236 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
the Indian character, remove from the establish- 
ment before we could arrive. It had been my 
intention to go to them myself, could the articles, 
with which they expected to be presented on my 
arrival, have been provided at tHese establish- 
ments ; but as they could not be procured, I was 
compelled to defer my visit until our canoes 
should arrive. Mr. Smith supposed that my ap- 
pearance amongst them, without the means of 
satisfying any of their desires, would give them 
an unfavourable impression respecting the expe- 
dition, which would make them indifferent to ex- _ 
ertion, if it did not even cause them to withdraw 
from their engagements. | 
The establishments at this place, Forts Chipe- 
wyan and Wedderburne, the chief posts of the 
Companies in this department, are conveniently 
situated for communicating with the Slave and 
Peace Rivers, from whence the canoes assemble 
in the spring and autumn; on the first occasion 
they bring the collection of furs which has been “ 
made at the different outposts during the winter; 
and at the latter season they receive a supply of 
stores for the equipment of the Indians in thei 
vicinity. Fort Wedderburne is a small house 
which was constructed on Coal Island about five 
years ago, when the Hudson’s Bay Company re 
commenced trading in this part of the country- 
