Aught else in my
justification; which is fully to bee seen in the Relation of the voyadge I
made by his Majesty's order last year, 1684, for the Royal Company of
Hudson's Bay; the successe and profitable returns whereof has destroyed,
unto the shame of my Ennemys, all the evell impressions they would have
given of my actions.
VOYAGES OF PETER ESPRIT RADISSON.
Relation of the Voyage of Peter Esprit Radisson, Anno 1684.
(Translated from the French.)
* * * * *
I have treated at length the narrative of my voyage in the years 1682 and
1683, in Hudson's Bay, to the North of Canada. Up to my arrival in the city
of Paris, all things were prepared for the fitting out of the ships with
which I should make my return to the North of Canada, pending the
negotiations at Court for the return to me of every fourth beaver skin that
the very Christian King took for the customs duty, which had been promissed
to me in consideration of my discoveries, voyages, and Services; by which I
hoped to profit over & above my share during the first years of that
establishment. It was also at the same time that my Lord Viscount Preston,
Minister Extraordinary from the King at the Court of France, continued to
pursue me concerning the things of which I was accused by the account
against me of the gentlemen of the Royal Hudson's Bay Company; my enemies
having taken due care to publish the enormous crimes of which I was
charged, & my friends taking the pains to support me under it, & to give me
advice of all that passed.
