186 



harmon's journal. 



the points of land, along this river, is good. In- 

 deed, I am of opinion, that wheat, rye, barley, 

 oats, pease, &c. would grow well in the plains 

 around us. 



Saturday, October 6. Mr. John Stuart and com- 

 pany, in four canoes, have arrived from Fort 

 Chipewyan, having on board, goods for the estab- 

 ishment at the Rocky Mountain Portage and 

 New Caledonia. This gentleman delivered me 

 a packet of letters from home, and also a number 

 of others from gentlemen in this country, one of 

 which is a joint letter, signed by three of the part- 

 ners, requesting me to go and superintend the af- 

 fairs of New Caledonia; or, if I prefer it, to ac- 

 company Mr. Stuart, as second in command to him, 

 until the next^pring, at which time it is presumed, 

 that I shall have learned sufficient of the state of 

 things in that country, to assume the whole man- 

 agement myself. As Mr. Stuart has passed sev- 

 eral years in that part of the country, the infor- 

 mation which his experience will enable him to 

 afford me, will be of great service. I prefer, 

 therefore, accompanying him, to going alone, es- 

 pecially in view of the late unfavourable reports 

 from that country, in regard to the means of sub- 

 sistence. 



Wednesday, October 10. St John's. On the 

 7th Mr. Stuart and myself, with our company, 



