70 A JOURNEY TO THE 



powder — Observe for the latitude — Quadrant broke — Resolve to return 

 again to the Factory. 



1770. ■ "^ URING my absence from Prince of Wales's Fort on 



February. 



D 



my former journey, several Northern Indians arrived 

 in great distress at the Factory, and were employed in 

 shootmg partridges for the use of our people at the Fort, One 

 of those Indians called Conne-e-quese, said he had been very near 

 to the famous river I was engaged to go in quest of. Accord- 

 ingly Mr. Norton engaged him and two other Northern Indians 

 to accompany me on this second attempt ; but to avoid all 

 incumbrances as much as possible, it was thought advisable not 

 to take any women,* that the Indians might have fewer to pro- 

 vide for. I would not permit any European to go with me, 

 but two of the home-guard (Southern) Indian men were to 

 accompany me as before. Indeed the Indians, both Northern and 

 Southern, paid so little attention to Isbester and Merriman on 

 my former journey, particularly in times of scarcity, that I was 

 determined not to take them with me in future ; though the 

 former was very desirous to accompany me again, and was well 

 calculated to encounter the hardships of [13] such an under- 

 taking. Merriman was quite sick of such excursions, and so 

 far from offering his service a second time, seemed to be very 

 thankful that he was once more arrived in safety among his 

 friends ; for before he got to the Factory he had contracted a 

 most violent cold. 



Having come to the above resolutions, and finally deter- 

 mined on the number of Indians that were to accompany us, 

 we were again fitted out with a large supply of ammunition, 

 and as many other useful articles as we could conveniently take 

 with us, together with a small sample of light trading goods, 

 for presents to the Indians, as before. 



* This was a proposal of the Governor's, though he well knew we could not 

 do without their assistance, both for hauling our baggage, as well as dressing 

 skins for clothing, pitching our tent, getting firing, (Sec. 



