This Season is considered by residenters in the Country to have been very mild – yet in the month of December the Thermometer descended to Fifty seven & a half degrees be[low] zero[.] Since that, it did not Sink below forty nine[.] The officers have visited Copper Mine River & report it to be a large Stream, distant fifty six miles from hence and our dwelling is found by observation to be one Hundred & thirty three geographical miles from the borders of Great Slave Lake[.] The Instruments which forms the Equipment of the Party are Sextants, two Azimuths Compasses, besides pocket compasses, Dipping needle & a Transit instrument, Spy Glasses, Paints &^c &^c &^c[.] Each officer as well as Doctor Richardson Keeps a Journal, all of which must be punctually given in to the Secretary or Admiralty office – as to myself I keep none, Since I cannot be allowed to retain it[.] Our Commander reads divine service regularly every Sunday – and all who feel inclinded attend – this is a Novelty in these parts, and highly merits to be copied by those who reside in the Country.

By Letters which I received last fall from Fort Chepewean – I am sorry to say that serious apprehensions are entertained for the fate of M^r John Stuart & the Canadians forming his party[.] He had been dispatched from Fort William with three Canoes bound to the Columbia – and took his way through Beaver River – where he was attacked by some wood & meadow Crees who killed two of his men & two more were missing, four deserted to Isle a la Crosse & brought this melancholy intelligence, one of the Athabasca Canoes waited thirteen days for further information, but none was obtained – So that all are still in suspense as to what has occurred to the party[.] A kind of demi official report is in circulation, that the Company have come to the conclusive resolve of evacuating the Columbia Department altogether[.]

In Athabasca affairs seem to revive, the natives are beginning to be surfeited b[y] the rivalship in trade, that has been carried on so long & are heartily desirous of seeing themselves once more in peaceable times, which makes the proverb true that says "too much of a good thing is good for nothing"[.] Besides the Hudson Bay Company

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