OF THE POLAR SETA. 2S 



on the subject, when I had no doubt that a satis- 

 factory explanation would be given. The Indians 

 retired from the conference apparently satisfied, 

 but this business was in the end productive of 

 much inconvenience to us, and proved very de- 

 trimental to the progress of the Expedition. In 

 conjunction also with other intelligence conveyed 

 in Mr. Back's letters respecting the disposition 

 of the traders towards us, particularly a state- 

 ment of Mr. Weeks, that he had been desired 

 not to assist us with supplies from his post, it 

 was productive of much present 



On the 28th St. Germain, the interpreter, set 

 out with eight Canadian voyagers and four In- 

 dian hunters to bring up our stores from Fort 

 Providence. I wrote by him to Mr. Smith, at 

 Moose-Deer Island, and Mr. Keith, at Chipe- 

 wyan, both of the North- West Company, urging 

 them in the strongest manner to comply with the 

 requisition for stores, which Mr. Back would pre- 

 sent. I also informed Mr. Simpson, principal 

 agent in the Athabasca for the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, who had proffered every assistance in 

 his power, that we should gladly avail ourselves 

 of the kmd intentions expressed in a letter which 

 I had received from him. 



We also sent a number of broken axes to 



