In the fall of 1804 M^r Charles Chaboillez one of the partners of the North west Company then acting in the Department of the Asseneboine River having agreed with his opponents in Trade that neither party should make any out-post exceeding those already established found himself with more men and goods than were necessary in that quarter[.] He therefore thought it expedient to send the overplus to the Mandane Country which was beyond the limits of his agreement, and hired for that purpose a Free man of the name of LaFrance – being the only Frenchman who was acquainted with the Route – and having been a Missisouri Trader for several years pro-cured to him on the present occasion the trible appointments of Guide, Clerk, and Interpreter; though I must own that he was very unequal to the discharge of either of these duties. [M]atters being thus far settled – we watched an opportunity to steal ourselves away from our opponents on account

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