beloved brethren connected with this new and interesting Mission are called upon to perform.

1. Moose Factory is about 700 miles from the city of Montreal, in Lower Canada, and is the Company's principal depôt on the southern shores of Hudson's Bay. Connected with this establishment, there are numerous stations to which the Missionary will have to pay periodical visits; some of which are at a distance from the Fort, varying from one hundred to two hundred and fifty miles. The Indians, in this district of country, are principally of the Swampy Cree tribe, with a few Esquimaux at an establishment called Big River, which is about two hundred and fifty miles to the north-east of Rupert's River.

2. Michipicoten is the principal Factory belonging to the Company on the shores of Lake Superior; within and around which, and the different establishments in that extensive range of country, there is a considerable population of Europeans and half castes, as well as of native Indians, who are chiefly of the Ojib-eway or Salteaux Indians.

'3. Lac la Pluie is a trading post of the Company, situated near the height of land which divides the waters falling into the St. Lawrence from those that fall into Hudson's Bay, and is distant from Montreal about one thousand three hundred miles. The neighbourhood of this place is a great rendezvous for Indians from the surrounding country, during the summer, as the means of living on fish and rice are very abundant, so that, including the inmates of the establishment, the Missionary will be in communication at that place, during an important period of the year, with, at least, one thousand adults; in addition to which he will, at stated seasons, visit other depôts belonging to the Company, for the purpose of instructing the mixed population residing at the stations.

'4. Fort Alexander is formed at the outlet of the River Winipeg, and is distant from Montreal one thousand five hundred miles. It is much frequented by the Indians, who, as well as those that visit Lac la Pluie, belong to the Ojibeway or Salteaux tribes.

'5.

Edmonton is an establishment on the Sackatchewan River, which has its source on the Rocky Mountains, and disembogues itself by Nelson River into Hudson's Bay. It is distant from Montreal two thousand eight hundred miles. The Missionary will extend his labours from thence to the Athabasca River, which also has its origin on the Rocky Mountains. The establishments in that remote district are frequented by the bold and daring prairie or plain tribes of Indians, including the Assiniboines, the Peiagans, the Sarcees, and the Blood Indians. The Thickwood Crees and Assiniboines amount, with the whites and mixed population attached to the station, to between fifteen and twenty thousand souls.

'6. Norway House, one of the principal depôts belonging to the Company, is situated at the northern end of Lake Winipeg, and is distant from Montreal two thousand miles. There is an Indian village connected with this place, the inhabitants of which derive great advantages from the proximity of the Company's establishment, where the Indians, who are a part of the Swampy Cree tribe, find permanent employment as fishermen, boatmen, and labourers. As Norway House is a central point, it is intended that it shall be the residence of the General Superintendent of these Missions, who will be able from thence to communicate with, and to visit, the other stations with greater facility than from any other part of the territory.

'Such is the wide field of Missionary labour which has been providentially opened to our Society, and to which the following communications relate. It will be seen that the Missionaries have experienced a most cordial reception from the officers in charge at the different establishments which they have visited; a circumstance which is, under GOD, chiefly to be ascribed to the kind and powerful recommendations in their behalf which have been forwarded by Governor Simpson, to whom the Society is placed under deep obligations. As that gentleman expects shortly to return to the territories, the Committee anticipate much advantage to the Missions from his presence and co-operation with the Missionaries

in their endeavours to promote a work in which he has manifested so deep an interest.

We are indebted to the kindness and courtesy of Governor Simpson, and of the Governor and Committee of the Honourable Company, for permission to publish the following extracts from official communications received at the Hudson's Bay House; from which it will be seen that the arrival of the Missionaries has diffused general satisfaction throughout the Company's territories.

Extract of a Dispatch from Chief Factor Duncan Finlayson, to the Governor and Committee of the Honourable the Hudson's Bay Company, dated Norway House, June 24th, 1840.

