Warre and Vavasour, 1845-6. 35 merit, or of any other points that may be determined upon, in accordance with the spirit of the letter referred to, be charged to an account to be in the meantime headed "Suspense Account." I have to request that this letter be considered strictly con- fidential, and that the object of Messrs. Warre and Vavasour's journey be not disclosed, but that it be given out that they are known to us only as private travelers for the pleasure of field sports and scientific pursuits. Herewith I hand you an order on the Company's stores and resources at the different establishments you may visit, in fur- therance of the objects of this expedition. I remain, etc., (Signed) George Simpson. [No. 8.] Sir George Simpson to Lord Metcalfe, 9th July, 1845. Mechipicoton, Lake Superior, 9th July, 1845. To His Excellency, The Right Honorable Lord Metcalfe, etc., etc. My Lord: In conformity to your Lordship's instructions when I had the honor of seeing you at Montreal in the early part of May last in reference to the mission of Messrs. Warre and Vavasour to the Columbia River, I conducted those gen- tlemen to Red River Settlement, Hudson's Bay, where we arrived on the 5th June, and dispatched them thence on the 1 6th of the same month overland for Oregon, where I expect they will arrive in the course of the month of August. From Montreal to Red River we traveled by canoe by the most direct route, say the Ottowa River, across Lake Nepisingue, descending the French River to Lake Huron, along the north- ern shore of that Lake to the Sault de St. Marie, thence along the northern shore of Lake Superior to Fort William at the outlet of the Kaministaquoiah River, descending [sic] that river,
and proceeding by a chain of rivers and lakes to the Lake of----
