36 Joseph Schafer the Woods, thence down the Winnipeg River to the lake of the same name, and from thence to Red River, which empties itself into the southern end of that lake. From Red River Settlement they were forwarded on horseback with a party consisting of a clerk and six servants besides guides, interpret- ers and hunters, under the charge of Mr. Chief Factor Ogden, who was instructed to take the most direct route to Oregon by the Assiniboine and Saskatchewan Rivers, crossing the Rocky Mountains at the most southern British pass (in about Lat. 51**), traversing the Flathead and Kootenai countries, and falling upon the Columbia River at Fort Colville, whence they are to proceed to the shores of the Pacific by boats. At the interview I had with Sir Richard Jackson previous to my departure from Montreal, I was requested to draw the attention of Messrs. Warre and Vavasour to such points con- nected with the objects of their mission as I might consider important, and to afford such information as my experience might suggest, which might be useful in enabling them to frame their report for the information of Her Majesty's Gov- ernment. ■ - y -]■■ T^r^ I, accordingly, addressed a confidential letter to those gen- tlemen under date 30th of May, copy of which is herewith forwarded, and I addressed another confidential letter to Mr. Chief Factor Ogden under the same date (copy of which is also transmitted), directing that gentleman to take posses- sion, on behalf of the Hudson's Bay Company, of Cape Dis- appointment at the entrance of the Columbia River, and of such other positions as might be important in a military point of view, in conformity to the desire of Her Majesty's Gov- ernment, as communicated to me at an interview with which I was honored by Sir Robert Peel and the Earl of Aberdeen on the 2d of April last. By reference to my letter to Messrs. Warre and Vavasour your Lordship will observe that I consider it highly important to British interests that one or two military posts should be
formed on the southwestern Canadian frontier, in order to----
