"MY DEAR MR. WATKIN,
"I arrived here on the 9th instant, after a wet, cold, and very
miserable ride on horseback, of 520 miles, from St. Cloud, and was not
sorry to get home again.
"After parting from you I went to the Saguenay River and Lake St.
John's, where I need say no more than that my presence was very much
wanted. No practical supervision had ever been exercised over the posts
in that district, so far as I could learn.
"Brydges accompanied me to St. Paul; but I could not induce him to come
any further, as he said he had a wife, eleven hundred children, and six
miles of railway (more or less of either) to look after.
"You will doubtless have seen what I have written to the Board in
regard to the telegraph across the Continent. The more I consider the
subject the more satisfied I am that next year's operations ought to be
confined to a survey of the line, and to bring the material to Fort
Garry. In addition to sending a practical man, I would recommend that
Mr. Wood himself come to Fort Carry. By following the 'Crow Wing' route
he will get a perfect idea of the difficulties to be encountered along
the whole line, as perfectly as a pinch of flour would represent the
contents of the whole sack.
"I wish to call your particular attention to a letter which I have this
day addressed to the Board, upon the subject of Indian claims to lands,
and the officious part taken by the editor of the 'Nor' Wester,' in the
hope that you may be able to exercise some influence over the Duke of
Newcastle in prevailing upon him to discourage such men in some marked
manner.
