OF THE POLAR SEA. 23 



Having learned that Messrs. Shaw, M'Tavish, and several other 

 partners of the N.W. Company, were under detention at this place ? 

 we took the earhest opportunity of visiting them ; when, having pre- 

 sented the genera] circular, and other introductory letters, with 

 which I had been furnished by their agent Mr. Simon M'Gillivray, 

 we received from them the most friendly and full assurance of the 

 cordial endeavours of the wintering partners of their Company to pro- 

 mote the interests of the Expedition. The knowledge we had now 

 gained of the state of the violent commercial opposition existing in 

 the country, rendered this assurance highly gratifying ; and these 

 gentlemen added to the obligation by freely communicating the in- 

 formation respecting the interior of the country, which their intelli- 

 gence and long residence so fully qualified them to give. 



I deemed it expedient to issue a memorandum to the officers of 

 the Expedition, strictly prohibiting any interference whatever in the 

 existing quarrels, or any that might arise, between the two Com- 

 panies ; and on presenting it to the principals of both the parties, 

 they expressed their satisfaction at the step I had taken. 



The opinions of all the gentlemen were so decidedly in favour of 

 the route by Cumberland House, and through the chain of posts to 

 the Great Slave Lake, that I determined on pursuing it, and imme- 

 diately communicated my intention to the Governor, with a request 

 that he would furnish me with the means of conveyance for the 

 party as speedily as possible. 



It was suggested in my instructions, that we might probably 

 procure a schooner at this place, to proceed north as far as Wager 

 Bay ; but the vessel alluded to was lying at Moose Eactory, com- 

 pletely out of repair ; independently of which, the route directly to 

 the northward, was rendered impracticable by the impossibility of 

 procuring hunters and guides upon the coast. 



I found that as the Esquimaux inhabitants had left Churchill a 

 month previous to our arrival, no interpreter from* that quarter 



