Compagnie de la Baie dHudson - John Raes Arctic correspondence, 1844 1855

SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae (Extract), May 11, 1844

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, July 17, 1844

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, November 28, 1844

Arctic Land Expedition, Outfit 1845

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, July 11, 1845

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, December 13, 1845

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 15, 1846

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 30, 1847

A. Barclay to J. Rae, November 25, 1847

A. Barclay to J. Rae, November 25, 1847

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 12, 1848

Sir G. Simpson to Sir J. Richardson, June 12, 1848

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, November 21, 1848

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 15, 1850

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae (Extract), December 10, 1850

Articles required for Arctic Expedition Summer 1853, June 16, 1852

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae (Extract), October 1, 1852

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, December 20, 1852

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 17, 1853

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, December 1, 1853

Sir G. Simpson to J. Rae, June 13, 1854

Sir G. Simpson to E. Ellice (Jnr.), October 23, 1854

W. G. Smith to J. Rae, January 22, 1855

Encampment near Michipicoton 11 May 1844

Dr. John Rae

Moose Factory.

Private (Extract from private letter)

By another letter you will find that your services are required to relieve Mr. Cowie at Ruperts River, which I trust may be an agreeable appointment to you; & I hope business there will enable you to come on to meet me at Moose from the 15th to 20th July, when I expect to be there on my way to Canada. Besides my desire of having the pleasure of seeing you, I am anxious to confer with you personally on the business of the District, & of talking to you on another subject, which I shall now merely mention, in order that you may direct your attention to it, but it is not to be spoken of until after we meet. An idea has entered my mind that you are one of the fittest men in the country to conduct an Expedition for the purpose of completing the Survey of the Northern Coast that remains untraced, say between the Straits of the Fury & Hecla & the Gulf of Boothia, from whence Dease & Simpson returned. As regards the management of the people & endurance of toil, either in walking, boating or starving, I think you are better adapted for this work than most of the gentn. with whom I am acquainted in the country, & with a little practise in taking observations, which might very soon be acquired, I think you would be quite equal to the scientific part of the duty. My plan would be for you to start from Churchill in the Spring of the year with a Junior or second & a party of 10 men & 2 Esquimaux, in two light boats, & if good use were made of the season, I think it would be sufficient to enable you to go round to the Gulf of Boothia & back to Churchill, or if not, you should pass a winter with Esquimaux, & finish the Survey the following season, either by boat or on foot. The honor of completing this survey I think is reserved for you, & then the world will see that Orkney has produced at all events one good man. Turn this matter in your mind, & if you think favorably of it, you shall have every facility & support that can be required.

(sd.) Geo. Simpson.

Moose Factory 17 July 1844

Dr. Rae

Dear Sir,

The Govr. & Com: you are aware, are very anxious that the discovery of the Northern Shores of this continent (from the Straits of the Fury & Hecla to Dease & Simpsons farthest point) should be completed by the Hudsons Bay Company, and I see no one better qualified for that service than yourself, especially so, as you appear to enter upon it as a Volunteer with a determination of using your best endeavours to accomplish this arduous & interesting survey.

In order to its being entered upon next season (1845) you will proceed as early as possible to Red River Settlement in a half sized canoe to be provided from hence, with crews from post to post, & with a view to qualifying yourself to conduct the scientific branches of the Expedition, it would be well that you occupied the greater part of the ensuing winter in the study of Astronomy, filling up any spare time you may have, in making yourself conversant with Geology, Botany & such other sciences as you may have an opportunity of giving attention to.

The party I think, should consist of 10 persons in all; say, yourself as sole leader, a steady active man (such as James McKay) as your assistant in conducting the people, 6 resolute, active European, Canadian & half-breed servants to act as Boatmen, & two Esquimaux to serve as guides & interpreters, forming the crews of two boats. The two boats ought to be sufficiently large, to take together about 80 pieces of provisions & goods, but so light as to be moved about by the two crews united, & to be properly rigged, so as to be used as row or sail boats as might be required. Mr. C. F. Hargrave will get the boats built agreeably to any suggestions you may forward him from Red River, & will forward to Churchill such provisions, goods &c. as you & Mr. Christie may consider necessary for the service, which you ought to calculate as likely to occupy two years. You cannot, however, to take with you sufficient provisions for the maintenance of the party for so long a time, & must count on taking up your quarters for the winter with any bands of Esquimaux you may fall in with, being satisfied with such rude fare & accommodation as they can provide.

James McKay, already named & now at Red River, who accompanied Messrs. Dease & Simpson, I think would make a very efficient assistant, and he may be paid after the rate of 50 pr. annm. while employed on the Expedition, & 25 @ 30 pr. annm. may be given to the other people according to their qualifications, with the prospect of further pecuniary reward should their conduct be satisfactory to you & the Expedition ultimately successful.

I have already written to Mr. Harding, directing that an Esquimaux Interpreter should be provided at Churchill this summer, & you will have an opportunity of engaging another there next year.

It is desirable you should be in readiness to leave Churchill at the opening of the navigation, or as soon as there may be water enough along shore for floating the boats; & the necessary instruments &c, as per list, will be provided from England by the Spring Express from Canada, when you will receive formal instructions for your guidance. Meantime,

Believe me
Dear Sir, Very sincerely Yours
(sd.) Geo Simpson.

Hudsons Bay House London 28 November 1844

Dr. John Rae

My Dear Sir

I have had great pleasure in communicating to the Govr. & Com: the readiness with which you last summer embraced my proposition to attempt the completion of the discovery of the Northern Coast of America, from the Straits of the Fury & Hecla to Dease & Simpsons farthestThey think favorably of the plan of starting from Churchill with one boat & a party of 8 in all, or with two smaller boats & a party of 12, as you, after a full examination of the nature of the service may determine upon. If you can procure Esquimaux guides and interpreters, & that there be time to build the craft & make the necessary preparations, it is considered very desirable the Expedition should be put in operation immediately, so as to take your departure from Churchill at the opening of the navigation in June or July 1845. If you think there is a possibility of getting away next season, I would recommend your proceeding to York & Churchill without loss of time, for the purpose of completing your arrangements, and Mr. Christie & Mr. Hargrave will assist you in securing the services of such men as you may consider well adapted for the arduous duties of the Expedition. But instead of giving extravagant wages, as was done in the Expedition under Dease & Simpson, I think it would be better to keep them within moderate limits, say not exceeding 3035 to one or two principal men, such as Mr. Kay & Sinclair (if not considered too old) & 2030 to the others, with the prospect of a Gratuity in the event of success. But, in this, we must be regulated by the popularity or unpopularity of the service in the estimation of the men.