36 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



which are forwarded from these establish- 

 ments to the depots. 



I immediately waited on Mr. Colin 

 Robertson, the agent of the Hudson's Com- 

 pany, and communicated to him, as I had 

 done before to the several partners of the 

 North-West Company, our plan, and the 

 requisitions we should have to make on 

 each Company, and I requested of all the 

 gentlemen the favour of their advice and 

 suggestions. As I perceived that the 

 arrangement of their winter accounts, and 

 other business, fully occupied them, I for- 

 bore further pressing the subject of our 

 concerns for some days, until there was an 

 appearance of despatching the first brigade 

 of canoes. It then became necessary to 

 urge their attention to them ; but it was 

 evident, from the determined commercial 

 opposition, and the total want of intercourse 

 between the two Companies, that we could 

 not expect to receive any cordial advice, or 

 the assurance of the aid of both, without 

 devising some expedient to bring the par- 



