^3i TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [YoL. II. 



At Cumberland House, on his way to his new post he says, "I was 

 cheered by the sight of extensive corn-fields, horned cattle, pigs and 

 poultry, which gave the place more the appearance of a farm in the 

 civilized world, than of a trading post in the North West ; and I could 

 not help envying the happy lot of its tenant, and contrasting it with my 

 own, which led me to the wilds of New Caledonia — to fare like a dog, 

 without knowing how long my exile might be protracted." 



On the 28th of October, 1833, he arrived at Fort St. James near the 

 outlet of Stuart's Lake, the present abiding place of the Canadian In- 

 stitute's learned member and correspondent, Rev. A. G. Morice, O. M. I. 



He describes the lake and its neighborhood in glowing terms, and 

 concludes in these words: — "I do not know that I have seen anything to 

 compare with this charming prospect in any other part of the country ; 

 its beauties struck me even at this season of the year, when nature having 

 partly assumed her hybernal dress, everything appeared to so much 

 greater disadvantage." 



His next appointment was to Fort Alexandria which he refers to as a 

 "post agreeably situated on the banks of the Fraser River, on the out- 

 skirts of the great prairies. . . . The charming locality, the friendly 

 disposition of the natives, and better fare, rendered this post one of the 

 most agreeable situations in the Indian country." Here, however, he 

 remained only from March till the end of May, when he was ordered 

 back to Stuart's Lake. The following September he was appointed to 

 take charge of Fort St. George, where the servants of a former chief 

 trader had all been murdered by the Indians only a few years before. 

 But he says "a great change has come over this people since that time; 

 they are now justly considered the best disposed and most industrious 

 Indians in the district." 



Having applied to the governor for permission to visit head-quarters, 

 he left Stuart's Lake on the 22nd of February, 1837, reached Fort 

 Alexandria on the 8th of March, Kamloops on the i8th, Onkonagan on 

 the left bank of the Columbia River on the 28th, and on the 12th of 

 April arrived at Colville. Here there is a great gap in his account of 

 this trip, but we learn that he succeeded in getting to York Factory early 

 in July. Of this post he says: "It presented a more respectable appear- 

 ance than any that I have seen in Rupert's Land, and reflects no small 

 credit on the talents and taste of him who planned, and partly executed 

 the existing improvements." He afterwards gives a long and interesting 

 account of the physical features, natural history, and native population 

 of the country around the factory. Still, York Factory was not to Mr. 