• We are exceedingly glad to find that an arrangement, promising so many blessings to the native population, has been effected with the Wesleyan Missionary Society. This is another instance, among many, of your Honours' bounty and liberality towards increasing the means of diffusing Christian knowledge among the natives of this country, and we trust your repeated endeavours for their temporal and spiritual improvement will be appreciated by them, and attended with all the advantages which you so earnestly desire. The field for Missionaries in this country is wide; and if they perform their duties with patience and piety, as faithful ministers of the Gospel, they will have the satisfaction of seeing their labours crowned with success. They shall have our protection, and every personal kindness and attention in our power; in short, we shall attend to their wants, and afford them every facility and assistance to extend their sphere of usefulness, and to promote the great work they have taken in hand.'

Extract of a letter from Chief Factor Joseph Beioley, to Governor Simpson, dated Moose Factory, June 27th, 1840. The Rev. Mr. Barnley, Wesleyan Missionary, arrived here via Abitibbi, on the 3rd instant; and as comfortable accommo

dation as possible in the Factory has been afforded to him, with a seat at the mess table, &c. Divine service has been performed regularly, and well attended, twice a day upon Sundays since his arrival. A school has been established, which is attended five days a week for a short time in the forenoon, by sundry of the young people of both sexes; and the Indians, male and female, receive, through the medium of interpreters, instructions on discourses from the reverend gentleman five days a week for a short time in the afternoon of each day. An hour in the evening of Sunday, namely, from six to seven o'clock, is also devoted to the instruction of the Indians; and in every instance there exists the utmost willingness to hear and understand, on the part of all the population of the island, whether residents or casual visitors, and whether Europeans and their descendants, or the pure native Indians.'

The erection of a chapel shall be commenced as soon as practicable with the limited means at my command; but the erection of certain other buildings, which were contemplated last season, and for which I had got collected, logs, &c. during the winter and spring, must now be deferred. I presume that a building capable of accommodating about a hundred persons with sitting room, will be sufficiently large in the present state of this part of the world.'

Extract from the Minutes of a Council, held at Norway House, Northern Department, Rupert's Land, commencing June 18th, and ending June 24th, 1840.

In order to give full effect to the laudable and benevolent views of the Governor and Committee, towards the diffusion of Christianity and civilization among the natives of this country, it is

• Resolved 73,

That three missions be established in the northern department this season, say, one at Norway House, under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Evans; one at Lac la Pluie, under the charge

of the Rev. Mr. Mason; and one at Edmonton, under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Rundle; that every facility be afforded them for successfully conducting their spiritual labours; and that a copy of the 9th paragraph of the Governor and Committee's dispatch of March 4th, 1840, on this subject, be forwarded to each of the gentlemen in charge of the above districts, for the purpose of giving full effect to their Honours' instructions.'(Notices for February 1841, p. 437–440).

The following is an extract from the Report of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society for 1840. (Pp. 110—

112.)

'A new and extensive field of labour and usefulness has, during the past year, been opened to this Society in that part of the north-western section of America, which constitutes the territory of the Honourable the Hudson's Bay Company. In addition to the European and half-caste population residing at the numerous forts and stations belonging to the Company in those immense regions, there is, in the southern department of the territory, an Indian population amounting to upwards of ten thousand souls. In the northern department, extending in a northerly and southerly direction from the height of land which divides the waters that flow into Lake Superior and the St. Lawrence, from those that fall into the tributaries of the Mississippi Missourie, to the high land that divides the waters which fall into the Polar Sea, from those that flow into Hudson's Bay-and in a westerly direction from Hudson's Bay to the Rocky Mountains,—there is an Indian population of one hundred thousand souls. To these long-neglected children of the Far North and West, our way is now open in consequence of arrangements into which the Committee have entered with the Governor and Committee of the Hudson's Bay Company; and thirty missionaries might at once be employed amongst them in guiding their feet into the way of

peace.

• Five stations will be immediately occupied at Michipicoton,