144 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



to be informed exactly of the nature of our 

 expedition. 



In reply to this speech, which I under- 

 stood had been prepared for many days, I 

 endeavoured to explain the objects of our 

 mission in a manner best calculated to en- 

 sure his exertions in our service. With 

 this view, I told him that we were sent out 

 by the greatest chief in the world, who was 

 the sovereign also of the trading companies 

 in the country; that he was the friend of 

 peace, and had the interest of every nation 

 at heart. Having learned that his children 

 in the north were much in want of articles 

 of merchandize, in consequence of the ex- 

 treme length and difficulty of the present 

 route ; he had sent us to search for a pas- 

 sage by the sea, which, if found, would 

 enable large vessels to transport great 

 quantities of goods more easily to their 

 lands. That we had not come for the pur- 

 pose of traffic, but solely to make discove- 

 ries for their benefit, as well as that of 

 every other people. That we had been 

 directed to inquire into the nature of all 



