OF THE POLAR SEA. 



13 



to collect all the intelligence he could, and 

 to provide guides and hunters from the 

 tribe best acquainted with the country 

 through which we proposed to travel. 



To our great regret, Mr. Stuart ex- 

 pressed much doubt as to our prevailing 

 upon any experienced Canadian voyagers 

 to accompany us to the sea, in consequence 

 of their dread of the Esquimaux ; who, he 

 informed us, had already destroyed the 

 crew of one canoe, which had been sent 

 under Mr. Livingstone to open a trading 

 communication with those who reside near 

 the mouth of the Mackenzie River ; and he 

 also mentioned, that the same tribe had 

 driven away the canoes under Mr. Clark's 

 direction, going to them on a similar object, 

 to which circumstance I have alluded in my 

 remarks at Isle a la Crosse. 



This was unpleasant information ; but 

 we were comforted by Mr. Stuart's assu- 

 rance that himself and his partners would 

 use every endeavour to remove their fears, 

 as well as to promote our views in every 

 other way ; and he undertook, as a neces- 



