BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

Mr. Charles MacKenzie joined the North-West Company
as an apprentice clerk in 1803, and was immediately
sent to the Missouri on several trading expeditions.
This considerably developed his powers of
observation, as shown by the account he has left us of
these expeditions, but, unfortunately for him, they
were attended with poor financial results for the Company.
Upon the abandonment of the Missouri trade, in
1807, it was his misfortune to be stationed in the
region between Lakes La PZuie and Monontagge, a district
thoroughly exhausted and where he had no opportunity
of proving his undoubted abilities by means of good
"returns," which were very often the chief recom­
mendation for promotion.
Mr. Mackenzie was remarkably intelligent, painstaking
and energetic, but of a rather philosophical turn
of mind. He stoically accepted the position which had
been imposed upon him and for which, especially after