Mr. R. King on the unexplored Coast of North America. 489 



Geographical Society's recommendation to the Government 

 as most impolitic. When the realization of the objects of the 

 Hudson's Bay Company's expedition reached this country, al- 

 though it proved the correctness of my most sanguine hopes, 

 and confirmed those views which had been contended against 

 by all the great northern authorities, I did not intrude my- 

 self upon the notice either of the Government or the public ; 

 and when title and honour and emolument were conferred 

 upon the successful as well as unsuccessful travellers, I enter- 

 tained no selfish feelings, nor the slightest sensation of regret 

 at my less fortunate position ; on the contrary. My Lord, my 

 heart gladdened at the success of my more favoured associates, 

 and even at this moment my happiest thoughts are those which 

 dwell upon the route of the successful exploring party. 



" But, My Lord, the interest which I excited after consi- 

 derable expense and labour in 1836, has now died away. The 

 death of Mr. Simpson by suicide in a fit of insanity, has put 

 a stop to the new service which he contemplated, and I con- 

 ceive that I may now come forward without being charged 

 with intrusion, to urge Your Lordship to entertain my long- 

 cherished plan ; and although I shall be too happy to accept 

 the command of that service, still if Your Lordship should 

 think fit to appoint another person, I shall not repine, but 

 be ever ready to further his views by imparting the knowledge 

 which I have acquired. 



" The plan which I have now to propose to Your Lordship, 

 is precisely that which I published in 1836, with this excep- 

 tion, that the second division of the survey then laid down has 

 now been completed, and a new line of coast has in conse- 

 quence risen into importance. But in order to give the whole 

 a connected form, I have thought it right to give the plan en- 

 tire. I beg then respectfully to propose, that an expedition 

 consisting of one officer and six men should proceed, towards 

 the close of April, from Montreal in Lower Canada by the 

 usual route of the Fur Traders to the Athabasca Lake, and 

 having obtained an Indian guide, make direct for the Fish 

 river by a route well known to the Chipewyan and Copper 

 Indians. On the head waters of that stream the expedition 

 should winter, and having ascertained the position of a tributary 

 to the Great Fish river which takes its rise close to the pro- 

 posed waters, in the ensuing spring follow its course, and 

 afterwards the main stream to the Arctic Sea. By coasting 

 along the eastern boundary of the Great Fish river estuary, 

 there will be' no difiiculty in reaching the land of Boothia 

 Felix, or in case of its insularity, the Hecla and Fury state. 

 In the latter case the northern confiijuration of America will 



