OF THE POLAR SEA. 235 
ness we felt much indebted. I intrusted to his 
care a box containing some drawings by Mr. 
Back, the map of our route from Cumberland 
House, and the skin of a black beaver, (pre- 
sented to the Expedition by Mr. Smith,) with my 
official letters, addressed to the under Secretary 
of State. I wrote by each of these gentlemen to 
inform Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood of the 
scarcity of stores at these posts, and to request 
them to procure all they possibly could on their 
route. Mr. Smith was left in charge of this post 
during the summer ; this gentleman soon evinced 
his desire to further our progress, by directing a 
new canoe to be built for our use, which was 
commenced upon immediately. 
_ June 21.—This day an opportunity offered of 
sending letters to the Great Slave Lake; and I 
availed myself of it, to request Mr. Wentzel would 
accompany the Expedition agreeably to the de- 
sire of the Copper Indians, communicating to 
him that I had received permission for him to do 
so from the partners of the North-West Com- 
pany. Should he be disposed to comply with 
my invitation, I desired that he would go over to 
Fort Providence, and remain near the Indians 
whom he had engaged for our service. I feared 
lest they should become impatient at our unex- 
pected delay, and, with the usual fickleness of 
és 
