The Report Which Preceded Our Arrival He Said Had
Caused Much Grief To Him.
It was at first rumoured that a great medicine
chief accompanied us who was able to restore the dead
To life; at this he
rejoiced; the prospect of again seeing his departed relatives had
enlivened his spirits, but his first communication with Mr. Wentzel had
removed these vain hopes and he felt as if his friends had a second time
been torn from him. He now wished to be informed exactly of the nature of
our Expedition.
In reply to this speech, which I understood had been prepared for many
days, I endeavoured to explain the objects of our mission in a manner
best calculated to ensure his exertions in our service. With this view I
told him that we were sent out by the greatest chief in the world who was
the sovereign also of the trading companies in the country; that he was
the friend of peace and had the interest of every nation at heart. Having
learned that his children in the north were much in want of articles of
merchandise, in consequence of the extreme length and difficulty of the
present route, he had sent us to search for a passage by the sea which,
if found, would enable large vessels to transport great quantities of
goods more easily to their lands. That we had not come for the purpose of
traffic but solely to make discoveries for their benefit as well as that
of every other people.
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