into Hudson’s bay by the Nelson, N.N.E., and the Severn, E.N.E.  The shores which it bathes are generally very low; it appears to have little depth, and is dotted with a vast number of islands, lying pretty close to land.  We reached one called Egg island, whence it was necessary to cross to the south to reach the main; but the wind was so violent that it was only at decline of day that we could perform the passage.  We profited by the calm, to coast along all day and a part of the night of the 26th; but to pay for it, remained in camp on the 27th, till evening:  the wind not suffering us to proceed.  The wind having appeared to abate somewhat after sunset, we embarked, but were soon forced to land again.  On the 28th, we passed the openings of several deep bays, and the isles of St. Martin, and camped at the bottom of a little bay, where the mosquitoes did not suffer us to close our eyes all night.  We were rejoiced when dawn appeared, and were eager to embark, to free ourselves from these inconvenient guests.  A calm permitted us that day to make good progress with our oars, and we camped at Buffalo Strait.  We saw that day two Indian wigwams.

The 30th brought us to Winipeg river, which we began to ascend, and about noon reached Port Bas de la Riviere.  This trading post had more the air of a large and well-cultivated farm, than of a fur traders’ factory:  a neat and elegant mansion, built on a slight eminence, and surrounded with barns, stables, storehouses, &c., and by fields of barley, peas, oats, and potatoes, reminded us of the civilized countries which we had left so long ago.  Messrs. Crebassa and Kennedy, who had this post in charge, received us with all possible hospitality, and supplied us with all the political news which had been learned through the arrival of canoes from Canada.

They also informed us that Messrs M’Donald and de Rocheblave had passed, a few days before our arrival, having been obliged to go up Red river to stop the effusion of blood, which would probably have taken place but for their intervention, in the colony founded on that river by the earl of Selkirk.  Mr. Miles M’Donnell, the governor of that colony, or rather of the Assiniboyne district, had issued a proclamation forbidding all persons whomsoever, to send provisions of any kind out of the district.  The Hudson’s Bay traders had conformed to this proclamation, but those of the Northwest Company paid no attention to it, thinking it illegal, and had sent their servants, as usual to get provisions up the river.  Mr. M’Donnell having heard that several hundred sacks of pemican[AH] were laid up in a storehouse under the care of a Mr. Pritchard, sent to require their surrender:  Pritchard refused to deliver them, whereupon Mr. M’Donnell had them carried off by force.  The traders who winter on Little Slave lake, English river, the Athabasca country, &c., learning this, and being aware that they would not find their