less comfortable articles of European clothing, were insurmountable
obstacles. The Honourable Company, while they wished to supply the
wants of the Esquimaux, still urged the expediency of securing the
trade of the interior.

A circumstance that came to my knowledge in the course of the winter
promised the attainment of that object. I learned from an old Indian,
that the fall and rapid I met with on my way to the sea the preceding
season, could be avoided, by following a chain of small lakes. My
informant had never seen those falls himself, and could, from the
oral report he had heard, give but a very imperfect description of the
route. Still, I determined on making another attempt to explore the
whole river, knowing well, that if I succeeded in discovering the new
route, there could be no further difficulty in supplying the interior.
Meantime, I was gratified to learn, by letters from my friend Mr.
Dease, that the expedition in which he had been engaged was crowned
with success;--the long sought-after north-west passage being at
length laid open to the _knowledge_ of mankind, and a question, that
at one time excited the enterprise of the merchant and the curiosity
of the learned, settled beyond a doubt.

While on this subject, I cannot help expressing my surprise at the
manner Mr. Dease's name is mentioned in the published narrative of
the expedition, where he is represented as being employed merely
as purveyor. It might have been said with equal propriety that Mr.
Simpson was employed merely as astronomer. The fact is, the services
of both gentlemen were equally necessary; and to the prudence,
judgment, and experience of Mr. Dease, the successful issue of
the enterprise may undoubtedly be ascribed, no less than to the
astronomical science of Mr. Simpson.