BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

REMINISOENOES 23
prejudicial to me, though I may never have it. in my power to
put them in execution. n ...................................................... .
The following letter, dated Ile (I, la Crosse, by Mr. MacKenzie,
1st February 1788, to the agents of the Company at the Grand
Portage, may be of use some time or other, as it gives a true
statement of his proceeding to that period.
" Gentlemen,
" I am sorry to inform YOll that owing to many unforeseen E:1rly winaccidents,
the goods that were in my charge last Fall did not ter.
get in Athabasca. 1 was stopped, the 2nd October, for five days
by the ice within thirty leagues of this place. I was obliged to
send back two canoes with sixty three pieces to lighten the
others. Then I proceeded with the other canoes, but being
frequently obliged to break the ice, we advanced slowly, and
got to Lac La Lache only the 11 tho
"The weather at this time was so very severe that. I lost all
hopes of getting any further, and our provisions were almost
exhausted. I therefore had only three canoes and their loading
carried by all the men across the Portage; but when they
arrived there, which was on the 14th, the ice was taken on the
river for two leagues, and the ice driving so thick further on,
that there was no possibility of pulling a canoe into it. We could
not wait here in expectation of the river getting clear, haying
no hunters, and 1 had the goods secured from wild beasts and
allowed the men to return to Lac La LOI:he for their winter
quarters .
.. On the 17th, the weather getting milder, and the ice running
not quite so thick, I got eight of my men to embark with me in
a light canoe. These men left their own things and we, with great
difficulty and risk, arrived at A thabasca the night of the 25th.