152 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
and return in Autumn. At half past seven encamped. Weather very 
cold; immense Fires made of Trees. 
Thursday the 23rd [August]. The Night dreadfully cold—hard 
Frost, Fog, Dew. I could not keep myself warm. At half past five 
passed the Steel River. The River becomes now very broad nearly a 
third of a Mile and deep Water. The Banks continue to be high Sand 
Hills. Bos of the Buffalo excellent eating. Pemican is called Taurcan 
by the Canadians. Passed a Point where there were Stacks of Wood 
for the Supply of York. The Country is most scantily wooded. Met 
the White Chief who informed us the Prince was arrived. At 4 arrived 
at York Fort; received by Governor Williams. Several Guns fired in 
Honor of our Arrival. Found the Prince of Wales arrived and the Lord 
Wellington, Captain Fullerton, with 170 Colonists from Switzerland. 
Steel River communicates with Fox River and this by means of Lakes 
with Split Lake. 
Friday the 24th August. A melancholy occurrence happened 
to-day. The Voyageurs or Canadians entered some of the Colonists’ 
Tents and one, a Frenchman, became so intoxicated that he 
died the next morning. On going to the Encampment I found every- 
thing in an Uproar, the Colonists complaining that they had been 
deceived, that the Canadians had told them that they would be starved 
to death and a long History of Miseries which had disheartened them. 
One Man particularly a Frenchman was at their Head and was very 
insolent. Suspicions are always wrong but I could not but be surprized 
to find the two Men of Mr. McGillivray’s Canoe, Forcier and Budry 
(whom he had particularly favoured and courted—putting the first at 
the Head of his Men) in the Camp, and it was evident they were still 
poisoning the Minds of the People. I ordered them off the Encamp- 
ment. They said I was not their Bourgeois. Governor Williams then 
ordered them. They still refused to go. I then told Mr. Williams that 
out of Delicacy to Mr. McGillivray we had better speak to him which we 
did. But instead of at once ordering them off he reasoned with them 
and even took their Part. The Whole Matter was too evident to admit 
of a Doubt and these men would not have dared to be so impertinent 
had they not felt they would be supported. The Frenchman was so dan- 
gerous a Fellow that I felt if he went to the Colony he would do a great 
Deal of Mischief. I therefore recommended he should be sent back and 
his Passage is arranged in the Lord Wellington. 
Saturday the 25th August. After Dinner Mr. McGillivray and 
Mr. Snodie, Governor Williams and myself went off for the Nelson River. 
Ran along the West Side of the Bank passed about a quarter of a Mile 
