In  the  morning,  the  first  object  that  attracted  my  attention
was  the  barque  Columbia,  lying  at  anchor  near  the  landing.
She  was  about  to  start  on  a  voyage  to  England,  and  was  now
ready  for  sea ;  being  detained  only  in  waiting  the  arrival  of
the  express  bateaux,  which  descend  the  Columbia  and  its  north
fork  with  the  overland  mail  from  Canada  and  Hudson's  Bay,
which  had  been  delayed  beyond  the  usual  time.  I  immediately
waited  upon  Dr.  McLaughlin,  the  executive  officer  of  the  Hud-
son Bay  Company,  in  the  territory  west  of  the  Rocky  moun-
.teins,  who  received  me  with  the  courtesy  an.,  hospitality  for
which  he  has  been  eminently  distinguished,  and  which  make*


ADVENTURES  AND  EXPLORATIONS.       329

a  forcible  and  delightful  impression  on  a  traveler  from  the  long
wilderness  from  which  we  had  issued.  I  was  immediately
supplied  by  him  with  the  necessary  stores  and  provisions  to  re-
fit and  support  my  party  in  our  contemplated  winter  journey
to  the  States ;  and  also  with  a  Mackinaw  boat  and  canoes,
manned  with  Canadian  and  Iroquois  voyageurs  and  Indians,
for  their  transportation  to  the  Dalles  of  the  Columbia.  In  ad-
dition  to  this  eihcient  kindness  in  furnishing  me  with  these
necessary  supplies,  I  received  from  hitn  a  warm  and  gratifying
sympathy  in  the  suffering  which  his  great  experience  led  him
to  anticipate  for  us  in  our  homeward  journey,  and  a  letter  of
recommendation  and  credit  for  any  officers  of  the  Hudson  Bay
Company  into  whose  posts  we  might  be  driven  by  unexpected
misfortune.
