OF THE POLAR SEA. 107 



rangements which had been made with the 

 two Companies, respecting their being for- 

 warded in the spring, and some other points 

 of instruction for their guidance in my ab- 

 sence; together with directions to forward 

 the map of our route, which had been finished 

 since our arrival by Mr. Hood, the draw- 

 ings and the collections of natural history, 

 by the first opportunity, to York Factory 

 for conveyance to England.* 



The houses of the two Companies at this 

 post are situated close to each other, at the 

 upper extremity of a narrow island, which 

 separates Pine Island Lake from the Sas- 

 katchawan River, and are about two miles 

 and three quarters from the latter in a 

 northern direction. They are log-houses, 

 built without much regard to comfort, sur- 

 rounded by lofty stockades, and flanked 

 with wooden bastions. The difficulty of 



* As Samuel Wilks, who had accompanied the ex- 

 pedition from England, proved to be quite unequal to 

 the fatigue of the journey, I directed him to be dis- 

 charged in the spring, and sent to England by the 

 next ship. 



