From the Indians of the bay, Radisson heard of another lake leagues to
the north, whose upper end was always frozen. This was probably some
vague story of the lakes in the region that was to become known two
centuries later as Mackenzie River. The spring of 1663 found the
explorers back in the Lake of the Woods region accompanied by seven
hundred Indians of the Upper Country. The company filled three hundred
and sixty canoes. Indian girls dived into the lake to push the canoes
off, and stood chanting a song of good-speed till the boats had glided
out of sight through the long, narrow, rocky gaps of the Lake of the
Woods. At Lake Superior the company paused to lay up a supply of
smoked sturgeon. At the Sault four hundred Crees turned back. The
rest of the Indians hoisted blankets on fishing-poles, and, with a west
wind, scudded across Lake Huron to Lake Nipissing. From Lake Nipissing
they rode safely down the Ottawa to Montreal. Cannon were fired to
welcome the discoverers, for New France was again on the verge of
bankruptcy from a beaver famine.

A different welcome awaited them at Quebec. D'Argenson, the governor,
was about to leave for France, and nothing had come of the Jesuit
expedition up the Saguenay. He had already sent Couture, for a second
time, overland to find a way to Hudson Bay; but no word had come from
Couture, and the governor's time was up. The explorers had disobeyed
him in leaving without his permission. Their return with a fortune of
pelts was the salvation of the impecunious governor. From 1627 to 1663
five distinct fur companies, organized under the patronage of royalty,
had gone bankrupt in New France.[12] Therefore, it became a loyal
governor to protect his Majesty's interests. Besides, the revenue
collectors could claim one-fourth of all returns in beaver except from
posts farmed expressly for the king. No sooner had Radisson and
Groseillers come home than D'Argenson ordered Groseillers imprisoned.