from 
the lake. The gentlemen belonging to both the 
Companies quickly arrived from the. different 
posts in this department, bringing their winter's 
collection of furs, which are forwarded reese 
establishments to the depdts. 
I immediately waited on Mr, Colin Roberts, 
the agent of the Hudson’s Company, and commu- 
nicated to him, as I had done before to the 
several partners of the North-West Company, 
our plan, and the requisitions we should have t0 
make on each Company, and I requested of all 
the gentlemen the favour of their advice and sug- 
gestions. As I perceived that the arrangement 
of their winter accounts, and other business: 
fully occupied them, I forbore further pressing 
the subject of our concerns for some days, and 
until there was an appearance of despatching the 
first brigade of canoes. It then became neces 
