made during the winter and spring, the orders for providing; the extra quantity required for the expedition, though sent out from England by the earliest conveyance, so as to reach the provision posts in the summer of 1824, could not be put into effect sooner than the spring of 1825; hence, it was not proper that the main body of the expedition should reach the Fur Countries before the latter period. Some stores were forwarded from England, by way of New York, in March, 1824, for the purpose of relieving the expedition as much as possible from the incumbrance of heavy baggage, and thus enabling it, by moving quickly, to reach its intended winter quarters at Great Bear Lake, as well as to provide for its more comfortable reception at that place. These stores, with the addition of other articles obtained in Canada, sufficed to load three north canoes, manned my eighteen voyagers; and they were delivered, before the winter set in, to Mr. Dease, at the Athabasca Lake.
“Three light boats were also sent out to York Factory, in June 1824, together with a further supply of stores, two carpenters, and a party of men, with a view of their reaching Cumberland House the same season; and, starting from thence as soon as the navigation opened in the following spring, that they might be as far as possible advanced on their way to Bear Lake before they were overtaken by the officers of the expedition. The latter, proceeding by way of New York and Canada, would have the advantage of an earlier spring in travelling through the more southern districts; and, further to expedite their progress, I directed two large canoes, with the necessary equipments and stores, to be deposited at Penetanguishene, the naval depot of Lake Huron, in the autumn of 1824, to await our arrival in the following spring; having been informed that, in ordinary seasons, we should, by commencing our voyage at that place, arrive in the N.W. country ten days earlier than by the usual way of proceeding up the Utawas River from Montreal.”
The three boats mentioned by Captain Franklin were constructed at Woolwich under his own superintendence. To fit them for the ascent and descent of the many rapids between York Factory and Mackenzie River, and to render their transport over the numerous portages more easy, it was necessary to have them as small, and of as light a construction as possible; and, in fact, as much like a birch-bark canoe as was consistent with the stability and capacity required for their voyage at sea. They were built of mahogany, with timbers of ash, both ends exactly alike, and fitted to be steered either with a sweep-oar or a rudder. Each of them had two lug-sails. The largest boat, 26 feet long and 5½ broad, was adapted for six rowers, a steersman, and an
