[ERMATINGER] YORK FACTORY EXPRESS JOURNAL 91 
Friday, 15th.—Fine weather. Wind E.S.E. hoist sail—put ashore 
1 hour to breakfast—pass the...... islands. About 3 p.m. begins to 
blow very hard. Obliged to make shore. Land with 4 Boats a short 
distance on this side the steep banks—flat gravelly beach. Experience 
some difficulty in landing our cargoes dry—very few packs get wet. 
The other Boats keep out and hold their course to Mossy Point!—soon 
lose sight of them. 
Saturday, 16th.—Fine weather. Being calm this morning, begin 
to load our Boats before 3 o’clock a.m. and start at 4. Fair wind springs 
up—hoist sail. At the steep banks find Mr. Spencer who had driven 
ashore yesterday in the gale. One of his boats was dashed so violently 
against the shore that it is broken useless—abandon it. Load the other 
and put the cargo of the other amongst our Boats and proceed. Arrive 
at Norway House, old establishment at? Noon. All the other Boats 
here safe. Breakfast. Resume at 4 past 2 p.m. with 3 boats, leaving 
the remainder here to dry some which have got wet. Reach the New 
Establishment at the foot of Jack River at 10 p.m. 
Sunday, 17th.—Fine weather. Governor Simpson? arrives at 5 
a.m. The rest of the Saskatchewan Boats arrive shortly after.‘ 

1A long point separating Playgreen lake from lake Winnipeg. 
* The old fort was on the west side of the outlet of lake Winnipeg, opposite 
Mossy point; the new fort is 25 miles below, on a channel of Nelson river. It was 
named after Norway point, which so called because “ buildings were first erected here 
by a party of Norwegians, who were driven away from the colony at Red river, by 
the commotions which took place some time ago”’ (Franklin, First Journey, 43). 
Back, writing in 1833, says: The Company has been obliged to change the situation 
of Old Norway House, on the opposite side, owing to the rapidly progressive advance 
of the water there. In fact it has so undermined and washed away the banks as to 
have arrived within a few feet of a building, the distance of which from the lake in 
1819 was upwards of three hundred yards.” (Arctic Expedition, 32). 
After the union of the Hudson’s Bay and North West companies in 1821,Norway 
House became the American headquarters and Fort William was allowed to fall into 
disrepair. There, Sir Geo. Simpson, “in conjunction with a few tried Chief Factors 
forming a sort of legislative assembly and executive council combined, used to direct 
the affairs of this vast corporation.” (Morice, Northern Interior of British Columbia, 
121). 
3 Sir George Simpson (1792-1860) Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 
Canada, 1822-60; knighted, 1839; made a journey round the world in 1841-42; 
it was said that, under him, the North West was ‘ ruled with a rod of iron.’ (Fora 
description of the Governor’s journey to New Caledonia in 1828, see Archibald 
McDonald, ‘“ Peace River; a Canoe Voyage from Hudson Bay to the Pacific.’’) 
* A few days later, Capt. Franklin arrived. He offered Douglas a passage to the 
mouth of the Winnipeg River in his canoe which he “gladly accepted.” Douglas 
reached Red River settlement July 12th. 
