OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. 
XX111 
cultivate a friendship with them, by making them presents of such 
articles as you may be supplied with, and which may be useful or 
agreeable to them. You will, however, take care not to suffer yourself 
to be surprised by them, but use every precaution, and be constantly 
on your guard against any hostility. 
You will endeavour to prevail on them, by such reward, and to be 
paid in such manner, as you may think best to answer the purpose, to 
carry to any of the settlements of the Hudson’s Bay Company, or of 
the North-West Company, an account of your situation and pro- 
ceedings ; with an urgent request that it may be forwarded to England 
with the utmost possible despatch. 
In an undertaking of this description, much must, of course, be always 
left to the discretion of the commanding officer; and, as the objects 
of this Expedition have been fully explained to you, and you have 
already had some experience on service of this nature, we are con- 
vinced we cannot do better than leave it to your judgment, when on 
the spot, in the event of your not making a passage this season, either 
to winter on the coast, with the view of following up next season, 
any hopes or expectations which your observations this year may 
lead you to entertain, or to return to England, to report to us the 
result of such observations ; always recollecting our anxiety for the 
health, comfort, and safety of yourself, your officers, and men; and 
further considering how far the advantage of starting next season 
from an advanced position, may not be counter-balanced by what 
may be suffered during the winter, and by the want of such re- 
freshment and refitting, as would be afforded by your return to 
England. 
We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two 
