158 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
In the Afternoon Mr. West again performed divine Service and 
after the Close an Auxiliary Bible Society! was formed at which I was 
requested to preside. The Readiness which was shown by every 
Gentleman to subscribe proves how erroneous the Opinions of People 
have been that there was no Religion in the Country. It proves how 
easily the Minds of People may be led to do what is good and Mr. West 
has certainly had much Merit and has made great Advances in pro- 
ducing so desirable an End. I subscribed 50£ for the Hudson Bay 
Company and the whole Amount was £130 which when the few Gentle- 
men assembled is considered was a large Sum.’ 
Monday the 3rd Sept. Walked with Mr. Williams to the Old Fort. 
It is about a quarter of a Mile from the present [one]. The Site 
appears to stand on higher Ground but this is not the case, which was 
proved some Years since when the River overflowed the Banks the Old 
Fort was inundated and the present one was high and dry. The Old 
Fort like the present was built on Piles in a marshy Ground which is 
the Character of the whole Country about the Forts. The country on 
every Side is flat with low stunted Pine. 
Tuesday the 4th Sept. Mr. Charles chief Factor for Churchill and 
‘Mr. Leslie for the same Department went off this Morning, the former 
will go by the Nelson River in a Boat to Split Lake, from thence by the 
Burnt Wood River up Wappiscan Lake where he will enter and winter 
at Deer’s Lake. Mr. Leslie goes along the Sea Shore to Churchill. 
Mr. Botton and Mr. Ermatinger started this Afternoon for Oxford 
House, the Distance though only 220 Miles Mr. Botton considers he 
will be from 15 to 20 days, such is the Lowness of the Water and Num- 
ber of Rapids, Portages, &e. 
Wednesday the 5th [Sept.] The Schooner began to-day to take 
in her Cargo. Some of the Colonists were detected robbing the Garden. 
Thursday the 6th [Sept.] In the Morning the Voyageur sings 
“Bon Jour, Jolie Bergére,” &c. “Brave Capitaine,” Vin blanc,” 
“Champagne,” &c., at Dinner. “A terre, à terre” in the Evening at 
the Encampment. 


1 See Appendix [D.] 
? See Franklin’s First Journey to Polar Sea, etc., 24 ed. (London, 1824), Introd. 
p. xvii. 

