unhappily can procure from the traders with too much facility; and they nightly serenaded us with their monotonous drunken songs.  Their sickness at this time was particularly felt by the traders, this being the season of the year when the exertion of every hunter is required to procure their winter’s stock of geese, which resort in immense flocks to the extensive flats in this neighbourhood.  These birds during the summer retire far to the north and breed in security; but when the approach of winter compels them to seek a more southern climate they generally alight on the marshes of this bay and fatten there for three weeks or a month before they take their final departure from the country.  They also make a short halt at the same spots in their progress northwards in the spring.  Their arrival is welcomed with joy, and the goose hunt is one of the most plentiful seasons of the year.  The ducks frequent the swamps all the summer.

The weather was extremely unfavourable for celestial observations during our stay, and it was only by watching the momentary appearances of the sun that we were enabled to obtain fresh rates for the chronometers and allow for their errors from Greenwich time.  The dip of the needle was observed to be 79 degrees 29 minutes 07 seconds, and the difference produced by reversing the face of the instrument was 11 degrees 3 minutes 40 seconds.  A succession of fresh breezes prevented our ascertaining the intensity of the magnetic force.  The position of York Factory by our observations is in latitude 57 degrees 00 minutes 03 seconds North, longitude 92 degrees 26 minutes West.  The variation of the compass 6 degrees 00 minutes 21 seconds East.

CHAPTER 2.

PASSAGE UP HAYES, STEEL AND HILL RIVERS.  CROSS SWAMPY LAKE.  JACK RIVER.  KNEE LAKE AND MAGNETIC ISLET.  TROUT RIVER.  HOLY LAKE.  WEEPINAPANNIS RIVER.  WINDY LAKE.  WHITE FALL LAKE AND RIVER.  ECHEMAMIS AND SEA RIVERS.  PLAY GREEN LAKES.  LAKE WINNIPEG.  RIVER SASKATCHEWAN.  CROSS, CEDAR AND PINE ISLAND LAKES.  CUMBERLAND HOUSE.

Passage up Hayes, steel, and hill rivers.

September 1819.

On the 9th of September, our boat being completed, arrangements were made for our departure as soon as the tide should serve.  But when the stores were brought down to the beach it was found that the boat would not contain them all.  The whole therefore of the bacon and part of the flour, rice, tobacco, and ammunition were returned into the store.  The bacon was too bulky an article to be forwarded under any circumstances; but the Governor undertook to forward the rest next season.  In making the selection of articles to carry with us I was guided by the judgment of Governor Williams who assured me that tobacco, ammunition, and spirits could be procured in the interior, otherwise I should have been very unwilling to have left these essential articles behind.  We embarked