68 FOET CONFIDENCE. 



the third morning after our arrival from the coast, 

 was placed in charge of Francois Chartier and 

 Louis la Ronde, with directions for them to pro- 

 ceed with all speed to Isle a la Crosse, at which 

 place Chartier's wife was residing. I wrote to 

 Mr. M'Pherson, requesting him to forward the 

 party without delay ; and Mr. Rae, who put up 

 the packet, enclosed, I believe, a circular, soliciting 

 the gentlemen at the several posts to send the 

 packet on as quickly as possible. Mr. Rae himself 

 was of opinion that he enclosed such a document, 

 though he does not perfectly recollect that he did 

 so. But whether the circular was enclosed or not 

 in the first instance, or afterwards left out, the 

 circumstance of a packet being sent express for 

 fifteen hundred miles ought to have ensured its 

 being forwarded from the further posts. No delay 

 occurred at Fort Simpson, Mr. M'Pherson sending 

 the party on as soon as their provisions could be 

 prepared. Chartier and his companion reached 

 Fort Chepewyan by open water, and were de- 

 spatched to Isle a la Crosse as soon as the ice was 

 strong enough for travelling over. At Isle a la 

 Crosse the letters were put en route again after a 

 fortnight's detention, and at Carlton House they 

 were kept two months. This last delay was un- 

 accountable. When they did reach Red River 

 they were sent on ; but instead of reaching England 



