Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/20

 reception given in England to the news of his havng completed the survey of the Arctic coast of America between the point reached by Beechey from the Pacific and that to which Ross had penetrated from the Atlantic Ocean.

In both these expectations he was most deeply disappointed; for the annual canoes from Canada, which arrived early in June, brought him no ratification of his plan, nor news of the reception given by the public to the intelligence of the success of the expedition: indeed, his letters (contrary to his expectation) did not reach England in time to be acknowledged by that opportunity.

Having no authority for fitting out another expedition, the local authorities of the Company declined undertaking the responsibility of doing so, notwithstanding the very limited and economical scale on which it was proposed by Mr. Simpson; and he, deeply mortified at this delay of his plans, determined upon proceeding to England, in preference to remaining a year in idleness waiting for the acceptance of his proposal.

That acceptance was written on the 3rd of June, 1840, by the Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company, to their Superintendent at Red River, in the following terms: