( 173 > 
Art. XXL— Extract of a Letter from Dr Richardson , on the 
Progress of the Overland Arctic Expedition , to Professor 
Jameson. 
• j^Lft?er a good passage of twenty-five days from Eng- 
land to New York, and a tolerable quick journey through the 
United States, considering the state of the roads at this season, 
we arrived here exactly tv/o months after Captain Franklin left 
London. This is the most advanced Naval Station on the 
Lakes ; and on leaving it, our journey into the Indian country 
may be said to commence. Our Canadian voyageurs have ar- 
rived from Montreal, and we start to-morrow in two large ca- 
noes, and thirty-two of party, for Sault St Marie and Fort Wil- 
liam on Lake Superior. From the latter place, we proceed in 
four north canoes to Lac la Pluie, Lac des Bois, &c. to Lake 
Winipeg, Saskatchewan River, Beaver Lake, Frog Portage, Eng- 
lish River, &c. to Methye Portage and the Athabasca country. 
On the Methye Portage, or at the farthest at Chepewyan, we ex- 
pect to overtake the boats that left England last summer, when a 
part of our Canadian voyageurs will be discharged 
Nothing of importance has hitherto occurred on our journey, 
nor have we made any scientific observations worth mentioning. 
We are now at the western limit of cultivation in Upper Canada, 
the advanced settlers being within a few miles of this post. The 
domestic rat has not travelled this length yet, being unknown a 
little to the westward of Kingston on Lake Ontario. Salmon, 
and other fish that require periodical visits to the sea, cannot get 
past the Falls of Niagara, and consequently are not found higher 
than Lake Ontario. These falls also prove a check to the pro- 
gress of the eel, although that fish is known to be capable of 
travelling a considerable distance by land. There are, however, 
fine sturgeon in the rivers that fall into Lake Huron ; but I 
have not seen them, and am ignorant of the species 
We hope to reach our winter quarters about the end of Sep- 
tember ; and the whole party are at present in good health and 
spirits. The earliness of the season is very favourable to our 
prospects. 
Penetanguishene, 
Lake Huron, 
April 22. 1824. 
