242 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



and proved very detrimental to the progress 

 of the Expedition. In conjunction also 

 with other intelligence conveyed in Mr. 

 Back's letters, respecting the disposition of 

 ,the traders towards us, particularly a state- 

 ment of Mr. Weeks, that he had been de- 

 sired not to assist us with supplies from his 

 post, it was productive of much present 

 uneasiness to me. 



On the 28th St. Germain, the interpreter, 

 set out with eight Canadian voyagers and 

 four Indian hunters to bring up our stores 

 from Fort Providence. I wrote by him to 

 Mr. Smith, at Moose Deer Island, and Mr. 

 Keith, at Chipewyan, both of the North- 

 West Company, urging them in the strongest 

 manner to comply with the requisition for 

 stores, which Mr. Back would present. I 

 also informed Mr. Simpson, principal agent 

 in the Athabasca for the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, who had proferred every assist- 

 ance in his power, that we should gladly 

 avail ourselves of the kind intentions ex-> 

 pressed in a letter which I had received 

 from him. 



