colony by itself. The papers by which all this and much more might have
been demonstrated were lost in obeying His Majesty's command by keeping
company with Captain Pierce, who was laden with masts; for otherwise in
probability we might have been in England ten days before we met the Dutch
'Caper,' who after two hours' fight stripped and landed us in Spain.
Hearing also some Frenchmen discourse in New England of a passage from the
West Sea to the South Sea, and of a great trade of beaver in that passage,
and afterwards meeting with sufficient proof of the truth of what they had
said, and knowing what great endeavours have been made for the finding out
of a North Western passage, he thought them the best present he could
possibly make His Majesty, and persuaded them to come to England. Begs His
Lordship to procure some consideration for his loss, suffering, and
service." Colonel Cartwright, upon his capture at Sea by the Dutch "Caper,"
threw all his despatches and papers overboard.

No doubt the captain of the Dutch vessel carefully scrutinized the papers
of Radisson and his brother-in-law, and, it may be, carried off some of
them; for there is evidence in one part at least of the former's narration
of his travels, of some confusion, as the writer has transposed the date of
one important and well-known event in Canadian history. It is evident that
the writer was busy on his voyage preparing his narrative of travels for
presentation to the King. Towards the conclusion of his manuscript he says:
"We are now in the passage, and he that brought us, which was one of the
Commissioners called Collonell George Cartaret, was taken by the
Hollanders, and wee arrived in England in a very bad time for the plague
and the warrs. Being at Oxford, wee went to Sir George Cartaret, who spoke
to His Majesty, who gave good hopes that wee should have a shipp ready for
the next Spring, and that the King did allow us forty shillings a week for
our maintenance, and wee had chambers in the town by his order, where wee
stayed three months. Afterwards the King came to London and sent us to