54 INTRODUCTION 



the Spring of one thousand seven hundred and seventy, in order 

 to conduct you to a river represented by the Indians to abound 

 with copper ore, animals of the furr kind, &c., and which is 

 said to be so far to the Northward, that in the middle of the 

 Summer the Sun does not set, and is supposed by the Indians 

 to empty itself into some ocean. This river, which is called 

 by the Northern Indians Neetha-san-san-dazey, or the Far Off 

 Metal River, you are, if possible, to trace to the mouth, and 

 there determine the latitude and longitude as near as you can ; 

 but more particularly so if you find it navigable, and that a 

 settlement can be made there with any degree of safety, or 

 benefit to the Company. 



'* Be careful to observe what mines are near the river, what 

 water there is at the river's mouth, how far the woods are from 

 the seaside, the course of the river, the nature of the soil, and 

 the productions of it ; and make any other remarks that you 

 may think will be either necessary or satisfactory. And if the 

 said river be likely to be of any utility, take possession of it 

 on behalf of the Hudson's Bay Company, by cutting your 

 [xxxix] name on some of the rocks, as also the date of the 

 year, month, &c.^'" 



" When you attempt to trace this or any other river, 

 be careful that the Indians are furnished with a sufficient 

 number of canoes for trying the depth of water, the strength 

 of the current, &c. If by any unforeseen accident or disaster 

 you should not be able to reach the before-mentioned river, it 

 is earnestly recommended to you, if possible, to know the event 



he would by no means have undertaken the Journey without first going to the 

 Factory, and there making his agreement with the Governor ; for no Indian is 

 fond of performing any particular service for the English, without first knowing 

 what is to be his reward. At the same time, had I taken that rout on my 

 out-set, it would have carried me some hundreds of miles out of my road. See 

 my Track on the Map in the Winter 1770, and the Spring 1771. 



* I was not provided with instruments for cutting on stone ; but for form- 

 sake, I cut my name, date of the year, &c., on a piece of board that had been 

 one of the Indian's targets, and placed it in a heap of stones on a small 

 eminence near the entrance of the river, on the South side. 



